《Stellar Train: I Open a Small Shop on the Train》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1 - 1In the vast, boundless universe, a space station named "Herta" stood firmly in the cosmos.


    This place was a gathering hub for all kinds of scientists. Anyone who could come here was undoubtedly someone with unique expertise in their respective technological fields.


    Today, however, a merchant named Ye Yun had quietly slipped in.


    ***


    Inside the main control cabin.


    A gray-haired girl was suddenly grabbed by Ye Yun.


    "Hey friend, I''ve got some treasures here¡ªwant to take a look?"


    This gray-haired girl was Stelle, the protagonist of the Astral Express.


    Hearing that, Stelle became interested.


    "Treasures? What kind? Let me see."


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers. Three items wrapped in bubbles appeared in front of Star.


    Stelle thought Ye Yun''s snap looked pretty cool¡ªlike a magic trick.


    Ye Yun began to explain:


    "Let me introduce these to you.


    These three items are: the Coin of Fate, the Space Ring, and a Body Constitution Fruit."


    Stelle examined the items with curiosity, even trying to poke at the bubbles, but she realized she couldn''t touch them.


    She pointed at the Coin of Fate and asked:


    "What''s this? What does it do?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "The Coin of Fate is simple to use¡ªjust toss it into the air.


    If it lands heads up, the user fully recovers from all injuries, including curses, poisoning, and other negative effects.


    If it lands tails... well, you get struck by lightning."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up after hearing this. Clearly, she wasn''t worried about the lightning part¡ªshe just thought it sounded fun.


    "This thing''s awesome! How many credits?"


    Ye Yun shook his finger.


    "I don''t accept credits."


    Stelle shrugged.


    "I don''t have much on me¡ªjust a little over 10,000 credits I earned from working these past couple of days."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "The currency I want¡ªyou have it."


    He waved his hand, and a balance scale appeared between them.


    "You''ve got Stellar Jades, right?"


    Stelle nodded and dug a few out from her pocket.


    "I''ve got a few. But these things are basically useless, right? I only collected them because they look pretty."


    She had nothing else¡ªthose Stellar Jades were hard-earned from defeating a couple of Voidrangers and opening a treasure chest.


    In the universe of Honkai: Star Rail, treasure chests are usually guarded by monsters. The moment you get near, they''ll attack.


    So aside from a few elite adventurers, most people aren''t interested in treasure chests.


    Ye Yun took the five Stellar Jades from Star and placed them on one side of the scale.


    A white light flashed on the other side, and five 100-denomination banknotes appeared. The Stellar Jades were gone.


    Ye Yun picked up the banknotes.


    "These are Starcoins. I can exchange Stellar Jades for them. I only accept Star Coins."


    "Here¡ªyour 500 Star Coins."


    Stelle didn''t take them yet. She pointed at the Coin of Fate: Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How much is that? Is 500 enough?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "The Coin of Fate is only 300. You can keep the other 200."


    Then he placed 300 Starcoins onto the bubble. Both the coins and the bubble vanished, and the Coin of Fate appeared in Ye Yun''s hand.


    He handed it and the remaining 200 Starcoins to Star.


    Stelle excitedly took the Coin of Fate and examined it, wanting to test it immediately.


    Thankfully, Ye Yun stopped her:


    "Don''t rush! Save it for an emergency. If it lands heads, it''s like having an extra life."


    Stelle thought about it and nodded, placing it in her bag.


    She looked at the other two items.


    Ye Yun explained:


    "The Space Ring costs 1000 Star Coins. It has a 10-cubic-meter pocket dimension for storing items¡ªbut not living things.


    The Body Constitution Fruit costs 600 Star Coins and boosts physical strength after consumption."


    Stelle''s eyes sparkled again¡ªthese were great items too!


    But after checking her bag, her enthusiasm dimmed.


    She was out of Stellar Jades.


    "Let''s exchange contact info so I can find you to buy stuff later."


    Ye Yun agreed, and they exchanged contacts via phone.


    Then, they went their separate ways.


    ***


    After Star left, Ye Yun mentally communicated with his system.


    "System, does that count as completing my newbie quest?"


    [System Notification]


    Congratulations, Host, on completing the newbie quest: Complete a transaction.Reward: Shop Card ¡Á1, High-level Imaginary Energy (Pathwalker class) ¡Á1.


    As the system finished speaking, Ye Yun suddenly felt a surge of powerful energy within his body.


    This energy began reshaping him, making him stronger.


    After more than ten minutes, the transformation settled. With a thought, Ye Yun conjured a dark gold energy sphere in his hand.


    At last, he had some power to protect himself.


    In the Honkai world, strength is everything. The weak have no voice.


    Take the Interastral Peace Corporation for example¡ªthey could wipe out a planet without anyone objecting. No one would care about a lower civilization''s fate.


    After familiarizing himself with his new powers, Ye Yun checked the other reward:


    [Shop Card]


    Use this card to transform a room (up to 300 square meters) into a beautifully decorated shop.


    [System Notification]


    New mission: Open a shop!Please open a store.Rewards: Unlock special "Spirit" series items, Interdimensional Guest Invitation ¡Á1.


    Apparently, special items required completing certain missions.


    But from Ye Yun''s perspective, the current store catalog already looked more than profitable. He opened the interface¡ªit was packed, with infinite pages.


    Now he needed to decide where to open his shop.


    After thinking for a while, Ye Yun figured the Astral Express was the best place.


    If anywhere had the most access to Stellar Jades, it had to be the Astral Express. It traveled across the universe, visiting countless planets.


    The Nameless passengers on the train could easily collect Stellar Jades.


    And since he had a Shop Card, he could rent a train car and convert it.


    The only challenge now was convincing the crew to let him rent one.


    So, Ye Yun bought a soda, sat on a bench, and began brainstorming.


    ***


    Meanwhile, with Stelle...


    After parting ways with Ye Yun, she arrived at Herta''s office.


    Upon entering, she saw Herta busy calibrating the Simulated Universe.


    The Simulated Universe had been jointly developed by Herta and three other geniuses¡ªto research the secrets of the Aeons.


    Stelle had tried it yesterday after waking up. She thought it was fun and even had rewards.


    Today, she came to help Herta test it again.


    "Hey Herta, I''m here!"


    Herta turned around.


    "You''re late. You''d better have a good reason."


    Stelle replied,


    "I got held up by a merchant who sold me some stuff. Sorry, sorry!"


    Stelle looked at Herta, and suddenly a lightbulb went off in her head¡ªshe might actually have a way to get some Stellar Jade!


    Stelle grinned and pulled out the Coin of Fate.


    "Herta, take a look at this thing for me."


    Herta glanced at the coin with utter disdain.


    "It''s just a coin, what''s so special about it?"


    Stelle smirked confidently, hands on her hips.


    "Oh, it''s very special! This is the Coin of Fate. If you toss it into the air and it lands on heads, you heal. But if it lands on tails, you get struck by lightning. Pretty awesome, right?"


    Herta raised an eyebrow, now slightly intrigued.


    She took the Coin of Fate and tossed it into the air.


    Stelle watched it spin midair, a gleam in her eye¡ªher plan was working! Whether it landed heads or tails didn''t matter¡ªas long as the coin worked, she could squeeze some Stellar Jade out of Herta for "compensation."


    The Coin of Fate spun wildly in the air before landing on the ground.


    Stelle stretched her neck to see the result.


    [Tails]!


    The next moment, a shout came from Herta''s puppet, as if it had just been hit by something.


    Stelle scratched her head, confused, staring at the puppet.


    Oddly enough, the puppet stood motionless, only the voice had reacted.


    "What''s wrong, Herta?"


    What Stelle didn''t know was that Herta''s real body had just been struck by lightning at the exact moment the coin landed.


    Fortunately, she had the Blessing of Erudition, so the damage wasn''t too serious.


    Now Herta was very interested. This Coin of Fate could actually locate her real body to inflict damage¡ªthis was no ordinary item.


    She quickly controlled her puppet to pick up the coin.


    But as soon as the puppet touched it, the Coin of Fate crumbled to dust.


    "Interesting... very interesting! Stelle, where did you get this thing? Do you have any more?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "Nope. That was my only one. You broke it¡ªcompensation time!"


    She held out her hand boldly, demanding repayment.


    Herta said nothing. A few seconds later, Stelle''s phone pinged.


    [Company Vault: 100,000 Credits received!]


    Stelle looked at the extra credits on her phone with satisfaction.


    She planned to use part of it to buy some Stellar Jade, then go find Ye Yun to purchase those two other items. Heh heh.


    And even after buying everything, she''d still have lots of credits left. Genius!


    Satisfied with her money, Star didn''t want to linger with Herta.


    "So, Herta, I''ve got stuff to do today. Let''s skip the Simulated Universe test."


    To her surprise, Herta agreed without protest.


    She had already given up on today''s test after realizing how valuable that coin was. She gave Stelle the compensation hoping she''d go back to the seller¡ªanyone who could produce such an item was bound to have more.


    All she had to do now was monitor Stelle closely.


    "Go ahead. I''m not in the mood to test today anyway. Tomorrow, then."


    With that, the puppet powered down, standing completely still.


    Stelle raised an eyebrow and walked out of Herta''s office.


    ***


    As she went, she asked everyone she saw whether they had any Stellar Jade.


    And to her surprise, the tactic actually worked¡ªshe managed to trade for quite a few.


    She offered 500 credits per piece. To most, Stellar Jade was just a shiny rock, so the deal was a no-brainer.


    After asking around the main control cabin, her pouch now held 20 pieces of Stellar Jade.


    Just as she was heading to see Ye Yun, a voice called out behind her.


    "Stelle, what are you up to?"


    She turned to see March 7th.


    "Oh hey, March! I''m trading for Stellar Jade. Got any? I''ll pay 500 credits per piece."


    March 7th eyed her suspiciously.


    "You''re spending money to collect Stellar Jade? What are you up to?"


    Stelle looked around, then leaned in with a mysterious grin.


    "I''ve got big plans."


    March raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? Sounds fun. Tell me!"


    Stelle giggled and whispered in March''s ear.


    As March listened, she gasped and exclaimed every few seconds.


    "This is amazing! Stelle, I want in! Take me with you!"


    Stelle nodded proudly.


    "Let''s go! Keep up!"


    With that, she led March 7th toward Ye Yun''s location, which he had sent her earlier.


    Ye Yun, at the time, was taking a walk near the small garden beside the control cabin.


    It had to be said¡ªAsta really was a proper heiress of the Interastral Peace Corporation. The amount spent on even just this garden must be enormous.


    The flowers inside were vibrant, diverse in color and shape.


    Soon, Stelle and March arrived.


    Seeing Ye Yun, they quickened their pace.


    Ye Yun smiled and waved.


    "Stelle! Over here."


    Stelle and March came closer.


    Stelle looked around beside Ye Yun.


    "What are you looking for?" March asked.


    "I''m looking for the scale. Quick, Ye Yun, take out your scale¡ªI need to exchange for Star Coins!"


    Ye Yun chuckled and brought it out.


    "You brought a friend too? Introduce us?"


    Stelle realized she hadn''t made the introductions yet.


    "Ye Yun, this is March 7th, my best friend and fellow Trailblazer."


    "March, this is Ye Yun¡ªthe merchant I told you about."


    With that, Stelle excitedly placed her 20 Stellar Jades on one side of the scale.


    The jades vanished instantly, and the other side produced 20 Star Coins, each worth 100.


    Stelle gleefully scooped up her 2,000 Star Coins and even dipped her fingers into a nearby fountain to count them with wet hands¡ªcounting money never felt so good!


    March curiously eyed the coins.


    "So these are the Star Coins you mentioned?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "That''s right! Quick, exchange yours¡ªthen you can buy things from Ye Yun too!"


    March followed her lead, placing her 10 jades on the scale.


    In no time, she received 10 coins.


    She picked them up and examined each one carefully.


    Ye Yun smiled and handed them his phone.


    "My shop isn''t officially open yet, so for now, just use my phone. I''ve listed all the items I sell on it."


    He had spent some time earlier inputting product info into his phone¡ªnames, prices, and effects¡ªall neatly recorded for easy browsing.


    In just a short while, he had written down over 500 items.


    This was the best option available at the moment.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2 - 2The two girls huddled together, excitedly browsing through the list of items.


    "This bamboo-copter looks fun¡ªjust stick it on your head and you can fly!"


    "Ooh, this Anywhere Door is pretty neat too. It lets you teleport within 10,000 kilometers... but it''s a bit pricey. 100,000 Star Coins? Yikes."


    "This starlight camera looks amazing! And there''s even a pink version. Let me see... built-in magic, infinite film, instant printing! This is literally my dream camera!"


    "This ''Trash Can Brand'' scratch-off is kind of interesting. You can win items worth up to 500,000 Star Coins!"


    The two girls chirped back and forth, eagerly discussing each item.


    Ye Yun sat quietly off to the side, sipping on a fizzy drink while watching them shop.


    Over ten minutes later, the two finally locked their phones and made their choices.


    March 7th took out her 1,000 Star Coins and handed them to Ye Yun.


    "Here, Ye Yun, I want that starlight camera!"


    Ye Yun glanced at the price¡ªit was exactly 1,000 Star Coins.


    With a snap of his fingers, a camera wrapped in magical bubbles appeared before them.


    March''s eyes sparkled.


    "That''s the one! Ye Yun, here''s the money!"


    Ye Yun pointed at the bubble.


    "Just tap your coins onto the bubble. Once it hits the full amount, the item is yours."


    March immediately slammed the coins onto the bubble.


    The coins and the bubble vanished together, and the camera solidified in her hands.


    March 7th couldn''t wait to start snapping pictures.


    "Wow! The image quality is insane¡ªit''s sharper than my eyes!"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "As long as you like it."


    Then he turned to Stelle.


    "What about you? Want to buy anything?"


    Stelle held up her 2,000 Star Coins.


    "I want the Trash Can Brand scratch-offs! Give me two!"


    Ye Yun wasn''t surprised¡ªhe had a feeling Stelle would go for this the moment he added it to the list. It was like it had been made for her.


    He checked the price and summoned two shimmering bubbles.


    Each scratch-off cost 1,000 Star Coins.


    Without hesitation, Stelle slammed 1,000 coins onto each bubble.


    Clang!


    Clang!


    Two bright, glittery trash cans thudded onto the ground.


    Stelle rushed over, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She knocked on each one, listening to the echo inside.


    March 7th noticed and walked over.


    "Stelle, why''d you buy these? Scratch-offs almost never give anything good."


    Stelle thumped her chest.


    "Maybe for normal people! But I''m different. Am I normal? No way¡ªI''m the future Galactic Baseball Hero!" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    March was speechless.


    Galactic Baseball Hero? Could Stelle be more cringe?


    Just then, a voice spoke nearby.


    "There you are. That coin¡ªyou were the one who sold it to Stelle, right?"


    All three looked toward the newcomer¡ªStelle was surprised.


    "Herta? What are you doing here?"


    Herta gave her a disinterested glance.


    "Obviously, I followed you."


    She ignored Star after that and turned her attention to Ye Yun.


    "You sold her that coin?"


    Ye Yun nodded and handed her his phone.


    "That''s right. You can check the full product list here. If you don''t find what you''re looking for, just tell me the features you want in an item.


    As long as you''ve got enough Star Coins, you can buy anything from me."


    Herta raised an eyebrow, intrigued.


    "Star Coins? What are those? Where do they come from?"


    Ye Yun explained, "Stellar Jade. In this world, only Stellar Jade can be exchanged¡ª1 unit of Stellar Jade gives you 100 Star Coins."


    Understanding dawned on Herta, and she quickly messaged Asta to send some Stellar Jade over.


    Then she took Ye Yun''s phone and started browsing.


    Star ignored her and turned back to her trash cans.


    She rubbed her hands together and started chanting some lucky nonsense.


    Herta sighed.


    "Stelle, research has shown that luck isn''t affected by meaningless rituals like that."


    Stelle shrugged.


    "You don''t get it. These things work if you believe in them!"


    Then, she flung open one of the trash cans.


    The next second, a blinding light burst out of it, forcing everyone to shield their eyes¡ªincluding Herta''s puppet, which, while not real, was still built to mimic human reactions.


    Stelle squinted into the can, excitement written all over her face.


    A golden pull!


    When the light faded, the trash can vanished, leaving behind a single can of... pickled herring.


    Stelle picked it up and shook it curiously.


    "What''s this?"


    March leaned closer.


    "Maybe fish food? There''s a fish on the label."


    Herta rolled her eyes.


    "Idiots. It''s canned fish. Ancient stuff¡ªmeant to be eaten."


    Neither Stelle nor March had ever seen canned food before.


    Stelle was a memory-lost Stellaron Hunter, and March was from the Astral Express, where gourmet meals from Pom-Pom were the norm. Canned food? What''s that?


    Stelle, intrigued, started opening it.


    Ye Yun panicked and stopped her.


    "Wait! Don''t open that here!"


    Stelle blinked. "Why not? Isn''t it food? I''m kinda hungry."


    Ye Yun sighed. He decided to be honest¡ªit was better that Stelle knew what she was dealing with.


    "Yes, it''s food... but the smell is so awful you should never open it around people."


    Stelle instantly understood.


    Ah. So... it''s not really edible, huh.


    But then her eyes lit up as an idea formed.


    She tucked the can away and turned to the second trash can.


    March crossed her arms. "Stelle, maybe return this one? These scratch-offs are scams. 1,000 Star Coins each, and you got that?"


    Stelle shook her head and opened the second one without hesitation.


    Another flash of golden light.


    When it cleared, the trash can was gone¡ªand in its place lay a pair of handguns.


    Stelle''s face fell.


    She had just spent 2,000 Star Coins and got... this? The canned fish was maybe useful in some weird situations, but these pistols?


    Nah.


    But then Ye Yun stared at her, looking like he''d seen a ghost.


    "What''s with your luck?!"


    Stelle shrugged. "Yeah, I''ve got the worst luck."


    Ye Yun stepped forward.


    "No! Do you even know what you just pulled?"


    Stelle tilted her head. Was this pair of guns actually worth something?


    "Ye Yun, don''t tell me I actually pulled something good?"


    Ye Yun didn''t beat around the bush.


    "Let me put it this way¡ªthis item alone costs 200,000 Star Coins in my shop.


    That pair of pistols has a ridiculously powerful name...


    Divine Keys: Judgment of Shamash!"


    ***


    As soon as Stelle heard the name, her eyes lit up.


    Woah! That name sounds kinda cool!


    "Are these two guns powerful?"


    Ye Yun nodded and picked up the Judgment of Shamash.


    "These two guns are currently in their normal state. They each have another form.


    Judgment Of Shamash, unsheathe!"


    A flash of light burst from the Judgment of Shamash, and a large sword wreathed in flames appeared in Ye Yun''s hand.


    Stelle stared at the blade, eyes sparkling. This is way too cool!


    Ye Yun felt the strength draining from his body.


    The side effects of the Judgment of Shamash had already been removed. With the system''s help, the drawback had been changed to stamina consumption.


    Ye Yun handed the blade over to Stelle.


    "If you activate this mode, it''ll continuously drain your stamina¡ªso be careful."


    Stelle took the Judgment of Shamash and swung it a few times, finding it very comfortable to use.


    Also... she didn''t seem to feel any stamina loss.


    "Ye Yun, I''m not feeling any stamina drain¡ªwhat''s going on?"


    Ye Yun paused to think. It might have something to do with the Stellaron inside Stelle. The Stellaron had already merged with her body and became the source of her power.


    "It might be related to the Stellaron inside you."


    At that moment, Herta spoke up.


    "Put the big sword away for now. Come with me in a bit so I can run some tests. I want to see if anything''s changed with the Stellaron in your body."


    Stelle agreed without hesitation. A check-up sounded like a good idea¡ªafter all, her Stellaron had just flared up a few days ago.


    Herta then turned to Ye Yun.


    "Let''s exchange contact info. I''ll find you tomorrow¡ªmy Stellar Jade arrives then."


    Just earlier, Asta had messaged Herta saying she''d bring it tomorrow. Today, she was busy organizing a team to repair the space station.


    After exchanging contact info¡ª


    Herta suddenly remembered something.


    "By the way, I copied that product list from your phone¡ªjust so you know."


    Ye Yun didn''t mind. He had made that list for customers to browse anyway.


    "No problem."


    Herta nodded slightly, then looked at Stelle, who was still gleefully playing with the Judgment of Shamash.


    "That''s enough. Come with me. Let''s run that check-up."


    Stelle reluctantly put away her big sword.


    The three girls said goodbye to Ye Yun and left. Ye Yun glanced at the remaining credits on his phone, thinking about finding a place to rest on the space station.


    Herta brought Stelle and March 7th to her lab.


    March came along mostly because she was bored.


    The Astral Express was restocking supplies right now¡ªHimeko and Mr. Yang were in charge of that, and there wasn''t much March could help with.


    So, with nothing better to do, she decided to tag along for some fun.


    Just as the three stepped into the lab, they spotted a figure in red.


    March looked surprised when she saw who it was.


    "Himeko! Weren''t you at the platform?"


    It was indeed Himeko, navigator of the Astral Express.


    Himeko smiled gently.


    "Things are mostly wrapped up over there. With Welt keeping an eye on it, there shouldn''t be any issues.


    I came here to chat with Herta¡ªI want to upgrade my weapon a bit."


    March 7th asked curiously,


    "That orbital cannon thing that flies in the sky?"


    Himeko nodded.


    "That''s the one."


    Then she turned to Herta.


    "Herta, do you have a moment?"


    Herta rejected her instantly.


    "Nope. I still need to run tests on this Stellaron girl."


    Himeko glanced at Stelle, who grinned and nodded.


    Herta walked past Himeko and over to a full-body scanner.


    "In you go."


    Stelle quickly hopped into the scanner.


    Herta activated the machine and did an initial scan, finding no abnormalities in Stelle''s Stellaron.


    Thinking for a moment, she decided to be thorough and asked Stelle to activate the sword form again.


    "Try summoning that big sword again."


    Obediently, Stelle took out the Judgment of Shamash from her waist and struck a pose she thought was cool.


    "Judgment of Shamash, unsheathe!"


    A flash of light burst forth, and a fiery red greatsword appeared in her hands.


    Himeko looked at the blade in awe.


    This sword contained an incredibly powerful force! But hadn''t Stelle lost her memories before? Where did this come from? Did Herta make it for her?


    After a moment of thought, Himeko shook her head. That couldn''t be it.


    Knowing Herta, she wouldn''t spend the time and effort to custom-make a weapon¡ªnot when she could be running experiments instead.


    Himeko decided to ask Stelle about it later. This sword was definitely something special.


    At that moment, Herta''s instruments started beeping with anomalies.


    Raising her brow, Herta looked at the data with interest.


    "This sword is fascinating¡ªit''s drawing directly from the Stellaron as a power source."


    The machine showed that, once the greatsword mode was activated, the Judgment of Shamash began absorbing the Stellaron''s leaking energy.


    Herta looked at Stelle.


    "Ye Yun was absolutely right¡ªthis sword normally drains stamina.


    But for you, there''s no such limitation. Your Stellaron replaces the need for stamina.


    I have to admit¡ªthis sword really suits you.


    Alright, you can step out now."


    Stelle beamed with happiness after hearing Herta''s analysis.


    She looked at the Judgment of Shamash with deep satisfaction.


    As expected of her jackpot weapon! It synced perfectly with her. She finally had a proper weapon!


    Baseball bat? Sorry, not anymore~


    Himeko stepped forward, seeing Herta was finished.


    "Stelle, where did you get that weapon? Wasn''t it a baseball bat before?"


    Without hesitation, Stelle replied.


    "Just got it from a lottery draw. Cool, right? Pretty lucky, huh?"


    Himeko smiled and praised her.


    "A lottery draw? Your luck really is good."


    At that moment, March 7th pulled out her newly purchased starry sky camera.


    "Himeko! Look at my new camera!"


    Himeko glanced at the device and noticed March had changed cameras.


    "March, you got a new one?"


    March nodded.


    "Yup. Stelle and I just went shopping. She bought two scratch-off tickets from Trash Can Brand, and I got this camera.


    Oh, oh! Himeko, you should check out Ye Yun''s shop too! He has all kinds of cool stuff.


    And the best part? He accepts Stellar Jade as payment!"


    Himeko was intrigued.


    Oh? Ye Yun? Judging by what March said, both Stelle''s new greatsword and March''s camera came from him.


    And he accepts Stellar Jade¡ªsomething that''s normally just for decoration¡ªas currency?


    Interesting.


    "March, do you know where Ye Yun is now?"


    March scratched her head.


    "I don''t have his contact info... Oh wait! Stelle and Herta do! Ask them."


    Before Himeko could speak, Stelle had already pulled out her phone and called Ye Yun.


    "Hey, Ye Yun? Are you still at the same spot?"

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3 - 3Over half an hour later, outside a cafeteria in the space station.


    Ye Yun held a bowl of noodles, eating as he watched Himeko, Stelle, and March 7th sitting on a nearby bench, browsing the merchandise list.


    After leaving the little garden earlier, Ye Yun had been looking for a place to stay.


    But while he didn''t find any accommodations, he did stumble upon a cafeteria.


    Once inside, he figured he might as well buy something to eat.


    However, the cafeteria required a staff ID to purchase food.


    Left with no choice, Ye Yun contacted Herta and asked her to get him a temporary work ID for the space station.


    As for Ye Yun being an uninvited guest, Herta didn''t care how he got to the station.


    As long as he had something she found interesting, that was enough.


    Ten minutes later, Himeko still hadn''t found anything she wanted in the shop list.


    Seeing her put away the phone without buying anything, March 7th offered a suggestion.


    "Himeko, if there''s nothing you like on the list, you can just tell Ye Yun what you''re looking for.


    He did say there''s nothing you can''t buy from him."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s right. My goods come from across all worlds. As long as you have enough Star Coins, you can get anything you want."


    Himeko thought for a moment.


    "Do you have a coffee machine? The one on the train just broke."


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers, and three coffee machines floated into view, wrapped in shimmering bubbles.


    "These three models¡ªtake a look and see which one you like:


    First one ¨C Magic Coffee Machine. From a magical world. Equipped with water and grinding arrays. Just press a button, and coffee appears. Price: 2,000 Star Coins.


    Second one ¨C Fully Automatic Coffee Machine. From a tech world. Just add beans and water, and you get your brew. Price: 500 Star Coins.


    Third one ¨C Spiritual Qi Coffee Machine. From an immortal cultivation world. Powered by spirit stones. Coffee brewed enhances physical constitution. Price: 3,000 Star Coins. One extra note: Spirit stones cost 100 Star Coins each and can make 100 cups."


    After hearing the introduction, Himeko''s gaze locked onto the Spiritual Qi Coffee Machine.


    A coffee machine that boosts your body''s strength?


    More importantly, it''s manual! And she loved hand-brewed coffee the most.


    Those automatic machines with fixed ratios? No interest at all.


    Pointing to the Spiritual Qi Coffee Machine, Himeko said,


    "I''ll take this one. But I need to head back to the train to grab some Stellar Jade."


    Ye Yun packed away the other two machines and held up the chosen one.


    "Let''s go. I''m not busy anyway."


    Himeko smiled warmly.


    "Thanks."


    The four of them walked toward the platform where the Astral Express was docked.


    They chatted and laughed along the way.


    On the way, they even encountered a common treasure chest.


    Stelle lifted Judgment of Shamash and easily dealt with the Voidspawn guarding it, taking the Stellar Jade inside¡ªfive pieces in total. Worth 500 Star Coins!


    March 7th clenched her fists in silent frustration. Darn it! I was just a step too slow!


    Over half an hour later, they finally arrived at the platform.


    Ye Yun stood at a high vantage point and looked over. A vintage steam train was parked neatly at the platform.


    In the rear cars, he could see Welt and Pom-Pom checking off items on a cargo list.


    Noticing Ye Yun staring in awe, Himeko smiled.


    "What do you think? The Astral Express is pretty impressive, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded thoughtfully.


    "Yeah. I''ve heard of the Astral Express before, but this is my first time seeing it in person.


    I didn''t expect something this long to be able to travel through space."


    March 7th, she put her hands on her hips, proud.


    "Right? And it''s super fast! One whoosh and we''re already light-years away!"


    Himeko gestured toward the train.


    "Come on, let''s go inside."


    Led by Himeko, Ye Yun, Stelle, and March 7th entered the viewing carriage.


    Stelle looked around with wide eyes like a curious baby.


    It was her first time inside the train. From the outside, it looked vintage¡ªbut the interior was sleek and futuristic.


    Himeko led Ye Yun and Stelle to a sofa.


    "You two sit here and relax for a bit. I''ll go fetch the Stellar Jade. Little March, go pour some water."


    March, who had been snapping pictures with her new camera, cheerfully ran off to get water.


    Himeko headed into the resting carriage to grab the Stellar Jade from her room.


    With nothing to do, Ye Yun opened his phone to keep copying product descriptions.


    Stelle scooted over and watched as he wrote. Every time he added something new, she peeked at it. When she saw something interesting, she took a photo with her phone¡ªplanning to ask Ye Yun about it later.


    March returned with water and quickly joined in.


    Over ten minutes later, Himeko returned to the viewing carriage.


    But this time, she wasn''t alone¡ªDan Heng was with her.


    Dan Heng¡ªone of the Nameless on the Express¡ªquiet, serious, and always immersed in data.


    March 7th raised her brows in surprise.


    "Well, well~ Dan Heng! You finally left the data room!"


    Dan Heng replied coolly,


    "I was recording information on the Doomsday Beast."


    March sighed. Dan Heng, can''t you give us just a little more reaction?


    Ah well. She turned her attention back to Ye Yun''s product list.


    Himeko handed over the Stellar Jade.


    "Ye Yun, here are 30 pieces. Is that enough?"


    Ye Yun took out his balance scale.


    "Place them on one side."


    Himeko placed the 30 Stellar Jade pieces on the scale.


    A moment later, the Stellar Jade vanished, and the other side of the scale displayed 30 Star Coins worth 100 each.


    March, standing close by, helped Himeko collect the notes.


    "Himeko! These are Star Coins! I''ll show you how to use them!"


    She grabbed Himeko and pulled her over to the floating Spiritual Qi Coffee Machine.


    March cleared her throat dramatically.


    "Watch and learn!"


    With flair, she slapped the 3,000 Star Coins onto the bubble surrounding the coffee machine.


    The bubble and the coins vanished, and the coffee machine slowly descended to the floor.


    "Ta-da! That''s how it''s done!"


    Himeko chuckled at March''s enthusiasm.


    "Thank you, March."


    March grinned proudly, beaming.


    Then Himeko turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, could I show that product list to Dan Heng?"


    Ye Yun handed over the updated list.


    Dan Heng simply nodded. "Thanks." And immediately started reading.


    Himeko lifted the Spiritual Qi Coffee Machine and placed it on a nearby cabinet.


    Seeing that Dan Heng was browsing, Ye Yun wandered over to Himeko, curious.


    Just then, Himeko noticed something¡ªshe hadn''t bought any spirit stones yet.


    Ye Yun, realizing what she needed, spent 100 Star Coins of his own to buy one.


    Any profits made from sales in the shop went entirely to Ye Yun¡ªthe system didn''t take a cut.


    "Here, try one out."


    Himeko smiled softly.


    "Thank you."


    ***


    Himeko took the spirit stone and placed it into the spiritual energy coffee machine.


    The indicator light in front of the machine instantly lit up and began operating.


    Stelle and March 7th also came over to join the fun.


    Very quickly, Himeko skillfully brewed a cup of coffee.


    Himeko turned around and looked at Ye Yun, Stelle, and March 7th.


    "Want a taste?"


    March 7th shivered all over¡ªHimeko''s coffee was not something to be drunk lightly!


    "Uh, I''m gonna go check if Dan Heng''s picked out what he wants. You guys drink!"


    With that, March 7th turned and bolted. If she didn''t run now, she''d have to drink that coffee!


    Himeko''s smile stiffened a bit.


    "Stelle, Ye Yun, would you like to try?"


    Stelle didn''t quite get what was going on. Why did March 7th leave in such a panic? It was just a cup of coffee, right?


    Well, as they say¡ªnewborn calves are not afraid of tigers. Stelle took the coffee from Himeko.


    "Thanks!"


    She downed it in one gulp.


    Himeko looked at Stelle expectantly.


    "How is it, Stelle? How does it taste?"


    Stelle smiled and gave a thumbs-up.


    "Delicious!"


    Then she waved to March 7th.


    "March! Come drink some coffee; it''s really good!"


    March 7th peeked her head out from behind Dan Heng.


    She saw Stelle proudly showing off her empty coffee cup.


    March 7th was confusing.


    Himeko''s coffee is... good now? Judging from Stelle''s expression, it did look pretty good. Maybe... Should I try it?


    She mustered up the courage and asked Himeko to make her a cup.


    March 7th took the coffee and sniffed it first.


    Hmm! Smells normal! No weird odor!


    Stelle urged from the side.


    "Come on, March, try it! It''s really good!"


    Ye Yun, watching from the side, could barely hold back his laughter. He saw it all clearly¡ªStelle''s legs were trembling slightly.


    From the looks of it, she was just trying to drag March 7th down with her¡ªshe didn''t want to suffer alone.


    March 7th raised the cup and took a big gulp. The moment she swallowed...


    Stelle and March 7th both collapsed on the spot, legs twitching, eyes rolling up as they passed out.


    "Gah!"


    Ye Yun looked at the two lying on the floor, thoroughly entertained. Tsk tsk tsk, Himeko''s coffee really is lethal.


    Himeko, looking at the unconscious pair, began to doubt her coffee-making skills.


    But that thought was quickly tossed aside. She turned around and picked up a book on hand-brewed coffee, flipping through to see where she might''ve gone wrong.


    Ye Yun, seeing the two passed out, kindly moved them to the sofa to rest.


    Just then, Dan Heng had picked out what he wanted: a pair of headphones with infinite battery power. The price wasn''t high¡ªonly 300 Star Coins.


    He exchanged three Stellar Jades for Star Coins, bought the headphones, then left Ye Yun and Himeko to return to the archives.


    Ye Yun glanced at the two still unconscious on the sofa. After thinking for a moment, he decided to talk to Himeko about renting a train carriage.


    He approached Himeko.


    "Himeko, there''s something I''d like to discuss."


    Himeko put down her book.


    "Oh? What is it?"


    Ye Yun took a sip of water and said slowly:


    "I''d like to rent a carriage to open a shop.Of course, I won''t use it for free¡ªyou and the crew can take one item each month from my shop, worth up to 3000 Star Coins. What do you think?"


    Himeko listened to his proposal and began to ponder.


    This had never happened on the train before¡ªat least not in the history of the Nameless that she knew of.


    Still, renting it to Ye Yun wasn''t out of the question. Every month they could get an item from the myriad worlds.


    As for whether Ye Yun might pose a threat to the train crew? From what she could tell, that was unlikely.


    Her evaluation of Ye Yun? A pure businessman¡ªa conscientious one, at that.


    After a moment of thought, Himeko said:


    "I can''t decide that on my own. I have to ask the rest of the crew."


    When it comes to major decisions for the train crew, they''ve always followed one rule passed down since the train''s creation¡ªvote by majority.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Of course. I''ll be waiting¡ªjust message me once you''ve decided. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oh, and we don''t have each other''s contact info yet. Let''s exchange."


    After exchanging contacts, Ye Yun returned to the space station.


    Once he got off the train, he messaged Herta, asking her to arrange a place for him to rest.


    He had no choice¡ªhe couldn''t find any hotels or inns in the station.


    Everyone working here had their own rooms, all provided for free.


    Don''t ask why¡ªjust know the company''s rich and doesn''t care about this kind of expense.


    ***


    Two hours later, in the observation carriage.


    Himeko, Welt, Pom-Pom, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle had all gathered.


    Welt, Pom-Pom, and Dan Heng had arrived earlier, and Himeko had already briefed them on Ye Yun''s proposal.


    They were just waiting for March 7th and Stelle to wake up so they could vote.


    Just moments ago, the two had finally groggily gotten up from the sofa.


    After a cup of hot water to clear their heads, Himeko explained the situation to them.


    Stelle was confused¡ªshe wasn''t even part of the train crew yet, so why was Himeko telling her all this?


    Seeing her puzzled expression, Himeko smiled.


    "Stelle, remember I invited you to join the train before? Have you thought about it?"


    Stelle rubbed her chin and pondered.


    March 7th added with enthusiasm,


    "Come on, Stelle~ Join us! We roam the galaxy, fight evil, save worlds¡ªit''s so cool!"


    Stelle thought about it¡ªvery cool. The past few days at the space station had been... lonely.


    Other than Asta, Arlan, and Herta, no one really talked to her.


    Everyone was too busy with their own work. There was no warmth here.


    But hanging out with the train crew? That felt fun.


    "Alright. I''ll join the train."


    March 7th cheered.


    "Yay!"


    Himeko took out a train ticket and handed it to Stelle.


    "Here, wear this. It''s the symbol of a Nameless."


    Stelle accepted the ticket and pinned it to her collar.


    Welt and Dan Heng also welcomed her into the crew.


    After chatting for a bit, Himeko brought things back to the main topic.


    "Alright, now that the whole crew is here, let''s vote on whether or not Ye Yun can rent a carriage.


    As always¡ªmajority rules. Raise your hand if you agree, keep it down if you don''t.


    Three...Two...One!"


    The results came in¡ªStelle, March 7th, Himeko, and Dan Heng all voted yes. Only Welt didn''t.


    Welt explained,


    "Consider me abstaining. I haven''t interacted with Ye Yun yet, so I can''t say yes or no. I''ll decide after getting to know him."

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4 - 4March 7th waved at Welt.


    "Uncle Yang, Uncle Yang, don''t worry¡ªYe Yun''s a really good person!"


    Stelle quickly agreed.


    "Yeah, Ye Yun''s a really good guy."


    Dan Heng added from the side:


    "I''ve observed him. There''s no malice in his eyes toward our train crew. And even though the crew has never rented out a carriage before, haven''t we had non-crew members ride the train before?


    It''s pretty much the same thing¡ªthey''re all just traveling to different worlds with the train."


    Pom-Pom nodded in agreement with Dan Heng.


    "That''s right, pom.


    As long as someone''s willing to travel with the train, they''re welcome aboard. Renting out a carriage is no big deal¡ªwe''ve got plenty of empty ones."


    Seeing that no one had any objections, Himeko made the final call.


    "In that case, I''ll message Ye Yun right now.


    As for the carriage to rent, how about the cargo car behind our rest carriage?"


    Everyone agreed, and Himeko sent Ye Yun a message.


    At that moment, Ye Yun was already fast asleep in the room arranged for him by Herta.


    You could really tell Herta helped out¡ªthe room was downright luxurious.


    Once the accommodation staff heard it was Herta''s order, they treated him like royalty.


    Without another word, they gave Ye Yun the most luxurious presidential suite and even served him a gourmet dinner.


    Ye Yun didn''t receive the message until the next morning.


    Even though space has no real day or night, Ye Yun still followed a day/night schedule.


    There''s no sunlight to tell the time, but time still exists.


    And by checking the time, Ye Yun could roughly guess what "time of day" it should be.


    After waking up and enjoying the fancy breakfast prepared by the staff, Ye Yun headed for the train.


    He arrived at the entrance of the observation carriage and knocked on the door.


    Soon, someone opened it from the inside¡ªPom-Pom appeared before him.


    "Who are you? What are you knocking for?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "My name''s Ye Yun. Himeko told me to come¡ªsomething about discussing the carriage rental."


    Pom-Pom stepped aside to let him in.


    "Oh~ it''s you, Pom. Come on in, Pom. Himeko and the others are having breakfast."


    Ye Yun stepped onto the train and entered the observation carriage.


    As soon as he came in, he saw Himeko and the others sitting around having breakfast.


    Stelle waved when she saw him.


    "Ye Yun! You''re here!"


    Himeko also greeted him.


    "Ye Yun, have you had breakfast yet?"


    Ye Yun walked over.


    "Yeah, I''ve eaten. Your breakfast looks pretty good, though."


    Welt spoke up at that moment.


    "Come eat a little more with us."


    Ye Yun looked at Welt.


    "No thanks. By the way, how should I address you, sir?"


    Welt introduced himself.


    "I''m Welt Yang, a member of the train crew. Yesterday, when you arrived, I was busy taking inventory. By the time I got back, you had already left."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Well, it''s not too late to meet now. You all go ahead and eat¡ªI''ll wait until you''re done before we talk."


    Saying that, Ye Yun sat off to the side and pulled out his phone to continue copying down the list of products from the system.


    At the moment, Ye Yun already had over 1,000 items listed in his phone.


    Welt watched him carefully but couldn''t sense any hostility from Ye Yun.


    He''d lived a long time and was good at reading people¡ªYe Yun really didn''t seem like a threat.


    A few minutes later, after everyone finished eating, they led Ye Yun to the cargo carriage behind their rest car.


    By now, the clutter in that carriage had been cleared out.


    Himeko turned to Ye Yun and asked,


    "How about this one?"


    Ye Yun nodded in satisfaction.


    "This''ll do."


    He then pulled out a [Shop Card] and tore it apart.


    The moment it was torn, it turned into a beam of light that enveloped the entire carriage.


    The light filled the whole space¡ªso bright that everyone had to close their eyes.


    When the light faded, their eyes widened in shock.


    Before them¡ª


    The once-dark and shabby carriage had been completely transformed into a refined restaurant.


    To the right, there was an open kitchen with a bar-style counter connected to the grill station, and a few high stools lined up in front.


    To the left, there was a large floor-to-ceiling window, beside which were three booth seats, each able to seat four people.


    At the front of the carriage was a small bar, and on the bar counter were two touchscreen displays, showing the items Ye Yun had for sale.


    At the center of the carriage was a long dining table that could seat up to ten people.


    The whole carriage was decorated in warm tones, giving it a cozy, welcoming feel.


    Ye Yun looked at the new shop with immense satisfaction.


    The system''s shop card really delivered¡ªthis design matched his taste perfectly.


    He could cook here, sell products, and even host small gatherings with friends for drinks and conversation.


    Stelle and March 7th stared at the transformed carriage in complete shock.


    "March, pinch me! I need to know if I''m dreaming."


    March 7th gave Stelle''s side a solid twist.


    "Ow!!!!"


    Stelle gasped.


    "Hey! That hurt!"


    Realizing it wasn''t a dream, Stelle stared at the shop in disbelief.


    "This is real? Ye Yun, how did you do this?"


    Ye Yun clapped his hands.


    "Of course¡ªthis is one of the products I sell."


    The shop card was also available in the system store, though it had a different name there: Renovation Card, priced at 1,000 Star Coins.


    Next, Ye Yun gave everyone a tour of the shop.


    Himeko looked at the empty spot next to the bar and thought about moving the Spiritual Energy Coffee Machine over.


    The space on the counter in the observation carriage was a bit cramped and hard to use¡ªthis spot would be much better.


    Stelle and March 7th wandered around the bar area.


    Stelle ran over to the mini-bar and opened the fridge, gasping in shock when she looked inside. It wasn''t just a regular fridge¡ªit had a whole subspace freezer, probably over 50 cubic meters in size.


    "March! Come look!"


    March 7th, who had been using her space camera to take pictures of the drinks, ran over.


    "What is it?"


    Stelle pointed inside. "March, check it out¡ªthis fridge is huge!"


    March 7th took a closer look and was stunned too.


    "This fridge is massive!"


    Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng had just arrived at that part of the shop as well. When they saw the subspace fridge, they all exclaimed in awe.


    While the others were busy exploring, Ye Yun sat off to the side, communicating with the system.


    "System, submit the task."


    [Notice! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Open a Shop! Reward obtained: Special Series Product (Elf Series Unlocked), Interdimensional Guest Invitation x1.]


    [New missions issued: Task 1: Serve a total of 20 unique customers. Reward: Lottery Machine x1. Task 2: Reach total sales of 100,000 Star Coins. Reward: Envoy-level Power x1]


    ***


    Ye Yun was just about to check the specific function of the "Invitation Letter for Guests from Another World" when Stelle suddenly popped her head out from behind the sofa and patted Ye Yun on the shoulder.


    "Ye Yun!"


    Ye Yun turned around and saw Stelle patting his shoulder with one hand and holding the can of fermented herring she had won from the lottery with the other.


    "Ye Yun, can I put something in your fridge?"


    Ye Yun agreed without hesitation. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure, just don''t put anything too smelly in there."


    Stelle looked at the can in her hand. This shouldn''t be a problem, right? It doesn''t smell that bad unopened anyway.


    With Ye Yun''s permission, Stelle zipped over to the fridge and placed the can of herring into the extra-dimensional space inside.


    She then touched her waist¡ªthere was still a baseball bat hanging there.


    She made a motion to shove it in too, but March 7th quickly stopped her.


    "Stelle, maybe don''t put the bat in there. Just leave it somewhere nearby."


    Stelle thought for a moment and figured March 7th made a good point.


    "Alright."


    She looked around and leaned the bat against the wall near the entrance.


    Back to Ye Yun¡ª


    He was now examining the information on the Invitation Letter.


    [Invitation Letter for Guests from Another World] Effect: After use, it invites a guest from another world.


    The description was very simple¡ªjust one plain line. Ye Yun felt a little let down after all that anticipation.


    He took out the letter and, following the system''s instructions, infused a bit of his power into it.


    The next second, the invitation was activated and dissolved into nothingness.


    ***


    Teyvat, Mondstadt¡ªEagle''s Gate Beach


    The Traveler Lumine and her floating companion, Paimon, were chatting as they walked.


    "Lumine, hurry up! We''re almost at the Statue of The Seven!"


    Paimon flew ahead and waved Lumine forward, urging her to catch up.


    Lumine quickened her pace to follow.


    As the two climbed up a cliff¡ª


    A winged envelope flew toward them.


    Paimon looked at it curiously.


    "Lumine, look! What''s that? A flying letter?"


    Lumine looked up. The envelope was already closed.


    It didn''t stop until it landed right in her hands.


    She opened it.


    The moment she did, a portal appeared before them, startling Paimon.


    "Whoa¡ªwhat is that?!"


    Lumine drew her sword and cautiously stared at the portal.


    They hesitated for a few minutes. Since no one came out, Lumine carefully stepped forward.


    "Be careful, Lumine," said Paimon, still wary of the portal.


    Lumine nodded and slowly extended her hand toward the portal''s glow.


    Just as she touched it, a sudden suction pulled her inside.


    Paimon panicked.


    "Lumine! Can you hear me?! What do I do?!"


    Gritting her teeth, Paimon flew straight into the portal.


    ***


    Back in Ye Yun''s shop


    March 7th stood beside the portal, curiously observing it.


    "Ye Yun, when are the guests coming through? It''s been a while, and this portal hasn''t moved at all."


    Stelle chimed in.


    "Yeah, is this thing fake?"


    Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng were also quite curious.


    Ye Yun had told them a guest from another world would be arriving, and they were all eager to see what someone from another world looked like.


    Ye Yun took a sip of tea and said calmly:


    "Don''t rush¡ªit''ll happen soon."


    Right after he spoke, the portal flickered.


    The next second, Lumine and Paimon came flying out, one after the other.


    They crashed right into Stelle and March 7th, who didn''t have time to react.


    "Ouch!"


    Lumine slowly opened her eyes¡ªthis place...


    It looked like a store, but outside was a starry sky.


    A starry sky?!


    Lumine immediately became alert¡ªthis was clearly not Teyvat anymore!


    At that moment, a cough came from beneath her.


    "Ahem... Miss, do you mind getting up? You''re kind of squishing me."


    Lumine looked down and saw a pink-haired girl coughing as she lay underneath her.


    Lumine scrambled to her feet.


    "Sorry! So sorry!"


    She helped March 7th up and looked her over with concern.


    "Are you okay?"


    March 7th took a breath.


    "I''m fine, I''m fine. Didn''t think Ye Yun''s portal was real. I mean, someone actually came through!"


    Stelle had already stood up¡ªPaimon had hit her with a bit of force, but nothing serious.


    As for Paimon, she was sprawled on the couch, her eyes spinning.


    "Hi there, what''s your name?" Stelle asked Lumine.


    With the "God''s Mouth" knocked silly, Lumine had to introduce herself.


    "Hello, I''m Lumine, a traveler."


    March 7th and Xing took turns introducing themselves.


    "Hi, I''m March 7th, a nameless guest."


    "Hey hey, I''m Stelle, the galaxy''s legendary bat-wielding hero!"


    At that moment¡ª


    Ye Yun walked over.


    "Hello, Lumine. Welcome to my shop.


    As you can see, this isn''t Teyvat. This is a completely different world."


    Lumine looked Ye Yun over.


    "Hello there."


    Stelle patted Ye Yun''s shoulder.


    "Lumine, he''s the one who invited you."


    At the word "invited," Lumine frowned.


    Invite? Are you sure that was an invitation? That was straight-up kidnapping!


    If we weren''t on your turf right now, I''d totally beat you up!


    Ye Yun noticed the subtle shift in Lumine''s mood and was puzzled.


    He had just met her¡ªhadn''t done anything to offend her, right?


    Then he remembered¡ªoh right, she was pulled in pretty roughly...


    He quickly asked the system and finally understood.


    Oh great... This wasn''t an invitation¡ªthis was abduction!


    Ye Yun gave an awkward smile and continued the conversation.


    "Lumine, the reason I brought you here is to offer you the chance to purchase items from my shop.


    I sell all kinds of things¡ªif you can imagine it, I probably have it."


    Lumine eyed him with suspicion.


    Ye Yun went on.


    "Don''t just take my word for it. Go try it out.


    See that touchscreen at the bar? That''s where the items are displayed¡ªyou can browse them yourself.


    Oh, and one more thing: I only accept ''Star Coins.'' You can probably exchange your Primogems for them."


    In the Honkai world, Stellar Jade could be exchanged, so in Teyvat, it was probably Primogems.


    Lumine thought about it. Might as well give it a try¡ªwhat if he was telling the truth?


    If he really had something that could help her recover her powers quickly, that would be great.


    Once she recovered her strength, she could resume her search for her brother.


    With that in mind¡ª


    Lumine walked toward the bar counter.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5 - 5Lumine arrived at the small bar and sat on a high stool, then began browsing the touchscreen.


    Ye Yun looked at the touchscreen in front of him and felt speechless. Back then, he had foolishly copied all the product information one by one using his phone.


    But ever since the shop opened, this touchscreen could display all the products automatically.


    Sigh¡ªYe Yun had already deleted all the product information he had copied before.


    Lumine browsed through the items while Stelle and March 7th each pulled over a high stool to sit on either side of her and looked together.


    Welt and Dan Heng each found a spot to either sit or lean and quietly observed the scene¡ªin fact, their eyes were mostly on Lumine.


    As for Himeko¡ª


    She was sitting beside Paimon, poking her chubby little cheeks with one finger from time to time, finding it very amusing.


    Soon enough¡ª


    Lumine had chosen the item she wanted.


    ***


    [Unsealing Pill, Price: 2000 Star Coins]


    Effect: Can release some of one''s sealed power.


    Currently, Lumine was in a state where her original strength had been sealed. If this pill did what it claimed, it should help her regain her power.


    Ye Yun glanced at the Unsealing Pill and casually summoned the scales, placing them beside the touchscreen.


    "Do you have any Primogems on you?"


    Lumine nodded and pulled out a handful of Primogems from her pouch.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun pointed at the scale.


    "Put them on. You can exchange them for Star Coins."


    Lumine followed the instruction and placed the Primogems on one side of the scale.


    There were quite a few, barely fitting on the scale.


    A few seconds later, the Primogems vanished, and the other side of the scale revealed 230 Star Coins, each worth 10.


    Ye Yun took the 2300 Star Coins and handed them to Lumine.


    "Here, these are the Star Coins you just got from exchanging the Primogems.


    Looks like the rate is 1 to 10¡ª1 Primogem equals 10 Star Coins."


    March 7th looked a bit confused.


    "Ye Yun, why can that stone only be exchanged for 10 Star Coins, while Stellar Jade can be exchanged for 100?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Worlds are countless and different from one another. The level of each world varies, and the unique products from each world differ in value.


    The stronger the world, the more valuable its unique products are, and the weaker ones are worth less.


    Got it?"


    March 7th suddenly understood.


    "Oh, so that''s how it works!"


    Lumine wasn''t paying much attention to this at the moment¡ªshe was focused on getting that Unsealing Pill.


    Only she knew how hard it had been surviving out in the wild the past two months with only ordinary human strength.


    If she didn''t have her martial arts, she might''ve starved to death out there already.


    Ye Yun pointed at the coin slot next to the touchscreen.


    "Just tap the item you want, then tap confirm payment, and insert the required number of Star Coins here.


    Stelle and March, you two remember this too¡ªdo the same when you want to buy something later."


    Stelle and March 7th gave an OK gesture to show they understood.


    Lumine inserted 2000 Star Coins. The touchscreen flashed with a ray of light, and a pill appeared in her hand.


    She looked at the pill¡ªit wasn''t very big, about the size of her pinky.


    Dan Heng handed her a glass of water.


    "Here."


    Lumine took it and politely thanked him.


    "Thank you."


    Dan Heng shook his head slightly, then walked away without saying much.


    March 7th commented to Lumine:


    "Dan Heng may look cold on the outside, but he''s really warm-hearted."


    Lumine smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, I can tell."


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "Alright, alright, Lumine, hurry up and take that little pill and see if it works!"


    Hearing that, Lumine swallowed the Unsealing Pill and took a sip of water to wash it down.


    The moment the pill entered her stomach, Lumine suddenly straightened up and widened her eyes.


    At that instant¡ª


    She could feel that a portion of her sealed strength had been released¡ªnot much, just about one-tenth of her full power.


    Feeling that familiar and long-lost power flowing inside her again, Lumine showed a genuine smile.


    March 7th asked eagerly:


    "Well? Did it work? Lumine?"


    Hearing her name, Lumine came back to her senses.


    "Yes, it worked. A lot of my power is back."


    Saying that¡ª


    Lumine waved her hand, and the Nameless Sword appeared.


    With a shout, the sword was instantly enveloped in a layer of white light.


    Stelle and March 7th clapped excitedly¡ªit looked so cool!


    Lumine started digging through her pouch, trying to buy a few more of those pills.


    As she dug around, her face froze.


    Uh-oh. It looks like she had run out of Primogems.


    And just as bad luck would have it¡ªher stomach growled loudly.


    "Growl~ Growl~"


    Lumine immediately turned red, like a steamed apple.


    Ye Yun glanced at the time.


    [10:36]


    "Lumine, you don''t have anything urgent to do, right?"


    Lumine, still blushing hard, shook her head and fanned her face frantically, trying to cool herself down.


    Ye Yun said:


    "Then how about having lunch here?"


    He looked toward Himeko, March 7th, and the others.


    "Everyone, why don''t we all eat here today? My shop just opened, let me treat you to lunch to celebrate."


    Himeko stopped poking Paimon''s cheek, raised her head, and looked at Ye Yun.


    "Then we''ll be imposing on you, Ye Yun."


    Walter also spoke:


    "Thanks for the hospitality."


    Ye Yun waved his hand as if it was no big deal.


    Dan Heng rolled up his sleeves.


    "Anything I can help with?"


    Just then, Pom-Pom pulled on Dan Heng''s pant leg.


    "Passenger Dan Heng, you go rest. I''ll help Passenger Ye Yun cook."


    After speaking, Pom-Pom trotted toward the front of the train, ready to grab his essential cooking tool¡ªhis "stepping stool"!


    Ye Yun saw this and said,


    "Dan Heng, go ahead and rest. Pom-Pom''s help is enough."


    Dan Heng didn''t argue, only left a line saying to call him if needed and then sat on the nearby sofa, opened a book, and started reading.


    As for Stelle and March 7th¡ªthey were, of course, staying for lunch.


    Ye Yun called out to them:


    "Stelle, March, help show Lumine around while I cook."


    They responded with an enthusiastic "Okay!"


    Ye Yun could tell Lumine was still feeling tense and reserved.


    So he had Stelle and March take her to relax and have fun¡ªafter all, his store wasn''t some scary or formal place.


    It was a shop¡ªmeant to be a chill and friendly place.


    Ye Yun stepped into the kitchen and browsed the system for the ingredients he wanted. After spending just over 50 Star Coins, he bought a pile of ingredients and laid them out on the table.


    In the system, everyday items and food ingredients were very cheap.


    Ye Yun looked at the food on the table, thinking about what to cook.


    After a while¡ª


    He decided to "keep it simple" and go with eight dishes and one soup. Back in his previous life, he had studied to be a chef, so making a table full of dishes was no problem.


    Besides, there was still plenty of time¡ªlunch was an hour and a half away.


    ***


    [12:17]


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop.


    Everyone was seated around the long table in the center, having a meal.


    "Oh my gosh! I can''t hold it anymore! Lumine! Can I eat now?" Paimon kept pulling tissues to wipe her drool.


    The moment Ye Yun finished the first dish, the delicious aroma instantly brought Paimon back to life.


    At that moment, she startled March 7th, Stelle, and Lumine, who were all sitting nearby watching TV.


    Just a second ago, her eyes were still spinning, and the next second she was struggling to get up¡ªlike a zombie being awakened in a movie.


    Lumine held Paimon in her arms.


    "No! We''re not all here yet! You can''t eat yet!"


    Paimon looked miserable. The food was right in front of her, and yet she couldn''t eat it. Waaah~


    Ever since Lumine rescued her, the two had been wandering the wilderness, eating fallen fruits when hungry and drinking river water when thirsty.


    Now, there was finally a feast in front of them, but she still had to wait to eat. It was torture¡ªevery second felt like an eternity.


    Soon, Ye Yun finished the last dish: a sweet corn chicken soup.


    He turned off the stove and brought the soup to the table.


    "Make some room, I''ve got soup to put down."


    Welt stood up and took the soup from Ye Yun, placing it on the table.


    Ye Yun sat at the head of the table, rubbing his hands and looking at everyone.


    "Why are you all staring at me? Don''t be so formal¡ªdig in!"


    The moment Paimon heard "dig in," it was like hearing music from heaven. She jumped out of Lumine''s arms, grabbed a piece of meat, and shoved it into her mouth.


    Instantly, as the flavor spread through her mouth, she was moved to tears.


    "Waaah! So delicious! It''s too delicious!"


    Ye Yun smiled and served her a bowl of soup.


    "If it''s good, eat more. Don''t just eat meat¡ªdrink some soup. This one was slow-cooked over low heat."


    Paimon took the bowl and gratefully looked at Ye Yun.


    "Thank you! Ye Yun!"


    Ye Yun nodded slightly.


    "Drink up."


    Lumine, on the other hand, was super embarrassed. Ugh, I can''t take her anywhere! That way of eating made it seem like Lumine had been starving Paimon.


    Then, she noticed something extra in her bowl¡ªit was a chicken drumstick.


    Looking closer, Himeko had given it to her.


    "Lumine! Try this drumstick¡ªit''s really good!"


    Lumine was about to politely refuse when Paimon suddenly poked her head in.


    "Lumine, are you not gonna eat the drumstick? If not, give it to me! Hehe!"


    Immediately, Lumine took back her unspoken words.


    "Eat it? Of course I''m gonna eat it! No way I''m giving it to you!"


    Then she took a big bite out of the drumstick.


    The moment it entered her mouth, Lumine was also conquered by the flavor¡ªher expression showed pure enjoyment.


    Gradually, she also began to join in the conversations and blend in with the group.


    As for Paimon... busy eating.


    More than an hour later...


    Everyone was full and now lounging around the booth area, digesting.


    Paimon was hugging a cushion and sleeping soundly on the couch.


    Stelle and March 7th also found separate sofas to lie on, too stuffed to move.


    Ye Yun''s phone rang. He opened it to see a message from Herta, asking where he was¡ªshe wanted to buy something.


    Ye Yun sent her his location and informed Himeko and the others.


    Himeko, upon hearing Herta was coming:


    "Oh? Herta''s coming to buy something? Then let''s delay our departure a bit. I was planning for us to leave after we digested a little."


    Ye Yun clasped his hands apologetically.


    "Sorry for making everyone wait."


    Welt sipped the tea Ye Yun had made.


    "It''s no trouble. Herta buying something won''t take long. A short delay is no big deal."


    Ten minutes later...


    Herta burst into the train, anxiously scanning the room for Ye Yun.


    The moment she saw him, she rushed over.


    "I want to buy something!"


    In a flurry, she grabbed Ye Yun and began searching for his phone.


    Ye Yun quickly stopped her from fumbling with his things.


    Hey! Even if that body is just a puppet, you can''t just touch people like that!


    "Stelle! Take Herta to shop!" Ye Yun called out to the adjacent booth.


    Stelle poked her head out from the sofa.


    "OK!"


    With Stelle leading the way, Herta sat down by the mini bar and started browsing.


    Himeko watched Ye Yun''s helpless expression and chuckled behind her hand.


    "Herta''s always like that¡ªdon''t take it personally."


    Ye Yun didn''t want to say anything. As the saying goes, geniuses always have quirks.


    Ye Yun now fully agreed with that statement.


    He straightened his rumpled clothes and went to the mini bar.


    Herta was quickly swiping through the screen when her eyes caught something interesting.


    [Blood of the Qilin ¨C Price: 50,000 Star Coins.Effect: From a mythical world, this blood comes from the divine beast Qilin, a blessed creature with great longevity.]


    A mythical Qilin... Herta wondered if she could create a clone using just this drop of blood.


    She glanced at the "Exchange Scale" next to her and pulled out her custom space-folding wallet, taking out a bunch of Stellar Jades to convert into Star Coins.


    The Exchange Scale had been placed there earlier when Lumine shopped and hadn''t been moved since¡ªit was convenient for others to exchange Star Coins for purchases. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Herta had brought exactly 500 Stellar Jades today.


    Money in hand, transaction done. After paying the required Star Coins, a drop of blood in a glass vial appeared in her hand.


    Herta pocketed the Qilin blood and left without even saying goodbye to Himeko and the others.


    No one was surprised¡ªHerta was always like that.


    She had the skills to back up her quirks.


    Paimon whispered softly.


    "She''s kinda rude~"


    March 7th shrugged.


    "She''s a universe-famous genius. It''s pretty normal for her to be that decisive. We''re used to it."


    Paimon looked curious.


    "Universe-famous? What''s a universe?"


    Lumine explained:


    "You know Teyvat, right? That''s just one planet.


    And in the universe, there are countless planets like Teyvat."


    Paimon gasped.


    "Wow! The universe is that big?! That means Herta must be super super amazing¡ªfamous even in such a huge place!"


    March 7th nodded.


    "She really is. She''s part of the Genius Society. Every member there is one of the smartest people in the universe."


    Now Paimon finally understood how incredible Herta really was.


    At that moment, Pom-Pom walked over.


    "Dear passengers, please take your seats. The train is about to depart."


    March 7th looked around.


    She saw Himeko, Ye Yun, and the others already seated.


    She quickly pulled Lumine and Paimon to a booth and sat down.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6 - 6After settling Lumine and Paimon, March 7th walked determinedly to a more open area.


    "Come on! This time I''ll definitely succeed!"


    Paimon looked at March 7th, a bit curious.


    "What''s March doing?"


    March 7th heard Paimon''s question and grinned as she explained:


    "I''m challenging myself! Trying not to fall during the train''s warp. So far, I haven''t succeeded once."


    Paimon tilted her little head, thinking hard but not understanding.


    Himeko explained:


    "During a warp, the train accelerates very quickly, throwing people''s balance off. That''s why March said it''s a challenge."


    Paimon suddenly understood.


    "Oh, I see! Then I''d better sit tight so I don''t fall over later!"


    She quickly sat down and clung tightly to Lumine''s hand, afraid of getting flung off.


    Very soon...


    Pom-Pom''s voice came over the train''s broadcast:


    "Hey, hey, hey! Attention all passengers, the train is about to warp. Please find a seat and remain seated. Do not stick any part of your body out the window.


    3.... 2.... 1!!!"


    The train suddenly accelerated, and Ye Yun felt a powerful force push against his back.


    His field of vision was gradually overwhelmed by countless particles of light.


    A few minutes later...


    As his vision cleared, Ye Yun looked out the window. The train had arrived above a snow-covered planet.


    Jarilo-VI¡ªthe setting of Chapter One in Honkai: Star Rail.


    As expected, March 7th landed flat on her butt.


    "Oww~ That really hurt!"


    She looked up at the view outside.


    "This is Jarilo-VI?"


    Just then, the cabin door opened, and Pom-Pom waddled in with their short little legs.


    "Stellar rail stability ahead is too low. Warp suspended. Suspension duration: indefinite."


    March 7th was stunned when she heard it was indefinite.


    "What?! Indefinite?! How could this happen?!"


    Himeko, Welt, and the others walked over.


    "Most likely caused by a Stellaron again."


    Stelle instinctively touched the spot where the Stellaron had been implanted in her.


    Welt said:


    "That''s right. It''s the same kind of Stellaron as the one inside you.


    But the one in you is very stable and not destructive."


    Hearing this, Stelle sighed in relief. She had been worried it was her Stellaron causing the problem.


    Himeko looked down at the planet and pulled up the train''s database.


    One look, and she noticed a big difference between the current planet and what was recorded.


    Himeko said:


    "As long as we resolve the Stellaron issue, we can set off again.


    This time, you young folks will go¡ªit''ll be a good chance to train yourselves."


    Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle all agreed without hesitation.


    Lumine looked around. It seemed like everyone had things to do, so she figured she''d head back for now.


    Following the memory in her mind, she opened a portal and stepped through.


    During this time¡ª


    Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th took a landing shuttle and set off.


    Lumine brought Paimon back to Teyvat. From now on, she could enter Ye Yun''s shop at any time through the portal.


    Ye Yun looked at the snow-covered Jarilo-VI and suddenly felt the urge to go explore.


    So, he asked Himeko for a landing shuttle and headed down to Jarilo-VI.


    Riding the shuttle, Ye Yun landed on a frozen plain.On the ice field stood many ice statues of Fragmentum soldiers.


    Ye Yun clenched his fist and unleashed a wave of dark-gold Imaginary energy, instantly shattering all the ice sculptures within his sight.


    These Fragmentum soldiers would become a major problem in the future once the Stellaron was dealt with¡ªbetter to eliminate them now while he could.


    Also, Ye Yun hadn''t had a proper combat trial since gaining his powers. This was a great chance to warm up.


    He kept heading forward, toward Belobog.


    The freezing snow hitting his face was making Ye Yun uncomfortable.


    "System, got anything to keep me warm?"


    [Notice: Host may purchase a Cold-Resist Bundle or a special item from the Spirit Series¡ªFire Spirit: Rios.]


    Ye Yun perked up.


    Oh right, he had unlocked a Spirit Series after completing a mission. Opening the system, Ye Yun found that the spirits came from a game he''d played in his previous life.


    The game told the story of a group of robots searching for infinite energy in space.


    The fire spirit Rios, mentioned by the system, was one of the characters in that game.


    Checking the price:


    [Fire Spirit: Rios (Complete Form) Combat Power: Entrance-Stage Emanator, Price: 200,000, Host Discount Price: 20,000]


    Ye Yun immediately authorized the purchase. For just 20,000 Star Coins, he got a loyal spirit with half-step Aeon-level power¡ªsuper worth it.


    Leave it to his system to give him a 90% discount.


    Once the system deducted the Star Coins, a flame-emitting, graceful deer-like creature appeared before Ye Yun. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello, Ye Yun. Pleased to meet you. I''ll be in your care from now on."


    The deer spoke, but Ye Yun wasn''t surprised.


    Some powerful spirits could indeed speak.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Likewise, Rios. Let''s get along."


    Rios approached and let Ye Yun sit on its back.


    Ye Yun touched the flames on Rios'' body. The moment he touched them, the fire extinguished¡ªwithout burning him.


    With Rios by his side, the surrounding snow and ice melted instantly. Ye Yun felt no cold at all.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th were successfully tricked by Sampo and ended up fighting Belobog''s Guardian, Gepard.


    Stelle drew the Judgment of Shamash and fired two shots at Gepard.


    Gepard slammed his case onto the ground, summoning a shield around himself.


    "Give up, villains! Your attacks are useless against me!" Gepard said sternly.


    March 7th snorted.


    "Hah? We were just holding back because we didn''t want to hurt you. But since you said that, don''t blame us for getting serious! Dan Heng! Stelle! Let''s go!"


    Dan Heng no longer held back. He swung his Cloud Piercer at full force, taking down the surrounding Silvermane Guards.


    March 7th drew her bow and fired a powerful arrow at Gepard.


    Stelle raised Judgment of Shamash and shouted:


    "Judgment of Shamash! Unleash!"


    The weapon entered its released form. Stelle, wielding the blazing blade, teleported straight toward Gepard.


    Just as Gepard finished blocking March 7th''s arrow, Stelle was already right in front of him.


    She leapt high into the air and brought the flaming blade down hard.


    Gepard tried to block with his case, but the moment Judgment of Shamash struck it, the case was sliced clean in two.


    Gepard was also blasted away by the force.


    Stelle landed, wiped her nose, and smirked.


    "So? My attacks work now, don''t they?"


    March 7th came up beside her, staring enviously at the weapon in Stelle''s hands.


    "You''re so lucky to have drawn that weapon. When we get back, I''m gonna find a way to get one from Ye Yun too!"


    ***


    Stelle pointed to a treasure chest not far away.


    "Look, isn''t that Stellar Jade over there? Let''s deal with these guys first, then go open the chest."


    March 7th agreed immediately. There seemed to be quite a few treasure chests in Belobog¡ªshe''d already seen several common ones nearby.


    Without Gepard''s shield, the remaining Silvermane Guards were quickly taken down by Dan Heng.


    March 7th looked at Gepard and sighed helplessly.


    "Why won''t you listen? We''re really not with that guy."


    Stelle patted March 7th.


    "March, show him the photo. Didn''t you take pictures of their planet?"


    Only then did March 7th remember. She quickly took out the photos and showed them to Gepard.


    After seeing them, Gepard finally believed that the three of them weren''t working with Sampo.


    He vaguely remembered reading in books that, before the Eternal Freeze, visitors from beyond the stars would occasionally arrive.


    To think that after all these years, starfarers would come again.


    This was no longer something he could decide on his own.


    After thinking for a moment, Gepard decided to take them to see the Supreme Guardian.


    In Belobog¡ª


    Ye Yun had grabbed a "local" to guide him.


    "Hey, we agreed that once we get to Belobog, you''d let me go."


    In an alley, local Belobog native Sampo was talking to Ye Yun.


    Sampo had originally planned to go back and prepare for the next part of his "script."


    But unexpectedly, he''d been snatched mid-way to act as a tour guide.


    The worst part was that the other guy was ridiculously strong¡ªespecially that talking deer, whose power was close to an Emanator.


    Ye Yun urged him.


    "Hurry up and take me to the Underworld."


    The Overworld was boring now. With Cocolia in charge, she might grab him the moment she saw him.


    It''s not like he feared Cocolia or the Stellaron¡ªbut still, it''d be a hassle, right?


    Better to go have some fun in the Underworld first.


    Sampo begged bitterly.


    "Come on, man, the entrance to the Underworld is sealed! I really can''t take you down there."


    Ye Yun kicked him in the butt.


    "Cut it out. Don''t you have a secret tunnel? We''ll take that one."


    Sampo''s eyes widened. What the heck! How did this guy know about his secret passage?


    This should be his first time in Belobog, right? Why does he act like he knows everything about him?


    Could he be an old friend from the tavern? No, that''s not right¡ªthis guy doesn''t have the Path of Elation''s aura at all.


    Forget it, forget it¡ªbetter take him down there, or Sampo''s butt might get kicked again.


    Reluctantly, Sampo led Ye Yun toward his secret passage.


    Through the hidden path, Ye Yun successfully entered the Underworld.


    Smelling the acrid scent of coal dust and slag in the air, Ye Yun frowned.


    The Underworld in reality was truly awful¡ªslag and discarded tools littered the ground.


    Ye Yun turned back, intending to ask Sampo to take him to Natasha, only to realize that Sampo had already slipped away.


    That was troublesome¡ªYe Yun had originally planned to go find Natasha and do some business.


    As the leader of Wildfire, Natasha managed all the resources of Rivet Town.


    Surely, with her position, she could gather plenty of Stellar Jade.


    Left with no choice, Ye Yun started asking around as he walked, trying to find Natasha''s clinic.


    As he was walking¡ª


    Suddenly, Ye Yun felt a sharp pain in his waist, like he''d been struck by something heavy.


    "Ow!"


    He turned around to find a little girl with short golden hair sitting on the ground, holding her head.


    Ye Yun immediately recognized her¡ªthat was none other than the great Pitch-Dark Hook the Great.


    He helped her up.


    "You okay, Hook?"


    Hook shook her head.


    "I''m fine."


    She looked up at Ye Yun.


    "Who are you? How do you know my name?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Of course I know. Who doesn''t know the famous Pitch-Dark Hook the Great?"


    Hook, flattered by the sudden praise, looked quite pleased.


    "Hmph! Of course¡ªI am the great Pitch-Dark Hook! You''ve got good eyes to recognize me so quickly, hmhm~"


    She patted Ye Yun''s leg in satisfaction.


    Why the leg? Because that was as high as she could reach.


    Hook looked up at Ye Yun.


    "What''s your name? I still don''t know."


    "Ye Yun," he said.


    Then he asked,


    "Does Pitch-Dark Hook the Great know where Natasha is?"


    At the mention of Natasha''s name, Hook reflexively shuddered.


    "Th-the old witch!"


    Ye Yun couldn''t help but sigh. Hook really was scared of Natasha¡ªjust hearing her name spooked her.


    "Yeah. Do you know where she is? I need to talk to her about something."


    Hook looked Ye Yun up and down, eyes scanning carefully, trying to determine if he was a good guy or a bad one.


    Though Natasha was scary, she was good to Hook. She couldn''t just take strangers to her.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun pulled out a packet of Skittles and offered it to her.


    "As long as the great Hook leads me to Natasha, this bag of candy is yours."


    He was counting on the classic sweet-bribe tactic. With kids, candy solves a lot of problems.


    Hook eyed the packet curiously.


    "Candy? Doesn''t look like the kind I know..."


    Ye Yun opened the bag, took one out, and handed it to her.


    "This kind''s candy too. Try it and see."


    Looking at the red candy in front of her, Hook couldn''t resist the temptation.


    "Okay... I''ll give it a try."


    She popped it in her mouth.


    The moment the candy hit her tongue, the sweet and slightly sour flavor melted instantly. Hook''s expression lit up in delight.


    "Mmm~ So tasty!"


    Ye Yun shook the packet.


    "So? Will you take me there? Don''t worry, I just want to do business with Natasha. I won''t hurt her."


    Hook was still a little hesitant¡ªYe Yun was a stranger.


    But... the candy was so good!


    In the end¡ª


    Hook couldn''t resist the demon''s temptation (or rather, the candy''s temptation).


    Clutching the bag of Skittles, she happily led Ye Yun to find Natasha.


    Along the way, she held the candy tightly, checking every few steps to make sure not a single piece had fallen.


    Ye Yun watched her and chuckled, then opened the system shop, spent one Star Coin, and bought a red panda-themed backpack for Hook.


    "Wow! This bag is so cute! Is it really for me?" Hook''s eyes sparkled as she looked at the panda bag.


    Ye Yun took the candy from her arms and stuffed it into the little backpack.


    "Yep, it''s yours. Wear it¡ªit''ll keep your candy safe."


    As he spoke, he helped Hook put the backpack on.


    Hook wiggled her little bag and was overjoyed.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7 - 7Hook, wearing her little backpack, darted through the streets and alleys with little tap-tap-tap footsteps.


    Every now and then, she would turn back to wait for Ye Yun, calling out for him to hurry up.


    More than half an hour later¡ª


    Hook brought Ye Yun to a clinic that looked relatively decent.


    "Relatively decent" here meant that it was in much better condition than the surrounding buildings.


    Most buildings in the Lower City were rundown and shabby, but this clinic at least looked intact.


    Hook pushed open the clinic door with a loud thud.


    "Old¡ª I mean, Sister Natasha! Someone''s here to see you!"


    Inside, Natasha was busy explaining care instructions to a patient. She turned around when she heard the voice.


    "Hook? Weren''t you out playing? Why are you back so early today?"


    She walked over to Hook, and only then did she notice the little red panda backpack Hook was wearing.


    "This backpack..."


    Hook saw Natasha eyeing the backpack and grinned cheekily. She took it off and pulled out a Skittle to hand to Natasha.


    "Sister Natasha, this is for you!"


    Natasha looked at the candy in Hook''s small hand.


    "Hook, where did you get this stuff?"


    Hook pointed toward the doorway where Ye Yun was standing.


    "Him! Ye Yun gave it to me! Oh yeah¡ªhe said he''s here to see you."


    Upon hearing that, Natasha stuffed the candy into Hook''s mouth.


    "Hook, you eat it¡ªI don''t want any."


    Then Natasha walked toward Ye Yun and the strange-looking Rios standing behind him.


    When she laid eyes on Rios, her pupils shrank slightly in shock.


    What kind of creature was this? Why was it radiating flames?


    After a brief moment of daze, she composed herself and said:


    "Hello, I''m Natasha. Thank you for the backpack and candy you gave Hook. I heard you''re looking for me¡ªwhat''s the matter?"


    Ye Yun glanced around the room.


    "Hello, I''m Ye Yun. No need to thank me for the things I gave Hook¡ªshe earned them by guiding me here. That was her reward."


    Natasha gave a soft smile. That was quite the reward.


    From what she knew, even in the Upper City, the backpack and candy Ye Yun gave Hook were quite valuable.


    "That''s quite an expensive payment for a guide."


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "It''s fine. I have plenty of little things like this. As for why I''m here¡ªI have a business proposal for you."


    Hearing that, Natasha looked around.


    Some nearby bystanders were beginning to pay attention to them.


    "Come with me¡ªI''ll take you somewhere quiet."


    She walked back inside, gently patting Hook on the head as she passed.


    "Hook, stay here and play for a bit, okay? Don''t wander off. It''s almost dinner time."


    Hook nodded cheerfully, the candy still in her mouth.


    "Okay~!"


    Natasha led Ye Yun went upstairs to her personal office.


    In the office¡ª


    She poured Ye Yun a glass of plain water.


    "Sorry for the humble setup."


    Ye Yun waved it off¡ªit didn''t bother him.


    Only then did Natasha ask,


    "So, Mr. Ye Yun, what sort of business are you proposing?"


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers, and several 100-jin (approx. 50 kg) sacks of rice appeared out of thin air.


    "Food! More food than you can count!"


    He gestured at one bag and slid his finger, causing the sparkling white grains of rice to pour out.


    Natasha was stunned by the quality of the rice¡ªit was so white and clean!


    "Mr. Ye Yun, how much are you planning to sell this rice for per bag in Winter City Shields?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "I don''t accept Winter City Shields. I''m not a resident of Jarilo-VI.


    My companions and I only just arrived on this planet today."


    Natasha was only slightly surprised to hear that Ye Yun wasn''t from this planet.


    Having received a good education growing up, Natasha was aware of the existence of the wider universe.


    "Then do you take credit points? If so, I''ll need a little time to gather some."


    Ye Yun shook his head again.


    "Nope. I only accept Stellar Jade¡ªthose pink crystals."


    He pulled out his phone and showed her a photo of Stellar Jade.


    Natasha looked at it.


    "Oh, we have those here! People use them to decorate their homes.


    But if that''s what you want, I''ll still need a little time to gather it."


    Ye Yun nodded with satisfaction.


    "As long as you have it, I''m in no rush."


    Natasha let out a sigh of relief. She had feared Ye Yun might want payment urgently.


    "So, what are your prices for the rice?"


    Ye Yun showed her a list on his phone¡ªitems and their prices he had prepared in advance.


    Natasha took the phone and read:


    [100 jin (50 kg) per unit ¨C 5 Star Coins each]


    ? Rice: 5 Star Coins


    ? Flour: 5 Star Coins


    ? Corn: 5 Star Coins


    ? Sweet Potatoes: 5 Star Coins


    ? Choy Sum: 5 Star Coins


    ? Apples: 5 Star Coins


    Natasha furrowed her brow slightly.


    "This ''Star Coin''¡ª?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "1 Stellar Jade equals 100 Star Coins."


    Natasha was instantly dumbfounded.


    That little stone everyone used for decoration was that valuable?


    At a rate of 5 Star Coins for 100 jin of rice, one Stellar Jade could buy 2,000 jin!


    2,000 jin of rice would be enough to feed all of Rivet Town for two or three days.


    Natasha was now completely shaken.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, please wait a moment. I''ll send someone to gather Stellar Jade immediately. I''ll come find you tomorrow, okay?"


    Ye Yun nodded and pointed to the sacks of rice nearby.


    "These bags are free¡ªjust a little gift. They''re not worth much."


    Natasha smiled and thanked him.


    Then she rushed out of the office in a hurry.


    Ye Yun lingered in the office for a bit, then made his way downstairs.


    On the first floor of the clinic, he saw Rios talking seriously with Hook.


    Hook was listening with wide eyes, occasionally gasping in awe.


    Ye Yun approached and overheard¡ª


    "Hook, come find me tomorrow¡ªI''ll teach you some combat techniques."


    Hook nodded eagerly.


    "Okay! I''ll come find you tomorrow, Master Rios!"


    Ye Yun was speechless.


    Uh... what just happened? How long was I gone? And Hook already took Rios as her master?


    Not that Ye Yun was worried about Rios'' ability to teach.


    Even Rei¡ªthe most powerful among the elite in Rios'' world¡ªhad once trained under him.


    Ye Yun cleared his throat, and the deer and girl turned to look at him.


    He glanced at the time and tapped Hook''s head lightly.


    "Come on¡ªlet''s go eat."


    Hook lit up.


    "Eh? Where are we eating? Not here? They''re serving Rock-Shelled Crabs tonight¡ªI wanna eat Rock-Shelled Crab!"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    Those things, according to the in-game lore, had super hard shells, barely any meat, and were super sour.


    "Rock-Shelled Crab tastes awful. I''ll take you to eat real delicious food."


    With that, Ye Yun grabbed Hook''s hand and led Rios out of the clinic.


    Meanwhile, in the Upper City¡ª


    Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th had just left the Supreme Guardian''s office.


    ***


    Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th returned to the hotel.


    March 7th was humming a little tune cheerfully while organizing the photos she took today.


    With the starry sky camera, taking photos had become much more convenient for her¡ªinstant shots, instant prints, and the results looked great.


    She no longer had to go through the hassle of selecting them one by one and printing them on film.


    "Hmm~ Hmm~ This one looks good, and so does this one."


    As she scrolled through them, March 7th came across a photo that left her speechless.


    "Stelle..."


    Dan Heng and Stelle saw March 7th''s helpless expression.


    "What''s wrong?"


    March 7th held up a photo to show them.


    In the photo:


    Stelle was holding a trash lid in one hand, while the other hand supported her as she peeked her head into a garbage bin.


    Seeing this, Dan Heng also fell silent.


    Uh... What kind of hobby is this?


    Stelle scratched her head awkwardly.


    "Hehe, well, March, you know... a few days ago I bought two ''trash can scratch cards'' from Ye Yun''s shop."


    "So..."


    March 7th rolled her eyes.


    "Just be more careful next time. People might think you''re a weirdo."


    Stelle quickly nodded and promised it wouldn''t happen again.


    As for whether it really would... that was up to her own self-control.


    Dan Heng glanced at the time.


    "Let''s get some rest first. Tomorrow morning, we''ll go find the Guardian."


    The night passed uneventfully.


    The next morning, Stelle shot up from bed like a fish leaping from water.


    After freshening up, she stepped into the hallway.


    There, March 7th and Dan Heng were already waiting not far from her door.


    "Morning, March, Dan Heng. Why is it so noisy downstairs?"


    As soon as Stelle left her room, she heard a commotion coming from the hotel lobby.


    Dan Heng thought for a moment.


    "Let''s go take a look."


    The three of them headed to the lobby, only to find that the silver-haired woman they briefly met yesterday in the office was now leading a group of Silvermane Guards who had the entire hotel surrounded.


    As soon as they appeared, Bronya spotted them.


    With a cold tone, Bronya read out the arrest order.


    "By order of the Supreme Guardian, you three are under arrest!"


    The trio was completely surrounded.


    March 7th raised her hands in resignation.


    "Here we go again! Happens once every three worlds."


    Dan Heng glanced over and locked his eyes on a nearby rift portal.


    "Ahem."


    Dan Heng coughed twice to draw Stelle and March 7th''s attention.


    Seeing the two look over, he signaled toward the portal with his eyes.


    Stelle and March 7th followed his gaze and immediately understood.


    Dan Heng began chanting softly:


    "View from the corner, reflect thrice. Orders from the sovereign, unchanging. Borrow the city, strike once!"


    As soon as Dan Heng finished speaking, Star activated the liberated form of the Sacred Fire.


    "Judgment of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    With one swing of her sword, a scorching blaze swept through the Silvermane Guards, knocking them all out.


    Even Bronya was forced back over ten meters by the heatwave.


    After that single attack, Stelle promptly sheathed her sword and made a run for it.


    By the time Bronya recovered, Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th had already entered the rift.


    Bronya frowned slightly and immediately gave the order to pursue.


    "All units, follow me!"


    Next to her, Pela looked at the rift with concern.


    "But... Lady Bronya, that leads into the Fragmentum!"


    Bronya''s expression was resolute.


    "We can''t let criminals get away!"


    She then led the Silvermane Guards into the Fragmentum in pursuit.


    Thanks to their familiarity with the terrain, Bronya and her troops soon cornered Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng.


    With no other option, the three unleashed their full power.


    Under their fierce attacks, the Silvermane Guards were quickly incapacitated.


    Stelle pointed her blazing sword at the remaining Bronya and Pela.


    "You both better come at once. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be fair to you."


    Bronya and Pela were tense¡ªthe trio''s strength was overwhelming.


    Especially the gray-haired girl wielding the flaming greatsword¡ªher destructive power was terrifying.


    But at this point, Bronya and Pela had no choice but to fight.


    Hidden in the shadows, Sampo was in shock.


    Wait, hold up. Girl, this isn''t how the script is supposed to go! Weren''t they the ones supposed to be in danger?


    What''s going on here? You''re about to crush the future Guardian!


    And that line just now¡ªtotally sounded like a final boss!


    No way. If this keeps up, the script''s going to fall apart. I have to step in.


    He tossed a few special smoke bombs, knocking out Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Bronya, and Pela.


    Sampo slowly walked out.


    "Good thing old Sampo was here to keep an eye on things."


    He first dragged Pela to a Silvermane Guard outpost in the upper district to deliver a message.


    Then, he took Stelle, Bronya, March 7th, and Dan Heng to the Underworld.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun brought Hook to a deserted restaurant near Rivet Town on the outskirts of Boulder Town.


    Ye Yun inspected the kitchen. The equipment was still in decent shape, except there was no gas.


    He bought a gas canister from the system and hooked it up to the stove.


    Turning the knob, the flame roared to life.


    Outside, Rios was playing with Hook.


    As for the Fragmentum creatures in the area, they were all reduced to ashes by one "Blazing Inferno" attack from Rios.


    Given the simple setup, Ye Yun decided to make some chicken soup noodles.


    Originally, he''d planned to make spicy hot pot.


    But since Hook had never really eaten anything with heavy flavors before, he was worried it might upset her stomach.


    The rich aroma of chicken broth wafted through the entire kitchen.


    Not far from the kitchen, a barefoot girl in a red coat was scavenging for supplies.


    "Medicine, medicine... Let''s see if there''s any here."


    The girl was Clara from the Robot Settlement. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had come to search for medicine because the recent rise in Fragmentum monster activity had injured many people back home.


    With medicine running low, Clara brought a few machines to Rivet Town to search.


    As she looked around, she heard cheerful voices.


    "Faster, Master Rios!"


    Clara looked up.


    "Huh? Isn''t that Hook?"


    She was surprised to run into Hook here.


    "Hook! Hook!"


    Hook, riding on Rios'' back, heard someone call her and told Rios to stop.


    Following the voice, she spotted Clara near a pile of junk.


    "Clara! My Clara!"


    Hook slid off Rios and dashed toward her.


    The two hugged tightly, and Hook was overjoyed to see her.


    "Clara, what are you doing here?"


    Clara showed the medicine she''d found.


    "I''m here to find medicine for everyone back at the settlement."

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8 - 8Hook glanced at the medicine.


    "I see. Then Hook will help you look for it!"


    Clara quickly tried to stop her, not wanting to trouble others.


    "No, no, it''s fine! Clara can do it by herself!"


    Hook wiped her nose.


    "No worries! You''re an honorary member of the Moles, so we''ve gotta do things together!"


    With that, Hook began rummaging through the pile of junk to help Clara search for medicine.


    Kids who grew up in the Underworld were especially good at this sort of scavenging.


    A few minutes later...


    Rios looked toward the restaurant.


    "Hook, let''s go eat first. We''ll continue after."


    Hearing that, Hook poked her head out of a box in the junk pile.


    "Is it mealtime?"


    Rios nodded slightly.


    "Yes. This little girl can come too."


    Then, Rios walked over and gently picked up Hook from the junk pile with his mouth.


    Clara shook her head.


    "I don''t need to~ I''ll go back to the settlement and eat later."


    Rios placed Hook on his back.


    "Come on, eat a little first."


    Then, Rios gently picked Clara up too and carried the two little ones toward the restaurant.


    Meanwhile, the few robots accompanying Clara continued searching for medicine under her orders.


    Rios entered the restaurant carrying the two children, just as Ye Yun came out holding a large pot of chicken soup.


    "Yo, your noses are sharp. I just finished cooking, and here you are."


    Then Ye Yun noticed the extra child.


    "Oh? And who''s this little one? Had anything to eat? Come join us. Fresh chicken soup, just made."


    Clara sniffed the delicious aroma in the air and couldn''t stop herself from drooling.


    What kind of food was this? Why did it smell so good? Even her favorite roasted Rockback Crabs didn''t smell this amazing!


    Rios gently lowered the two children and lay down nearby to rest.


    Hook tugged Clara, who was a bit embarrassed, to sit at the table.


    Standing on a little stool, Hook eagerly tried to peek into the pot.


    Ye Yun quickly pressed her back down.


    "Sit properly. I''ll serve the soup for you. Don''t fall and hurt yourself."


    Ye Yun brought out three small bowls and filled them with soup¡ªone each for himself and the two kids.


    The only two drumsticks went to Hook and Clara, one apiece.


    Why only three bowls? Because Rios didn''t eat meat! Despite being powerful, he was a deer, after all.


    Hook couldn''t resist any longer¡ªshe grabbed the spoon and took a huge gulp.


    The moment the chicken soup touched her tongue, her eyes lit up.


    "Wow! What is this drink? It''s so good!"


    After that, Hook couldn''t stop¡ªshe kept drinking spoon after spoon until she started coughing from drinking too fast.


    Ye Yun patted her back to ease her discomfort.


    "Slow down. Don''t just drink the soup¡ªeat some meat too. Here, have this drumstick."


    Once she stopped coughing, Hook picked up the drumstick and chomped down, devouring it like a wild beast.


    Ye Yun completely understood.


    Down here in the Underworld, Hook was one of the lucky ones¡ªshe''d successfully stepped onto her Path and gained powerful strength, which was why she could return safely from Rivet Town again and again.


    Most weren''t so fortunate. Many ordinary kids, for just a bite to eat, would risk their lives venturing into areas overrun by Fragmentum monsters to scavenge supplies.


    One unlucky moment, and they''d never come back.


    Ye Yun looked over at Clara, who sat at the table with a nervous expression, clearly hesitating.


    "Little one, what''s your name?"


    Hearing Ye Yun ask, Clara shyly introduced herself.


    "Hello, big brother. I''m Clara, from the Robot Settlement. I''m Hook''s good friend."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Clara, no need to be nervous. Look at Hook. Since you''re her good friend, just call me Brother Ye Yun. No need to be so formal."


    Clara nodded with a soft smile.


    "Okay... Brother Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun felt very pleased hearing her call him "brother."


    "Alright, Clara, go ahead and drink the soup. Now that you''ve called me brother, there''s no need to be so reserved."


    Clara still hesitated a little.


    "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Ye Yun, but... this soup must be really expensive, right? Clara shouldn''t drink it."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "It''s fine. Your brother Ye Yun has plenty of chicken soup like this. If there''s one thing I have in abundance, it''s supplies."


    Clara shook her head.


    "Brother Ye Yun, Clara isn''t a little kid anymore. In the Underworld, we''re really short on supplies¡ªI know that well."


    Ye Yun explained,


    "Clara, you''ve misunderstood something. Your brother Ye Yun isn''t from the Underworld."


    "If you don''t believe me, ask Hook."


    Clara looked over at Hook.


    Hook, with a chicken drumstick stuffed in her mouth, nodded in agreement with Ye Yun.


    Clara replied with surprise,


    "Ohh, so you''re from the Upper District, Brother Ye Yun~ But I heard Mr. Svarog say there aren''t many supplies up there either."


    Ye Yun laughed heartily.


    "Clara, I''m not from the Upper District either. I''m from beyond this planet."


    Clara blinked in confusion.


    Beyond this planet? Wait... she remembered Mr. Svarog once mentioning that people had come from beyond the stars long ago...


    Ye Yun gently pushed the bowl of chicken soup toward her.


    "Alright, drink your soup first. Once you''re done, I''ll show you something fun." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the gesture, Clara finally took a sip of the soup.


    And like Hook, once she started drinking, she couldn''t stop.


    Though unlike Hook''s wild style, Clara ate much more gracefully.


    At that moment¡ª


    Hook was hugging her bowl of noodle soup, eating ravenously, her head never once lifting up.


    Over half an hour later¡ª


    Hook and Clara were lying on Rios''s back with satisfied expressions, digesting their meal.


    Hook gently rubbed her tummy.


    "Ahhh~ I''m so full~ Hook''s never eaten this much before~"


    Clara nodded in agreement.


    "Mm! Clara really liked this meal. Thank you, Brother Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun, sitting by the door browsing the system shop, smiled when he heard that.


    "No problem. If you ever want something to eat, just come find your brother Ye Yun."


    "Oh right¡ªI have something nice for you two."


    Ye Yun bought two long-lasting smartphones from the system shop.


    Holding the two phones, he walked over and reclined beside the two little ones.


    "Here you go¡ªthese are called phones. You can use them to..."


    And so, Ye Yun began teaching the kids how to use the phones.


    Clara, already familiar with machines, picked it up quickly.


    Hook, on the other hand, needed a lot of time. She''d never used anything like this before. Just five minutes after learning how to make a call, she''d already forgotten most of it.


    One big one and two little ones lay nestled on Rios''s back, chatting and playing with their new phones.


    Rios looked at the trio lying on his back and raised his head slightly. A burst of flame flared at the doorway, sealing off the biting cold outside.


    ***


    Clara was happily playing with her phone, especially the communication app¡ªit brought her a lot of joy.


    She even added a new friend on it, a big sister named "Jade."


    Chatting with this big sister made Clara very happy; the other party told her many things about the universe.


    Including the Aeons, the Xianzhou, the IPC and all sorts of stuff.


    Clara also shared the plight of Belobog with her, and the big sister said she would come to help.


    This big sister was truly a good person.


    While she was having fun, a commotion came from the entrance as several "traffic light" robots ran over with their little legs.


    Seeing the robots, Clara finally remembered she had gone out to look for medicine.


    "Oh no! Clara forgot the time. Clara still needs to find medicine for the people in the settlement!"


    Clara quickly put away her phone and hurriedly got up to head outside.


    Ye Yun noticed this.


    "Clara, don''t worry. Did you come out to look for medicine?"


    Clara was feeling very guilty, with two teardrops already forming at the corners of her eyes.


    Ye Yun continued asking,


    "Why did Clara come out to look for medicine? What kind of medicine do you need?"


    Clara sobbed twice.


    "Recently, there have been more monster attacks, and many people in the settlement have been injured. Clara wants to find some medicine for treating their wounds."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment, and a flash of inspiration crossed his mind.


    In this mechanical settlement, there were probably quite a few Stellar Jades. After all, Svarog was the true powerhouse in the underworld.


    Ye Yun decided to spend 100 Star Coins to purchase 10 bottles of wound medicine.


    "Clara, take this. This is wound salve¡ªit can heal injuries."


    Clara quickly shook her head.


    "No, no~ This is too valuable."


    No matter what Ye Yun said, Clara just wouldn''t accept it.


    In Clara''s eyes, Brother Ye Yun already treated her to delicious noodles, which she already felt bad about.


    Now, Brother Ye Yun was giving her such precious medicine¡ªthere was no way she could accept it.


    Ye Yun felt a bit helpless. At this moment, he noticed a Stellar Jade hanging from Clara''s clothes.


    "Clara, how about this? Why don''t you trade me that Stellar Jade?"


    Clara looked at the one Ye Yun was pointing to and took it off.


    She had found it earlier while looking for medicine and thought it looked pretty, so she tied it to her clothes as a decoration.


    "This one?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s the one. Your brother Ye Yun specializes in this kind of business. As long as you have Stellar Jade, you can buy all sorts of supplies from me."


    Clara took off the jade.


    "But isn''t this useless? Other than looking pretty..."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "That''s just because others don''t know its value. But here with Brother Ye Yun, this thing is very useful."


    As he spoke, he placed the medicine box on one of the robot''s heads.


    "A box like this only costs one Stellar Jade."


    Clara was delighted.


    She had a lot of Stellar Jade at home¡ªif this was true, she could trade them for so many supplies!


    "Really? Brother Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun patted Clara''s little head.


    "Of course it''s true."


    Clara was thrilled.


    "I trust Brother Ye Yun! Brother Ye Yun, do you have time? I still have lots of Stellar Jade at home!"


    Ye Yun lifted Clara up and placed her on Rios''s back, then picked up Hook and did the same.


    "Let''s go. Lead the way."


    The three of them and the deer set off toward the mechanical settlement.


    Far away, inside the headquarters of the Interastral Peace Corporation¡ª


    Jade looked at her phone with mild interest.


    The screen showed her chat with someone named "Little Bunny from Beibei Village."


    "How interesting. Who would''ve thought that a place so long corrupted by a Stellaron still harbors civilization?


    Especially since that place still owes the company a debt."


    As Jade spoke, Topaz, who was playing with a piggy bank nearby, asked curiously:


    "Oh? A place like that exists?"


    Aventurine, playing with his poker chips, also became interested.


    "That place owes the company quite a bit, right? And company interest rates... are never low."


    Jade''s lips curled into a slight smile as she swiped her screen.


    "This is likely another bad debt. According to the company''s records on Jarilo-VI, they don''t have the means to repay.


    After 700 years, the interest has already eclipsed the principal many times over."


    Topaz said,


    "Looks like we''re getting another mission. Let me go this time, okay?"


    Jade smiled.


    "You''ll have to ask Diamond about that."


    Aventurine, however, noticed a problem¡ªit might not be easy to handle this debt.


    "Topaz, maybe I should go instead?"


    Topaz shook her head.


    "No, I''ll go. My performance has been lacking recently. Jade, send me the file later, okay?"


    Jade smiled lightly.


    "Sure, little Yelena~"


    With that, Topaz got up to find Diamond.


    Soon after, the sound of a door closing echoed.


    Aventurine watched Topaz leave and shook his head.


    "This debt might backfire if mishandled. Can Topaz really handle it?"


    Jade smiled.


    "No need to worry¡ªI trust her abilities. Besides, I''ll be going too.


    What about you? Have you thought through the matter in Penacony?"


    Aventurine smiled confidently.


    "Don''t worry, the dice have already been cast. I''ve got a great plan.


    Though... I''ll need something from you and Topaz."


    Jade leaned her cheek on her hand, gazing at him with some depth.


    "That idea is very dangerous. You know how important that item is. Do you still remember the vow we made when we obtained it?"


    Aventurine sipped a glass of red wine and gently swirled it in his hand, his gaze drifting into memory.


    "Of course. More important than life, isn''t it?"


    Jade leaned back in her chair.


    "Are you sure about this?"


    Aventurine raised his glass toward her.


    "If you want the big fish, you need real bait.


    And for a giant fish... you need serious bait, don''t you think?"


    Jade picked up her coffee, stirring it with a small spoon.


    "You have a point. A vow may be sacred, but we care more about results, don''t we?"


    Aventurine laughed heartily.


    "Hahaha¡ªthen it''s settled. Cheers! All for the Amber King!"


    Jade took a small sip of coffee.


    "Mhm, all for the Amber King."


    In the mechanical settlement¡ª


    With Clara leading the way, the trio quickly arrived.


    Thanks to Clara, all checkpoints were cleared without resistance.


    Here in the mechanical settlement, Svarog held the highest authority¡ªbelow him was Clara.


    Compared to Boulder Town, the situation here was far worse.


    At least Boulder Town still had houses¡ªthis place only had tents.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 - 9The people in the mechanical settlement also looked over curiously.


    "Who''s that?"


    "No idea. Judging by the clothes, they''re probably not from the Underworld. No one here wears clothes that fancy."


    "Could it be that the passage between the Overworld and the Underworld is open again?"


    "Hey, look at that deer¡ªit can breathe fire!"


    "Whoa, that deer is amazing. If I had one at home, I wouldn''t have to worry about the cold anymore."


    "With your little tent? That deer would probably burn the whole thing down as soon as it walked in."


    "Like yours is much better?"


    Amid the chatter of the onlookers, Ye Yun, Clara, Hook, and Rios arrived at a large gate.


    At the entrance, a traffic light-like mech was verifying visitor identities.


    "Verifying! Verification complete! Clara, welcome home!"


    The gate opened.


    A three-meter-tall humanoid robot stood before Clara.


    "Clara, welcome home."


    Clara immediately recognized the robot.


    "Mr. Svarog!"


    She jumped down from Rios''s back and ran to Svarog, showing off the medicine Ye Yun had sold her.


    "Mr. Svarog, Clara found medicine! Everyone can be saved!"


    Svarog glanced at the medicine and signaled a nearby mech to take it.


    "Scanning...


    Test result: Safe."


    After confirming Clara wasn''t hurt, Svarog said,


    "Clara, don''t go to Rivet Town. It''s dangerous¡ªyou''ll get hurt."


    Clara replied cheerfully,


    "It''s okay, Mr. Svarog! Clara didn''t go alone¡ªthere were others with me!"


    She then introduced her companions.


    "Mr. Svarog, they''re Clara''s good friends~ Brother Ye Yun and Mr. Rios!"


    As for Hook, Svarog already knew her¡ªshe often came to the mechanical settlement to play with Clara.


    Svarog looked at Ye Yun and Rios and scanned them. At once, the lens on his head lit up bright red.


    "Warning! Warning! Highly dangerous individual detected! Protecting Clara!"


    Svarog quickly shielded Clara behind him.


    Clara rushed to explain.


    "Mr. Svarog, Brother Ye Yun isn''t a bad person! He''s the one who sold me the medicine!


    Mr. Rios is a good person too¡ªhe protected Clara on the way back here!"


    Upon hearing this, Svarog deactivated his combat mode.


    "Clara''s friends: good people."


    Ye Yun looked at Svarog thoughtfully, wondering whether he should ask about the Stellaron''s secrets like the main character Star did in the original story.


    In the original plot, Star and the others could converse normally with Svarog at first after being introduced by Clara.


    But once they asked about the Stellaron, Svarog turned hostile.


    After some thought, Ye Yun decided to drop the idea.


    Beating Svarog wouldn''t be hard for him¡ªbut why cause trouble for himself? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fighting was tiring.


    Ye Yun waved his hand.


    "So you''re Svarog? Don''t worry, I have no ill intentions.


    I just came to bring Clara back and also made a little trade with her."


    Svarog looked at Clara, then at Ye Yun.


    "Trade? What kind of trade?"


    Ye Yun took out the Stellar Jade that Clara had used to buy the medicine.


    "This. As long as you have this, you can trade for goods with me."


    Svarog scanned the Stellar Jade in Ye Yun''s hand.


    "Decorative item. No value."


    Ye Yun chuckled at Svarog''s assessment.


    "Maybe it''s worthless to you, but to me, it''s very valuable.


    If you don''t believe me, why not give it a try? After all, it''s not worth anything to you, right?"


    Svarog''s internal processors whirred for a moment before he replied,


    "Accepted."


    He then issued a command to the nearby mechs to collect Stellar Jade.


    Five minutes later¡ª


    Several mechs returned carrying more than a dozen pieces of Stellar Jade. Clara also brought out some she had collected earlier.


    Ye Yun counted them. Not too few, not too many¡ªexactly 50 pieces.


    He summoned the exchange scale and placed all 50 pieces of Stellar Jade onto it.


    Seconds later, fifty 100-denomination Star Coins appeared in Ye Yun''s hand.


    Ye Yun handed them to Clara.


    Clara took them and examined them curiously.


    Ye Yun explained,


    "These are Star Coins¡ªthe currency I use here. With them, you can shop from me."


    He then sent Clara the same product catalog he had previously shown to Natasha.


    Clara''s phone dinged shortly after, and when she opened her comms app, the first message was from Ye Yun.


    She tapped it open¡ªand got a shock!


    Everything in the catalog was incredibly cheap!


    She had 5,000 Star Coins in her hands¡ªshe could buy 500 bottles of the wound medicine!


    Or even 50 tons of food!


    Clara couldn''t help but feel Ye Yun had sent the wrong prices.


    "Brother Ye Yun, did you send the wrong thing? These prices are too low!"


    Ye Yun took a look at her phone.


    "Nope. That''s the right one."


    Clara was completely stunned.


    Is this for real?! Just a few Stellar Jades can buy that much food?


    And the ones she had used earlier were just a tiny portion¡ªshe had thrown away most of the Stellar Jade she found!


    What had she done?!


    Panicked, Clara was about to dash off to collect more Stellar Jade from places she had visited before, but Svarog stopped her.


    "Clara, complete the transaction first. Verify this individual''s claims."


    Clara reluctantly held back and completed the trade.


    "Brother Ye Yun, can you convert all of this into rice for Clara?"


    Ye Yun took the 5,000 Star Coins from Clara and summoned a bubble containing bags of rice, slapping the coins onto it.


    The coins and bubble vanished together.


    Then the rice bags inside the bubble gradually expanded and landed on the ground¡ª500 neatly stacked bags of rice appeared in the small plaza.


    Svarog walked up and opened one of the bags.


    "Scanning! Scan complete. High-quality rice."


    Clara beamed with joy upon hearing the result.


    "That''s wonderful! Everyone''s saved now!"


    Hook stared at the mountain of rice, completely stunned.


    "Whoa! If Hook had this much rice, she could eat for soooo many days!"


    After verifying the goods, Svarog quickly dispatched a few mechs to store the rice properly.


    This rice could extend the survival time of the entire Underworld.


    Ye Yun, meanwhile, checked his task progress:


    [Task 1: Serve 20 different customers.] Current progress: 7/20. Reward: Lottery Machine x1


    [Task 2: Reach a cumulative turnover of 100,000 Star Coins.] Current progress: 5.8/10. Reward: Emanator-level strength x1


    ***


    That night.


    Ye Yun, Hook, and Rios were all resting at Clara''s house.


    Clara''s home was quite decent¡ªa small two-story building.


    Ye Yun cooked a few stir-fried dishes, and after eating with the two little ones, he went to sleep.


    On the other hand, Svarog was still busy.


    He had issued a mission to the vagrants in the Mechanical Settlement to collect Stellar Jades.


    These people could use the Stellar Jades to exchange for supplies from him.


    At first, the vagrants didn''t believe it. After all, Stellar Jades were just pretty-looking things with no practical value. How could they possibly be exchanged for precious food?


    Until someone actually succeeded in making a trade.


    In the settlement''s tent district, a vagrant walked away from Svarog carrying a heavy bag of rice on his back.


    "No way! You can actually trade them for supplies?"


    In an instant, the entire settlement was in an uproar.


    My god! You could actually trade Stellar Jades for supplies from Lord Svarog!


    The vagrants swarmed out into the wilds to search for Stellar Jades.


    Everyone rushed to be first, afraid they''d miss out if they were late.


    "Don''t touch that! I found it first!"


    "What do you mean it''s yours? If it''s in my hand, it''s mine!"


    "Hey! You wanna fight?"


    "Bring it on! You think I''m scared?"


    The vagrants quickly descended into chaos.


    It proved once again: in the face of absolute benefit, people lose control of their actions.


    The situation escalated from shouting matches to bloody brawls.


    There were even casualties.


    Stellar Jades had become a symbol of hope for the vagrants in the Mechanical Settlement.


    And if someone tried to take away their hope of survival¡ªthey wouldn''t let them live either.


    When Svarog learned of this, he immediately dispatched mechanized soldiers to maintain order.


    Any who fought were violently suppressed.


    Only then did the vagrants quiet down.


    The commotion was so loud it woke Ye Yun, Hook, and Clara from their sleep. They now sat in the living room, eating instant noodles.


    Ye Yun slurped a bite of noodles and glanced at Svarog standing outside.


    "Svarog, what''s up? You''ve been staring off into space."


    Svarog looked at Ye Yun.


    "It''s nothing. I just don''t understand why these people would fight over Stellar Jades. They could get supplies just by making a proper effort."


    "I''m wondering¡ªif I hadn''t started the Jade-for-supplies program, would this chaos have happened at all?"


    Ye Yun took a sip of the noodle soup.


    "You weren''t wrong. The problem was your method."


    "If it were me, I''d go with a work-for-supplies model."


    "That way, you can manage them efficiently and build infrastructure."


    "Like housing. Look at this settlement¡ªthose people are still living in tents."


    Svarog processed Ye Yun''s words at high speed.


    "I understand."


    Ye Yun nodded in satisfaction.


    "Exactly. There''s no rush to trade supplies. You can even have your mech soldiers gather materials."


    "When you want to trade, just have Clara contact me. You know what a phone is, right?"


    Svarog nodded.


    "It''s in the database."


    Ye Yun finished his noodles and tossed the cup into the trash, giving Svarog a pat.


    "I''m heading back to rest. You keep doing your thing."


    With that, Ye Yun went back to sleep with Hook and Clara.


    Svarog thought for a moment and decided to adopt Ye Yun''s method.


    This approach was indeed well-suited for the Mechanical Settlement. It allowed for efficient management of the vagrants and improvement of infrastructure and equipment.


    So¡ª


    Svarog immediately issued a new order: shut down the supply exchange points and replace them with work-for-compensation stations.


    The vagrants who hadn''t yet traded their Stellar Jades were devastated when they heard the news.


    "What?! We can''t trade Stellar Jades anymore?"


    "Man, you guys sure move fast. Usually you''re dragging your feet, but when it comes to grabbing supplies you''re full of energy!"


    "Damn! Someone must''ve pissed off Lord Svarog! Otherwise, why would he stop the trades? Look, there''s still plenty of supplies over there!"


    They looked at the supply depot in the distance¡ªit was packed full.


    Someone tried asking by stopping a "Stoplight" robot.


    "There''s still supplies here! Why can''t we trade?"


    The Stoplight stopped and looked at the person in its way.


    "New order: trading stopped. Now it''s work-for-supplies. Come here tomorrow for job assignments. Complete the work, and you''ll receive goods."


    With that, the Stoplight waddled off to move supplies.


    The vagrants, seeing there was no way to trade, had no choice but to return to their tents, dejected.


    ***


    In Boulder Town.


    Natasha was treating March 7th, Dan Heng, Xing, and Bronya.


    Soon, she concluded that they had simply passed out from a knockout drug. They would be fine after some rest.


    So Natasha arranged for them to rest in a room.


    After closing the door, she looked at Sampo, who was waiting nearby.


    "All right. Tell me who these people really are."


    Sampo yawned.


    "They''re from the Underworld, of course. I found them by a mine heap. You know me¡ªSampo the kindhearted. I couldn''t just leave them there!"


    Natasha said nothing, just stared at Sampo with a look that clearly said, "Keep lying, I dare you."


    Under her gaze, Sampo could only confess the group''s real identities.


    When Natasha learned who they were, she immediately frowned¡ªespecially at Bronya''s identity: successor to the Supreme Guardian!


    If this wasn''t handled properly, the entire Underworld could be in grave danger.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng weren''t too big of a problem. They were fugitives from the Overworld, but the Silvermane Guards wouldn''t come all the way down here for them.


    Besides, there were plenty of wanted people in the Underworld, all under Wildfire''s watchful eye.


    "I understand. You go back. I''ll take care of them."


    Sampo bowed.


    "Thanks, Boss Lady. Sampo''s off, then."


    After Sampo left, Natasha called in a few nurses.


    "Take good care of these four. Nothing must happen to them."


    The nurses nodded and got to work while Natasha returned to her office.


    Unlike this morning, there was now a large burlap sack in the corner.


    Natasha walked over and opened it¡ªit was full of Stellar Jades.


    She picked one up and checked her records.


    [Current Stellar Jade Count: 1,365]


    These were all that Wildfire had managed to gather so far.


    After the order was given earlier today, the whole team had gone out searching. Every corner of their territory was turned upside down.


    Just then, Seele walked in with a small pouch in hand.


    "Natasha, I''m back. These are the Stellar Jades I found in Rivet Town."

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 - 10Seele tossed the pouch of Stellar Jade onto the table and flopped down onto the couch.


    "Natasha, what are you collecting all this Stellar Jade for?"


    Natasha counted the Stellar Jade Seele brought back¡ª160 pieces. Added to the burlap sack, that made 1,525 in total.


    "You''ll find out tomorrow. Come straight to me first thing in the morning."


    Seele looked even more confused.


    "What''s going on tomorrow?"


    Natasha didn''t answer directly, instead asking a question.


    "How was dinner tonight?"


    As soon as Natasha brought up the dinner, Seele couldn''t help licking her lips.


    That white rice was just too good! Even without side dishes, it was delicious. Seele had eaten three whole bowls and was totally stuffed.


    "It was amazing! Hey, where did you even get that much pure white rice from? And it wasn''t limited at all! Natasha, did Wildfire strike it rich or something?"


    Natasha held up a piece of Stellar Jade and shook it in front of Seele.


    "If you want to call it striking it rich... then I guess we did."


    "That rice you had tonight? Just one piece of Stellar Jade was enough to get you a whole month''s worth."


    Seele froze.


    What?! This stone called Stellar Jade was worth that much?!


    She suddenly remembered all those times she beat up monsters guarding treasure chests and casually tossed aside the Stellar Jade that came out. Now she deeply regretted it.


    Oh no! How much food had she thrown away?!


    Seele felt like smacking her past self with a scythe. Could she please stop that bad habit of discarding everything?


    Natasha couldn''t help chuckling at the sight of Seele clutching her chest in agony and regret.


    This girl¡ªaside from fighting, her favorite thing was definitely food.


    To be honest, no kid who grew up in the Underworld didn''t love a good meal.


    "Tomorrow, we''re going to trade all this Stellar Jade for rice. So come early and get some rest tonight."


    As soon as she heard that, Seele leapt up and dashed out the door to go home and sleep.


    "See you tomorrow, Natasha!"


    Natasha watched the door swinging wildly from being slammed so hard and let out a helpless sigh.


    "Seele is always so fiery."


    ***


    The next day.


    After breakfast, Ye Yun, Hook, and Clara set out for Boulder Town.


    Before leaving, Ye Yun left a phone with Svarog and exchanged contact information.


    Whenever Svarog needed supplies, he would contact Ye Yun.


    Near Boulder Town''s main gate¡ªsimilar to Rivet Town''s gate¡ª


    Natasha was waiting there with Oleg, Seele, and a whole bunch of Wildfire members.


    Seele was already getting impatient. She had been standing there for over two hours.


    "Natasha, what''s with that guy? Don''t tell me he''s gonna ghost us?"


    Natasha shook her head.


    "No way. That robot yesterday came from Svarog. Ye Yun probably stayed the night at his place. It''ll take some time to get here."


    Seele pouted.


    If it weren''t for the fact that this guy was bringing a ton of goods to trade, she would''ve turned around and left long ago.


    Over half an hour later¡ª


    The group spotted three people and a deer approaching in the distance.


    "Sorry to keep you all waiting." Ye Yun greeted with a polite gesture.


    Natasha smiled and shook her head.


    "Not at all. We just got here."


    Seele, off to the side, muttered in protest.


    "Just got here? We''ve been standing here all morning!"


    She didn''t realize that, although her voice was low, Ye Yun wasn''t that far away¡ªand Natasha heard it too.


    "Sorry about that, Ye Yun. Seele''s just like that."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "No worries. Let''s go handle the trade."


    Natasha led the way.


    Everyone made their way through the streets and alleys until they reached a warehouse.


    Natasha took out the 1,525 Stellar Jades collected yesterday.


    "Ye Yun, how much can we get with these?"


    Ye Yun glanced at the sack of Jades, pulled out an Exchange Scale, and taught Natasha how to use it.


    He told her to decide what she wanted to trade for.


    Seele was fascinated by the scale¡ªit could spit out money!


    "Hey, uh... Ye something? Oh right, Ye Yun! Do you have another one of those scales? Sell me one to play with?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Sorry, this one''s not for sale."


    Seele pressed further.


    "Oh come on, I know you guys. Merchants are all about profit. What if I pay extra?"


    Ye Yun still shook his head.


    Seeing she wasn''t getting anywhere, Seele lost interest and ran off to watch Natasha pick out supplies.


    About ten minutes later¡ª


    Natasha had finished selecting the goods she needed.


    She handed Ye Yun the order list along with 152,500 Star Coins.


    Ye Yun accepted the transaction and summoned all the supplies Natasha had bought.


    In less than a minute, the warehouse was completely filled to the brim.


    Natasha had to temporarily requisition several nearby buildings to store everything.


    She looked at Ye Yun gratefully.


    "Thank you, Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun replied:


    "No need to thank me. You pay, I deliver."


    Just then, Natasha remembered something.


    "Oh, right¡ªYe Yun, four people showed up at my clinic yesterday. Three women and one man. They''re from beyond the sky too. Want to go take a look?"


    Ye Yun figured that must be Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng''s group.


    The timing matched.


    "Oh? Sure. I''ll head over. You handle things here."


    Natasha called for Seele.


    "Seele, take Ye Yun to the clinic."


    Seele readily agreed.


    After seeing the mountains of supplies earlier, she''d completely changed her attitude toward Ye Yun.


    What? He made us wait? That''s normal¡ªthis was a VIP golden supplier! Of course he deserved royal treatment.


    "Leave it to me!"


    Hook noticed Seele''s sudden attitude shift and whispered to Clara:


    "Clara, do you think Seele''s kind of... materialistic?"


    Clara nodded.


    "Mm-hmm."


    Seele walked up to Ye Yun and made a welcoming gesture.


    "This way, dear customer~"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "No need for that, Seele. Just act normal."


    Seele stood up straight.


    "Alright then! Let''s go, the clinic''s this way!"


    ***


    Inside the clinic.


    March 7th and Dan Heng had already woken up.


    The two stood in the room, discussing their next steps.


    "I want to go out and see if I can find any leads on the Stellaron," said Dan Heng.


    March 7th thought for a moment.


    "You go ahead. I''ll stay here and watch over Stelle. She''s still out cold."


    Dan Heng looked at the still-unconscious Stelle on the bed.


    "Alright. I''ll go search for clues. Stay in touch."


    Just as he reached for the door¡ª


    They heard a noise from outside. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dan Heng stopped in his tracks, staring warily at the door.


    The handle turned, and the door slowly opened from the outside.


    A familiar figure appeared in the doorway.


    March 7th gasped in delight.


    "Ye Yun! What are you doing here?"


    ***


    When Dan Heng saw it was Ye Yun, he relaxed.


    Ye Yun smiled and waved.


    "March, Dan Heng, how have the past couple of days been? Encounter anything interesting?"


    March 7th thought for a moment when she heard Ye Yun ask about their experiences over the past two days.


    "Don''t even mention it! The past two days have been like a Black Sunday¡ªfighting every day. If we weren''t fighting, we were on the way to a fight."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Yeah, and we don''t have any leads on the Stellaron either."


    March 7th curiously asked,"Ye Yun, do you have any leads on the Stellaron?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "No, I just arrived in the Underworld yesterday."


    Of course, Ye Yun knew, but this Trailblazing journey was a trial for Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng. It was better to let them find the answers themselves.


    March 7th noticed the others.


    "Ye Yun, are these your new friends? And... this deer... it can breathe fire?!"


    She looked over at Seele and the others, and when she saw the figure standing in the back, her eyes lit up.


    Rios was speechless. These humans were really inexperienced.


    Everyone acted so shocked when they saw him. What''s the big deal about being on fire? He was a fire-type spirit¡ªhaving flames on him was completely normal.


    Ye Yun introduced them.


    "This is Seele, and these two kids are Hook and Clara. They''re locals from the Underworld."


    "As for this deer, it''s Rios, my spirit."


    Upon hearing that, March 7th casually greeted Seele, Hook, and Clara, then continued to ask about Rios.


    Now, March 7th''s attention was fully captured by Rios.


    "A spirit? What''s a spirit?"


    Ye Yun explained,


    "Spirits are the darlings of heaven and earth, born with the ability to control elemental forces. They also possess high intelligence."


    "Rios is a fire-type spirit¡ªand a relatively powerful one at that."


    March 7th let out an exaggerated "Oh!" and tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve, leaning over to whisper in his ear.


    "Ye Yun, where did you get that spirit? I want one too!"


    She looked at Ye Yun expectantly.


    Ye Yun chuckled and snapped his fingers. Three "Spirit Cores" wrapped in bubbles appeared before everyone''s eyes.


    "These are random Spirit Cores. Buy one and you''ll receive a random spirit."


    "Just use a Spirit Incubator to hatch your own spirit."


    "There are three types: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The spirits you get vary by level."


    "Basic: 1,000. Intermediate: 10,000. Advanced: 100,000."


    Then Ye Yun spread his hands.


    "Well? Want to give it a shot?"


    March 7th didn''t hesitate. She exchanged 10 Stellar Jades she''d earned over the past two days for 1,000 Star Coins and bought a basic Spirit Core.


    After getting the core, she anxiously asked,"Ye Yun, where''s the incubator? Can I use it?"


    She figured that since Ye Yun already had Rios, he must have an incubator.


    But Ye Yun was momentarily stunned¡ªhe had directly summoned Rios and hadn''t used a core to hatch him.


    Looking up the price, he saw an incubator cost 5,000 Star Coins.


    He decided to just buy it outright.


    Ye Yun placed the Spirit Incubator inside the room.


    "Here it is. You guys can use it."


    March 7th rushed over excitedly, quickly opened the lid, placed her Spirit Core inside, and pressed the start button.


    The countdown on the screen above the incubator changed and finally displayed:


    [9:59:59]


    March 7th was stunned.


    "Huh? It takes ten hours?!"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah. The stronger the spirit, the longer the incubation time. Be patient."


    Seeing this, March 7th could only pull up a chair and sit next to the incubator, staring blankly at the Spirit Core.


    Dan Heng asked,


    "Ye Yun, your strength..."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun explained,


    "Managed a breakthrough by luck."


    After finishing his transaction with Natasha, Ye Yun had broken through to the Envoy level and received a new mission:


    Mission 3: Reach 10 million Star Coins in sales. Reward: Peak Emanator-level power.


    Ten million? Tch. That wasn''t going to happen any time soon.


    Dan Heng didn''t ask further. As long as Ye Yun didn''t pose a threat to them, that was enough.


    Ye Yun glanced at Stelle, still fast asleep on the bed¡ªprobably would be out for another day or two.


    "Dan Heng, March, have you two eaten yet?"


    They both shook their heads.


    Ye Yun checked the time. It was nearly noon.


    "Then let''s eat together. I''ll make hot pot for lunch."


    Neither had any objections.


    As for Hook and Clara, those two little ones obviously wouldn''t say no and would definitely join him for the meal.


    Ye Yun looked over at Seele.


    "Want to join us for lunch?"


    Seele nodded.


    "Sure. If someone else is buying, of course I''ll eat."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Alright, let''s get ready then."


    He bought a premium hot pot meal set from the system.


    Seele washed the vegetables, Dan Heng moved the tables and chairs, and March 7th played with the two kids.


    Rios lay on the rug resting, while Ye Yun prepared the soup base.


    In just half an hour, everyone was eating hot pot.


    Seele was eating like crazy¡ªdespite the spiciness, she just kept going.


    Dan Heng and March 7th also loved the hot pot. Ye Yun tried it himself and thought it was the best he''d ever had.


    The two little ones had bowls of warm water in front of them, and all their food had to be dipped through it before they could eat.


    As everyone was eating, an extra person appeared at the table.


    It was Stelle¡ªshe had woken up early! And the reason? The smell of hot pot had awakened her!


    Ye Yun was stunned¡ªseriously? A hot pot changed the storyline?


    Stelle now sat with a small bowl, eyes half-closed, happily slurping sweet potato noodles.


    Looking at everyone around the table, Ye Yun suddenly remembered¡ªwasn''t there one person missing?


    "March, didn''t Natasha say there were four of you?"


    (Actually, Natasha hadn''t said that. Ye Yun said it to cover up the fact he knew there were four of them.)


    It wouldn''t be questioned, as March 7th and the others wouldn''t go out of their way to verify with Natasha.


    March 7th shook her head.


    "No idea~ I only saw the three of us when I woke up."


    Dan Heng also shook his head to indicate he didn''t know.


    Ye Yun rubbed his chin. Looks like Bronya had woken up early and was probably wandering around the Underworld.


    March 7th took a sip of orange juice.


    "What''s up, Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Nothing. Let''s keep eating. You''ve got work to do after this."


    As soon as she heard "work," March 7th slumped her head.


    "Sigh~ I don''t want to work. Where is that stupid Stellaron?!"


    Stelle pointed to her chest.


    "Right here!"


    March 7th rolled her eyes at her.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 - 11March 7th crossed her arms and looked speechlessly at Stelle.


    "You know that''s not the Stellaron I was talking about. Do you get joy out of being this cheeky?"


    Stelle gave March 7th a thumbs-up.


    "Absolutely!"


    March 7th was completely at a loss for words. Stelle was beyond saving¡ªshameless to the core.


    Half an hour later, everyone finished eating hot pot.


    March 7th stretched and stood up.


    "Alright, now that we''re full, time to get back to work."


    Stelle shook her head.


    "No rush, let me try one more time!"


    She walked over to Ye Yun and took out 30 Stellar Jade.


    "Ye Yun, give me three of those Trash Can Scratch Cards!"


    Ye Yun, seeing this, helped Stelle purchase three Trash Can Scratch Cards.


    Other than March 7th, the others had never seen this before. They all looked at Stelle with a mix of confusion and disdain.


    Stelle didn''t care one bit. She was just excited to try her luck again with these mysterious Trash Can Scratch Cards!


    The three cards appeared in front of everyone.


    Stelle acted like an ancient emperor choosing a concubine for the night, contemplating which trash can she would "favor" first.


    Clara tilted her head, clearly confused by Stelle''s strange behavior.


    "Brother Ye Yun, what''s Sister Stelle doing? Why is she playing with trash cans?"


    Ye Yun was momentarily speechless.


    How could he even explain this? Should he say it''s her fetish? ...Better not badmouth someone behind their back.


    He called out to Rios.


    "Rios, take Hook and Clara out to play for a bit."


    Rios responded by scooping up the two little ones and heading outside.


    Soon, Stelle picked her first trash can.


    "This is the one! Let''s go¡ªopen!!"


    A flash of golden light filled the room!


    Stelle squinted her eyes, full of anticipation.


    "Come on! Golden Legend!!"


    The light faded, revealing... a can of pickled herring¡ªidentical to the one she had gotten before.


    Stelle froze. Not this again! Another can of pickled herring?!


    Still, she wasn''t discouraged. Two trash cans remained.


    "Next! You''re the one! Let''s go! Golden Legend!!"


    Another flash of gold. This time, a durian appeared.


    Stelle had never seen a durian before, and assumed it was something valuable.


    "Ye Yun! What is this? Did I hit the jackpot again?"


    Ye Yun looked at the durian and thought for a second.


    "Well, it''s a fruit¡ªpretty nutritious and tastes decent. As for value... I sell these at 1 Star Coin for 10. Want some?"


    Stelle was petrified the moment she heard the price.


    Masaka! Another garbage pull! Her hard-earned Star Coins were practically gone!


    March 7th looked at the durian in her hand, then glanced at the stunned Stelle, a mischievous smile creeping onto her face.


    "Hehehe~ Stelle, since you look so pitiful, I''ll buy that durian for 1 Star Coin. How about it? That''s 10x market price!"


    She emphasized the value again, breaking Stelle''s spirit completely.


    A 1,000-Star-Coin scratch card gave her a 0.1-Star-Coin durian¡ªshe was on the verge of mental collapse.


    Stelle dropped to her knees and sobbed dramatically.


    "Noooo! Why did I buy these?! My Star Coins! The pain! The heartache!!"


    Seele, watching Stelle wail on the floor, leaned over and quietly asked Ye Yun,


    "Ye Yun, what''s up with her? Is something... wrong with her head?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "Uh... you could say that. She''s like a gambler who bet everything and lost it all."


    Seele nodded in understanding.


    "Oh, I get it¡ªjust like those guys who bet it all at the boxing ring, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Exactly."


    Just then, a voice interrupted their conversation.


    "Hey, Seele, can I borrow your scythe for a sec?"


    They turned to see March 7th smiling sweetly, holding the durian in her hands.


    She wiggled the spiky fruit and grinned.


    "This thing''s got spikes. I need your scythe to open it up¡ªlet''s share it after, sound good?"


    Seele perked up, intrigued. The fruit looked kinda interesting.


    "Sure, here."


    She handed over her scythe.


    March 7th set the durian on the table and gave it a few swings.


    Slash!


    The scythe cleaved the durian open¡ªand that infamous, intense smell immediately filled the entire room.


    Seele was stunned.


    What is this smell?! Gah¡ª!


    Then she realized... her scythe. She stared in horror.


    Oh no! My scythe!!


    Seele rushed to snatch her weapon back and sniffed it.


    Gah¡ªugh! What is that smell? It''s awful!


    March 7th, Dan Heng and Stelle weren''t doing much better. They all pinched their noses to avoid the stench.


    Ye Yun just raised an eyebrow. No rush¡ªthey''d stop complaining after they tasted it.


    He picked up the durian, scooped out a chunk of the flesh, and started eating it in small bites.


    "Mmm¡ªdelicious. This one''s really good. I''m gonna buy some more later."


    March 7th was shocked.


    "Ye Yun, how can you eat something that smells this bad?!"


    Mouth full, Ye Yun replied,


    "That''s durian for you¡ªsmells bad, tastes great. Want to try?"


    March 7th shook her head like crazy.


    "No way! If it stinks like this, how can it taste good?"


    Ye Yun swallowed and offered a deal.


    "How about this¡ªjust try it. If you don''t like it, I''ll give you 100 Star Coins. Deal?"


    March 7th hesitated. That didn''t sound too bad. One tiny bite, and if it was gross, she''d get paid.


    "Alright, I''ll try it. Just a teeny bit. A little nibble."


    Ye Yun was exasperated. How could she taste anything with just a nibble? He tore off a whole chunk and handed it to her.


    "Come on, trust me. You see I''m eating it, right? It''s good¡ªjust eat it!"


    March 7th looked at the durian in her hand, then at Ye Yun enjoying his. It really did look tasty...


    Finally, she pinched her nose and took a bite.


    Chewed for a second.


    "...Mmm! This actually tastes really good! Ye Yun, give me another piece!"


    Ye Yun happily tore off another chunk and handed it to her.


    March 7th grabbed it and started eating big bites, thoroughly enjoying herself.


    Ye Yun then turned to Dan Heng and offered him a piece.


    "Dan Heng, you should try it too. Durian''s really nutritious¡ªin some worlds, it''s called the King of Fruits."


    Dan Heng thought about it and took the piece. He didn''t want to reject Ye Yun''s good intentions, and since March 7th had already confirmed it tasted great, he gave it a shot.


    After one bite, Dan Heng agreed¡ªit was actually pretty good.


    Seeing this, Stelle grabbed a piece for herself.


    She had spent 1,000 Star Coins to get it¡ªshe had to eat it, whether she liked it or not!


    ***


    Seele returned after washing her scythe, only to see Ye Yun and the others happily eating durian.


    Even Hook and Clara had been called back¡ªboth little ones sat on stools, happily enjoying the durian.


    Seele sniffed the pungent air and waved her hand in mild disgust.


    "Eww~ how can you guys eat such a stinky fruit?"


    Clara split her portion of durian in two and offered half to Seele.


    "Big Sister Seele, you should try it too. It''s really delicious."


    Seele glanced at everyone¡ªit didn''t look that bad?


    Besides, she had eaten things far worse-smelling than this before.


    In the Underworld, staying alive was the only goal.


    Seele took the durian from Clara and took a bite.


    "This fruit is actually so good?! Even though it smells so bad!"


    There wasn''t much durian, and it was quickly eaten up by everyone.


    After eating, Stelle licked her fingers, still craving more.


    "Ye Yun, look how unlucky I was with the loot box today. How about treating me to a few more durians?"


    Everyone except Dan Heng looked expectantly at Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun immediately bought 10 more durians¡ªit only cost 1 Star Coin.


    Seele looked at the durian, then at her freshly cleaned scythe, hesitating.


    What should she do? Should she use the scythe to cut open the durian? But if she did, the scythe would smell again, and she''d have to clean it all over.


    In the end¡ª


    Hunger won over reason, and Seele swiftly sliced open a durian.


    Stelle, quick as lightning, snatched the whole opened durian.


    "Hehe, thanks, Seele. Aah~ so good!"


    Seeing this, the others each grabbed a durian.


    One by one, they lined up for Stelle to cut theirs open.


    Seele mechanically swung her scythe.


    Within seconds, everyone was eating delicious durian again.


    Seele also sat down, hugging a durian and digging in, her face smeared with fruit pulp, like a messy kitten.


    March 7th swallowed her mouthful of durian and noticed something out of the corner of her eye.


    "Stelle, you still have one trash can you haven''t opened."


    At her words, Stelle lifted her head from the durian and popped open the last trash can lid before continuing to eat.


    A flash of golden light¡ªThe trash can disappeared, leaving behind a game cartridge.


    Ye Yun walked over and picked it up, scanning it with the system.


    [Special Item: "Sekiro (Hell Mode)" Game Cartridge] Complete the game to gain the skill: Deflect. This reward can only be claimed once.


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue in surprise.


    This thing... not bad. The Deflect skill was not only cool but also pretty powerful.


    But then again, it wasn''t overpowered¡ªjust decent.


    "Stelle, this thing is pretty good. If I were selling it here, it''d cost 3000 Star Coins."


    "Congrats, you broke even."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up as she scrambled over excitedly.


    "Really?! It''s worth that much?!"


    March 7th, Dan Heng and Seele all looked over curiously.


    Ye Yun explained,


    "This game cartridge gives you a skill after completion. Deflect¡ªlets you parry enemy attacks without taking damage."


    "But it''s limited. Only works on attacks up to Entrance Stage Emanator level."


    Stelle looked at the cartridge in her hand, not particularly excited.


    Compared to a skillful move like Deflect, she preferred raw power.


    Something like Judgment of Shamash¡ªa big sword you could just slam into enemies¡ªthat was her style.


    Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Stelle''s mind.


    "Hehe~ I know how to make a ton of money!"


    March 7th asked,"What idea did you come up with?"


    Stelle gave a mysterious smile.


    "Not telling you."


    With that, she grabbed the cartridge and ran outside. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    March 7th shrugged helplessly and went back to eating durian.


    Outside¡ª


    Stelle held the game cartridge in one hand and her phone in the other.


    On her screen, she was chatting with someone.


    Stelle: Silver Wolf! Silver Wolf! I''ve got a game cartridge¡ªwant it?


    Silver Wolf: A game cartridge? Stelle, I doubt you have anything I''d like.


    Stelle: You''ll love this one!


    Silver Wolf: Oh? Intriguing. Tell me more.


    Stelle: The game''s really hard!


    Silver Wolf: Now we''re talking. I like a challenge.


    Stelle: The quality''s great¡ªcombat feels amazing.


    Silver Wolf: And? That all?


    Stelle: Most importantly, you get a skill from the game after clearing it!


    Silver Wolf: Oh? That''s kind of interesting. Alright, how much?


    Stelle: What are you saying? We''re friends! No need for money~


    Silver Wolf: Cut the nonsense and give me a price, or I''m not taking it.


    Stelle: No Credits needed¡ªdo you have Stellar Jade? I''ll take like... 10,000 or so?


    Silver Wolf: Stellar Jade? I''ve only got a few dozen... You sure that''s all you want?


    Stelle: Yep, just that!


    Silver Wolf: Fine, I''ll open a portal.


    Stelle closed her phone, and not far ahead, space began to distort¡ªSilver Wolf''s projection appeared.


    "Long time no see, Stelle."


    Stelle grinned, eyes darting toward Silver Wolf''s pocket.


    "Long time indeed, Silver Wolf. Here, this is the game cartridge. Got the Jade?"


    Silver Wolf snapped her fingers¡ªthe cartridge disappeared from Stelle''s hand, replaced with a small pouch containing 40 Stellar Jade.


    "There. I''m heading off. If you need anything, just message me."


    And with that, her projection vanished.


    Stelle tossed the pouch in her hand, thoroughly pleased.


    "Hehe, not bad! Easy 40 Stellar Jade. That''s four more trash can scratch-offs! Hehe~"


    Then she turned and returned to the clinic.


    Instead of spending the Jade right away, Stelle decided to save up.


    Once she hit 10,000 Star Coins, she''d do a ten-pull in one go.


    After a short rest, March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng left the clinic to search for clues about the Stellaron.


    March 7th tried to convince Ye Yun to come along, but he declined.


    He was planning to return to the Astral Express and bring Hook and Clara to explore for a bit.


    On the Astral Express, inside the observation car¡ª


    "Himeko! Welt! We''re here!"


    Lumine and Paimon stepped out of a portal, with Paimon cheerfully greeting Himeko and Welt.


    Himeko smiled in welcome.


    "Paimon, Lumine, what brings you here?"


    Paimon replied,


    "Hehe, we''re here to buy stuff from Ye Yun~ We found a lot of Primogems after we got back yesterday!"


    Himeko nodded, understanding.


    "Well, bad timing¡ªYe Yun isn''t on the train at the moment."


    Paimon and Lumine looked a little disappointed.


    "Aww... seriously?"


    Himeko smiled again.


    "But if you''re just shopping, you don''t need to wait for him. You can buy directly from the vending machine by the bar¡ªjust insert coins into the touchscreen."

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 - 12Just as Himeko finished speaking, the observation car''s doors opened, and Ye Yun entered with Hook, Clara, and Rios.


    "Well, what a coincidence! I just got back and business already came knocking."


    Paimon was pleasantly surprised to see Ye Yun appear.


    "Ye Yun! You''re back!"


    Ye Yun nodded and introduced the group.


    "These two little ones are Hook and Clara, and the one behind me is Rios¡ªmy spirit."


    As he spoke, Ye Yun gently patted Hook and Clara on their little heads.


    "These are your big sister Himeko and Uncle Welt. The other two are Paimon and your big sister Lumine. Go ahead and greet them."


    The two kids obediently greeted everyone.


    Welt couldn''t help twitching slightly at being called "Uncle."


    Why was Himeko "Big Sister," but he got called "Uncle"? Was he really that old?


    Paimon was also a little upset.


    "Why is Lumine ''Big Sister,'' but I only get called by name?!"


    Ye Yun didn''t answer her. Instead, he casually picked up Paimon and placed her next to Hook.


    Everyone looked¡ªGoodness! Paimon was even shorter than Hook!


    Paimon instantly fell silent, staring blankly.


    With a defeated look, she floated back to Lumine''s side.


    Why! Why am I this short?! This can''t go on!


    Seeing her like this, Lumine pulled out a bag of spicy sticks and tossed them into Paimon''s arms.


    The moment Paimon saw the snack, her expression brightened up instantly. She tore the packaging open with a big smile and started munching.


    Everyone chuckled at the scene. Ah, Paimon. Truly a foodie to the core. When it comes to dealing with her, food is the ultimate cheat code.


    Ye Yun left Hook and Clara in Himeko''s care and walked over to Lumine.


    "You still want that Unsealing Pill from last time?"


    Lumine shook her head.


    "Not for now. I want to buy a vehicle¡ªpreferably one that I can also rest in."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "How about an off-road vehicle?"


    Lumine considered it. Off-road vehicles had plenty of space and were suitable for rough terrain.


    But... they weren''t exactly the best for comfortable living.


    "I''d like to keep looking. Off-road is nice, but it''s still missing something."


    Ye Yun nodded and turned to the others.


    "Alright then, let''s go to my place and sit down. Drinks are on me."


    Paimon, hearing the word "treat," perked up immediately. Still munching on her spicy sticks, she flew over and stared at Ye Yun eagerly.


    Soon, everyone arrived at the train car where Ye Yun''s shop was located.


    Ye Yun led Lumine to the small bar.


    "Take your time browsing¡ªI''ll get us some drinks."


    With that, Ye Yun walked into the bar area to prepare refreshments for everyone.


    He made orange juice for the kids, Paimon, and Lumine.


    For Himeko, he prepared a cappuccino. For himself and Welt, he brewed some Longjing tea.


    He first called Paimon over to take the orange juices for her and Lumine.


    Then he carried the rest of the drinks to the booth area.


    When he arrived¡ª


    Hook and Clara were staring at Himeko in awe.


    Ye Yun leaned in to listen¡ªHimeko was explaining the Astral Express and the Nameless to them.


    The two little ones were absolutely fascinated by the idea of the Nameless.


    "Hook, Clara, have some juice. Brother Ye Yun''s busy right now, so be good and listen to your sister Himeko, alright?" Ye Yun placed the two glasses of juice in front of them.


    The kids nodded obediently.


    Then Ye Yun turned to Himeko.


    "Himeko, I''ll leave these two in your care for now. I need to help Lumine with her purchase."


    Himeko smiled.


    "No problem. Hook and Clara are very well-behaved."


    Ye Yun nodded, reassured, and returned to help Lumine with shopping.


    Taking a sip of his tea, Ye Yun sat on the high stool beside Lumine.


    "Well? Anything catch your eye?"


    Lumine sighed and shook her head, spreading her hands.


    "Nope~"


    Ye Yun thought again.


    "How about a camper van? Look at this off-road model¡ªit has a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. There''s even a small storage area. Both sides can expand to create a table and an awning. It runs on solar power too. The price is only 2,000 Star Coins."


    Lumine looked it over. It really was a good fit.


    But... she couldn''t afford it. She had already exchanged all her resources into Star Coins¡ªonly 1,420 in total.


    After returning yesterday, she had been hunting treasure chests non-stop. Thankfully, she bought the Unsealing Pill and restored her strength¡ªotherwise, she wouldn''t have earned this much Primogems.


    "I think I''ll keep looking..."


    Ye Yun noticed the brief flash of embarrassment in Lumine''s expression.


    "Short on funds? I can let you buy it on credit¡ªno interest."


    Ye Yun had full confidence in Lumine''s ability to earn Star Coins.


    After all, she had a passive skill that was basically broken: ''Never misses a treasure chest in sight.''


    Lumine''s face lit up with joy.


    "Really? I am just a bit short!"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Of course it''s real. How much are you short?"


    Lumine pulled out all her Star Coins.


    "Here¡ªthis is all I''ve got. 1,420."


    Ye Yun took her coins and pulled out another 580 to cover the rest.


    With a snap of his fingers, a camper van encased in a bubble appeared before them.


    "So, what now? Want to head over to your world?"


    Lumine was a bit surprised.


    "You can go to my world too?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Of course. Others can go too¡ªbut you have to use my portal. Yours won''t work."


    Himeko and Welt both turned to look.


    Welt closed his book.


    "Ye Yun, you''re saying you can take us to Lumine''s world?"


    Ye Yun nodded again.


    "Yep. So, you two interested in going?"


    Welt was tempted. He had wanted to go on this expedition but stayed back to let the newcomers gain experience.


    Now that a chance to explore had come up¡ªhe didn''t want to miss it.


    But someone had to stay behind on the train.


    Seeing the look on Welt''s face, Himeko smiled.


    "Welt, you go. I''ll watch the train."


    Welt shook his head.


    "No, you go. I''ll stay."


    Just as Himeko was about to argue, Ye Yun interrupted.


    "Alright, alright¡ªyou both go. As for the train..."


    Ye Yun turned to Rios, who had been quietly watching the stars through the window.


    "Rios, keep an eye on the train for me."


    Rios turned around.


    "No problem. Leave it to me."


    Ye Yun nodded and turned back to Himeko and Welt.


    "Don''t worry. Rios is at the Half-Stage Emanator level. With him around, nothing''s going to happen to the train."


    Himeko was surprised to hear that Rios was so strong.


    She''d been so focused on Hook and Clara that she had overlooked the fire stag Ye Yun called his "spirit."


    And come to think of it¡ª


    Wasn''t Ye Yun''s strength a bit off too?


    When they left yesterday, he was just a high-level Pathstrider. Now, not even a full day later, he was already at the Half-Stage Emanator level?


    ***


    However, Himeko didn''t intend to ask further questions.


    After all, on this train, who doesn''t have their own secrets? Isn''t that right?


    Himeko smiled as she looked at Rios.


    "Thanks for your hard work, Rios."


    Rios shook his head.


    "It''s nothing."


    Seeing this, Ye Yun snapped his fingers, and a portal appeared.


    "Alright, everyone, let''s go see how Lumine is doing."


    Then, everyone stepped through the portal toward the world where Lumine was.


    In Teyvat, just outside Mondstadt, within a canyon near Starfell Lake and Starsnatch Cliff¡ª


    Ye Yun and the others appeared.


    Hook and Clara, the two little ones, were excited as they looked at the lush and vibrant world before them.


    "Wow! It''s so beautiful here! Hook loves it!"


    "Mm, Clara likes it too."


    Welt was crouched beside a bush, carefully observing a Windwheel Aster Butterfly.


    The butterfly seemed incredibly dreamy to Welt. As it fluttered about, faint green specks of starlight shimmered from its wings.


    Himeko and Ye Yun walked alongside the two little ones, chatting while keeping an eye on them.


    Lumine and Paimon, meanwhile, were excitedly exploring the off-road RV they had just bought.


    Unable to contain her excitement, Lumine opened the door. Just inside was a booth-style sofa that could seat four.


    A bit to the right was a small bathroom, about 4 square meters in size.


    Further right were double bunk beds.


    Each bed was a full-sized mattress, and next to them was a large one-way glass window.


    The window took up a good portion of the wall, allowing sunlight to stream in, making the interior bright even without lights.


    To the left of the entrance was a small kitchenette, complete with a gas stove.


    Opposite the kitchenette was a 6-square-meter storage area.


    Beyond that was the driver''s seat at the front.


    Paimon flew up to the top bunk and flopped down.


    "Wow, Lumine! This bed is so comfy!"


    Lumine looked at the RV that now belonged to her with a strong sense of accomplishment¡ªit had been bought with her own Primogems.


    From now on, this RV would accompany her across Teyvat, in search of her brother.


    She walked to the driver''s seat and honked the horn to catch everyone''s attention.


    Once they all looked over, Lumine rolled down the window and shouted happily,


    "Everyone, hop in! We''re heading out!"


    Clara and Hook, holding colorful flowers, ran excitedly toward the RV.


    Himeko and Ye Yun followed.


    Welt, after capturing a Windwheel Aster Butterfly in a glass jar, ran after them.


    Once everyone was onboard, Lumine shut the door.


    "Attention passengers! The Traveler Express is about to depart¡ªplease sit tight and hold on!"


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow and asked,


    "Lumine, do you even have a license?"


    Lumine froze¡ªshe really didn''t have one.


    But hey, as long as she could drive, right?


    "O-of course I do! Just... not on me right now. Sit tight, I''m starting the engine!"


    Ye Yun teased her.


    "Hey now, Lumine, it''s not embarrassing not to have a license, is it?"


    Lumine, irritated by his teasing, exploded.


    "Ye Yun!!! Get over here!!!"


    In an instant, the RV was filled with laughter.


    After some playful chaos, Lumine started the engine and stepped on the gas, heading toward Mondstadt.


    On a nearby hilltop, Barbatos, the Anemo Archon¡ªVenti¡ªwas curiously watching the RV zoom past below.


    "Interesting. That thing sure moves fast."


    With that, Venti''s figure turned into a breeze and floated toward the RV.


    The RV journeyed on, and after more than an hour, stopped in front of a statue.


    Paimon pointed toward a statue in the lake.


    "That''s a Statue of The Seven! There are seven nations in Teyvat, each ruled by a god.


    And the statues are carved in their images.


    Right now, we''re in Mondstadt, the land of wind, and the god here is Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.


    Let''s go take a look! They say praying at the statue brings good luck~"


    Everyone seemed intrigued.


    Lumine walked to the lakeside, about to jump in.


    Thankfully, Ye Yun stopped her just in time.


    "What are you doing? You planning to swim across?"


    Lumine looked at the short distance to the island in the middle of the lake.


    "Yeah, why not?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "No need to swim¡ªI''ll fly us over."


    He then used his power to lift everyone up and fly toward the island.


    Hook mimicked a bird happily, flapping her arms.


    "Hook can fly! Fly! Fly!"


    Soon, everyone arrived beneath the statue.


    Under Paimon''s guidance, Lumine successfully resonated with the wind element from the Statue of The Seven.


    Ye Yun, Welt, and Himeko tried as well, but nothing happened.


    It seemed this ability was unique to Lumine.


    However, unlike in the original storyline, Lumine didn''t get excited after gaining the power. Instead, she stared at the statue, rubbing her chin, clearly deep in thought.


    Ye Yun walked over and patted her shoulder.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Startled, Lumine snapped out of it.


    "I was wondering if this statue could be traded for Star Coins. It''s pretty unique, don''t you think?"


    Ye Yun was speechless. Typical Lumine¡ªwherever she goes, nothing is left intact.


    Before she could test the idea, Lumine pulled out her sword and looked ready to chip off a piece of the statue.


    Watching in the shadows, Venti''s eyes widened in horror.


    This Traveler actually wants to dismantle my statue?!


    Thankfully, Ye Yun stopped her just in time, or Venti would have been forced to show himself.


    These statues are connected to that one in the heavens¡ªthey can''t be damaged!


    Afterward¡ª


    Lumine started up the RV again and the group set off once more. Ye Yun leaned by the window, enjoying the scenery and munching on a freshly picked Sunsettia.


    On the way¡ª


    They met Amber in Whispering Woods. After a brief introduction, she joined them in the RV.


    They also took down a few Hilichurls camps along the route.


    Over two hours later, the group finally arrived at the bridge just outside Mondstadt.


    Ye Yun couldn''t figure something out. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since Lumine already met Amber, why hadn''t they run into Venti and Dvalin in Whispering Woods?


    According to the original story, Lumine should have met them just before Amber¡ªonly moments apart.


    After thinking hard, Ye Yun gave up.


    What he didn''t know was that Venti had deliberately led Dvalin away, keeping him hidden from Ye Yun.


    No joke¡ªwith what Venti sensed from Ye Yun, Himeko, and Welt, none of them were ordinary.


    With Dvalin''s strength, Venti feared the dragon might get taken down.


    To protect Dvalin, he made the preemptive move.


    Tsk tsk, what a diligent little Archon I am~

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 - 13After Amber got off the RV, she told everyone to wait a moment while she went to report to the Knights of Favonius at the city gate.


    Himeko glanced at the time and said, "Lumine, you all go ahead. We need to head back. We''ve been out for quite a while already."


    Welt nodded in agreement. "That''s right, we''ll head back for now. We can come again when we have time."


    Ye Yun looked up at the sky¡ªTeyvat was already approaching dusk. Yet when they arrived, it had clearly been midday.


    He looked at the two little ones, Hook and Clara. They looked tired, yawning from time to time.


    No surprise there¡ªthose two had been playing all day, running around even inside the RV.


    At this hour, being tired and sleepy was only natural.


    Ye Yun patted their little heads gently. "Lumine, we won''t go in. We''ll head back to rest. We''ll come visit again another time."


    Paimon looked a little disappointed. "Eh? Why? We''re already at the city gate..."


    Ye Yun said, "It''s alright. As long as you''re in Teyvat, we can come over anytime¡ªit''s just a teleportation portal away."


    Paimon still wanted to persuade Ye Yun to stay and explore the city with them.


    But Lumine quickly spoke up, "No problem! Once I''m settled here, I''ll invite everyone over for a meal!"


    Himeko smiled. "Alright, I''ll look forward to your big feast, Lumine~"


    Lumine patted her chest confidently. "You got it!"


    Then Ye Yun, Himeko, Welt, Hook, and Clara walked through the portal and returned to the train.


    Paimon looked a bit puzzled. "Lumine, why didn''t you ask them to stay? I was hoping we could all have dinner together tonight~"


    Lumine replied, "They were tired from playing all day and wanted to rest. Didn''t you see Hook and Clara were about to fall asleep?"


    Paimon finally realized, "Ah, makes sense~"


    At that moment, Amber came over and asked, "Lumine, Paimon, I''ve arranged a place to park your ''RV.''


    Eh? Where''s Ye Yun and the others?"


    Paimon answered, "They went back to rest!"


    Amber was baffled. Back? Back where? Weren''t they travelers just like Lumine?


    "Aren''t they with you guys?"


    Lumine shook her head, then nodded. "Well, sort of... But they''re not from this world. They''re from another world¡ªthey just returned to their own to rest."


    Amber was stunned, staring at Lumine. "What?! They''re from another world?"


    Lumine nodded. "Yep. It''s a long story¡ªI''ll explain on the way. It''s getting late, let''s head into the city."


    Hearing that, Amber agreed it made sense and led Lumine and Paimon into Mondstadt.


    Along the way, Lumine told Amber all about Ye Yun and the others. Amber listened intently, ears perked up, afraid to miss a single word.


    As they walked, they soon arrived at a plaza. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There, Amber gave Lumine the gift she had promised¡ªthe Wind Glider.


    Just as Lumine was about to try them out¡ª


    Suddenly, the sky changed. Fierce winds roared, thunder cracked.


    "Run! It''s the Stormterror Dragon!"


    Someone shouted, and the crowd scattered in panic.


    A dragon''s roar echoed through the skies. Lumine stared in shock at the giant form of Dvalin soaring overhead.


    "Lumine! This way!" Amber called out, leading her toward a nearby building.


    A tornado suddenly formed behind Lumine and swept her into the sky.


    Just as Venti was about to rush out and help her¡ª


    Lumine''s mind clicked into action, and she immediately opened a portal and jumped through.


    Venti, watching the scene unfold, was left dumbfounded.


    Wait, what?! Where''d the Traveler go?


    Paimon let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Lumine vanish into the portal. "Amber, let''s go. Lumine''s fine now."


    Amber still didn''t quite understand. "Huh? What do you mean she''s fine? Didn''t she just get swept up by a tornado?"


    Paimon explained, "She just opened a portal to Ye Yun''s world and jumped through."


    Amber finally remembered¡ªLumine had mentioned earlier that she could open a portal to where Ye Yun was. But only she and Paimon could use it; others couldn''t enter.


    ***


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Ye Yun, Himeko, Welt, Hook, Clara, and Pom were sitting around the long table, enjoying a dinner prepared by Pom.


    Each had a steak, and several vegetable dishes sat in the middle.


    Suddenly, a portal opened before them, and Lumine came flying out.


    "Ouch!"


    Seeing her land face-first, Ye Yun couldn''t help but tease, "Lumine, why do you always show up like this? Does your face hurt?"


    Lumine got up, rubbing her cheeks. "What do you think?!"


    Himeko noticed how disheveled she looked, like she''d been through some disaster. "Lumine, what happened? Did you run into trouble?"


    Lumine told everyone what had just happened.


    Welt was intrigued. "A dragon?"


    Lumine took a towel from Pom and wiped her face. "Yeah! A huge dragon! Super scary~"


    Welt suddenly had the urge to go check it out. The Windwheel Asters Butterfly he''d brought back earlier was currently in his room.


    Before he could say anything, Ye Yun spoke up first. "Sigh~ Alright, I''ll come with you and help you take care of it. Otherwise, you probably won''t be able to go back for a while."


    With that, Ye Yun opened a portal, locked onto Lumine''s location, grabbed her hand, and jumped through.


    Seeing the portal close, Welt looked a bit regretful. "I wanted to go too..."


    Himeko chuckled, covering her mouth. "Next time¡ªjust speak faster."


    Welt sighed, then went back to eating.


    ***


    Above Mondstadt, Venti was preparing to lead Dvalin away from the city.


    Now that the main character was gone, there was no need to continue this performance.


    At that moment, a portal opened in the sky, and Ye Yun and Lumine emerged.


    Venti quickly dropped to the ground and hid.


    From the safe zone, Paimon and Amber spotted them.


    "Amber, look! Lumine''s back¡ªand Ye Yun''s with her!"


    In the sky¡ª


    Ye Yun looked at the soaring Dvalin. "That''s one big fella."


    Lumine rolled her eyes. "Well, it is a dragon. Dragons are big in every world, you know."


    Ye Yun chuckled. "Doesn''t matter how big."


    Then he raised his hand toward Dvalin''s direction.


    In an instant, a terrifying aura erupted from Ye Yun.


    It transformed into several dark-golden chains that shot toward Dvalin.


    They were unbelievably fast. Before Dvalin could react, the chains had already bound him.


    Dvalin let out a roar and struggled furiously to break free.


    Ye Yun smirked, a hint of disdain in his voice. "Resistance is futile! Bind!"


    With a bit more force, the chains tightened, and Dvalin was wrapped up like a dumpling, flying straight toward Ye Yun.


    ***


    Lumine looked at Dvalin, who was tied up tightly with dark golden chains, and couldn''t help but feel a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    This scene... felt like something she had seen before.


    After trying hard to recall, Lumine''s expression suddenly froze.


    No wonder it felt so familiar! Wasn''t this exactly how that woman had sealed her back then?


    Back then, she had been just like Dvalin now¡ªcompletely powerless to fight back and sealed without resistance.


    Lumine suddenly didn''t dare to look directly at the scene. The more she looked at Dvalin, the more he resembled her past self.


    Ye Yun observed the dragon tied up like a rice dumpling.


    This was his first time seeing a dragon. Even if it was a Western-style dragon, it was still a dragon, right?


    Just then, a voice sounded in Ye Yun''s ear.


    "Friend, please spare Dvalin."


    The next moment¡ª


    Venti appeared in front of them.


    Venti was in a terrible mood.


    Just moments ago, he had been relieved that Ye Yun and the others had left, thinking he could finally proceed with his script.


    Who would''ve thought the Traveler would bring Ye Yun back? And not only that¡ªthey arrived just in time for Dvalin''s attack on Mondstadt.


    Now the script was ruined, and Dvalin had been captured.


    Lumine looked at the newly arrived Venti.


    "And who are you? Just because you said so, we should let him go?"


    Venti knew well that if he didn''t reveal his true identity, he might really not be able to take Dvalin back.


    "My name is Barbatos, Mondstadt''s Archon. You can also call me Venti."


    Lumine sized him up.


    "You say you''re the Anemo Archon and expect us to just believe it?"


    To Lumine, no god could possibly look like this. In her mind, gods were supposed to be sacred and dignified.


    At that moment, Ye Yun spoke.


    "Lumine, he really might be the Anemo Archon. I sensed a massive wind presence within him."


    Hearing this, Lumine looked at Venti in disbelief.


    Wait, seriously? You''re actually the Anemo Archon? You''re nothing like what I imagined!


    Venti looked gratefully at Ye Yun.


    "Friend, could you please spare Dvalin? He became like this because of the Abyss''s corruption."


    Ye Yun was about to agree¡ªdoing Venti a favor wasn''t a big deal.


    But then Lumine cut in.


    "So just because you''re the Anemo Archon, we should let him go? Only if you promise me two things!"


    Ye Yun looked at her.


    "What kind of scheme are you cooking up now?"


    Lumine whispered,


    "Don''t worry about it, I''m securing us some benefits."


    Venti saw this and agreed.


    "Alright, as long as it''s within my power."


    Lumine smiled slyly.


    "Ahem, first¡ªdo you know my brother? He looks a lot like me, blond hair, same clothes."


    Venti feigned ignorance.


    "Your brother? I''ve been in slumber until recently. You could ask around Mondstadt¡ªthey haven''t seen the Archon in ages."


    Lumine sighed a few times.


    Fine, seems like he really doesn''t know.


    Then she brought up the second condition.


    "The second''s simple¡ªif you want us to release, ahem, the dragon, where''s the ransom?


    We don''t want anything fancy. Just give us... say, ten thousand Primogems?"


    Venti spread his hands.


    "I just woke up. I don''t have any Primogems."


    Lumine instantly fumed.


    Seriously? You''re a god! Mondstadt''s Archon! How can you not have Primogems?!


    "Just ask the people of Mondstadt for some! Aren''t you their god? They''ll give them to you!"


    Venti looked down toward Mondstadt.


    "Mondstadt is the land of freedom. I won''t interfere with the people''s choices. Everyone is free."


    Lumine was speechless. Venti had completely shattered her previous impression of what a god should be.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "No need, Venti. You can take him."


    Saying that, Ye Yun released the chains binding Dvalin.


    Venti quickly used his power to restrain Dvalin, preventing further chaos.


    "Thank you, Ye Yun. If you ever need help, just call me."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "I don''t really need help. But how about giving me all the wine you''ve hidden in Windrise?"


    Venti''s eyes widened.


    "How do you know I''ve hidden wine there?!"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Don''t worry about it. Just say if you''ll give it or not."


    After a moment of hesitation, Venti agreed and fetched the wine from Windrise for Ye Yun.


    When handing over the wine, Venti looked utterly reluctant. Ye Yun had to work hard to pry it out of his hands.


    Then Venti flew off with Dvalin.


    Venti felt miserable¡ªhis script was ruined, and he had to give up all his wine.


    My precious wine! How could you leave me like this?! Heartbreaking!


    Back on Ye Yun''s end¡ªafter dealing with Dvalin, he said goodbye to Lumine and returned to the Astral Express to rest.


    He hadn''t even finished his meal before rushing over, so now he was going back to eat.


    Upon returning, Pom-Pom greeted him.


    "Passenger Ye Yun, you''re back, pom! I''ll warm your food, just wait a bit, pom!"


    Meanwhile, in Mondstadt City¡ª


    Lumine landed successfully in the plaza using her Wind Glider. Paimon and Amber immediately ran over.


    "Lumine! Are you okay?!"


    Lumine smiled.


    "I''m fine, Paimon. What about you guys? Are you hurt?"


    Paimon shook her head.


    "Nope. Oh right, I think I saw Ye Yun earlier. Where is he now?"


    Lumine said,


    "He went back to finish his meal. Speaking of which, I''m getting hungry too. Let''s find something to eat?"


    Amber looked troubled.


    "That might be hard. Dvalin just attacked Mondstadt. A lot of shops have closed."


    As the three of them worried, a voice rang out.


    "Friends, if you don''t mind, you can join us at the Knights of Favonius for a staff meal. How about it?"


    Amber looked at the speaker.


    "Kaeya!"


    Kaeya nodded at her, then looked at Lumine.


    "Hello, I''m Kaeya, Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius."


    Paimon waved.


    "Hi, hi! I''m Paimon, and she''s Lumine. We''re Travelers. Can we really eat with you? Honestly, I''m starving."


    Kaeya laughed heartily.


    "Of course. You''re both heroes of Mondstadt, helping us drive off the Stormterror. Come on, let''s eat."


    Paimon cheered.


    "Yay! Finally some food¡ªI''m starving!"


    About ten minutes later¡ª


    The four of them were dining at the Knights of Favonius headquarters.


    They chatted while eating, until footsteps echoed from the entrance.


    Acting Grand Master Jean and Librarian Lisa entered the dining hall.


    Once they approached, Jean formally introduced herself.


    "Hello, Lumine. I''m Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. Thank you for helping us drive away Stormterror."


    Lumine shook her head.


    "It wasn''t really me. It was all thanks to Ye Yun."


    Lisa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Oh? So that handsome man''s name is Ye Yun? Sounds like a Liyue name."

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 - 14Lisa then asked,


    "And what about Mr. Ye Yun? Why isn''t he with you all?"


    As the "mouth of the gods," Paimon faithfully fulfilled her mission and explained, "He went back."


    Lisa was a bit puzzled upon hearing that. "Back?"


    Lumine gave a helpless look and began explaining Ye Yun''s situation to Lisa and the others once again.


    After listening, Kaeya was a little surprised. Someone could actually bring others across worlds at will¡ªwhat kind of unimaginable power must that take? "Is there really someone who can do such a thing?"


    Jean, on the other hand, was more interested in the shop Ye Yun had opened, where one could purchase items from across all worlds using Primogems.


    "All worlds..." Although it was the first time Jean had heard this term, it wasn''t difficult to grasp.


    "Lumine, I''d like to ask you for a favor."


    Lumine asked, "What is it, Acting Grand Master Jean?"


    Jean said, "I''d like your help to invite Mr. Ye Yun over. We''d like to buy some things from him."


    Lumine thought for a moment. "Sure, but probably not today. He''s likely resting. Let''s wait until tomorrow."


    Lisa smiled. "No rush. Tomorrow''s fine. You don''t have a place to stay tonight, do you?"


    Paimon crossed her arms proudly. "Hmph~ We do have a place to stay~ We bought a camper van from Ye Yun! Not only is it a mode of transport, but we can live in it too!"


    Lisa, Kaeya, and the others were intrigued and wanted to see this novel thing.


    "A camper van? Lumine, can we come take a look too?"


    Lumine agreed instantly. "Of course. It''s parked at the city gate. The city gate!!!" Lumine suddenly remembered the van was in an open area¡ªand Mondstadt had just suffered a dragon disaster.


    Gasp!!!


    "Oh no!!!" Lumine slapped the table, grabbed Paimon, and rushed out."My van!!!"


    Kaeya and the others quickly followed.


    Lumine reached the front gate of the Knights'' HQ, checked the height, and directly unfurled her Wind Glider, heading toward the city gate.


    More than ten minutes later, Lumine arrived and quickly located her camper van.


    She took one look and was instantly petrified. "My camper van!!!" Lumine clutched her head and cried.


    Paimon was also stunned. "Our van! We just got it!"


    Jean and the others arrived at the scene and saw that the once brand-new camper van was now covered in dents, the windows smashed, and the interior filled with mud and sand.


    Jean looked at the van and asked Amber, "This is it, Amber?"


    Amber nodded. "Yes, but it didn''t look like this before. It was very nice and new. Now..."


    Lumine sat in a corner, hugging her knees and staring at the sky at a 45¡ã angle. "My van... my van... hehe. The van is gone, and I still owe a debt. Hehe... haha! Hahahaha!"


    Paimon shook Lumine''s shoulders hard. "Lumine! Snap out of it!"


    Jean glanced at the van and exchanged a look with Lisa. Lisa nodded, and Jean said, "Lumine, how much did this van cost? The Knights of Favonius will help you buy a new one. You only suffered this disaster because you came to Mondstadt and even helped us. It''s only right we compensate you."


    After being sad for a bit, Lumine wiped her tears and stood up with the help of the city wall. "It''s okay. It wasn''t that expensive. You don''t have to pay me back."


    Lisa said, "That won''t do, Lumine. We should compensate you."


    Kaeya also chimed in, "Yeah, Lumine, how much did it cost? We''ll pay you back."


    Lumine replied, "No need for Mora. I bought this van from Ye Yun. He only accepts Star Coins, which are exchanged from Primogems."


    Jean asked directly, "How many Primogems did your van cost?"


    Lumine answered, "Just 200 Primogems. I can handle it myself. I''m a great traveler, aren''t I? I can''t possibly not afford a van! No way! Absolutely not! Paimon! Tomorrow, we''re going out to find Primogems!"


    Truly worthy of a protagonist¡ªher spirit bounced back quickly as she declared they''d search for Primogems the next day.


    Jean and the others wanted to continue persuading her, but Lisa put a hand on Jean''s shoulder. "Jean, let''s not push it for now. Leave this to me."


    As Lisa''s close friend, Jean knew full well what she was capable of. "Alright, Lisa. It''s up to you. Let me know if you need anything."


    Lisa looked toward Kaeya and Amber. "Then I''ll have to trouble our cavalry captain and scout knight."


    Kaeya groaned, "Seriously? More overtime? I was just thinking of heading to Master Diluc''s for a drink..."


    Amber, on the other hand, had no complaints. "Kaeya! Drinking again? That''s all you ever do!"


    Later that evening, Jean arranged a place for Lumine and Paimon to stay the night.


    ***


    Belobog, Lower City District.


    Inside the clinic¡ª


    Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Natasha, and Seele were all gathered around a spirit hatching chamber.


    March 7th was staring anxiously at the timer on the chamber, muttering under her breath nonstop. "Almost there! Almost there! My spirit! Come out already! I can''t wait!"


    The others were excited too.


    Today, Natasha had returned and gotten to know Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng. Naturally, as Ye Yun''s companions, she treated them very well.


    Finally, after a burst of intense vibration, the spirit hatching chamber calmed down.


    The timer hit zero.


    With a click, the hatch opened, revealing a green-and-yellow figure before everyone''s eyes.


    "Bu-bu~ Bu-bu~"


    At that moment, the hatching chamber emitted an electronic voice:


    [Hatching complete! Result:


    Rare Spirit: Bud Seed.


    Growth Stage: Infant.]


    After hearing the message, March 7th finally learned the spirit''s name¡ªBud Seed.


    She cheerfully greeted it. "Hello, Bud Seed! I''m March 7th!"


    Bud Seed sensed that March 7th was its trainer, took a few quick steps to the hatch, and stretched out its leafy hands to hug her cheeks, nuzzling its tiny face against hers with a happy smile.


    "Bu-bu~ Bu-bu~"


    March 7th was so happy with the spirit''s affection that she picked it up and spun around with joy. "Haha~ Bud Seed~ we''re partners now~!"


    Bud Seed raised its leafy hands. "Bu-bu! Bu-bu!"


    Everyone in the room was quite fond of the little creature. After all, who could resist something cute, loyal, and capable in battle?


    Stelle deeply regretted not buying one back then. Why didn''t I just get one! I had 3000 Star Coins! If I''d bought one less trash-brand scratch card, I could''ve gotten a spirit too!


    Damn it!


    But then again, it was that third trash-brand scratch card that gave him the Sekiro game cartridge, which let him make a fortune from Silver Wolf.


    ***


    Stelle watched the Bub Seed playing with March 7th, pulled out the 40 Stellar Jades she had earned from Silver Wolf, and thought for a long time.


    Finally, as if making up her mind, she took out her phone and dialed a number.


    Soon, a voice came from the other side.


    "Stelle, why are you calling me?"


    Stelle said:


    "Ye Yun, where are you? I want to buy something."


    Ye Yun was a bit speechless¡ªhe had just been about to fall asleep.


    "Tomorrow. I''m on the train right now. I''ll head to the Mechanical Settlement tomorrow; Svarog wants to trade supplies."


    After that, Ye Yun directly hung up.


    Seeing this, Stelle could only put her Stellar Jades away with a helpless expression.


    Looks like she''d have to wait until tomorrow to buy her own little spirit.


    Time passed quickly, and soon it was the next morning.


    After Ye Yun, Hook, and Clara finished eating, they took the landing shuttle toward Belobog.


    This time, Ye Yun didn''t choose the previous landing site. Instead, he landed on an ice field.


    Through the window of the landing shuttle, Ye Yun could see a passage leading straight underground.


    At the entrance to the passage, Svarog was waiting with a team of robots.


    That''s right.


    This passage had been dug overnight by Svarog''s robots to allow Ye Yun direct access to the Underworld.


    With this passage, Ye Yun no longer needed to use Sambo''s secret route to enter the lower city.


    Clara stepped off the shuttle and, upon seeing Svarog, ran toward him happily.


    Svarog crouched down to catch Clara.


    "Welcome home, Clara."


    Ye Yun, carrying Hook, walked over and teased:


    "Yo? Svarog, you personally came to greet us?"


    Svarog''s red light blinked.


    "You are an honored guest. According to human etiquette, a greeting is proper.


    And today, Clara is coming home."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Bet it''s that last part that really made you come out, huh?"


    Svarog wanted to explain, but Ye Yun waved his hand.


    "Alright, alright. Enough small talk. You''re a robot¡ªyou don''t feel the cold. But we''re freezing. Let''s find a warmer place to talk."


    With that, Ye Yun carried Hook into the passage without looking back.


    The passage had been rushed overnight and lacked proper infrastructure¡ªno lights, for example.


    Fortunately, the robots turned on their lighting systems once inside, illuminating the way.


    After about ten minutes of walking, Ye Yun and the others exited the passage.


    Right in front of them was Clara''s house.


    As soon as Ye Yun pushed open the door, he saw several familiar faces.


    "March? Dan Heng? Stelle? Natasha? Seele? What are you all doing here?"


    Svarog replied:


    "They said they wanted to trade with you, so I let them in."


    Star suddenly rushed up to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, I want to buy something!"


    With that, she directly handed over 10 Stellar Jades.


    Ye Yun accepted them into his bag.


    "What do you want to buy?"


    Stelle pointed at the Bubu Seed in March 7th''s arms.


    "A Spirit!"


    Ye Yun nodded and helped Stelle purchase a low-grade sprite core worth 1,000 Star Coins from the shop.


    "Here you go. This is a sprite core. You know how to use it, right?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "I got it! You guys chat¡ªI''m off!"


    She immediately bolted out the door holding the core.


    March 7th was a bit speechless.


    "Was that really necessary? Right, Bubu Seed?"


    She rubbed the soft little sprite in her arms.


    Bubu Seed''s skin was soft like cotton candy, and March 7th loved to cuddle it.


    Dan Heng took a deep breath and glanced at March 7th.


    You''re one to talk. You were just as anxious waiting for your Bubu Seed yesterday.


    Ye Yun turned to Natasha.


    "Natasha, are you here to buy something too?"


    Natasha nodded.


    "Yes, I''d like to buy some mining equipment. Do you have any?"


    Ye Yun nodded, thought for a moment, then pulled out his phone and temporarily copied over a dozen mining tools from the system shop onto it.


    "Take a look and see if there''s anything you like."


    Natasha took the phone and began browsing.


    As Ye Yun watched her pick out items, he suddenly felt this method of selling wasn''t very efficient¡ªhaving to explain everything one by one.


    The best solution would still be the store itself, where buyers could see detailed product info directly.


    So, Ye Yun communicated with the system in his mind:


    "System? Is there a way I can bring these people directly to the shop quickly?"


    [Notice! The host can purchase a Shop Teleportation Gate. After placement, anyone using it will need the host''s approval to enter.]


    Hearing this, Ye Yun opened the system shop and found the teleportation gate.


    [Item: Shop Teleportation GateFunction: Allows teleportation to the host''s shop after approval.Price: 1,000 Star Coins.]


    Ye Yun glanced at the price and bought it without hesitation.


    Since the Express Crew would soon leave Belobog, this teleportation gate would be handy for continuing business there.


    Natasha and the others could then shop at his store directly via the gate.


    Ye Yun immediately placed the teleportation gate in Clara''s house.


    It was the safest spot in the Underworld¡ªSvarog''s protection wasn''t just for show.


    March 7th looked curiously at the door Ye Yun had placed.


    "Ye Yun, what''s this door for?"


    Ye Yun answered:


    "This door leads directly to my shop. Try it."


    March 7th opened the door, only to see total darkness.


    "Ye Yun, did you mess up? It''s pitch black inside¡ªdefinitely not your shop."


    A prompt rang in Ye Yun''s mind.


    [March 7th is requesting access to the shop. Approve?]


    Ye Yun mentally approved.


    The next second, March 7th''s vision shifted¡ªand the interior of Ye Yun''s shop appeared before her.


    March 7th rubbed her eyes in disbelief. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It is your shop!"


    She even saw Himeko sitting in a booth, reading and sipping coffee.


    March 7th waved.


    "Himeko! Himeko!"


    Himeko looked up, surprised.


    "Little March?"


    March 7th was thrilled and ran inside.


    Once she entered, the door turned pitch black again.


    Dan Heng, puzzled, looked to Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun explained:


    "To get to my shop, I have to approve each person. If I don''t approve, the door leads nowhere."


    Dan Heng nodded in understanding.


    He then stepped to the gate, and after Ye Yun''s approval, also entered the shop.


    Ye Yun suddenly thought of a problem: getting a notification for each person¡ªwouldn''t that be annoying?


    [Notice: The host may designate "pass-through personnel." These users can use the gate without approval.]

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 - 15Ye Yun added the Express Crew, Natasha, Seele, and Svarog as pass-through personnel for the portal.


    At that moment, Natasha walked over and returned the phone to Ye Yun. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ye Yun, do you have any other mining equipment? I''d like to take another look."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Perfect timing. I just finished setting up the teleportation gate. Let''s head to my shop¡ªit''s much more convenient to browse and buy things there."


    With that, Ye Yun opened the door and stepped through it with the two little ones.


    Svarog, after analyzing the portal and getting no results, stepped in as well.


    Seeing this, Natasha and Seele could only follow.


    Passing through the store''s portal, they arrived inside Ye Yun''s shop.


    March 7th set down the Bubu Seed and stretched.


    "Mm~ Jarilo-VI is way too cold. The train is still the comfiest place."


    The Bub Seed also looked around curiously. Suddenly, her eyes lit up¡ªshe had spotted Rios resting not far away.


    Bub Seed toddled over with her leafy little legs.


    "Bubu~"


    Rios opened his eyes, and the moment he saw the Bub Seed, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.


    "Bub Seed?"


    Rios hadn''t expected another sprite like him to show up so soon.


    "Bubu! Bubu!"


    The Bub Seed was just as excited to see Rios and happily ran circles around him.


    Meanwhile, Natasha and Seele curiously explored the shop.


    Seele clicked her tongue at the finely decorated interior.


    "Ye Yun, your shop looks expensive. Tsk tsk."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "Then maybe put that scythe away? If you scratch anything, you''ll have to pay for it."


    Hearing that, Seele quickly stored her scythe away.


    Ye Yun turned to Natasha and gestured toward a touchscreen next to the small bar.


    "Come on, let''s go over there. You can see all the products clearly from that screen."


    Ye Yun brought Natasha to the bar area and sat her down, then began teaching her how to use the touchscreen.


    After a few tries, Natasha got the hang of it and began browsing slowly.


    Ye Yun poured drinks for both of them. At that moment, Paimon suddenly popped up and sat beside him.


    "Ye Yun! Give me one too¡ªI want grape flavor!" Paimon said, hugging a cup and looking at Ye Yun with hopeful eyes.


    Ye Yun looked a bit surprised.


    "What are you doing here? Where''s Lumine?"


    Paimon pointed to Lumine, who was off to the side playing with the Bubu Seed.


    "Over there!"


    Ye Yun nodded slightly. According to the original timeline, wasn''t Lumine supposed to go clean the Four Winds Temples with Jean today?


    "You guys came here today? What for?"


    Paimon took a sip of her grape juice.


    "Captain Jean asked us to come. She wants to see you."


    Ye Yun looked puzzled. What could Jean want with him? Maybe to thank him for helping them with Dvalin?


    Actually, that seemed likely. After all, the title of "Honorary Knight" Lumine earned came about the same way.


    "Captain Jean?"


    Paimon explained:


    "She''s the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt. Do you have time? Want to go see her?"


    Ye Yun thought about it.


    "Wait over there for a bit. I''ve got some guests to take care of first, then I''ll come."


    "Got it~" Paimon said cheerfully and flew off with her grape juice.


    On Natasha''s end, she soon finished picking out a mining machine she liked.


    Ye Yun glanced at the machine. It wasn''t expensive¡ªjust 20 Star Coins each¡ªbut still quite effective.


    Natasha bought 50 units, spending a total of 1,000 Star Coins.


    That 1,000 Star Coins had been collected by Seele yesterday in Rivet Town.


    After the purchase, Ye Yun used the shop''s portal to send the mining machines to the front of Clara''s house.


    Natasha borrowed a squad of robots from Svarog and took the batch of equipment back.


    Unlike the original storyline, thanks to Ye Yun acting as a hub, the relationship between Svarog, Natasha, Seele, and the other Wildfire members had slightly improved.


    They no longer fought on sight like in the original.


    After Natasha finished her shopping, Svarog also approached Ye Yun and purchased supplies worth 10,000 Star Coins.


    After that, Ye Yun left Clara and Hook in Himeko''s care for a while and followed Lumine and Paimon to Mondstadt.


    ***


    In Mondstadt City¡ª


    Ye Yun arrived at an inn alongside Lumine and Paimon.


    He was a bit confused¡ªwhy was Lumine staying in an inn? Didn''t she just buy an RV?


    "Lumine, why are you staying in an inn instead of your new RV?"


    Lumine visibly winced at the mention of the RV.


    "Don''t bring it up. You think I don''t want to stay in it? I can''t!"


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "What happened? Don''t tell me it''s broken already?"


    Lumine clutched her chest in anguish.


    "Yup! My brand new ride! It got destroyed in yesterday''s dragon disaster!"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "How bad is it? I have a suggestion. Go see Welt and Himeko¡ªthey might be able to fix it for you."


    Lumine''s eyes lit up with hope.


    "Really?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah. You can go ask them now."


    Without a second thought, Lumine opened a portal and dove in.


    One minute later¡ª


    Himeko and Welt arrived in Mondstadt with Clara and Hook.


    Walter looked around.


    "Lumine, where''s the RV? Take us to it."


    Lumine cheerfully led the way.


    They arrived at the city gate, where the ruined RV lay collapsed on the ground.


    Lumine patted the RV.


    "Here it is. Can you still fix it?"


    Welt and Himeko stepped forward and pulled out their tools to begin inspecting it.


    Clara followed behind Welt with a look of eager curiosity.


    Welt noticed.


    "Clara, you know how to fix this stuff?"


    Clara nodded vigorously.


    "Mm! Clara learned a lot from Mr. Svarog. When people are injured or machines are broken, Clara helps fix them."


    Welt waved her over.


    "Come here, Clara. This tool is for scanning and diagnostics. Give it a try."


    Seeing Welt teaching Clara, Himeko stopped what she was doing.


    She had already checked¡ªdespite appearances, the RV''s damage wasn''t too bad. Most of the critical systems were still intact.


    It was a good chance to let Welt use it as a teaching moment for Clara.


    Welt patiently guided Clara on how to use the tools and how to troubleshoot various problems.


    Under his instruction, Clara began operating the tools to repair the RV.


    Lumine was stunned.


    Wow. Clara''s amazing. She''s so young but already has such skills?


    At some point, Venti had arrived to watch the fun.


    He stood next to Ye Yun, casually sipping from a bottle of wine.


    Ye Yun looked at him, exasperated.


    "Seriously? Your alcohol habit is that bad? I could smell you from a mile away."


    Venti laughed.


    "Wine is the finest thing in the world! So what''s all this?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "Fixing Lumine''s RV. She bought it yesterday, and it got smashed during your ''buddy''s'' rampage. Shouldn''t you be paying her compensation?"


    ***


    Hearing Ye Yun''s words, Lumine immediately voiced her agreement.


    "Exactly! You''re the Anemo Archon, and your subordinate wrecked my car. Aren''t you ashamed for not paying up?"


    Venti whistled and looked around, avoiding eye contact.


    "Eh heh~"


    Seeing Venti pretending to be clueless, Lumine was speechless. How could a god be like this?


    Venti shrugged.


    "Aiya, didn''t I say it already? I just woke up."


    "I don''t even have a single Mora on me right now."


    Lumine held out her hand.


    "What about Primogems? With your power, getting some should be easy, right?"


    Venti spread his hands again.


    "A god''s power comes from faith. I''ve been gone from Mondstadt for so long that my strength is almost gone."


    Ye Yun inwardly scoffed¡ªhe didn''t believe a word of it.


    The Archons of Teyvat didn''t become powerful because they became gods. It''s because they were already powerful that they became gods.


    The Seven Archons of Teyvat all fought their way through the Archon War¡ªnone of them are weak.


    As for the weak ones, they''ve long become dust of history.


    Just then, Jean arrived with Lisa, Kaeya, and Amber from the city.


    "Lumine, what are you doing here?"


    Lumine turned around and waved at them.


    "Oh, it''s you, Acting Grand Master Jean. I''m repairing my RV over here."


    Jean looked toward the RV and saw a white-haired little girl operating some equipment with full concentration.


    Lumine was a bit curious. Wasn''t Jean always super busy? Why was she here now?


    "Acting Grand Master Jean, how come you''re free today? Didn''t Amber say you''re usually too busy to even touch the ground?"


    Before Jean could respond, Lisa chuckled.


    "Of course, I dragged her out here. My dear Jean is always stuck in the office handling paperwork¡ªher body is going to rust soon."


    "So as her best friend, I insisted she come out for a walk."


    That was Lisa''s way of putting it. In truth, she had received a report from a knight saying there were some strange visitors at the city gate, including the Traveler, Lumine.


    After hearing the report, Lisa figured the others were likely Ye Yun and his companions.


    That''s why they had come to the gate at this moment.


    Lisa looked at Ye Yun and the others.


    "Lumine, are these your friends? Aren''t you going to introduce us?"


    Paimon immediately flew to Ye Yun''s side.


    "I got this! This is Ye Yun¡ªhe''s the one who drove away the Stormterror yesterday!"


    Ye Yun smiled and nodded in greeting.


    Paimon then flew over to Himeko.


    "This is Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express and a good friend of Ye Yun."


    Himeko gracefully said, "Hello everyone, I''m Himeko. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Paimon then flew over to Welt.


    "And this is Mr. Welt, another member of the Express team."


    Welt nodded slightly and continued guiding Clara in repairing the RV.


    After the introductions, Paimon flew back to Lumine''s side.


    Hook was a little upset¡ªPaimon hadn''t introduced the great Dark Hook!


    "Don''t forget me! I''m the great Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!"


    Jean looked at Hook. For some reason, she felt a strange sense of familiarity, though she couldn''t quite place it.


    Jean smiled gently.


    "Hello everyone. I''m Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius."


    Lisa also introduced herself.


    "I''m Lisa, a librarian."


    Saying that, she walked up to Ye Yun.


    "So you''re Mr. Ye Yun? Thank you very much for your help in Mondstadt yesterday."


    Ye Yun replied, "No need to thank me¡ªif you want to thank someone, thank Lumine. She''s the one who came to ask me for help."


    Lumine put her hands on her hips and raised her head proudly.


    "That''s right! Thank me! I went to get reinforcements, hehe~"


    Ever since Lumine found a way to restore her powers, her "gremlin" nature had fully emerged.


    Lisa chuckled behind her hand.


    "Well then, thank you, Lumine. As a token of our appreciation, please accept these Primogems."


    She took out a delicate pouch and handed it to Lumine.


    Lumine was a little stunned.


    Huh? I get a gift just like that?


    Lisa continued, "Some of the Primogems are a thank-you from Mondstadt, and the rest are compensation for the damage to your RV."


    Jean nodded in agreement.


    "Lumine, please accept them."


    Seeing that, Lumine accepted the pouch.


    Lisa then turned to Ye Yun.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, I heard from Lumine yesterday that you opened a little shop. Would it be possible for me to take a look at your goods?"


    Ye Yun smiled and nodded.


    "Of course. Guests are always welcome. Once Lumine''s RV is repaired, we can head to my shop together¡ªhow''s that?"


    Lisa naturally had no objection.


    After that, the group chatted at the city gate.


    About half an hour later, Lumine looked at her fully repaired RV with excitement.


    "Waaaah~ My RV! It''s finally fixed!"


    She ran over and gave Clara a big hug and a loud kiss on the cheek.


    "Clara, you''re amazing! Gimme another kiss! Mwah!"


    Clara''s face turned red from Lumine''s sudden attack.


    "P-please don''t do that!"


    She struggled out of Lumine''s arms, but Lumine laughed and hugged her again, planting another kiss.


    "Hehe, you''re not escaping me! Clara, let me kiss you again! Hehe!"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes and casually lifted Lumine like a kitten using a surge of energy.


    Lumine flailed her fists in protest.


    "Darn you, Ye Yun! Let me down!"


    Ye Yun said, "Calm down. Look at how scared you made Clara."


    Clara had run to hide behind Himeko.


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and decided to place a shop portal in Mondstadt.


    The Knights of Favonius could be considered major clients, and they''d definitely gather Primogems quickly.


    "Jean, do you have a relatively safe location here?"


    Jean thought for a moment.


    "Follow me."


    She led them into the city.


    The group made their way up to the Knights of Favonius headquarters.


    Just as they entered, a fiery red figure zoomed toward them.


    "Outta the way!!! Klee can''t stop!!!"


    Ye Yun caught her head-on. Luckily, unlike the last time with Hook, he was prepared this time and didn''t fall over.


    He looked down at the little girl in his arms.


    "You okay, little one?"


    Klee rubbed her forehead.


    "Klee is fine! Big brother, are you hurt?"


    Ye Yun smiled and shook his head.


    "Big brother''s fine."


    Jean looked sternly at Klee.


    "Klee! Were you trying to sneak out and play again?"


    Klee froze and stood up straight.


    "Captain Jean, Klee knows she was wrong~"

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 - 16Klee promptly admitted her mistake and stood still, waiting for Jean''s scolding.


    Looking at Klee, Jean suddenly remembered why Hook had felt so familiar earlier.


    It was because of Klee¡ªJean had seen traces of Klee in Hook.


    It wasn''t until later, when Hook and Klee teamed up to fish with explosives and accidentally blew up an ancient demon in Liyue, that Jean realized her intuition had been spot on.


    But that''s a story for another time.


    Back to the scene¡ªJean sighed.


    "Klee, it''s not that I won''t let you go out and play. It''s just that Mondstadt hasn''t been safe lately. I''m worried you''ll run into danger out there."


    Klee knew she was wrong, and hung her head in guilt.


    "Klee understands, Acting Grand Master Jean."


    Ye Yun glanced down at Hook, who was standing beside him, looking curiously at Klee.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Klee, do you want to go play?"


    Klee nodded enthusiastically.


    "Mm~!"


    Ye Yun said, "Then why not come play with me? There''s no danger on my side. Want to go?"


    The moment Klee heard she could go play, her eyes lit up with joy.


    "Really?! Big brother, can Klee really go with you?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Really. If you don''t believe me, ask Acting Grand Master Jean."


    Klee turned to Jean, her little face full of anticipation.


    "Really?! Acting Grand Master Jean!"


    Jean thought about it. Having Klee stay in the Knights'' headquarters all the time wasn''t ideal either. Ever since the storm dragon incident, Klee hadn''t been allowed outside.


    "Alright."


    Klee beamed with joy upon hearing that.


    "Yay~ Klee gets to go play!"


    She happily ran over to Ye Yun''s side and looked up at him with anticipation.


    "Big brother, where are we going to play?"


    Ye Yun patted her head.


    "Come on, big brother will take you there now."


    Then he turned to Jean.


    "Jean, is the place ready? The safe one?"


    Jean pointed to her office.


    "This way¡ªmy office."


    Ye Yun nodded and walked into the office to set up the shop portal. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Himeko and Welt had seen this portal before, so they weren''t surprised.


    But Lumine, Paimon, Lisa, and Jean were quite amazed by it.


    Ye Yun explained:


    "This door is now fixed in place. You can use it to go to my shop."


    He then registered Jean, Lisa, and the others as authorized users.


    Paimon twisted the doorknob and indeed saw March 7th and Dan Heng playing chess on the other side.


    Dan Heng was playing chess with one hand while scrolling on his phone with the other.


    March 7th looked troubled, racking her brain over her next move.


    "Whoa! It really is Ye Yun''s shop on the other side!"


    Without hesitation, Paimon flew right in¡ªafter all, Ye Yun''s shop had free and unlimited drinks.


    Paimon''s favorite was the grape juice.


    Ye Yun looked at Jean and the others.


    "Let''s go. Didn''t you want to see what I sell?"


    Saying that, he took Hook''s hand in one and Klee''s in the other and walked into the portal.


    Himeko and Welt also brought Clara in.


    Lisa patted Jean''s shoulder.


    "Come on, Jean, bring the Primogems and let''s go."


    Jean picked up the pouch of Primogems that Kaeya and Amber had worked hard to collect the previous night and stepped through the portal.


    Lisa had made them work overtime, gathering Primogems from the wild.


    Thanks to Amber''s knowledge of the terrain, the two had collected a little over 1,000 Primogems in one night.


    After giving Lumine 200, Jean and the rest still had over 800.


    They entered the portal.


    Back in the shop¡ª


    Klee looked around curiously with her big eyes.


    And when she saw the starry sky outside the window, her gaze locked onto it completely.


    "Waaah!!! So many stars! Did Klee fly into the sky?!"


    Ye Yun knelt down.


    "Do you like it here, Klee?"


    Klee nodded vigorously.


    "Klee loves it here!"


    Then she looked back and suddenly lit up.


    She saw Pom-Pom walking toward Jean and the others with several cups of juice in hand, waddling on short legs.


    "Little bunny!"


    Klee dashed over and circled around Pom-Pom.


    "Little bunny, what''s your name?"


    Pom-Pom looked at Klee seriously.


    "I''m not a bunny! I''m the conductor of this train¡ªPom-Pom! Pom!"


    Klee nibbled her finger.


    "Oh! So little bunny, your name is Pom-Pom~ Hello, Pom-Pom Bunny! I''m Klee, Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius. Nice to meet you!"


    Pom-Pom sighed. Still stuck with the ''bunny'' nickname?


    But seeing Klee''s innocent face and age, Pom-Pom let it go¡ªkids will be kids.


    Just then, Hook came over too.


    "Pom-Pom, you also have a bunny nickname?"


    Pom-Pom looked at her. Great, another child.


    But Pom-Pom had plenty of experience handling kids.


    Come on, how many children had Pom-Pom taken care of over the years?


    Pom-Pom handed out the juice to Jean and the others, then pulled out a phone and opened a video player.


    The next second¡ª


    "Pleasant Goat~ Pretty Goat~ Lazy Goat~ Boiling Goat~"


    A cheerful children''s song began to play. Klee and Hook''s eyes were instantly glued to the screen.


    Pom-Pom smirked. Got ''em~


    Pom-Pom took Klee and Hook to a nearby couch and sat them down to watch cartoons together.


    Jean cast an admiring look at Pom-Pom¡ªthis was the first time she''d seen Klee sit so quietly.


    It was a scene she had never imagined.


    Klee, quietly watching cartoons, completely still on the sofa.


    Just then, Lisa patted Jean''s shoulder.


    "Jean, don''t forget why we''re here."


    Jean snapped back to reality and turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, what should we do next?"


    Ye Yun led them to the mini-bar and activated the touchscreen.


    "Do you have anything in mind that you''d like to buy?"


    Jean said, "We want something that could enhance the strength of the Knights of Favonius. Do you have anything like that?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and tapped on the screen.


    Soon, a product appeared on the display.


    "Take a look at this."


    Jean and Lisa looked at the screen:


    [Product: Wind Spirit Technique] Function: A basic cultivation technique from a fantasy world. Practitioners can gain the power to control wind. Price: 2000 Star Coins


    Lisa read the description aloud.


    "Fantasy world? What kind of world is that, Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Fantasy worlds are mid-tier at the very least among the many realms in the cosmos. In those worlds, peak cultivators can shatter eternity and reduce entire universes to dust with a snap of their fingers."


    Realizing that Lisa and Jean might not fully grasp the concept of a universe, Ye Yun added:


    "A universe contains countless planets. And Teyvat? At most, it''s the size of a single planet."


    After hearing that, both Jean and Lisa were stunned. They hadn''t expected the fantasy world to be so powerful.


    Lisa said, "Jean, let''s start with this one. If we have money left, we can browse some more.


    Besides, isn''t Mondstadt the land of wind?"


    Jean nodded without hesitation, pulling out the Primogems to make the purchase.


    ***


    Jean took out the Primogems.


    "How many Primogems do you need?"


    Ye Yun pointed to a nearby exchange scale.


    "This is the place to exchange Primogems for Star Coins. One Primogem equals ten Star Coins. You can put as many as you want on the scale to exchange."


    Lisa naturally said, "Of course, we''ll exchange all of them."


    She looked at Ye Yun and chuckled, "After all, these Primogems are only valuable when we spend them in your shop, right?"


    Ye Yun smiled and joked, "Then I better work harder to promote my products and get more business from you."


    Jean exchanged all her Primogems, a total of 8,360.After paying for the Wind Spirit Art, they had 6,360 Star Coins left.


    Jean took the Wind Spirit Art and started flipping through it. It was very detailed, with clear instructions on how to cultivate.


    "This is great. With the Wind Spirit Art, the overall strength of the Knights of Favonius will improve."


    Lisa stretched lazily, sitting on a high stool, resting her chin on one hand, and crossing her legs.


    "Jean, maybe we shouldn''t give the Wind Spirit Art to every knight directly."


    Jean looked puzzled. Wouldn''t letting all knights cultivate the Wind Spirit Art improve their strength? Wouldn''t that be a good thing?


    "Lisa, what are you thinking?"


    Lisa said, "Jean, not everyone in the Knights is truly loyal to Mondstadt."


    Jean suddenly understood.Indeed, she hadn''t considered that.The Knights had a mix of people, and not all were loyal to Mondstadt. Giving such a powerful technique to the wrong people could cause trouble.


    At this moment, Ye Yun chimed in, "I have a suggestion."


    Jean and Lisa looked at him.


    "Ye Yun, what''s your idea?"


    Ye Yun said, "There''s an old saying from my homeland: in the face of absolute power, all schemes are jokes."


    Lisa looked intrigued, "And then?"


    Ye Yun continued, "So, I suggest you buy some items that can enhance individual combat strength."


    Lisa smiled, "Ye Yun, are you trying to squeeze every coin out of us?"


    Ye Yun didn''t deny it, "Of course. I''m a businessman, but you''ll benefit too, won''t you?"


    Lisa chuckled, "Then you''d better show us some good stuff~"


    Ye Yun raised his eyebrows, "Naturally. Come, let me show you a few items."


    He tapped the touchscreen and displayed several products:


    ¨C Magic Sword¨C Devil Fruit¨C Complete Magic Compendium¨C Constitution-Enhancing Fruit


    Jean and Lisa looked through them one by one until both their eyes locked on an item called "Magic Heart."


    [Item: Magic Heart. Function: Harmonizes internal magic and increases magic attack by 10%. Price: 5000 Star Coins]


    This item could potentially heal Lisa''s body. Although Lisa was powerful in magic, her body couldn''t handle the strain. Every spell she cast backfired on her body, which was also why she often felt drowsy¡ªshe needed rest to restore her energy and mental strength.


    If the "Magic Heart" worked, Mondstadt would gain a powerful force, possibly rivaling a being blessed by the gods.


    Jean immediately bought it and handed it to Lisa.


    Lisa looked at Ye Yun, "How do I use this thing?"


    Ye Yun checked with the system and replied, "It''s simple. Just use your magic to connect with it, and it''ll automatically bind to the first person who does so."


    Lisa teased, "Isn''t that risky? What if someone steals it? Will you give us another?"


    Ye Yun smiled, "If you know who took it and can''t beat them, I''ll help you get it back."


    Lisa replied, "Deal~"


    After that, Jean and Lisa said goodbye to Ye Yun and returned to Mondstadt.


    Klee, however, stayed behind to play. Mondstadt was unstable right now, and it was actually safer for Klee to stay here.


    After a short rest, March 7th and Dan Heng used the portal to return to the surface of Belobog.


    They went straight to Boulder Town to find Stelle.


    At Natasha''s clinic in Boulder Town...


    Stelle squatted in front of the spirit incubator, eating a bowl of white rice with leafy greens.


    She took a few bites and thought, this food in the underworld really isn''t that great. Apparently, they only got rice and greens after Ye Yun arrived. Before that, people were eating tough, awful stuff¡ªsome things not even edible, according to Natasha.


    Soon, the door opened, and March 7th and Dan Heng walked in.


    Stelle greeted them, "Did you two eat yet? Want someone to get you a bowl of food?"


    March 7th looked at the plain rice and greens in Stelle''s bowl, "No thanks, we just ate on the train."


    When Stelle heard "on the train," her brain couldn''t process it. Back to the train? But this place is so far from the landing point.Did they use Ye Yun''s landing craft? No, the timing doesn''t match¡ªit couldn''t be that fast.


    "How did you go back?"


    She took another bite of rice and veggie, staring at them.


    March 7th said, "Ye Yun set up a portal at Svarog''s place. Just step through and you''re in his shop."


    Stelle immediately became interested in the portal.


    She looked at the plain food in her hands.


    No more of this! I''m going back for a proper meal!


    But then she remembered¡ªher little spirit hadn''t hatched yet.


    Fine, she''d make do for now. Once her spirit hatched, she''d go back for a feast.


    The three of them chatted casually for a while.


    Then suddenly, the lights in the clinic flickered.


    The three quickly took defensive stances.


    A moment later, the sound of electricity crackled, and a holographic projection of Silver Wolf appeared in front of them.


    "Hey, long time no see, Stelle."


    March 7th immediately reacted, "Stellaron Hunter! How dare you show your face! I''ll teach you a lesson!"


    Silver Wolf glanced at March 7th dismissively, completely ignoring her. She asked Stelle directly, "Stelle, where did you get that game cartridge last time?"


    Stelle responded without thinking, "Found it in a trash can. Why? You already beat it?"


    Silver Wolf nodded, "Yeah, just like you said. I got a skill¡ªDeflect."


    Stelle gave a thumbs-up, "Knew you''d nail it. So why are you here now?"


    Silver Wolf said, "I want to know if you have more game cartridges like that."

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 - 17Stelle spread her hands.


    "Not right now, but I can help you ask Ye Yun."


    Hearing the unfamiliar name from Stelle, Silver Wolf frowned. This Ye Yun person wasn''t in Elio''s script.


    "Ye Yun? Who''s that?"


    Stelle pulled out her phone and flipped through it, eventually showing a photo of herself with Ye Yun.


    "Ta-da~ This is Ye Yun. The game cartridge I sold you came from his place."


    Silver Wolf memorized Ye Yun''s appearance.


    "Where is he? I''ll find him myself."


    Stelle replied, "He''s on the train. He rented a carriage and opened a shop. You can find him there."


    Upon hearing that, Silver Wolf immediately closed the projection and vanished on the spot.


    March 7th looked a little speechless.


    "Stelle, you just told Silver Wolf about Ye Yun like that?"


    Stelle nodded. "Yeah, why not? Didn''t Ye Yun say we could talk about him freely? He even asked us to help bring him more customers. I''m just helping him with that."


    March 7th covered her face.


    "But Silver Wolf is a bad guy!"


    Stelle patted her shoulder. "Relax, I know her well. She''s not a bad person¡ªjust an internet-addicted girl."


    Hearing that, March 7th grew curious. "Stelle, how do you know Silver Wolf so well?"


    Stelle explained, "I think I knew her before I lost my memory. I have memories of her in my head. Recently, she added me as a contact, and sometimes we play co-op games at night."


    March 7th said, "Still, maybe don''t go telling just anyone. What if it''s a bad person? Wouldn''t Ye Yun be in trouble then?"


    Dan Heng suddenly interjected.


    "There shouldn''t be any danger. Ye Yun has strength at the Emanator level. In this universe, no one would easily mess with him."


    Stelle and March 7th were both stunned.


    "Dan Heng, how do you know that?" March 7th asked, confused.


    Dan Heng glanced at her. "Of course I sensed it. We''ve known him for a while. Don''t tell me you''ve never picked up on how strong he is?"


    March 7th chuckled awkwardly. "Hehe, well... no, not really."


    Dan Heng sighed. "You two stay here. I''m going to look for clues about the Stellaron."


    With that, Dan Heng walked out of the clinic.


    Inside, March 7 and Stelle waited with Bubu Seed for Stelle''s little sprite to hatch.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in Mondstadt.


    Jean and Lisa returned to the Knights of Favonius.


    Jean first summoned Kaeya.


    "Captain Jean, what''s the matter?" Kaeya entered, with a faint smell of alcohol.


    Lisa wrinkled her nose, displeased.


    "Kaeya, have you been drinking again?"


    Kaeya chuckled awkwardly. "Just a little. Besides, I''m off-duty now."


    Seeing Jean and Lisa still eyeing him critically, he quickly changed the subject.


    "Anyway, what did you need me for?"


    Jean said, "Go call Amber, Noelle, Eula, Mika, and Master Diluc to the Knights'' headquarters."


    Jean planned to have the most trustworthy members of the Knights study the Wind Spirit Art first.


    As for why Diluc was included, Jean explained that despite past grievances, Diluc was genuinely loyal to Mondstadt and her senior.


    Kaeya looked troubled. "I might not be able to get Diluc to come. We all know about his history with the Knights."


    Hearing that, Jean remembered what happened to Diluc.


    If that incident hadn''t happened, he might still be serving in the Knights today.


    Diluc''s strength was among the best in the whole organization. His mastery of the greatsword was unmatched. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lisa thought for a moment. "I''ll go talk to Diluc."


    Kaeya was thrilled Lisa volunteered to take that difficult task.


    "Thanks, then. I''ll go call the others."


    He made a quick exit.


    Soon, everyone had gathered in Jean''s office.


    Kaeya teased the uncomfortable-looking Diluc.


    "Yo~ if it isn''t Master Diluc. Didn''t someone say the thing they hate most is the Knights?"


    Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, Diluc ignored him.


    "Jean, what did you call us for?"


    Jean didn''t waste time. She took out the Wind Spirit Art.


    "This technique, called the Wind Spirit Art, grants us control over the power of wind once learned."


    Everyone was stunned.


    Amber was especially excited.


    That means she could create her own wind currents and use Wind Gliders freely? Awesome!


    "Really?! Captain Jean!"


    Jean glanced down at the technique in her hands. Honestly, even she wasn''t sure if it was genuine.


    Seeing her hesitation, Diluc frowned slightly.


    "If you''re still unsure, then test it out. If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back. My tavern''s doing well tonight."


    At that moment, Lisa took out the Magic Heart.


    "If you want proof, it''s simple. We just need to see if this thing works."


    Everyone turned to Lisa and the object in her hand.


    The Magic Heart was shaped like a star, with a round gem in the center radiating a soft blue energy.


    Amber leaned over, inspecting it from every angle.


    "Lisa, what is this?"


    Lisa explained, "This is called the Magic Heart. It can fix the abnormalities in my body. It comes from the same place as the Wind Spirit Art."


    Kaeya nodded. "So if this thing works, then the Wind Spirit Art must be real too."


    Lisa gave a small nod. "Exactly."


    Amber looked worried. "But what if it''s fake? Wouldn''t you be in danger?"


    Lisa replied, "Don''t worry. I''ve searched for a solution to my condition for years. I don''t have much time left.


    Now that there''s finally hope, I won''t give it up."


    With that, she activated her magic and touched the Magic Heart.


    The moment they connected, the Magic Heart burst into radiant light, dissolving into countless sparkles that entered Lisa''s body.


    As the light entered her, Lisa felt something she hadn''t felt in ages.


    A sense of peace and clarity.


    As the Magic Heart fully merged with her, all the chaotic magic within her was harmonized.


    Everyone looked at Lisa with questioning eyes.


    Amber tugged on her sleeve. "Lisa, how do you feel?"


    Lisa touched her cheek.


    "Better than ever. My magic is no longer out of control."


    Amber cheered. "That''s amazing! Lisa, you''ve recovered! Mondstadt has one more powerhouse now!"


    ***


    Jean was happy that Lisa was able to recover.


    "Congratulations, Lisa."


    Lisa casually raised her hand, and a bolt of lightning flashed in her palm.


    "Looks like the things Ye Yun sells are real. Let''s take a look at the Wind Spirit Art now."


    Lisa shifted the topic to the Wind Spirit Art. This cultivation method was truly something that could make Mondstadt stronger.


    The Magic Heart could at most only restore her own power, but the strength of a nation wasn''t determined by one person¡ªit depended on the whole.


    Just like the Millelith of Liyue, their overall strength far surpassed that of the other six nations.


    Jean opened the Wind Spirit Art and displayed it page by page to everyone.


    After reading it, Diluc sat down cross-legged on the spot according to the method in the manual and silently recited the contents.


    Vaguely, Diluc felt a strange new power emerging within him.


    This power flowed through his meridians and gathered at his dantian.


    Everyone watched Diluc curiously, not daring to make a sound. They just quietly observed, afraid of disturbing him.


    Finally, after more than half an hour, Diluc opened his eyes and shouted loudly.


    A series of crisp sounds echoed from his body, and his entire aura surged dramatically.


    Amber quickly asked,"How was it? Did it work?"


    Diluc slowly stood up and didn''t immediately answer Amber. Instead, he raised his hand and summoned a ball of fire.


    Everyone''s gaze was drawn to the fireball in Diluc''s hand.


    The next moment, the fireball seemed to be stirred by the wind, spinning and expanding!


    As the wielder of the Anemo Vision, Jean''s eyes widened in shock. This¡ªthis was the dispersal effect unique to Anemo!


    "It worked!"


    Diluc nodded slightly.


    "According to the manual, I''ve reached the first level of the Martial Path."


    Hearing this, Amber began to imagine her future of using dual elements.


    "Wow! So in the future, I could shoot a flaming arrow first, then use Anemo to spread it and cause AoE damage!"


    Lisa chuckled softly.


    "In theory, yes."


    Amber was overjoyed and pulled Eula down with her to start cultivating.


    Diluc said,"You all go ahead and cultivate. I''ll keep watch."


    With that, Diluc placed his weapon, the Favonius Greatsword, at the door.


    Hearing this, the others sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate.


    Outside the window, Venti had been peeking for a while.


    "This is getting interesting. Looks like I need to find some Primogems too."


    Venti turned into a breeze and left, heading off to find Primogems.


    That''s right¡ªVenti also wanted to buy something from Ye Yun. As Teyvat''s Anemo Archon, the winds across the continent were his eyes and ears.


    Over an hour later, everyone finished their cultivation.


    Everyone had different cultivation speeds.


    Surprisingly, Amber was the fastest¡ªshe broke through to the first level of the Martial Path in just over 10 minutes.


    The slowest was Kaeya, who took over an hour.


    Kaeya was a bit frustrated.


    "Hey, hey, hey, why was I the slowest?"


    Diluc mocked him."Because someone''s a fool, right?"


    Kaeya was about to retort when Lisa suddenly spoke up.


    "I think Grandpa Diluc has a point¡ªit might be due to aptitude."


    Kaeya thought about it, and that seemed to be the only explanation.


    "No way? Am I really the one with the worst aptitude among us?"


    Amber found it hard to believe¡ªcould she really have the best aptitude?


    No way. It should be Jean who had the best aptitude, right? She''s so capable and strong.


    For the moment, no one could come to a conclusion on how aptitude was determined.


    Before long, everyone left Jean''s office to attend to their own business.


    Amber and Eula headed out of Mondstadt city.


    The two were going to collect Primogems. The group had already decided that from now on, two people would go out each day to gather Primogems to buy goods from Ye Yun''s shop.


    They arrived at a Hilichurls camp. Amber drew her bow, concentrating a strong fire element on the arrowhead, pulled the string to full draw, and let it fly.


    The arrow shot forward, but was blocked by a Large Hilichurl''s shield.


    The Hilichurls laughed smugly, letting out a "Gahaha" sound.


    Amber smirked. The next second, the fire element on the arrow exploded and rapidly dispersed, burning all nearby Hilichurls.


    At that moment, Eula leapt out from the shadows, her greatsword infused with Cryo and Anemo energy, and delivered a powerful slash.


    The dispersed Cryo landed on the Hilichurls, instantly causing massive damage.


    If this were in-game, you''d see "Melt" popping up all over the screen.


    The two launched a combo attack that annihilated the entire Hilichurls camp without resistance.


    They put away their weapons and started collecting loot from the camp.


    "This Wind Spirit Art is amazing! Back then, taking down a Hilichurls camp like this wouldn''t have been so easy."


    Eula strongly agreed¡ªhaving an additional Anemo element greatly improved her AoE capability.


    Previously, her crowd-control skills relied solely on her ultimate move.


    But that move consumed a lot of stamina and couldn''t be used often.


    Now, with just simple elemental infusion and the Wind Spirit Art, she could achieve powerful AoE effects.


    Add a good teammate like Amber who could trigger elemental reactions¡ªtch tch.


    After cleaning up the battlefield, their main focus was collecting Primogems.


    For some reason, Hilichurls seemed to love collecting Primogems.


    Each camp had at least 100 Primogems, and some had over 300.


    This was data Amber had gathered yesterday after working with Kaeya all day.


    Amber patted her bag full of Primogems to make sure nothing would spill out.


    "All done! Eula, let''s hurry to the next camp. Let''s finish quickly so we can get back to cultivating!"


    Eula snorted and proudly raised her chin.


    "I don''t want to cultivate with you. I''m going to train at home by myself."


    Amber giggled and hugged Eula tightly.


    "Nooope~ I just wanna cultivate with you~ Heehee, it''s decided then!"


    Eula turned her head away with a tsundere snort.


    "I''ll remember this! You made a decision on your own¡ªhmph!"


    Then, the two continued to the next Hilichurl camp.


    All the camps had been marked on their map, and the info was updated daily.


    Some came from adventurers, others from the Knights of Favonius.


    By nightfall, Diluc left his tavern and came to a Fatui base outside the city.


    He tidied his cuffs and drew the Favonius Greatsword.


    "I was going to keep you guys around to lure out bigger targets... but now, you''ll be my test subjects."


    Diluc gripped the greatsword with both hands. Violent Pyro and Anemo energy surged around him, swirling around the blade.


    "Dawn! Judgment!"


    "Raaahhh!"

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 - 18With a single slash from Diluc, the gate of the Abyss Order stronghold was instantly destroyed.


    Blazing flames, spread by the wind, swept through the entire base.


    The only Hydro Abyss Mage had just formed his Hydro shield, but it was instantly shattered.


    Before he could form a second shield, Diluc''s greatsword had already struck him.


    With one strike, Diluc killed the Abyss Mage. The remaining Hilichurls posed no threat to him at all.


    In a matter of moments, Diluc cut them all down.


    After pocketing the Primogems he earned, Diluc turned and headed to the next base.


    Since learning the Wind Spirit Art, breaking the shields of Abyss Mages had become much easier for him.


    This was especially true for Pyro Abyss Mages, who used to require strike after strike to break through¡ªvery inefficient.


    Now, with the infusion of Anemo, he could break them quickly.


    Without their shields, Abyss Mages were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter before Diluc.


    That night, a large number of Abyss Order strongholds within Mondstadt were eradicated. Each time a base was wiped out, a brilliant blaze lit up the night sky.


    In the blink of an eye, dawn arrived.


    At Ye Yun''s shop, he got up and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


    "Ye Yun, the porridge is already cooking. Is there anything else that needs to be done, Pom?" Pom-Pom looked up at Ye Yun and asked if he needed help.


    Ye Yun smiled and shook his head."No need, Pom-Pom. Go take a rest."


    Pom-Pom wiped his hands dry.


    "I''ll go check if Klee and Hook are awake, Pom."


    With that, Pom-Pom pitter-pattered off toward March 7th''s room.


    Since March 7th hadn''t returned last night, her room had been lent to Klee and Hook for the night.


    Ye Yun opened the fridge, took out a carton of eggs, and grabbed a pan to fry a few for breakfast.


    Just as he was frying eggs, the shop''s portal door was pushed open. This special portal connected to all the other shop portals.


    The door swung open, and Stelle rushed in, hugging a small flaming monkey.


    Following close behind were March 7th and Dan Heng.


    As soon as Stelle got in, she dashed to the bar and poured herself a cup of hot water.


    "Ahh~ that feels good. Belobog''s getting colder by the day."


    Ye Yun''s eyes, however, landed on the little fire monkey Stelle had placed on the bar.


    He hadn''t expected Stelle to hatch a Fire Monkey. Its combat strength was not to be underestimated.


    If it later evolved into a Flamegorilla, it could learn a bug-tier skill: Fatal Flame.


    That skill alone¡ªwith just a 1% instant-kill chance¡ªwas enough to show how broken it was.


    Though this was the real world, the system had said the skill only worked against enemies below the "Emanator" level, and only a fully mature Flamegorilla could learn it.


    After drinking the hot water, Stelle felt much better.


    Wiping her mouth, she carried the Fire Monkey over to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, what do you think of my Fire Monkey?"


    Ye Yun said, "Not bad. Among Pok¨¦mon, its combat power ranks above average. If you''re lucky enough to evolve it into a Flamegorilla, you won''t have to fear anything below Emanator level."


    Hearing this, Stelle''s face lit up.


    "Whoa-ho-ho! That strong? Invincible below Emanator level?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment. "Can''t say invincible. But the Flamegorilla''s Fatal Flame has a 1% chance to instantly kill an enemy¡ªthough only those below the Emanator level."


    Hearing this, Dan Heng and March 7th were both stunned.


    March 7th exclaimed, "That''s insane! This little monkey can become that powerful?"


    Stelle hugged the Fire Monkey. "Of course! It''s the familiar of your galactic baseballer¡ªme! Of course it''s awesome! Hahaha!"


    Ye Yun added, "But only a mature Flamegorilla can learn that skill. Your Fire Monkey has a long way to go."


    March 7th hugged her own Bub Seed. "Ye Yun, what about my Bub Seed? What''s its potential?"


    Ye Yun replied, "It''s got good potential. Later on, it can merge with Sproutbean into a Lisa Bub. Lisa Bub has strong defense and a healing skill for allies."


    March 7th was thrilled¡ªher Bub Seed was amazing too~


    As for how long it would take to train, neither girl cared. They were willing to spend the time.


    At that moment...


    Grumble grumble~


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng''s stomachs all growled in unison.


    Ye Yun chuckled and looked around the kitchen. He set out a plate of pickled vegetables in front of them.


    "The porridge should be ready. Grab a stool and eat a little first."


    Dan Heng dutifully went to fetch some stools.


    Stelle and March 7th headed to the kitchen¡ªone washed bowls while the other scooped porridge.


    The Bub Seed sat quietly on the bar watching Ye Yun cook.


    The Fire Monkey, on the other hand, was mischievous¡ªtrying to reach for the frying eggs, only to be grabbed by the scruff of its neck and pulled away by Ye Yun.


    With the porridge ready, the three sat by the kitchen counter and began eating slowly, spooning the porridge with pickled veggies.


    Before long, Pom-Pom led Klee and Hook into the shop.


    "Good morning, Brother Ye Yun! Sister Stelle! Sister March 7th! Brother Dan Heng!" Klee greeted everyone energetically.


    Hook also waved hello.


    Ye Yun looked at the two little ones.


    "Did you wash your face and brush your teeth?"


    Klee nodded seriously. "Yup! Captain Bunny Train Pam helped me wash up!"


    Hook added, "Me too! The great Hook is a clean and tidy lady!"


    Ye Yun nodded in approval and ladled out a bowl of porridge for each of them.


    "Here, have some porridge first. The other dishes will take a while."


    Once the porridge was on the table, the two little ones began eating obediently.


    Stelle quickly finished her porridge and ran back to the kitchen to get a second bowl.


    Then Ye Yun suddenly asked, "Did you guys find any leads on the Stellaron?"


    Stelle shrugged helplessly. "Nope. Natasha and the others don''t even know what a Stellaron is."


    March 7th sighed. "This time''s gonna be tricky... No leads at all in the Underworld, and the Overworld''s still hunting us. Ugh..."


    Ye Yun chuckled. "Alright, since you''re so pitiful, I''ll give you a hint¡ªgo find the oldest person in the Underworld. There''s your clue."


    The trio''s interest was immediately piqued.


    March 7th pondered the clue. "The oldest person...? Oh! The older someone is, the more they know! We never thought about that!"


    Dan Heng also brightened. "Got it. We''ll go right after breakfast. Thanks, Ye Yun."


    After that, the three quickly finished eating, each took two freshly steamed buns, and dashed through the portal.


    ***


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng returned to the Underworld.


    As soon as they stepped out of the teleportation gate, they saw Clara approaching from the opposite direction.


    Since the teleportation gate was inside Clara''s house, and she had returned home to rest the previous night, she wasn''t on the train.


    Clara was holding a thick textbook as she walked toward the gate.


    "Good morning, Brother Dan Heng, Sister March 7th, and Sister Stelle~"


    March 7th waved at her.


    "Good morning, Clara. Where are you headed?"


    Clara shook the book in her arms.


    "I''m going to study with Mr. Welt. He lent me this book, but there are a few parts I don''t understand, so I want to ask him about them."


    March 7th couldn''t help but admire Clara. If she had to read such a thick book, her brain would definitely explode.


    "You might be a bit early¡ªwhen we came over just now, Uncle Yang didn''t seem to be up yet."


    Clara looked a little disappointed but quickly perked up again.


    "Then I''ll go ahead and wait. Goodbye, big brothers and sisters!"


    Clara waved goodbye and stepped into the teleportation gate, heading to the shop.


    As the three of them walked out of the house, they saw Svarog leading a large group of robots heading out.


    March 7th was a little confused.


    "What''s Svarog up to?"


    Dan Heng said,


    "Let''s go ask. Judging by this, it must be something serious."


    The three of them quickly caught up to Svarog.


    Stelle slapped Svarog''s leg firmly.


    "Svarog, where are you going?"


    After Stelle slapped him, the little Fire Monkey on her head also mimicked the gesture and slapped Svarog''s leg, making a few noises.


    "Roar~ Roar~"


    Svarog lowered his head to look at Stelle.


    "Outsiders? There''s a riot in Boulder Town. I''m leading a team to suppress it."


    Stelle was surprised.


    "A riot? What happened?"


    Svarog explained:


    "I received a distress call from the leader of Wildfire in Boulder Town, Natasha. A large number of vagrants are attacking the town."


    Hearing that Rock Town was in trouble, March 7th became very anxious.


    "What? Boulder Town is under attack? Quick, let''s go help!"


    Dan Heng and Stelle both nodded and followed Svarog''s robot troops toward Boulder Town.


    At that moment, near the entrance to the mining area in Boulder Town, a large number of vagrants were furiously attacking the Wildfire defenses.


    Seele wielded her scythe and darted through the battlefield, each swing of her blade claiming another vagrant''s life.


    Bronya, who had just been saved by Seele, also joined the battle.


    Her rifle fired rapidly, each shot taking down a vagrant.


    At this point, Bronya displayed her commanding presence as a battlefield general, directing several Wildfire squads to hold the line.


    "Everyone, work together! Don''t panic! Hold the line!"


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    Under Bronya''s powerful influence, the Wildfire members cooperated smoothly.


    Mainly because Bronya was strong¡ªpeople were willing to listen to her.


    Natasha and Oleg stood at the rear, guarding the final line of defense.


    Natasha frowned as she looked at the intense battlefield.


    The vagrants had learned that Boulder Town held a large amount of supplies, so they orchestrated this attack.


    From the looks of it, there were at least several thousand well-armed vagrants involved.


    Fortunately, Wildfire wasn''t to be underestimated. After receiving a substantial supply of food over the past two days, their members were in excellent physical condition.


    More importantly, everyone cherished the hard-won food.


    Now that someone was trying to take it from them, of course they wouldn''t back down.


    The fighting spirit of Wildfire was high. Even though they were outnumbered nearly two to one, they were holding their ground.


    However, their numbers were still too few, and the vagrants were attacking like madmen, relentlessly charging the defenses.


    Oleg noticed a breach in the front lines where some vagrants had broken through.


    "Natasha! Hold things here! I''ll take a team and patch that hole!"


    With that, Oleg led a small Wildfire squad into the fray.


    Though Oleg wasn''t a Pathstriders, he had once been an elite in the Silvermane Guards, and these vagrants were no match for him.


    Wielding a spear, Oleg struck down enemies one after another. Under his lead, the defense line was stabilized.


    Still, if things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before the defenses collapsed. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, a familiar voice rang in Natasha''s ear.


    "Boss, don''t worry, reinforcements are on the way."


    Natasha turned to the speaker.


    "Sampo? You called for reinforcements?"


    Sampo raised an eyebrow.


    "Yep, I contacted Boss Svarog in your name. If nothing went wrong, they should be arriving soon."


    Speak of the devil.


    A sudden explosion erupted on the battlefield¡ªSvarog descended from the sky, landing in the center of the fray.


    "Riot detected. Commencing extermination protocol!"


    Missile pods opened on Svarog''s back, unleashing a storm of missiles toward the vagrants.


    Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle also entered the battlefield from the rear with the robot troops.


    Stelle unleashed her ultimate as soon as she entered.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    With a single slash, she cleared a wide area.


    Dan Heng''s Cloud-Piercer spear gathered powerful energy.


    "Ethereal Dream, phantom realm¡ªshatter!"


    He thrust the spear forward, releasing a cone-shaped energy wave that knocked down a large group of vagrants.


    March 7th pulled her bow fully and summoned a barrage of ice arrows to freeze the vagrants'' movements.


    The robot troops were even more direct¡ªsubduing the enemies with overwhelming force, leaving no room for resistance.


    Seeing that Svarog and the others had arrived, Natasha breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Everyone! Reinforcements are here¡ªfull counterattack, charge!"


    Wildfire''s morale soared, and they launched a full offensive.


    The remaining vagrants, seeing the tides had turned, fled in panic¡ªwishing they had more than two legs to run with.


    With the combined efforts of the robots and Wildfire, the vagrants attacking Boulder Town were successfully repelled.


    Natasha, Oleg, Sampo, Seele, and Bronya approached Svarog.


    "Stelle! March! Dan Heng!"


    Stelle rested her Judgment of Shamash sword on her shoulder and raised an eyebrow.


    "So, Seele¡ªhow''s this for a galactic baseball hero, cool or what?"


    Seele gave her a thumbs-up.


    "Cool!"


    Natasha turned to Svarog with gratitude.


    "Svarog, thank you for your support."


    Svarog replied to Natasha.


    "No thanks necessary. All for the preservation of the Underworld."


    After this battle, Wildfire''s members developed a much more favorable attitude toward the robot settlement.


    After all, if Boss Svarog and his robot troops hadn''t come to help, many more people would''ve died today.


    Now, Wildfire members and the robots worked together to clean up the battlefield, and with the robots'' help, the efficiency was remarkably high.


    ***

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 - 19Bronya stared at Svarog. She had just witnessed his combat prowess.


    She hadn''t expected that there was such a powerful mech soldier in the Underworld.


    And judging by Svarog''s demeanor, it seemed like he had already developed his own emotions.


    From Svarog''s earlier words, it was clear he had been maintaining the stability of the Underworld.


    Curious, Bronya turned to Oleg and asked,


    "Mr. Oleg, this Svarog¡ª"


    Oleg raised a hand to hush her.


    "Girl, I''ll explain later."


    Bronya nodded and quietly stepped aside.


    At that moment, March 7th noticed Bronya.


    "Well, well! It''s you! You''ve got some nerve showing up in front of us!"


    She moved to teach Bronya a lesson.


    Stelle also ignited the Judgment of Shamash and aimed her weapon at Bronya.


    Natasha quickly stepped in to calm the situation.


    "March, Stelle, don''t attack."


    March 7th and Stelle turned to look at her.


    Natasha continued,


    "Stelle, there might be some misunderstanding between you. Let''s lower our weapons and talk it out."


    At her words, the two finally lowered their weapons.


    March 7th huffed,


    "She was the one who tried to arrest us without reason. We didn''t do anything wrong¡ªwe came to help deal with the Stellaron!"


    Bronya replied,


    "I don''t know the full details either. I was acting under the Supreme Guardian''s orders."


    Dan Heng narrowed his eyes and said,


    "You''re saying you acted under the Supreme Guardian''s command?"


    Bronya nodded.


    Dan Heng stroked his chin in thought.


    March 7th looked at him, hands on her hips.


    "What''s up, Dan Heng?"


    He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at March 7th and Stelle.


    "Do you two remember our conversation back at the hotel?"


    March 7th tried to recall.


    "What conversation?"


    Dan Heng said,


    "The one about the Supreme Guardian. I had a strange feeling about her."


    March 7th finally remembered.


    "Oh, right! Yeah, she did seem off."


    Stelle nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah, I remember feeling like there was someone else there too... It didn''t seem like it was just the four of us."


    Dan Heng added,


    "Think about it¡ªwhy would she issue a wanted order on us?"


    Stelle pondered.


    "Maybe she sees us as a threat? We''re interfering with something important to her?"


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Exactly. I have a bold guess¡ªCocolia might be connected to the Stellaron.


    Because her attitude changed drastically the moment we mentioned it."


    March 7th thought it over¡ªit did make sense.


    "Then that explains everything! That wicked woman must be working with the Stellaron! I knew something was fishy about her!"


    Just then, Bronya couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Enough! I won''t allow you to slander Lady Cocolia!"


    Everyone looked at Bronya. March 7th got irritated.


    "Hey, what''s your problem? She wronged us first, and now we can''t even talk about it?"


    Bronya stood her ground.


    "I don''t know what this Stellaron you''re talking about is, but from the way you describe it, it sounds dangerous to Belobog.


    I believe Lady Cocolia would never do anything to harm Belobog!"


    March 7th rolled her eyes.


    "Tch~ Of course you''d defend her. You''re on her side."


    Just as the argument between Bronya, March 7th, and Stelle was about to heat up again, Oleg suddenly laughed.


    "Alright, that''s enough arguing."


    His sudden interruption stunned both March 7th and Bronya.


    Oleg looked at Bronya.


    "You little miss from the Overworld, come with me. I''ve got something to talk to you about."


    Bronya hesitated for a moment, then followed Oleg away from the scene.


    Once they left, March 7th and Stelle finally calmed down.


    Dan Heng checked the time¡ªit was already past 4 PM.


    Thinking for a moment, he turned to Natasha and asked,


    "Natasha, who is the oldest person in the Underworld?"


    Natasha blinked, puzzled by the question, but thought it over.


    "If you mean by age, that would be Old Master Riel in the east of town, and Old Master Andrew in the south. They''re the oldest."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Thanks. March, Stelle, let''s go pay them a visit."


    Just as the trio was about to leave, Seele spoke up.


    "Isn''t the oldest in the Underworld actually Svarog?"


    The three stopped and turned.


    "...Svarog?"


    Seele nodded.


    "Yeah. Isn''t Svarog the oldest? I heard he''s been around for hundreds of years."


    Natasha paused, then said,


    "You''re right. If we''re talking about the entire Underworld, then Svarog is definitely the oldest."


    Dan Heng looked toward Svarog in the distance.


    "Of course! Why didn''t I think of that? Svarog''s database might hold clues about the Stellaron."


    March 7th chimed in,


    "Let''s go ask him."


    The group approached Svarog.


    Stelle gave his leg a few pats.


    "Svarog! Hey, Svarog! I''ve got a question!"


    Svarog looked down at her.


    "What is it?"


    Stelle got straight to the point.


    "Do you know anything about the Stellaron?"


    Suddenly, Svarog''s demeanor changed drastically.


    "Forbidden data detected. Extermination protocol¡ªactivated!"


    The group quickly drew their weapons, alert.


    Svarog''s eyes glowed red as missile pods opened up from his back.


    Stelle immediately activated the Judgment of Shamash in greatsword form and charged forward.


    Svarog fired a missile at her¡ªshe dodged with a swift sidestep, then closed the distance.


    Svarog launched more missiles, but they were intercepted mid-air by a combination of ice arrows and grenade shots, exploding before reaching their targets.


    Stelle dashed in and closed the gap¡ªSvarog threw a punch to block her attack.


    At that moment, Dan Heng''s Cloud-Piercer spear struck Svarog''s arm precisely, deflecting the punch.


    A gap opened up¡ªStelle slashed, sending Svarog flying.


    He crashed into a large boulder, crackling with sparks.


    With the power of the Judgment of Shamash, the battle didn''t drag on as in the original story. They broke Svarog''s defense in a single blow.


    After a good beatdown, Svarog''s programming became unstable.


    At that moment, Oleg returned to the scene with Bronya.


    Upon arrival, they saw Svarog lying on the ground.


    "What happened here?"


    March 7th glanced at Bronya but ignored her, then turned to Svarog and asked,


    "Svarog, do you have any information on the Stellaron?"


    Svarog emitted a stream of sparks.


    Then, a projection popped out from his chest.


    ***


    Everyone fell silent after watching the video Swarm had projected.


    March 7th found it a bit unbelievable.


    "I didn''t expect Belobog to still exist after being corrupted by the Stellaron for so long."


    Dan Heng agreed with her.


    "Yeah, the Stellaron is called the cancer of all worlds. Its destructive power toward civilizations is immense.


    Given the level of civilization on Jarilo-VI, the fact that it has survived under the influence of a Stellaron is truly remarkable."


    Stelle suddenly felt a bit of admiration for Cocolia.


    "These Supreme Guardians are really impressive. Every one of them has resisted the Stellaron''s influence... It''s only with Cocolia that resistance failed."


    Bronya was having a hard time processing the truth.


    Considering the message left in the video and her mother''s recent strange behavior, it was hard not to imagine the worst.


    "If I really have to make a choice... what should I do?"


    Bronya fell into hesitation, her mind a mess.


    Stelle looked at the now-paralyzed Svarog and suddenly thought of something.


    "What do we do about Svarog?"


    March 7th was at a loss¡ªshe didn''t know anything about mechanical repairs.


    Dan Heng thought for a moment.


    "You wait here, I''ll go find Mr. Welt."


    With that, Dan Heng ran off toward the Mechanical Settlement.


    March 7th called out:


    "Natasha, you guys should go back first. We''ll watch over Svarog."


    Stelle stabbed the Judgment of Shamash into the ground and sat down.


    "Yeah, you go take care of your own business. We''ll wait here until Svarog is fixed."


    Hearing that, Natasha left with Seele toward Boulder Town.


    Oleg took Bronya and left the scene as well, destination unknown.


    In Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    "You''re the one who sold the game cartridge to Stelle?"


    Silver Wolf stood with arms crossed, eyeing Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "That''s right. What do you think? Fun?"


    Once she got a definite answer, Silver Wolf''s attitude immediately changed from scrutinizing to sly.


    "Heh, got any other game cartridges? Show me, let me take a look."


    Ye Yun sat on a bar stool at the small counter, leaning forward slightly with one hand resting on the bar. Just as he was about to speak, a flood of portal requests popped up in his mind.


    [Venti is requesting entry to the shop!]


    [Venti is requesting entry to the shop!]


    [Venti is requesting entry to the shop!]


    Ye Yun grew annoyed and quickly opened the portal for Venti¡ªit was too noisy.


    The moment the request was approved, the portal burst open and Venti dashed inside, slamming the door shut behind him.


    He looked at the closed portal and let out a sigh of relief.


    "Whew~ Good thing I was fast. Didn''t get caught by Jean."


    Ye Yun looked at him.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Venti followed the voice and spotted Ye Yun at the bar.


    He floated over to him.


    "I came to buy something."


    Ye Yun gave him a look of disdain.


    "You? Who doesn''t know you''re broke?"


    Venti immediately bristled.


    What kind of nonsense was that?!


    He pulled out the Primogems he''d painstakingly gathered and slapped them onto the counter.


    "How am I broke? Look, these are real Primogems!"


    Ye Yun picked up one and tossed it onto the exchange scale.


    The next second, a gold coin with a star emblem appeared on the other end.


    Ye Yun picked it up and examined it¡ªit was intricately crafted.


    "Hmm, it''s real."


    Venti grabbed a bottle of juice nearby and poured himself a glass.


    "Of course it''s real! Now, do you have any wine from other worlds? Gimme!"


    No sooner had he spoken than Silver Wolf grew annoyed.


    This line-cutter thinks he can buy stuff before me?


    "Shoo, go play somewhere else, kid. Don''t you know minors aren''t allowed to drink?"


    Venti shot back:


    "Kid? I''m already of age!"


    Silver Wolf gave a perfunctory "oh" and shoved Venti aside.


    "Ye Yun, find me those game cartridges first."


    Venti was about to push back when Ye Yun said:


    "Venti, Silver Wolf got here first. You''ll have to wait a bit."


    Hearing that, Venti had no choice but to sit back down¡ªhe wouldn''t be happy if someone cut in line ahead of him either.


    Ye Yun asked:


    "What kind of game cartridge are you looking for?"


    Silver Wolf rubbed her chin.


    "The one you sold Stelle last time was pretty good. Got anything similar?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and quickly found a game that would be perfect for Silver Wolf.


    [Item: Black Myth: Wukong ¨C Hell Edition (aka One-Hit-Death Version) Effect: Grants the skill ''Weak Binding Spell'' after completion (Effective only on targets below Emanator level) Price: 10,000 Star Coins]


    Ye Yun pulled up the info on the touchscreen.


    Silver Wolf looked at it, then suspiciously glanced at Ye Yun.


    "Is this one fun?"


    Ye Yun smiled slyly.


    "Guaranteed fun!"


    Silver Wolf asked:


    "What''s this Star Coin thing?"


    Ye Yun pulled out a Stellar Jade.


    "Star Coins are the currency of my shop. You can exchange Stellar Jade for them at a rate of 1 to 100."


    Hearing that, Silver Wolf finally understood why Stelle had asked for her Stellar Jade¡ªso this was it.


    She looked at Ye Yun.


    "Wait a bit. I''ll go get some Stellar Jade."


    She then turned to Venti, who was curiously looking around.


    "You go ahead and buy your stuff first."


    Hearing that, Venti immediately plopped himself down at the bar again.


    "Ye Yun! Gimme alcohol! I want booze!"


    He dumped all his Primogems onto the counter¡ª1,300 in total.


    Ye Yun browsed the system store and found a "Wine Mega-Pack"¡ªpriced at 100 Star Coins per pack, each pack containing 100 bottles of alcohol from a certain sci-fi world.


    "How about this one?"


    Venti turned to look and his eyes lit up.


    Ooh! Exotic wine! 100 bottles for just 100 Star Coins? Not bad!


    He counted out 1,000 Star Coins.


    "Ye Yun, give me 1,000 bottles first."


    Ye Yun accepted the payment and bought him 10 packs.


    With a wave of his hand, Venti stashed them all in his dimensional space. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You handle your stuff¡ªI''m going to sample these drinks."


    He then went off to a booth, pulled out a bottle of wine, and began tasting.


    Meanwhile, Silver Wolf was on a call with Kafka.


    "Kafka, do you have any Stellar Jade?"


    Kafka''s voice came through.


    "Of course I do, darling. Why do you need it?"


    Silver Wolf didn''t say much.


    "Don''t worry about it. I just need it now. How much do you have?"


    Kafka opened her decorative box full of Stellar Jade¡ªit was beautiful and perfect for accessories, which is why she had collected quite a few.


    "I''ve got a few hundred here. How much do you want?"


    Silver Wolf said:


    "Give me 100."


    Kafka agreed.


    "Alright. Should I leave it at your portal entrance again?"


    Silver Wolf nodded.


    "Yeah."

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 - 20Silver Wolf summoned a virtual keyboard and typed a few times. An Aether portal appeared, and 100 Star Jades fell out.


    Silver Wolf collected them all, then headed to the small bar and exchanged them all.


    She had seen Ye Yun use the exchange scale earlier, so naturally, she knew how to use it herself.


    After exchanging for Star Coins, Silver Wolf handed them all to Ye Yun.


    "Here''s the money. What about the goods?"


    Ye Yun smiled, took out the game cartridge for Black Myth: Wukong and handed it to Silver Wolf.


    Silver Wolf received it and was quite satisfied. She waved her hand to say goodbye to Ye Yun and used Aether Editing to teleport herself away.


    After Silver Wolf left, Ye Yun opened his task panel to check.


    [Current Tasks:] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Task 1: Serve 20 different customers. Progress: 14/20. Reward: Lottery Machine x1


    Task 2: Reach a total business revenue of 10 million Star Coins.Progress: 30,000+/10,000,000. Reward: Peak Emanator Level x1


    Task 1, serving 20 different customers, was already more than halfway done.


    Looking at Belobog''s situation, Bronya, Gepard, Pela, and Serval were likely to become customers as well.


    Only four more people were needed¡ªno problem.


    Ye Yun closed the task panel, glanced at Venti, who was happily drinking, and went to sit in another corner.


    "Just drinking? Don''t you want some snacks with it?"


    Venti put down the bottle and swallowed the drink in his mouth.


    "Snacks? I don''t have any... Wait! I do have Star Coins!"


    Venti had been so used to saying he was broke, but suddenly he realized he still had some Star Coins left from buying the wine¡ªabout 12,000!


    "Here! I''ll get a portion!"


    Venti arrogantly took out a 100 Star Coin bill and slapped it on the table.


    Ye Yun accepted it, went to the store, and bought a few snacks worth 100 Star Coins, then brought them to Venti''s table.


    "Here are your snacks. Now, where''s my drink? You''ve made it big, but you''re not even going to offer me a bottle?"


    Venti took out several bottles of different wines and put them on the table.


    "Pick one, drink to your heart''s content!"


    Ye Yun glanced at the selection and suddenly brightened up. He reached out and took a bottle of wine in a porcelain bottle.


    "Didn''t expect to see Feitian Moutai!"


    Venti, holding a piece of meat marinated in a spirit beast called Linglu and a bottle of wine, grinned.


    "How? Is this wine good?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Of course, it''s good. This liquor is famous for its taste."


    Ye Yun got up and went to the small bar to get two sets of white wine glasses, filling one for himself and one for Venti.


    When Venti saw Ye Yun using such small glasses, he immediately looked at Ye Yun with disdain.


    "Ye Yun, not to criticize you, but us men drink¡ªbig glasses, that''s the real deal!"


    After saying that, Venti grabbed the Moutai, took an oversized beer mug, and poured all the Moutai from the bottle into it.


    He looked at the glass and frowned.


    "Ugh, not even a full glass? This wine''s too stingy!"


    Seeing that Venti had switched to a big glass, Ye Yun''s lips curled up into a mysterious smile.


    Venti raised his glass.


    "Cheers, Ye Yun! Let''s have a drink!"


    Ye Yun smiled and raised his small glass to clink it with Venti''s.


    Venti gulped down the Moutai in one go.


    As soon as he put the glass down, Venti felt a fiery sensation in his chest.


    "Wow! This wine''s strong!"


    Venti slapped his head a few times, feeling dizzy.


    Ye Yun took a small sip of Moutai and smiled.


    "That''s because you insisted on switching to a bigger glass."


    Venti forced himself to calm down.


    "Drinking is all about big glasses!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Venti''s body softened, and he slid under the table.


    Soon, a steady breathing sound could be heard.


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue.


    "Tsk tsk, serves you right."


    Ye Yun continued to leisurely sip his drink while snacking.


    ***


    Inside the Stellaron Hunters base.


    The moment Silver Wolf teleported back, she kicked off her shoes and rushed to her room.


    In the living room, Kafka was sitting on the sofa, watching TV.


    "Darling, why the rush?"


    Silver Wolf ignored Kafka, dashed into her room, and slammed the door open.


    Kafka, intrigued, got up and walked toward Silver Wolf''s room.


    She peeked inside.


    Silver Wolf was excitedly taking out a game console and inserting the Black Myth: Wukong cartridge.


    While operating the console, Silver Wolf muttered to herself.


    "Hehe~ A new game~ I''m here now!"


    Silver Wolf took out the Sekiro game cartridge.


    "Sekiro! I had a great time with you, but now!!! Now it''s time for us to part ways!"


    "Maybe one day in the future, we''ll have another happy time together."


    "But right now! You have to go! A new friend, Black Myth: Wukong, is here! Farewell!"


    Saying that, Silver Wolf put the Sekiro game cartridge on the shelf.


    Immediately afterward, she inserted the Black Myth: Wukong cartridge.


    "Hehe! The Binding Spell! Once I finish this game, I''ll be able to learn it! Hahahaha! I''ll become the invincible Silver Wolf!"


    At the door, Kafka raised an eyebrow after hearing Silver Wolf''s last words.


    "Binding Spell? You can learn it after finishing the game? Darling, I''m not sure I understand."


    Kafka''s sudden voice startled Silver Wolf, who turned around.


    "Hmph! That''s right! Once I finish this game, I''ll learn a new skill."


    "Come on! Kafka! Cut me!"


    Kafka looked confused.


    "Darling, are you sure you want me to cut you? Are you feeling feverish? Should I get you some medicine?"


    Silver Wolf stood up, hands on hips, looking full of confidence.


    "I''m not feverish. Come on, cut me! I want to show you my new skill!"


    Kafka, realizing the situation, understood that this new skill probably wouldn''t harm Silver Wolf.


    Relaxed, Kafka raised her sword and suddenly struck at Silver Wolf.


    "Clink~"


    A crisp sound of metal striking echoed.


    Silver Wolf, holding a small knife, easily blocked Kafka''s strike.


    Kafka, seeing this, became intrigued.


    "Darling, this skill of yours is interesting."


    Silver Wolf grinned.


    "Of course! This skill is called Deflect. It can deflect physical attacks from enemies below the Emanator level. And if the rebound is successful, the damage is doubled."


    "How''s that? Impressive, right?"


    Kafka nodded.


    "Indeed, it''s quite impressive."


    Afterward, Kafka looked at the Sekiro game cartridge on the shelf.


    "Darling, where did you get this game cartridge?"


    Silver Wolf put down the small knife, picked up the game controller, and sat down, happily playing Black Myth: Wukong.


    "Stelle sold it to me. But the one I''m playing now, I bought it myself."


    At this point, Silver Wolf suddenly remembered Ye Yun.


    "By the way, there''s a problem with Elio''s script. There''s someone called Ye Yun on the train, and he opened a shop. I bought this game cartridge from him. If you have time, remember to ask Elio about it."


    ***


    Kafka nodded thoughtfully. "Mm."


    At this moment, Kafka remembered the 100 Stellar Jades Silver Wolf had asked from her. At the time, Silver Wolf said it was to buy something¡ªcould it have been this?


    "Darling, did you use Stellar Jade to buy that game cartridge?"


    Silver Wolf didn''t turn around and replied while playing the game. "Yeah, he only accepts Star Coins, and you can exchange Stellar Jade for Star Coins. Okay, okay, stop bothering me, I''m playing!What the heck?! I got killed in one hit? Again!"


    Seeing this, Kafka said: "Keep playing for now, but later you''re coming with me to the train."


    Silver Wolf immediately showed reluctance. "Nooo, I want to play my game!"


    Kafka smiled slightly. "Oh? I think you want to come with me."


    Silver Wolf turned to look at Kafka and saw the "gentle" smile on her face¡ªinstantly intimidated. "Fine, I''ll go with you!"


    Kafka nodded in satisfaction. "Then see you later, Darling."


    Kafka turned and left Silver Wolf''s room. Silver Wolf let out a big sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat off her forehead. Whew¡ªgood thing I reacted quickly, or else I''d have been hit with Kafka''s Spirit whisper again.


    Even though I now have a parry blade, that only blocks physical attacks. Kafka''s Spirit whisper is a mental attack¡ªI can''t defend against that.


    But! If I can beat "Black Myth: Wukong Legend" and learn the "Weak Binding Spell," I''ll finally have a counter! As long as I cast it before Kafka speaks, I won''t have to fear her Spirit whisper anymore!


    The more she thought about it, the more excited she became, already imagining the look on Kafka''s face when she got paralyzed.


    On the train.


    Ye Yun was nibbling on some snacks and sipping wine. Not long after, the shop''s front door opened, and Himeko walked in with Hook, Klee, and Clara.


    "Come on, don''t run around¡ªgo sit on the couch."


    The three little ones obediently ran to the booth and spotted Ye Yun. "Brother Ye Yun~" "Ye Yun." "Big Brother Ye Yun!"


    The three little girls sat across from Ye Yun.Ye Yun smiled. "Are you hungry? Want something to eat?"


    The three glanced at the braised dishes on the table and swallowed. "Yes!" they answered in unison.


    Ye Yun chuckled. "Alright, sit tight¡ªI''ll get you some tableware."


    The three girls sat obediently on the couch, playing together.


    Ye Yun walked to the little bar counter where Himeko was pouring water. "Thanks for your help, Himeko¡ªsorry to trouble you with watching over Hook and Klee."


    Himeko smiled and shook her head. "No worries. What about you? What were you just busy with?"


    Ye Yun pointed toward the three kids. "Two guests came by just now¡ªone of them you might know, the Stellaron Hunters, Silver Wolf.As for the other one, look under the table over there."


    Himeko was a little surprised¡ªshe hadn''t expected the Stellaron Hunters to find their way here.She looked in the direction Ye Yun indicated.


    Under the table lay Venti, fast asleep.


    "Who''s that?"


    Ye Yun explained, "You''ve met Jean and Lisa, right?"


    Himeko nodded. "Yes, they''re from that other world Lumine''s from."


    Ye Yun continued, "That guy is their superior¡ªthe governor of Mondstadt, the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Nowadays he goes by Venti."


    Himeko was stunned by Venti''s identity. The Wind Archon? A god?


    "God of Wind?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "Yep, Anemo Archon. Though in terms of actual combat strength, he''s on par with a high-level Pathstrider."


    Himeko understood. In the vast universe, many backward places still had these so-called "gods." Such beings were simply mortals with extraordinary power, worshiped by others as deities.


    She looked at the snoring Venti. "You''re just leaving him there?"


    Ye Yun smiled. "No need to worry. He''s got a strong constitution¡ªhe''s an old monster that''s lived over a thousand years."


    Himeko was a bit surprised by Venti''s age. She hadn''t expected him to be a long-liver.


    Soon, Ye Yun returned with utensils and served the three kids. Himeko carried a few glasses of juice over and sat beside Ye Yun.


    Teyvat ¨C Late Night, Mondstadt


    Venti quietly pushed open a teleport gate, peeking through the crack. Seeing no one around, he slipped out of the gate.


    "Whew, Jean''s not here¡ªI''m outta here~"


    He closed the gate and turned into a breeze, leaving Jean''s office behind. Venti flew west toward Liyue.


    Crossing one mountain after another, he landed atop a towering peak. There sat a lotus pond, and in its center, a stone table and a few stools.


    The moment Venti landed, a voice sounded.


    "Barbatos. Long time no see."


    Venti turned toward the voice. At some point, a man in formal attire with a ponytail had appeared beside him.


    "Old man, long time no see."


    It was none other than the God of Liyue¡ªMorax, also known as Zhongli.


    Zhongli sat down at the stone stool. "What brings you here this time?"


    Venti grinned and took out a dozen bottles of various wines, placing them on the table. He also brought out some snacks he bought from Ye Yun''s shop.


    "Old man, come taste this wine I brought back from another world!"


    Zhongli''s eyes widened. "Another world? You went to another world?"


    Venti nodded and told Zhongli everything about Ye Yun.


    After hearing it, Zhongli''s heart was unsettled. "A new outsider... will this affect the script?"


    Venti took a swig from one of the bottles. "Of course there''ll be an impact. Mondstadt''s script is already completely out of whack. But I think it''s a good thing¡ªconnecting with Ye Yun might give us a new path."


    Zhongli asked, "What do you mean?"


    Venti said, "You don''t know, old man, but in Ye Yun''s world there are tons of planets. Many of them are unclaimed, and just one is big enough to hold all of Teyvat''s people. Of course, we''d need to terraform it first."


    Zhongli''s gaze grew serious. "You mean... migration?"


    Venti nodded. "It''s one option, isn''t it? Anyway, let''s not talk about that now. Tomorrow I''ll take you to meet Ye Yun. Tonight, let''s drink!"


    Zhongli didn''t press further and began sampling the exotic wines Venti brought.


    Each one was a brand he had never tasted.


    "Mmm... these otherworldly wines certainly have a unique flavor."


    Venti giggled mischievously and secretly pulled out a bottle of Feitian Maotai. "Here, old man, try this one¡ªit''s the best I''ve ever had. One big swig is amazing. Go ahead, give it a shot!"


    He handed the Maotai to Zhongli. Zhongli accepted it, looking at Venti''s smirking face with exasperation.


    His old colleague hadn''t changed¡ªstill liked messing with people.


    Zhongli poured a small cup, took a sip, and¡ª


    He chuckled a little. "You''re still the same, aren''t you..."

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 - 21Venti was visibly disappointed that his prank had failed on Zhongli.


    "No way, old man... is my acting really that bad?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Mm."


    Venti handed a pair of chopsticks to Zhongli.


    "Old man, try some of these snacks¡ªthey go great with the wine."


    Zhongli took the chopsticks and picked up a slice of cold pig ear, placing it into his mouth.


    The spicy aroma of chili combined with the crunchy texture of the pig ear¡ªit was a perfect match.


    "Hmm~ This side dish is quite excellent."


    The two of them drank and chatted as they enjoyed the snacks.


    What they didn''t realize was that the aroma of the food drifted with the wind and wafted into a nearby domain.


    Inside the domain, Cloud Retainer¡ªwho was busy tinkering with some mechanism¡ªsuddenly lifted her head and sniffed the air deeply.


    "What''s that smell? Why is it so fragrant?"


    Following the direction of the scent, Cloud Retainer realized it was coming from outside the domain.


    So, she opened the domain''s entrance and stepped out.


    The moment she exited the cave concealing the domain, she saw Venti and Zhongli drinking in the distance.


    "Barbatos? Morax?"


    With a flap of her wings, Cloud Retainer flew over to them.


    "Lord Morax, Venti."


    In earlier years, Venti had often visited Liyue to have fun and was quite familiar with the adepti. Due to his easygoing nature, most of the Liyue adepti called him by his current form''s name¡ªVenti¡ªexcept for Xiao, who had once received his grace and still addressed him more formally.


    "Cloud Retainer, it''s you! Long time no see!" Venti waved enthusiastically.


    Zhongli also nodded gently in greeting.


    Cloud Retainer glanced at the table laden with food and wine.


    "Venti, it''s been so many years, and you''re still as fond of drinking as ever."


    Venti laughed sheepishly. "Well, of course! Cloud Retainer, want to try some? I brought this stuff back from another world."


    Cloud Retainer looked at him in surprise. "Another world?"


    Venti grinned. "Yep! Don''t believe me? Ask the old man."


    Cloud Retainer turned to Zhongli with a puzzled look.


    Zhongli replied, "These food and drinks are not products of Teyvat."


    Cloud Retainer looked at Venti in disbelief. "Venti, how did you get to another world?"


    Taking a sip of wine, Venti began explaining everything about Ye Yun to her.


    Upon hearing that Venti would take Zhongli to the other world tomorrow, Cloud Retainer immediately insisted on joining them.


    Zhongli said, "There''s no rush. Barbatos and I will go first tomorrow to confirm things. If all is well, we''ll bring the rest of you adepti afterward."


    Hearing this, Cloud Retainer drooped slightly but agreed.


    Venti, seeing her disappointed expression, passed her a pair of chopsticks.


    "Come on, don''t be like that. Have a bite!"


    Cloud Retainer looked at the food on the table. The aroma really was irresistible.


    So, she accepted the chopsticks and began eating.


    Belobog ¨C Underworld


    Dan Heng brought Welt to the scene.


    The moment Welt saw Stelle, he froze in shock.To be more specific¡ªhe was stunned by the weapon in her hand: Judgment of Shamash.


    "Stelle... where did you get that weapon?"


    Stelle swung the greatsword playfully. "Oh, this? I won it from Ye Yun''s lottery. Cool, right? Hehe~"


    Welt wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. "Very cool... can I take a closer look?"


    Stelle handed the weapon over. "Sure! But be careful¡ªit drains stamina when you use it."


    Welt carefully examined the weapon. He was almost certain¡ªit was nearly identical to the version he knew.


    The only major difference: the version from his own world emitted extreme heat when used. But this one simply consumed stamina.


    Welt couldn''t help but think¡ªIf only the Judgment of Shamash in my world worked like this...


    Hiss!!


    Welt drew a sharp breath.


    Stelle noticed and asked with concern, "Uncle Welt, are you okay?"


    Welt shook his head, snapping out of it. "I''m fine. Here, take it back."


    Stelle took the Judgment of Shamash and transformed it into its dual-gun mode, holstering it at her waist.


    Welt then turned to the nearby machine.


    "This is the mech, right?"


    Dan Heng nodded. "Mm."


    March 7th chimed in, "Uncle Welt, please help us fix it! Svarog is really important to Clara¡ªhe''s like family!"


    Welt heard that name¡ªSvarog¡ªand immediately recalled Clara mentioning a robot who taught her mechanical knowledge.


    "I see. Let me take a look."


    After examining it for a while, Welt said, "It''s not too bad. Just a few burnt connectors. I''ll replace them."


    About ten minutes later, Svarog was up and running again.


    "Thank you, stranger," Svarog said.


    Welt shook his head. "No need. If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back."


    He said his goodbyes to Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Svarog, then returned to the train.


    Stelle patted Swarm''s leg. "Svarog, what happened earlier? Why''d you attack all of a sudden?"


    Svarog answered, "Stellaron¡ªtaboo¡ªmust not be touched."


    The three finally understood: they must''ve triggered some forbidden information in Svarog''s programming, which caused him to go berserk.


    After a while, Swarm left with the other mechs, heading back to the settlement.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng then made their way to Boulder Town.


    Boulder Town


    As soon as they entered, they saw Natasha, Seele, and Bronya discussing something with worried expressions.


    Stelle waved. "Natasha, Seele, Bronya¡ªwhat are you talking about?"


    Natasha turned around. "Oh, it''s you. Done already?"


    March 7th nodded. "Yup! Svarog''s all fixed up and headed back with the mechs. What about you guys?"


    Before Natasha could reply, Seele answered, "We were thinking of heading to Rivet Town. After the recent battle, lots of people are hurt and our medical supplies are running low."


    Stelle immediately volunteered. Then let''s go! We''ll come with you!"


    Natasha shook her head. "No need. With Seele and Bronya, it''s enough. You guys already helped a lot¡ªgo rest."


    March 7th replied, "No worries! Let''s go together."


    Stelle added, "Exactly! I''m the Galactic Baseballer¡ªwhen someone needs help, how can I ignore it?"


    Natasha gave in. "Alright, but please be careful. If things get too dangerous, don''t act recklessly."


    Everyone agreed.


    And so, the five of them set out for Rivet Town.


    Just as they arrived, they were attacked by a group of Fragmentum monsters.


    Thankfully, Bronya noticed just in time. She quickly raised her gun.


    "Watch out!"


    Bang!


    A single shot killed a thunderbird trying to sneak up on them.


    The others immediately drew their weapons and entered battle mode.


    ***


    After dealing with the ambushing Rift Creatures, Bronya put away her rifle and let out a sigh of relief.


    The erosion of the Rift here was quite severe¡ªjust now, even an elite unit had appeared.


    "Is everyone alright?"


    Only Seele and Dan Heng responded to her.


    Bronya looked around and spotted Stelle and March 7th, both looking excited near a luxurious treasure chest.


    "March, we struck it rich! This chest actually has 30 Stellar Jades!" Stelle exclaimed excitedly, looking at the 30 Stellar Jades in her hand.


    March 7th said, "Thirty in total, and there are five of us¡ªsix each. We all worked together to get this chest."


    Upon hearing this, Stelle distributed the Stellar Jades to Dan Heng and Seele.


    Finally, after some thought, she took out six and handed them to Bronya.


    "Here you go."


    Bronya glanced at the Stellar Jades. With all the loot in the chest, how come Stelle only took this? This was the least valuable thing in there.


    "I don''t need them. You keep it," Bronya replied. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle grinned and quickly put the six Stellar Jades back into her bag.


    "Hehe, if you don''t want them, they''re mine now!"


    Seele, March 7th, and Dan Heng all looked at Bronya in disbelief.


    But then they remembered that Bronya didn''t know about Ye Yun''s shop, so it wasn''t all that surprising.


    March 7th shook her head inwardly. She figured Bronya might regret it later.


    Somehow, March 7th was actually looking forward to seeing Bronya''s expression when that happened¡ªit would surely be priceless.


    Afterward, the group continued forward and arrived at the orphanage, where they found a good supply of medical resources.


    In the original story, Clara had already taken everything from here. But now that the Mechanic Settlement wasn''t lacking in such supplies, most of the materials were still present.


    It was also here that Bronya recalled her origins¡ªshe had once been part of this orphanage before being taken to the upper district by Cocolia.


    Seele and Bronya had a private conversation and cleared the air between them, becoming friends.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng also decided to put aside their grievances with Bronya.


    Thinking about it, Bronya hadn''t really done anything wrong. From her perspective, she was just following orders.


    The one truly targeting them was Cocolia¡ªthat villain.


    Over half an hour later, the group returned to Boulder Town with the collected medical supplies.


    After handing over the materials, they began discussing the matter of the Stellaron.


    March 7th looked at the group.


    "So, what do you think? When should we go deal with the Stellaron?"


    Dan Heng said, "The sooner the better. This isn''t something we can delay."


    Stelle checked the time. "How about tomorrow?"


    The group exchanged glances and agreed.


    After that, they went to the hotel to rest.


    Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was the next day.


    On the Astral Express, inside Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Pam had prepared breakfast. Ye Yun, Himeko, Welt, and the three kids sat around the central long table eating.


    Clara was reading a book while eating¡ªshe had been studying mechanical knowledge with Welt and Himeko these past few days.


    Klee and Hook were happily eating porridge with their children''s utensils.


    At that moment, Himeko''s watch buzzed.


    She checked it and looked a little surprised.


    "Spatial readings on Jarilo-VI are abnormal. Stellaron activity is increasing rapidly."


    Welt grew concerned for Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng, who were still in Belobog.


    "Should I go check it out?" he asked.


    Himeko smiled and said, "No need. This is Stelle''s trailblazing journey. At most, we can offer some support from the sidelines."


    Just then, Ye Yun heard a notification in his mind.


    [Zhongli is requesting to enter the shop!]


    [Zhongli is requesting to enter the shop!]


    [Zhongli is requesting to enter the shop!]


    Ye Yun was surprised¡ªZhongli? Why was he here?


    Wasn''t Lumine still in Mondstadt? Oh, right¡ªprobably that Venti guy brought him here.


    He approved Zhongli''s request.


    The next second, the portal opened, and Venti and Zhongli walked out.


    Seeing everyone eating, Venti casually sat at the table.


    "Yo! You guys are eating? What''s on the menu?"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes at the ever-familiar Venti. This guy really had a thick skin.


    "There''s still porridge in the kitchen. If you want some, go get yourself a bowl."


    Venti chuckled and scampered off to the kitchen.


    Ye Yun then turned to Zhongli. "Hello, may I ask your name?"


    Zhongli looked around, then turned to Ye Yun.


    "Hello, I am Zhongli, consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue."


    Ye Yun gestured for him to sit down. "Nice to meet you. I''m Ye Yun. Have a seat."


    Zhongli nodded slightly and sat down. "I heard from Barbatos that your shop sells goods from countless worlds. May I take a look?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "Of course. No rush¡ªZhongli, I assume you haven''t eaten yet? Join us for breakfast?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly. "As you wish. I shall gladly accept your hospitality."


    Ye Yun then called out to the kitchen.


    "Venti, bring a bowl for Zhongli too."


    Venti turned and replied with a "Got it!"


    A few minutes later, Venti came back and placed the bowl in front of Zhongli.


    "Here you go, old man."


    Welt was puzzled by how Venti addressed Zhongli.


    "Old man? If I remember correctly, Venti, you''re already over a thousand years old, right?"


    Venti took a big sip of the porridge with a satisfied expression. "Ahh~ A warm bowl of porridge after a hangover is the best~"


    After enjoying it for a moment, he replied, "Yeah, so what?"


    Welt looked at Zhongli. "Then Zhongli''s age must be..."


    Venti understood. "This old man has lived much longer than me¡ªat least a few thousand years."


    Both Welt and Himeko were shocked.


    "What?! A few thousand years?!"


    Zhongli didn''t deny it.


    "Mm, roughly."


    Himeko was surprised. "In our world, long-lived species often suffer certain curses¡ªlike the Denizens of Abundance on the Xianzhou. The older they get, the more likely it is to manifest."


    Zhongli nodded. "I too experience something similar, though mine is erosion. It gradually causes me to forget past memories and lose rationality."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun suddenly remembered something he saw in the store earlier.


    [Item: Clear Mind Pill. Effect: Strengthens the user''s rationality and reduces chances of mental deviation. Price: 2000 Star Coins]


    Ye Yun immediately purchased one. With Zhongli''s status, he wasn''t worried about payment.


    "Zhongli, take a look at this¡ªClear Mind Pill. It should be useful to you."


    Zhongli looked at the pill in Ye Yun''s hand."Is that so?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "Of course. If it doesn''t work, I won''t charge you."


    Zhongli accepted the pill and, under everyone''s gaze, swallowed it in one go.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 - 22The moment the Clear Mind Pill entered his stomach, Zhongli''s eyes widened. Countless fragments of his past flashed through his mind.


    He murmured softly to himself:


    "Guizhong... Bosacius... Indarias... Bonanus... Menogias..."


    To Ye Yun and the others, it seemed like not even half a minute had passed.


    But to Zhongli''s perception, he had experienced an extremely long passage of time.


    It wasn''t until Venti''s voice called out, "Old man!" that Zhongli came back to his senses.


    Zhongli returned to normal, shaking his head to calm himself.


    "Apologies, everyone. That was rude of me."


    Welt, Himeko, and the others expressed that they didn''t mind.


    Zhongli then turned to Ye Yun, a look of sincere gratitude in his eyes.


    "Thank you, Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need for thanks¡ªjust remember to pay."


    Zhongli rarely showed a smile, but this time, he did.


    "Hahaha, of course. What''s the price of this pill?"


    Ye Yun held up two fingers.


    "2000 star coins¡ªthat''s 200 Primogems. Venti should''ve told you the exchange rate between Primogems and star coins, right?"


    At that, Zhongli shook his head.


    "No, he didn''t." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Yun looked a little speechless.


    "Venti, something that important and you didn''t tell him?"


    Venti just gave a cheeky "Ehehe~" and continued sipping his porridge.


    Zhongli patted his body... then paused.


    "Ye Yun, can I pay you the Primogems later?"


    Ye Yun waved it off.


    "Sure, no problem. Come on, eat up first. After the meal, I''ll take you all somewhere interesting."


    Just as Ye Yun was inviting everyone to eat, an Aetheric teleportation gate opened in the shop. Kafka and Silver Wolf stepped out.


    Silver Wolf looked rather unwilling¡ªshe had been in the middle of a good gaming session when Kafka dragged her here.


    "There he is. That''s Ye Yun."


    After pointing out Ye Yun to Kafka, Silver Wolf plopped herself into a booth, crossed her legs, and pulled out her handheld console to keep playing.


    Himeko and Welt tensed up the moment they saw Kafka, on high alert.


    "Stellaron Hunters Kafka. I''ve seen you¡ªon the company''s bounty board."


    Klee, standing nearby, looked at Kafka''s figure and exclaimed:


    "Waaah~ Demon Queen! Demon Queen!"


    Kafka glanced at Klee¡ªwhat a cute little girl¡ªthen turned to look over Himeko, giving her a once-over.


    "Himeko, right? Relax, I''m not here to go after the train crew. This time, I''m here to buy something from Mr. Ye Yun."


    With that, she took out a small box filled with Stellar Jade and opened it.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun stood up and spoke to Himeko and the others.


    "No worries, you all keep eating. I''ll go help her with the shopping."


    With that, Ye Yun led Kafka to sit near the small bar.


    Although Himeko, Welt, and Zhongli continued eating, their eyes would occasionally drift toward Ye Yun''s direction¡ªjust in case.


    Ye Yun tapped on the box Kafka brought and asked,


    "How much Stellar Jade do you have in here?"


    Kafka shook her head and looked at Ye Yun with a mischievous glint in her eye, feeling a sudden urge to tease him.


    "I''m not really sure. Why don''t you count it for me?"


    She smiled sweetly, propping up her chin with one hand and staring at Ye Yun.


    Raising a brow, Ye Yun placed the Stellar Jade onto a conversion scale.


    "Counting manually is too troublesome. With this device, we can instantly see how much Star Coin it''s worth.


    The conversion rate between Stellar Jade and Star Coin is 1 to 100."


    Kafka looked slightly disappointed that her teasing didn''t work.


    "Oh? I see... fine, let your little scale do the math then~"


    Over ten minutes later, Ye Yun finished converting all the Stellar Jade¡ªit totaled 60,000 Star Coins.


    Kafka weighed the Star Coins in her hand and spoke:


    "Ye Yun~ Tell me, what should I buy?"


    Ye Yun crossed his arms, looked into her eyes, and asked in return:


    "What do you want to buy?"


    Kafka noticed her Word Magic didn''t work on Ye Yun, and her interest in him grew even more.


    "Let me think... Do you sell emotions?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "Emotions? I''ll have to look that up for you."


    He sat at a touchscreen terminal and searched for the word "emotion."


    Within seconds, hundreds of product listings appeared.


    Ye Yun skimmed a few and asked,


    "Yep. What emotion are you looking for?"


    Kafka looked surprised. You can actually buy emotions here?


    "Do you have... fear?"


    Ye Yun pulled up a few items on the screen.


    "Take a look." He made room for her to sit. Kafka walked over and sat beside him.


    [Product: Inner Demon]


    Description: Causes resurgence of inner demons upon use.


    Price: 1000 Star Coins


    Note: Comes in 9 levels. Level 1 starts at 1000 coins; Level 9 costs 10,000. Choose freely.


    ***


    [Product: Abyss Pass]


    Description: Grants access to the Abyss upon use.


    Price: 5000 Star Coins


    ***


    [Product: Strange Invitation Letter]


    Description: Lets you participate in a bizarre game upon use.


    Price: 2000 Star Coins


    Kafka looked through them but couldn''t decide right away. Then she turned to Ye Yun.


    "You pick for me~"


    She smiled charmingly, twirling her hair.


    Ye Yun glanced at the options and said,


    "Why not try Inner Demon? It shows you what you least want to face."


    Kafka nodded slightly.


    "Alright, I''ll go with your recommendation."


    Ye Yun took 1000 Star Coins from her and bought the lowest level Inner Demon.


    After inserting the coins, a dark red energy orb wrapped in a bubble appeared in his hand.


    Ye Yun handed it to Kafka.


    "Just pop it."


    Kafka looked at the orb, then back at Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun~ Can you stay close? What if I get scared? As the shop owner, you should be responsible for your customer."


    Ye Yun coughed loudly.


    "Don''t start! This is a legitimate business!"


    Kafka, seeing that her teasing worked, giggled.


    "Haha, okay okay, just kidding~"


    Then she looked at the Inner Demon in her hand.


    "Let me try your recommendation first."


    With a squeeze of her right hand, she crushed the orb.


    The moment it shattered, the dark red energy surged into her body.


    Kafka''s expression froze, as if she had seen something terrifying.


    But it only lasted a few seconds before vanishing.


    Kafka savored the sensation.


    In those two seconds, she truly felt fear.


    That foreign, longed-for emotion... so this is what it feels like.


    She took out 2000 Star Coins.


    "Ye Yun~ Get me a higher-level one."


    Ye Yun raised his brow and got her a Level 2 Inner Demon.


    Kafka took it and crushed it again, falling into fear once more.


    This time, the expression lasted a few seconds longer than before.


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "How many levels do you want? Once you decide, put the corresponding Star Coins here. Try it yourself¡ªbut don''t go for too high a level at once."


    Kafka nodded in agreement.


    ***


    Klee saw Ye Yun blushing and thought he was being bullied by Kafka.


    "Wah~ Demon Queen! You''re not allowed to bully Brother Ye Yun~ Boom Boom Bomb!"


    Klee stood on the chair, angrily holding a large Boom Boom Bomb and threw it at Kafka.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun quickly dashed forward and caught the bomb mid-air.


    He let out a sigh of relief and rubbed Klee''s little head.


    "Klee, this big sister didn''t bully your Brother Ye Yun."


    Upon hearing that, Klee realized she had misunderstood Kafka. She slid down from the chair, ran to Kafka''s side, and bowed deeply.


    "Big sister, I''m sorry. I wrongly accused you~ Can you forgive Klee?"


    Klee swayed her small body slightly, looking up at Kafka with big, pitiful eyes.


    Kafka was instantly charmed by Klee''s cuteness, and the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously.


    "Okay~ I forgive you. Little one, your name is Klee?"


    Klee brightened up with a big smile after hearing Kafka forgive her.


    "Yes! My name is Klee. Big sister, what''s your name?"


    Kafka smiled and said, "My name is Kafka."


    Klee looked at Kafka and pronounced her name slowly, syllable by syllable.


    "Kafka Got it! Kafka big sister~"


    Ye Yun walked over at this moment and patted Klee''s little head.


    "Klee, go eat now. Your food will get cold."


    Hearing that, Klee obediently returned to her seat to continue eating.


    Because the dining table was too tall, both Klee and Hook had to stand on their chairs to eat.


    If they sat, their eyes would just meet the tabletop.


    "Hook, that big sister is called Kafka big sister."


    Hook took a spoonful of porridge. "Mmm~ Hook knows. Klee, help me get some pickled vegetables."


    Klee picked up a chopstick-full of pickles and passed it to her.


    "Here~ Pickled veggies."


    The two little ones chatted while standing on their chairs and eating.


    Kafka looked at the two with a knowing smile.


    Ye Yun noticed Kafka was watching Klee and Hook the whole time.


    "How is it? Aren''t they adorable?"


    Kafka nodded with tacit approval.


    "Mm~ extremely cute. Are they your daughters?"


    Ye Yun nearly spat out the water he just drank.


    What the heck? Daughters? How do I look anything like their dad?


    "No, what are you thinking?"


    Kafka tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at Ye Yun with a smile.


    "Oh~ I thought they were your daughters, since you''re so good to them."


    Ye Yun wiped the water from his mouth.


    "Of course I treat them well. Raising daughters is one of life''s greatest joys, right?"


    Kafka suddenly asked, "Have you ever thought about having a daughter of your own?"


    Ye Yun looked at Kafka and decided to go all in.


    "What, you gonna give me one?"


    Kafka hesitated for a moment, slightly flustered.


    "You wouldn''t be a bad choice~" she said, giving Ye Yun a flirtatious look.


    Ye Yun took a deep breath and went for it.


    "Then shall we set a date?"


    Kafka''s mind momentarily blanked out, thinking of some interesting implications.


    Looking at the way Ye Yun was staring at her, Kafka''s cheeks reddened slightly.


    She quickly bought a level 2 and level 3 heart demon and went to sit next to Silver Wolf.


    Ye Yun''s lips curled into a smug smile ¡ª finally scored a win. Heh, women!


    He returned to the dining table.


    "Himeko, what''s the situation on Jarilo-VI? How are the Stellaron readings?"


    Himeko opened her device and scanned the readings on the planet. After seeing the results, her expression changed in surprise.


    "The Stellaron is growing increasingly active ¡ª it''s close to a critical point."


    Upon hearing that, Ye Yun immediately headed toward the teleportation gate.


    "Let''s go, time to watch the show."


    At that moment, Kafka spoke up.


    "Ye Yun, are you going to check on Stelle and the others?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, a Stellaron war ¡ª can''t miss that."


    Kafka pondered for a moment, then turned to Silver Wolf.


    "Darling, pull up a projection of Stelle''s side."


    Silver Wolf''s fingers were flying across her console.


    "No time, I''m busy."


    Kafka sighed.


    [Listen to me!]


    "Darling, pull up a projection of Stelle''s side."


    Silver Wolf, as if bewitched, stood up blankly, summoned a virtual keyboard, and projected a feed of Xing''s side onto the wall.


    After it was done, Silver Wolf sat back down, color returning to her eyes.


    "Kafka!!! You used Spirit Whisper on me again!"


    Kafka covered her mouth and chuckled.


    "Darling, who told you to be so into your game?"


    Then she looked toward Ye Yun.


    "Alright, let''s just watch from here. No need for you to make a trip, right?"


    Ye Yun shrugged ¡ª watching on the big screen wasn''t a bad idea.


    Kafka looked at the projection and breathed a sigh of relief.


    This battle would be a turning point for Stelle. If all went well, she would receive the Preservation''s Gaze.


    Once she gained the Preservation Path, Stelle''s power would take a qualitative leap.


    On Belobog:


    Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Seele, and Bronya had already arrived at the Everwinter Hill.


    Cocolia raised the Great Guardian''s legacy weapon, the Flame Lance.


    "Engine of Creation! In the name of the Great Guardian, I command you to rise!"


    The ground of the Everwinter Hill trembled, and a towering mech awakened from the permafrost.


    Beneath it, a swarm of Fragmentum creatures surged toward the group.


    Stelle immediately drew the Judgment of Shamash, swinging a blazing slash.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    Flames erupted from the sword, sweeping across the battlefield.


    All Fragmentum creatures caught in it ¡ª except elite units like the Decaying Shadow and Ice Out of Space ¡ª were incinerated.


    The Shadow of Devourer raised its staff to attack Stelle, but an arrow flew in, knocking it away.


    Just as it reached to retrieve the staff, shadows flickered ¡ª several luminous butterflies appeared before it.


    In a flash, Seele emerged from the shadows, her scythe cleaving down.


    "Disappear among the sea of butterflies, relic of the past!"


    The Decaying Shadow was struck dead, dispersing into glowing motes.


    Elsewhere, Bronya kept suppressive fire on an Ice Out of Space.


    Dan Heng suddenly appeared in the air above it, his Cloud-Piercer spear glowing.


    "Ethereal Dream, illusions shatter ¡ª strike!"


    He landed and swept the spear into the ground with a flourish.


    In the next moment, the Ice from Beyond behind him burst into light and vanished.


    Stelle had her sights set on a Guardian Shadow.


    She burst forward with a powerful leap, like an arrow loosed from a bow.


    In a blink, she was beneath the enemy.


    Gripping the Judgment of Shamash tightly, its blade erupted in fire.


    "Hah!"


    She slashed upward in a fiery arc, carving a gash through the Guardian Shadow.


    The moment she slung her sword over her shoulder, flames burst from the crack, engulfing the enemy.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 - 23With everyone''s teamwork, the remaining Fragmentum creatures were eliminated one by one.


    Cocolia cursed under her breath, "Useless," and immediately activated the Engine of Creation to attack them.


    A laser shot from the Engine of Creation''s head, sweeping toward the group.


    Stelle swung her sword, and flames engulfed the laser. Explosions echoed where the two forces collided.


    Meanwhile, aboard the train, Welt saw Stelle wielding the Judgment of Shamash, and an image of a certain man kept surfacing in his mind.


    Ye Yun, noticing Welt''s constipated expression, chuckled and leaned in.


    "Welt, that sword''s pretty cool, right?"


    Welt nodded stiffly. "Cool."


    Himeko noticed and became curious. "Welt, are you okay? You don''t look so good."


    Welt took a deep breath. "I''m fine. Just... remembering some things from the past."


    Himeko more or less understood what was going on from that.


    Ye Yun, watching Stelle and the others go all out on the screen, thought just watching felt a bit dull. So, he bought a tea set and a tea cake from the system.


    "Zhongli, Welt¡ªcome, come. Let''s have some tea."


    Zhongli looked at the tea set in Ye Yun''s hand. "Nicely made. The carving on this... only a master artisan could''ve done that."


    Ye Yun smiled. "I don''t really know much. As long as it works."


    He rinsed the tea set with hot water, placed the tea leaves into the pot, and poured cups for himself, Welt, and Zhongli.


    "Here, try it."


    The three of them sipped tea while watching the projection.


    Back at Everwinter Hill¡ª


    After a few breaths, Stelle took advantage of a gap in the Creation Engine''s attacks and charged up, racing toward Cocolia.


    On the way, more Fragmentum creatures spawned to stop her.


    But Bronya and March 7th sniped them all before they could get close.


    A few minutes later, Stelle reached Cocolia safely.


    Cocolia, furious, pulled out her Ice Lance and launched an attack.


    Stelle quickly raised the Judgment of Shamash to block. The force of the attack almost knocked her over.


    Before she could recover, Cocolia launched a second attack.


    With no choice, Stelle dodged to the side.


    Cocolia kept attacking relentlessly, giving Stelle no room to fight back.


    And since Cocolia hovered in the air, Stelle struggled to get close.


    As they say: there''s no perfect defense.


    Seeing an opening, Cocolia hurled a Ice Lance.


    Stelle was thrown back, and her vision began to blur.


    When she came to, she found herself in the starry sky.


    She looked around and saw a Flame Lance stabbed into the ground some distance away.


    Since there was nothing else around, Stelle decided to check it out.


    As she walked, illusions began to form around her.


    They were the memories of Belobog''s past Guardians, including Cocolia.


    By viewing these memories, Stelle learned why Cocolia had made a deal with the Stellaron.


    She had been desperate, unable to see a way forward. All paths were darkness.


    Eventually, Stelle reached the Flame Lance. A little girl was standing in front of it.


    "You''ve come," the girl said.


    Stelle nodded, looking curiously at her. "And you are?"


    "I? I am the collective consciousness of all the Guardians throughout history."


    She looked at Stelle and continued.


    "This city weeps. The power of Preservation is fading.


    In the end... even we could not resist the will of the Stellaron."


    Stelle looked at her with sympathy.


    "If you couldn''t preserve it... then let someone else take over."


    The girl was stunned by Stelle''s words, but quickly regained her composure and pointed at the nearby Flame Lance.


    "In that case, go. Embrace the light of Amber."


    Stelle walked up to the Lance. As she touched it, flames erupted from it, forcing her to pull back instinctively.


    She stared at the weapon, then clenched her jaw with determination.


    "Hyaaah!!"


    With a powerful shout, Stelle pulled the Lance from the ground.


    She returned to reality¡ª


    Now holding both the Flame Lance and the Judgment of Shamash, she spun and landed on the Engine of Creation''s hand.


    March 7th, Dan Heng, Seele, and Bronya were overjoyed to see her safe.


    "Stelle!" March 7th waved excitedly.


    Stelle nodded, full of fighting spirit, then raised her lance.


    "Everyone¡ªlet''s go!"


    Cocolia looked at the relit Flame Lance in disbelief.


    "No! No! Impossible! Why would Preservation choose you?!"


    She unleashed her full power, fusing completely with the Stellaron.


    Raising her right hand, she summoned a massive icicle and hurled it down at the group.


    Stelle lifted her Flame Lance, casting a shield over everyone.


    Then she raised the Judgment of Shamash and slashed upward.


    Blazing fire collided with the icy spear mid-air, the clash exploding into red and blue light.


    When the light faded, a cloud of black smoke lingered.


    Suddenly¡ª


    Stelle burst from the smoke, Flame Lance aimed at the airborne Cocolia.


    As Cocolia tried to summon another icicle, Dan Heng and Seele attacked her from above.


    She quickly blocked and knocked them away.


    But it was too late.


    Stelle''s Flame Lance pierced through her, dealing a devastating blow.


    Cocolia crashed to the ground, a deep crater forming from the impact.


    She struggled to her feet, but Stelle was already upon her, swinging the Judgment of Shamash down. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cocolia was utterly defeated.


    "No... impossible..."


    Lying weakly on the ground, light began to leak from her body.


    The others arrived. Bronya knelt beside her, eyes filled with pain.


    "Mother!"


    Cocolia weakly raised her head to look at Bronya. Now that her mind was clear, she felt a deep sense of relief.


    Her daughter had grown strong¡ªcapable of protecting Belobog.


    How wonderful.


    Suddenly, pain shot through her chest. The Stellaron tried to flee.


    Cocolia clutched her chest, determined to drag it down with her.


    "Don''t come any closer, Bronya!"


    Bronya cried out in agony. "No! Don''t do this, Mother!"


    Then, a completely unfitting voice chimed in.


    "Jeez, why so dramatic? You''re about to make me cry over here."


    Everyone turned¡ª


    Ye Yun approached with Rios in tow.


    The Fire Monkey and Bub Seed on Rios''s back saw their trainers and ran over happily.


    Stelle and March 7th had left them behind, fearing they might get hurt in the coming battle.


    March 7th lit up when she saw Ye Yun. "Ye Yun! You''re here?!"


    Ye Yun picked at his ear. "Yeah, I couldn''t just sit up there watching. Thought I''d help out."


    He glanced at Cocolia, then at Bronya.


    "You''re Bronya, right?"


    Bronya nodded.


    Ye Yun continued, "Great. Later, remember to give me 100 Stellar Jade, yeah?"


    Then he reached toward Cocolia and yanked the Stellaron right out of her, suppressing it with ease.


    He tossed a glowing white potion at her.


    As the liquid touched her, Cocolia''s body¡ªbarely clinging to life¡ªwas instantly restored.


    Stelle watched the scene in disbelief and ran up to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, what was that potion?! That''s incredible! Can I get two bottles?"


    Ye Yun smirked. "Elven Water of Life. Just one bottle left. 10,000 credits each. You sure?"


    Stelle went silent.


    Ten thousand?! That''s enough for ten scratch cards from Trash Can Brand! No way! Not buying!


    ***


    A day had passed since the battle at Everwinter Hill.


    Although Cocolia had regained consciousness, her memories from the time she was under the influence of the Stellaron were completely gone.


    She only remembered things from a few years ago, before she had chosen to cooperate with the Stellaron.


    After hearing Bronya''s recount of everything, Cocolia realized the magnitude of the crimes she had committed.


    Thus, she chose to step down as the Supreme Guardian, letting Bronya take over.


    She felt too ashamed to remain in the position¡ªafter all, she had nearly destroyed Belobog''s future with her own hands.


    In the Administrative District Square of Belobog...


    After a night''s rest, Stelle and March 7th were strolling around the streets, each holding a cup of milk tea.


    As they passed by a flower shop, Stelle rubbed her eyes in disbelief.


    "No way!"


    March 7th saw Stelle''s eyes nearly bulging out of her head.


    "What now?"


    Stelle tugged on March 7th''s clothes and pointed toward a bench.


    "March! Look over there!"


    Following Stelle''s finger, March 7th saw a sparkly wooden treasure chest placed under the bench.


    "A treasure chest? Why is there still one here?"


    The two walked up and opened it.


    Inside were 5 Stellar Jades! As for the additional materials, they were nowhere to be found¡ªprobably already taken by someone.


    Stelle took the Stellar Jades out.


    "Whoa! There are still treasure chests in the city?"


    Looking out over the vast city, an idea suddenly popped into Stelle''s head.


    She turned to March 7th, who was already looking at her.


    Their eyes met¡ªconfirmation achieved!


    "Let''s go! Treasure hunting time!"


    The two began searching every alley for treasure chests. Most of the ones in the administrative district were wooden chests, but each contained 5 Stellar Jades!


    They went on a wild spree, unable to stop themselves.


    As they searched, they arrived at the blocked-off commercial street.


    Just as they entered, they spotted a deluxe treasure chest behind an iron gate!


    Stelle''s eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, she drew her Judgment of Shamash and sliced through the gate, rushing in.


    As they approached the deluxe chest, three Flamespawn Shadows suddenly appeared.


    Before Stelle and March 7th could act, their companions¡ªLittle Fire Monkey and Bubu Seed¡ªstepped in.


    "Roar! Roar!"


    "Bubu!"


    A burst of flame and a vine shot out of nowhere, instantly taking down two of the Flamespawn Shadows.


    Spending time with Lios yesterday wasn''t just for fun¡ªLittle Fire Monkey and Bub Seed had been learning.


    Under Rios''s guidance, they had each learned a new skill:


    [Ember Spark] and [Drain]


    The remaining Flamespawn Shadow was quickly taken out by a single slash from Stelle.


    After defeating the guardians, Stelle eagerly opened the deluxe treasure chest, revealing 10 fresh Stellar Jades.


    Stelle licked her lips and rubbed her hands.


    "Stellar Jades~ Sweet little Stellar Jades~ Here I come~"


    She picked up the Jades and gave 5 to March 7th.


    Stelle glanced at March 7th, who was busily typing on her phone.


    "March, who are you chatting with?"


    Hearing her name, March 7th looked up and replied:


    "Dan Heng''s asking where we are."


    Stelle snatched the phone and tucked it into March 7th''s pocket, throwing an arm around her shoulder.


    "Let''s go! Forget him for now¡ªStellar Jades come first! We''re rich! Hahaha!"


    March 7th nodded in agreement and continued treasure hunting with Stelle.


    Little Fire Monkey and Bub Seed also joined in the battles, gaining tons of experience.


    Meanwhile, in the Mechanical House of the Administrative District...


    Serval and Seele were with Dan Heng.


    Dan Heng put away his phone.


    "They''re collecting Stellar Jades."


    He had originally come to visit Serval, but Seele had shown up with a message from Bronya¡ª


    She invited the three of them to attend her inauguration ceremony.


    That''s why Dan Heng had been asking where Stelle and March were.


    When Seele heard they were out collecting Stellar Jades, she panicked and rushed out the door to find Bronya.


    Serval and Dan Heng watched Seele dash off, confused by her reaction.


    After a moment, they decided to continue their discussion about machinery.


    Over on Seele''s side...


    She ran from the Mechanical House straight to the Supreme Guardian''s office.


    This used to be Cocolia''s domain, but it now belonged to Bronya.


    The guards at the door recognized Seele as a friend of the new Guardian and didn''t stop her.


    Inside, Bronya was discussing details of the inauguration with an official.


    "Something terrible''s happened, Bronya!"


    Bronya looked at Seele¡ªher expression seemed genuinely serious.


    She dismissed the official and asked,


    "What''s going on, Seele?"


    Seele took a few deep breaths.


    "Hurry! Send people to collect Stellar Jades!"


    Bronya was puzzled. Why collect Stellar Jades? Weren''t they worthless?


    Oh right, Star and the others seemed to really like those.


    Maybe Seele wanted to gather some as a gift?


    If Stelle heard this, she''d probably grab Bronya''s hand with tears in her eyes and give her a "Nice Person" card.


    "Seele, is this a gift for them?"


    Seele shook her head.


    "No! It''s Stellar Jades we''re talking about!"


    She then remembered Bronya didn''t know about Ye Yun.


    Seele quickly explained everything about Ye Yun, and Bronya fell into deep thought¡ªit was a lot to process all at once.


    Stellar Jades could be exchanged for Stellar Coins, and those could buy anything from Ye Yun.


    No wonder Ye Yun had asked for 100 Stellar Jades as payment for saving her mother yesterday¡ªnow it all made sense.


    Bronya finally pieced it together and then froze in place as she realized what Seele had just said.


    "Oh no! The Stellar Jades! Guards! Assemble the troops!"


    Bronya immediately mobilized troops to collect Stellar Jades.


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop...


    Ye Yun and Zhongli were enjoying tea.


    At the booth to their right, Welt had set up a chalkboard and was tutoring Clara, who was taking diligent notes.


    Clara now studied on the Astral Express every morning and returned home every evening.


    At the booth to the left, Paimon, Amber, and Lumine were devouring their meals. Today had been exhausting for Lumine.


    She''d gone with Kaeya, Lisa, and the others to clear the Four Winds Temple and temporarily resolved Mondstadt''s crisis.


    By the time they returned to the city, it was already evening. All three were starving, so they came to Ye Yun''s for food.


    Having earned 200 Primogems today, Lumine was feeling generous¡ªshe treated everyone to a meal.


    She spent 100 Stellar Coins on a deluxe seafood platter, which they were now devouring.


    Paimon held a small hammer, which she used to crack open shells and crab legs.


    She didn''t have the strength to pry them open otherwise¡ªso hammer it was.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24 - 24Ye Yun and Zhongli were chatting when suddenly, a phone rang.


    "Riiing~ Riiing~"


    Ye Yun took out his phone and saw the caller ID: "Herta."


    He answered the call, and Herta''s voice came through:


    "Send me your location. I''m coming to buy something."


    And with that, she hung up.


    Ye Yun stared at the ended call screen, raising an eyebrow.


    This Herta really does things her own way. But then again, that''s how geniuses are, right? Eccentric by nature.


    He sent his location to Herta, then continued chatting with Zhongli.


    Zhongli set down his teacup.


    "If you have something to attend to, I''ll come back tomorrow."


    Ye Yun put down his phone.


    "No worries, just a client dropping by later. Nothing urgent. Now, where were we?"


    Zhongli reminded him:


    "We were talking about rule by man."


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers.


    "Ah, right. Rule by man."


    Zhongli asked:


    "What are your thoughts on it?"


    Ye Yun paused and reflected on the world he once lived in.


    "There are indeed merits to rule by man¡ªit allows humanity to develop freely, without restraints. But that same freedom can also lead people astray, cause them to lose their way, forget their purpose.I''m sure you''ve seen such people before."


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Indeed. Teyvat once had a nation like that. In the end, they brought a massive disaster upon the world."


    Ye Yun continued.


    "Exactly. In my view, rule by man is acceptable¡ªbut not absolute. Unchecked human freedom often leads to catastrophic outcomes. Human nature is, at its core, greedy. In my homeland, there were two great wars that swept across the entire world, each one claiming tens of millions of lives."


    "It wasn''t until humanity developed a weapon capable of mutual destruction that things finally settled down. And even then, only the countries with those weapons felt relatively ''safe.'' The rest¡ªthose without¡ªwere still like fish on the chopping block, left to be slaughtered."


    "In your world, Teyvat, the gods must hold a similar role for the nations under them, don''t they?"


    Zhongli fell silent, the weight of Ye Yun''s words sinking in.


    His decision to relinquish his godhood... might have been shortsighted.


    Perhaps for the next century or two, Liyue would be fine¡ªafter all, the last two generations of the Qixing had been chosen by him and the adepti.


    But what about the next generation? And the one after that? Who could guarantee they would not become corrupt?


    Ye Yun sipped his tea slowly.


    "There''s a saying: never place your hopes and fates in someone else''s hands."


    Zhongli nodded thoughtfully.


    "I understand. Thank you for your insight."


    Ye Yun chuckled. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s nothing. I get bored being in the shop alone anyway. It''s nice having someone to chat with."


    At that moment, the door to the shop opened. Ye Yun looked over¡ª


    Herta had arrived, with a pink-haired girl in tow.


    "Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!"


    Herta rushed straight to the small bar, plopped herself onto a tall stool, one hand on the touchscreen, the other placing Stellar Jade onto the exchange scale.


    She dove headfirst into shopping, leaving the pink-haired girl behind.


    Himeko immediately recognized her: it was Asta, the lead researcher from Herta Space Station.


    "Asta!"


    Asta turned to Himeko with a smile.


    "Long time no see, Himeko."


    Himeko smiled and nodded.


    "Here to shop too?"


    Asta nodded.


    "Mm-hmm. Madam Herta said I could find anything I wanted here, so I came."


    Himeko replied:


    "She''s not wrong."


    At that moment, Ye Yun walked over.


    "Himeko, brought a new friend?"


    Asta looked at him.


    "Hello, I''m Asta."


    Ye Yun returned the smile politely.


    "Hello, I''m Ye Yun. I own this shop."


    Himeko added:


    "Asta, if you''re looking to buy something, just ask Ye Yun. He can make recommendations."


    Asta thought for a moment, then asked excitedly:


    "Do you sell battleships here?"


    Ye Yun laughed heartily.


    "Of course! Come with me and take a look at the details."


    He led Asta to the bar and sat beside Herta.


    Ye Yun typed "battleship" into the touchscreen. The screen shifted, and dozens of different battleship options appeared.


    The page navigation at the bottom? 99+ pages.


    "Here, take a look."


    Asta began browsing the battleships one by one.


    The more she looked, the more excited she became¡ªshe wanted them all.


    From cultivation-world spirit ships, to apocalyptic doomsday cruisers, fairy tale-themed vessels, and sci-fi star-destroyers¡ª


    As a battleship collector to the core, Asta was in heaven. She couldn''t stop scrolling and wanted to buy everything.


    Ye Yun noticed she wouldn''t be making a decision anytime soon, so he turned to Herta.


    "What are you getting this time? How''s the research going on that Qilin''s Blood you bought last time?"


    Herta glanced at him.


    "Still working on it. The composition is extremely complex¡ªwe haven''t cracked it yet."


    Then she added:


    "But I did extract and dilute a portion.It''s quite effective¡ªit enhances all bodily functions and can extend an average person''s lifespan by about 100 years."


    Ye Yun wasn''t surprised. Qilin blood was an incredibly potent elixir.


    "So, what are you looking for today?"


    Herta''s fingers flew across the screen, scanning items at lightning speed.


    "No idea. Just buying whatever catches my interest."


    Ye Yun crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.


    "Suit yourself. You know the process. I''ll go help Asta."


    Herta waved him off.


    "Go, go. Don''t interrupt my shopping."


    Just then, Zhongli walked over.


    "Excuse me, miss. Did I hear you say you''ve developed something that extends lifespan?"


    Herta turned to glance him up and down. Her eyes sparkled.


    "Oho~ You''re interesting. Let me take a look at you."


    She hopped down from her stool and started circling Zhongli.


    "Fascinating! Fascinating! A long-lived species¡ªat least a few thousand years old¡ªstill alive and well!"


    "You want that elixir?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes. What''s the price?"


    Herta''s lips curled into a sly smile.


    "No money needed. Talking money ruins relationships. How about a little research exchange?"


    She gave him a wicked grin. Ye Yun glanced over¡ªHerta looked like a shady merchant.


    Ye Yun cut in:


    "Herta, Zhongli is a client of mine. Don''t try anything shady."


    Herta rolled her eyes at him.


    "Tch~ I''m not the type to force people. I asked, didn''t I?"


    She turned back to Zhongli, compromising a little.


    "Give me some of your hair, blood, and skin tissue. I''ll give you ten bottles of the elixir. Deal?"


    Zhongli nodded without hesitation.


    To him, it was a fair trade.


    "The contract is sealed. Any breach shall invoke the Wrath of Rock."


    ***


    Zhongli and Herta happily completed their transaction. Herta contentedly put away Zhongli''s hair, blood, and skin tissue.


    Zhongli also received the by-product of Herta''s research on qilin blood¡ªa potion that could extend an ordinary person''s lifespan by about a hundred years.


    After the trade, Herta plopped back onto her high stool and resumed shopping.


    Zhongli stored the ten vials of potion, bid farewell to Yeyun, Welt, and Himeko, and returned to Teyvat.


    Before he left, Ye Yun gave Zhongli a teleportation portal to take back with him.


    These past two days, Zhongli had been secretly following Venti to use the portal in Jean''s office.


    That couldn''t go on forever. For such a "VIP customer," Ye Yun figured it was fine to gift a portal.


    That way, it''d be easier for the client to shop¡ªand after all, Liyue wasn''t lacking in Primogems.


    After passing through the portal, Zhongli returned to Teyvat.


    As soon as he landed, he transformed into golden light and flew toward Liyue Harbor.


    Suddenly, the sky above Liyue Harbor changed dramatically.


    "What''s going on? Why did it suddenly get dark?"


    "No idea¡ªlet''s go home and grab the laundry, looks like it''s about to rain."


    "This scene feels familiar... doesn''t it remind you of something?"


    "You''re right! Isn''t this just like when the Rex Lapis appears at the Rite of Descension each year?"


    "Gasp!!"


    In the next moment, Zhongli appeared in his dragon form, his divine power enveloping the ten vials of diluted qilin-blood potion.


    "This is the elixir of longevity, granted to those who have greatly contributed to Liyue."


    After speaking, Zhongli tossed the ten vials, sending ten beams of golden light flying across the streets and alleys of Liyue Harbor.


    The Jade Chamber, Yujing Terrace, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Bubu Pharmacy, the Qianyan Army garrison¡ªten locations in total.


    At the Jade Chamber, Ningguang held the potion in her hands, filled with joy.


    She hadn''t expected the Archon himself to bestow upon her such a precious elixir.


    Beside her, Baishi looked at Ningguang enviously.


    "Congratulations, Lady Ningguang, on receiving the celestial medicine."


    But Baishi felt no jealousy. In her eyes, Lady Ningguang truly deserved it.


    Lady Ningguang had always worked diligently for Liyue, wholeheartedly devoted to its people.


    At Bubu Pharmacy, Baizhu sat slumped in his chair, one hand limp, holding an empty vial.


    Tears streamed down his face in excitement. After drinking the potion, his illness had been completely cured.


    Now, he no longer had to worry about his condition.


    Qiqi looked at Baizhu in confusion.


    She gently tugged at his sleeve.


    "Don''t cry, Doctor Baizhu... Qiqi is... here with you..."


    Baizhu snapped out of it and patted Qiqi''s hat.


    "It''s okay now, Qiqi. I''m fine. The Archon just gave me a divine medicine that cured my illness.


    Come, let''s head out and visit patients. I must live up to the Archon''s expectations."


    Qiqi nodded stiffly and ran behind the counter to get Baizhu''s medicine box.


    Then Baizhu slung the box over his shoulder, took Qiqi''s hand, and they left the pharmacy to make house calls.


    At the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor¡ª


    Hu Tao was flopped on Zhongli''s special rocking chair, swinging it wildly.


    She was bored to death!


    Then, she saw the Archon appear and bestow divine medicine.


    To her surprise, one of the vials came her way! Hu Tao leapt out of the chair.


    "Whoa! Didn''t expect me to get one too!"


    She carefully stored the vial.


    "I wonder where our guest consultant went? He hasn''t been back in two days. I wanted to share this happy news with him."


    Just as she said that, Zhongli walked in from outside.


    "Director, I''ve returned."


    Hu Tao immediately rushed over and circled him, checking him up and down for any injuries.


    "Where have you been these past two days? I wanted to ask you about an ancient funeral ritual."


    Zhongli walked to the chair and sat down.


    "I was visiting a friend recently."


    Hu Tao gave an "oh," then suddenly remembered the divine medicine she had just received. She quickly took it out and waved it in front of Zhongli.


    "Look! The Archon gave me this elixir¡ªheehee~"


    Zhongli feigned surprise.


    "I didn''t expect the Director to receive one too. Congratulations."


    Hu Tao was very pleased by Zhongli''s compliment and patted him on the shoulder.


    "You really know how to talk."


    Looking at the potion, Hu Tao suddenly said,


    "Hey, let''s split this. Didn''t the Archon say one vial grants a hundred years? So fifty years each."


    As she spoke, she handed the potion to Zhongli.


    To Hu Tao, Zhongli was like family¡ªa respected elder.


    He''d practically watched her grow up and had been friends with her grandfather.


    She wanted him to live longer, so he could stay with her a little longer.


    Zhongli was surprised but deeply moved by Hu Tao''s gesture.


    He felt genuinely comforted.


    "Alright, thank you, Director."


    This was her heartfelt gift¡ªhe had to accept it. But whether he drank it or not... that was something he could quietly handle himself.


    Hu Tao handed the potion over.


    "Hold onto it. I''ll go grab a couple of cups."


    Then she dashed into the house, returning shortly with two cups.


    Hu Tao poured the potion evenly into the cups, making sure the bottle was completely emptied¡ªthere wasn''t a single drop left, even when she shook it hard.


    She raised her cup.


    "Cheers, guest consultant! Heehee~"


    Zhongli smiled and accepted the other cup.


    "Cheers."


    They both drank it down in one go.


    On the surface, Zhongli drank it¡ªbut secretly, he used divine power to transfer all the potion from his cup into Hu Tao''s.


    Hu Tao sipped and sipped before finally finishing her cup.


    She set it down and burped.


    "Burp~ Why does it feel like I drank a lot? The cup wasn''t that big..."


    She lifted the cup to inspect it curiously.


    Zhongli said calmly,


    "After all, it''s a divine elixir. Perhaps that''s just how it works."


    Hu Tao thought about it.


    "Hmm, maybe. Oh well, it''s already drunk. Guest consultant, how do you feel? I don''t feel much."


    Zhongli smiled.


    "You''re still young, so it''s natural you don''t feel anything. As for me, I feel warm all over."


    Hu Tao believed him.


    "Alright~ Oh, by the way¡ªcome with me to Wuwang Hill tonight. I want to ask you about a ritual."


    Zhongli opened his fan and sat back in the rocking chair.


    "Very well. Come fetch me when it''s time."


    Seeing Zhongli agree, Hu Tao cheered and skipped off to her room to prepare for the evening''s event.


    Zhongli watched her go, a strange warmth in his heart¡ªlike watching his own granddaughter growing up.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25 - 25On the main street of Liyue Harbor, General Instructor Feng Ji of the Millelith was leading a team to maintain order.


    With the arrival of the Geo Archon, the entire city was under lockdown to prevent troublemakers from taking advantage of the situation.


    Feng Ji''s sharp gaze constantly swept through the crowd, searching for anything suspicious.


    Suddenly, a wave of exclamations rose from the crowd.


    "Look! It''s the divine elixir bestowed by the Archon!"


    Hearing this, Feng Ji instinctively looked up¡ªand his eyes widened in shock.


    The divine elixir given by the Archon was flying straight toward him.


    It slowly floated in front of Feng Ji, and he quickly reached out to catch it.


    "Thank you, Lord Rex Lapis, for the divine medicine!"


    The surrounding Millelith were overjoyed for him. As the general instructor, Feng Ji was highly respected within the corps.


    He not only taught them combat techniques but also always led from the front in battle¡ªearning everyone''s trust and admiration.


    "Congratulations, Boss!"


    "Boss, you''ve gotta treat us to drinks for this!"


    "Yeah, just a few tables at Wanmin Restaurant, we won''t ask for much!"


    Feng Ji immediately agreed.


    Receiving a divine elixir from the Archon¡ªof course it called for a celebration.


    "Alright, I''ll treat everyone.


    But going to Wanmin Restaurant isn''t realistic¡ªwe all have different off-duty times.


    How about this: the next time I have a day off, I''ll go to Wanmin Restaurant, bring some food back, and we''ll eat together in the barracks. How''s that?"


    Everyone agreed. As long as there was food, they were happy.


    Feng Ji looked at the potion in his hand and drank it in one gulp.


    The moment it entered his stomach, he felt incredibly itchy, as if his body were expanding with new flesh.


    When the sensation faded, he felt overflowing with energy¡ªan endless surge of vitality.


    Suddenly, another wave of astonished gasps erupted from the crowd.


    "Oh my! What Lord Rex Lapis said was true! This potion really does grant longevity! Look at Instructor Feng¡ªhe looks like a young man again!"


    "What are you saying? You think the Archon would lie to us?"


    "No, no, that''s not what I meant! I''m just too excited! Please forgive me!"


    Feng Ji looked down at his hands. The calluses had faded, and his skin looked more vibrant and youthful.


    A fellow Millelith brought over a bronze mirror.


    "Instructor, take a look!"


    Feng Ji stared into the mirror¡ªthis... this was how he looked when he was 17 or 18!


    As expected of a divine elixir¡ªit had truly rejuvenated him.


    Feng Ji''s transformation quickly spread throughout Liyue Harbor.


    After all, he was the only one who had publicly received and consumed the divine elixir.


    His story deepened the citizens'' loyalty to Liyue even more.


    For example, the Northland Bank ended up in trouble.


    Citizens of Liyue Harbor rushed to withdraw their Mora, saying that keeping money in a foreign bank was unfaithful to Liyue.


    When Ningguang heard of this, she immediately established a bank of Liyue¡ªLiyue Bank.


    As expected of Ningguang¡ªher quick thinking put her ahead of all the other merchants, who were still scrambling to react.


    Liyue''s citizens began depositing their money into Liyue Bank en masse.


    The person in charge of the Northland Bank was utterly dumbfounded. "Seriously? Isn''t this a bit much?"


    Citizens of Liyue Harbor: It''s necessary!


    With this move of distributing the divine elixir, Zhongli successfully won the hearts of Liyue''s people.


    Belobog, inside Bronya''s office.


    Bronya sat in her chair with a gloomy expression, looking completely defeated.


    "It''s over. It''s all over. The Stellar Jade is gone!"


    Seele sighed beside her.


    "It''s not that bad. At least we reacted quickly and managed to recover some."


    Just earlier, Bronya and Seele had gathered Gepard and Pela, leading a squad of Silvermane Guards to the commercial district.


    But they were a bit late¡ªStelle and March 7th, along with Fire Monkey and Bob Seed, had already turned half the shopping street upside down.


    All over the street, there were opened and empty chests.


    Among them were even three luxurious chests¡ªthe kind that held 30 Stellar Jade each!


    When Stelle and March 7th saw the officials arrive, they whistled, waved casually, and made a break for it.


    Stelle & March 7th: Hehe! We hit the jackpot!


    The two girls quickly fled to the lower district to hide out, afraid that Bronya might get mad enough to place a bounty on them.


    Of course, that wouldn''t happen¡ªthey were comrades who had fought life-and-death battles together¡ªbut they still felt a little guilty.


    Gepard said,


    "Lady Guardian, didn''t we also successfully reclaim the commercial district this time? All the Fragmentum monsters were eliminated."


    Bronya felt a lot better after hearing that.


    Indeed, she should be grateful to Stelle and March 7th.


    The chests were unowned¡ªwhoever could open them deserved the loot.


    And while looting, they''d also cleared out over half of the Fragmentum monsters in the commercial district.


    "Mm, true."


    Bronya took a deep breath, composed herself, and looked seriously at Gepard and Pela.


    "Gepard, Pela¡ªI have a very important task for both of you."


    The two straightened up immediately, awaiting her orders.


    Bronya spoke slowly:


    "Gepard, after the succession ceremony, take a squad of Silvermane Guards to search for Stellar Jade. Don''t miss a single chest."


    "Pela, you''ll lead a team to acquire Stellar Jade from the residents of Belobog. As for the price¡ªuse your judgment, but make sure the people are fairly compensated."


    Gepard and Pela nodded firmly and left to carry out their missions.


    After they left, Bronya turned to Seele.


    "Seele, after the succession ceremony, will you come with me to visit the Astral Express?"


    Seele nodded.


    "Sure. I remember Natasha is going out for supplies today too¡ªI''ll let her know, and we can go together."


    Bronya smiled and nodded.


    After Seele left the office, Bronya looked at the box of Stellar Jade nearby.


    Thankfully, Seele had reacted in time and come to find her.


    Otherwise, these 800 Stellar Jade would''ve been snatched away by Stelle and March 7th.


    The succession ceremony soon began.


    Cocolia was the first to appear, explaining the danger of the Stellaron and how she had been seriously injured during the battle with it and needed to rest.


    She then formally appointed Bronya as the new Supreme Guardian.


    Bronya stepped forward and gave a rousing speech, warmly received by the people.


    The citizens of Belobog had witnessed Bronya''s strength and leadership firsthand.


    No one opposed her succession.


    Bronya also publicly thanked Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng for their assistance.


    This made Stelle and March 7th¡ªwho were eavesdropping by a loudspeaker in the lower district¡ªabsolutely delighted.


    Stelle & March 7th: Hehe, we''re heroes now!


    The succession ceremony wasn''t overly complicated. After the new Guardian''s speech, it concluded quickly.


    ***


    Inside the train.


    Herta was still rapidly swiping through the screen.


    Asta, on the other hand, had picked out the battleship she wanted to buy, but didn''t have quite enough Stellar Jade.


    [Product: Galaxy-Class Battleship. Product Description: A galaxy-class battleship capable of housing one million crew members. Fully equipped facilities and includes one star-system-scale dimensional foil. Price: 1,000,000 Credits.]


    Asta looked at Ye Yun and pleaded.


    "Ye Yun, I really want this, but I don''t have enough Stellar Jade. Can you reserve it for me? I''ll get someone to collect more when I get back."


    Ye Yun smiled and agreed¡ªit seemed like among all his clients, only Asta would be interested in something like this.


    Besides, as long as the money was enough, even a hundred of them could be easily supplied by the system.


    "Sure, I''ll reserve it for you. Let''s add each other''s contact info. Just message me when you''re ready to buy."


    Asta was overjoyed and took out her phone to exchange contact info with Ye Yun.


    "Thank you, Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun shook his head, indicating it was no big deal.


    Then Asta went to the side to contact someone to gather Stellar Jade.


    Ye Yun looked over at Herta.


    "Yo, still haven''t found what you want?"


    Herta shook her head.


    "I did, but I don''t have enough money. Can you give me a discount?"


    Ye Yun spread his hands.


    "Sorry, I can''t. Small business¡ªno credit, no discounts."


    Herta let out a "tsk" and shot Ye Yun a look of disdain.


    "Cheapskate."


    She turned around and thought for a moment, then bought a scout drone for 10,000 credits.


    [Product: Starling Scout Drone. Product Description: A "Builder" unit from the Starling species, capable of manifesting buildings using projected resources. Price: 10,000 Credits]


    Ye Yun looked at the scout drone next to Herta¡ªit had a chunky head and kept scanning things¡ªhe couldn''t quite figure out what Herta wanted it for.


    "What are you buying that for?"


    Herta patted the drone''s smooth, shiny head.


    "I''m going to take it back and modify it. I happen to need a mechanical assistant."


    The scout drone looked up at its owner after being patted.


    "Beep~ Beep~"


    Herta jumped off the tall stool and called out to Asta nearby.


    "Asta, let''s go, time to head back."


    Asta snapped out of her thoughts and followed Herta out of Ye Yun''s store.


    After the two of them returned to the Herta Space Station via starship...


    Herta took the drone straight to her lab.


    Asta stood outside the door, and before long, she heard the drone screaming from inside. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Beep!!!! Beep!!!!"


    Half an hour later¡ª


    Herta emerged with a newly-modified drone.


    Asta looked at it but didn''t see any big difference.


    "Madam Herta, what exactly did you modify? It looks exactly the same to me."


    Herta patted the drone''s head.


    "Blockhead No. 1, store that flowerpot."


    That''s the name Herta gave the scout drone¡ªits body was basically just a big round head, so she named it that.


    Blockhead No. 1 aimed at the flowerpot Herta pointed to and fired a beam. The flowerpot visibly shrank and flew into the drone''s body.


    Herta explained,


    "I upgraded its AI, added a folded-space storage module, and installed a shrink prism so it can miniaturize objects."


    Blockhead No. 1 chirped twice and circled Herta excitedly.


    Herta continued,


    "This way, I won''t have to run around looking for materials during experiments. Blockhead No. 1 can just store them for me."


    Asta was amazed.


    This Blockhead No. 1 was seriously useful¡ªshe even wanted one herself.


    She could use it to store her cosmetics, clothes, jewelry, documents¡ªall sorts of stuff.


    When she didn''t need them, she could stash them in Blockhead No. 1. When she did, she could just ask it to bring them out.


    Herta noticed Asta''s longing gaze at Blockhead No. 1.


    "You go buy a drone from Ye Yun. I''ll help you modify it when you get back."


    Asta''s face lit up with joy.


    "Really, Madam Herta?!"


    Herta nodded.


    "Yeah, it''s no big deal. You go ahead. I''m taking Blockhead No. 1 to visit my main body."


    Then¡ª


    Herta took Blockhead No. 1 and headed to the platform to board a starship.


    After Herta left, Asta contacted Himeko and asked her to help buy a drone. She''d pay her back later.


    Himeko agreed and helped her purchase one.


    Back on the train¡ª


    After Herta and Asta left, Ye Yun looked around and suddenly widened his eyes.


    Wait a second! Why was Silver Wolf still here? Kafka already left!


    In Ye Yun''s view¡ª


    Silver Wolf had taken over a whole booth. At some point, a huge display screen had appeared on the table.


    She was sitting cross-legged on the couch, leaning back against a beanbag, holding a controller in her hand and wearing a headset, completely immersed in her game.


    She mumbled as she played:


    "Dodge that! Eat my Monkey King''s staff! Hehe! I dodged! Silly little tiger¡ªhow laughable!"


    Ye Yun walked over to see what she was doing, but just as he got close, Silver Wolf suddenly threw the controller.


    "Ugh! What kind of stupid mechanic is that?! I don''t believe this¡ªI will beat that dumb Tiger Vanguard today!"


    Ye Yun interrupted her and pulled off her headset.


    Silver Wolf looked up at him.


    "What are you doing? Don''t touch my headset! Quit bothering me."


    Ye Yun asked,


    "Kafka already left. Aren''t you going back?"


    Silver Wolf replied,


    "Elio said I''m stationed here from now on. What, you''re not kicking me out, are you?"


    Ye Yun didn''t really mind.


    "Nope. But why did Elio assign you here?"


    Silver Wolf shrugged while picking up the controller again.


    "No idea. That''s what he said. By the way, do you have any rooms? Rent me one?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "No rooms here. You can ask Himeko."


    Silver Wolf grumbled but went to find Himeko.


    A short while later, she came back.


    Ye Yun asked,


    "So? Any luck?"


    Silver Wolf spread her hands.


    "Nope. She said there are no rooms left. Even Stelle is bunking with someone."


    She looked at the booth around her.


    "Plenty of space here, nice and private with glass dividers. How about renting this booth?"


    Ye Yun was speechless.


    "You''re not seriously thinking of living here, are you?"


    Silver Wolf nodded.


    "At the base, I mostly live on the couch in the lounge. This isn''t that different. So, rent it or not?"


    Ye Yun chuckled¡ªthis girl really was a gaming addict, probably up all night playing games if she was used to sleeping on couches.


    "Forget the rent. If you want to stay here, just stay."


    Silver Wolf patted Ye Yun on the shoulder with satisfaction.


    "Now that''s loyalty. If you ever need anything, just call me. I''ll help if I can."


    With that, she summoned a keyboard and started using Ether editing to modify the booth.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26 - 26Nighttime, inside Ye Yun''s shop.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng returned to the train through a portal.


    As soon as Stelle came back, she rushed into the small bar carrying a large black trash bag, startling Paimon, who was pouring a drink.


    "Stelle! Why are you running so fast? You scared me!"


    Stelle chuckled sheepishly, set down the large black trash bag, and cupped her hands in apology.


    "Sorry, sorry, it''s urgent."


    Paimon took a sip of her drink through a straw stuck into her wine glass.


    "Urgent? What is it? Need help?"


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "No need, no need."


    Then, she reached into the trash bag and pulled out a handful of Star Jades, placing them on the exchange scale.


    Stelle kept grabbing and placing more, until the Star Coins on the other end of the scale overflowed and scattered across the bar counter.


    Paimon stared, dumbfounded.


    So many Star Coins! How much food could this buy? One roast chicken, two roast chickens, three roast chickens...


    Behind Stelle, March 7th was also holding a small bag, waiting in line to exchange her Star Jades.


    Before long, both Star and March 7th had exchanged all their Star Jades into Star Coins.


    Together, they earned a total of 50,000 Star Coins ¡ª that''s 500 Star Jades.


    Each got 250 Star Jades worth ¡ª or 25,000 coins.


    Stelle reached out to wet her hand a little from the bar''s faucet, then happily started counting the Star Coins one by one.


    Just then, Bronya, Seele, and Natasha stepped out of the portal and saw the scene.


    Bronya almost fainted on the spot.


    The Star Jades weren''t the issue ¡ª they were unclaimed items anyway.


    But why did you have to use a bag labeled with Belobog in big bold letters?!


    On the black bag Star had dropped at her feet, the words "Belobog" were clearly printed.


    Bronya recognized that type of bag ¡ª there was a cabinet outside her office with the same ones, used for storing discarded documents to be incinerated.


    Where did Stelle get that trash bag? Bronya was completely baffled.


    Just then, Ye Yun walked over.


    "Natasha, Seele, Bronya."


    Natasha smiled.


    "Sorry to bother you again, Ye Yun."


    After greeting everyone, Ye Yun asked:


    "Are you here to shop?"


    Bronya nodded and took out a box filled with Star Jades.


    "Mm, I heard from Seele and Natasha that you accept Star Jades in exchange for supplies, so..."


    Bronya remembered she still had a debt from the last time she met Ye Yun.


    "Right, you used a bottle of medicine when you saved my mother last time ¡ª that was worth 100 Star Jades, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s correct. That medicine costs 100 Star Jades."


    Bronya handed over 100 Star Jades to Ye Yun.


    "Thank you for saving my mother last time."


    Ye Yun smiled and called out to Paimon.


    "Paimon, come over here for a moment."


    Still fantasizing about roast chicken, Paimon snapped out of her daydream and floated over with her drink.


    "Ye Yun, what do you need?"


    Ye Yun pointed at Bronya.


    "Take Bronya through the shopping process."


    Paimon looked extremely reluctant at the thought of doing actual work.


    "No way! This is your shop ¡ª you handle the customers!"


    Ye Yun smirked slyly.


    "I''ll give you one roast chicken."


    Paimon froze mid-air, stopping in her tracks.


    "Two chickens!" she spun around dramatically, holding up two fingers.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Deal."


    Paimon, delighted, put down her drink and flew over to Bronya.


    "Hi, what''s your name? I''m Paimon! Come on, I''ll show you how the shopping process works ¡ª that way you''ll know how to buy stuff here.


    Let me tell you, buying from Ye Yun is a huge hassle ¡ª you have to go through the exchange scale first..."


    Ye Yun watched Paimon energetically guide Bronya away and smiled ¡ª dealing with Paimon was easy.


    Still, Ye Yun figured it was time to hire a clerk.


    He wanted to get out and explore more, but he couldn''t just leave the shop unattended.


    As he pondered, he sat down at the booth with his tea set.


    After some thought, Ye Yun settled on the perfect candidate.


    You''re the one! Noelle!


    Ye Yun took out a letter and scribbled a few lines, then sealed it in an envelope.


    "Paimon! Paimon!"


    Paimon had just finished guiding Bronya and was about to sip her drink when she puffed up her cheeks and stomped in midair angrily.


    "What now!?"


    Ye Yun bought three "Super Duper Delicious Roast Chickens" from the system and placed them on the table.


    "Go deliver this letter to Jean for me."


    Paimon''s expression changed instantly when she saw the roast chickens. She grinned and snatched the envelope from Ye Yun.


    "Got it~ I''m on it!"


    Just as Paimon left, Lumine walked over from the next booth.


    "Ye Yun, are those three roast chickens for Paimon?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, why?"


    Lumine chuckled, picked up all three roast chickens, and headed back to her seat.


    "Then I''ll help myself~"


    She flew off, sat down in the next booth, tore off a drumstick, and started eating.


    "Mm~ Free food always tastes better!"


    Paimon came back through the portal and went straight to Ye Yun to claim her "wages."


    "Ye Yun, I delivered the letter ¡ª where''s my roast chicken?"


    Ye Yun sipped his tea.


    "Didn''t Lumine already take them?"


    Paimon froze.


    "Lumine!!!"


    She zoomed into the booth and saw Lumine happily devouring the roast chicken, face turning red with rage.


    "Lumine! Give me back my roast chicken!"


    Lumine swallowed a mouthful.


    "So what if I ate one? You''ve eaten so much of my food before."


    Paimon was instantly speechless.


    Fine, whatever ¡ª what''s done is done. Might as well eat first.


    She flew into the booth and snatched a drumstick to start munching.


    ***


    At the Mondstadt Knights of Favonius headquarters, in Jean''s office.


    After reading Ye Yun''s letter, Jean asked someone to summon Noelle.


    Noelle arrived at Jean''s office.


    "Captain Jean, you wanted to see me?"


    Jean looked at her and smiled.


    "Yes, I have something I''d like you to help with."


    Noelle immediately stood at attention.


    Captain Jean needs me!


    Jean smiled gently at Noelle standing so seriously.


    "No need to be so nervous. It''s nothing major ¡ª I just want you to go help out a friend by working as a shop assistant."


    Noelle was a bit puzzled.


    "A shop assistant?"


    Jean nodded.


    "Yes, just to work as a clerk."


    Although she didn''t quite understand why Jean wanted her to do this, Noelle trusted her completely.


    Captain Jean was an excellent knight, and she was just a trainee ¡ª whatever her senior said must be right.


    More importantly, Captain Jean needed her!


    This filled Noelle with enthusiasm ¡ª she couldn''t wait to become a shop assistant.


    Seeing that Noelle had agreed, Jean led her into the portal toward Ye Yun''s shop.


    ***


    Bronya''s Side


    At this moment, Bronya was browsing the store with 70,000 credits in hand.


    Looking at the rows of product listings¡ªmachines, food, weapon blueprints¡ªshe felt like buying everything.


    Everything was essentially useful to Belobog. Belobog was just too poor and lacked everything.


    Bronya borrowed a scrap of paper and a pen from Clara, who was about to go home after school, and began scribbling calculations, carefully budgeting how to stretch her 70,000 credits to get the most supplies.


    Unintentionally, her eyes drifted to a black garbage bag at her feet¡ªit was thrown there by Stelle.


    She instantly regretted it.


    She had missed out on 500 Stellar Jade! What was she thinking?!


    After a brief moment of frustration, Bronya sighed and continued shopping.


    Just then, a commotion came from nearby.


    "Everyone! Look over here! I''m opening bins!"


    Bronya looked in the direction of the voice.


    There was Stelle, standing in an open area near the booths, with ten brand-new garbage bins laid out in front of her.


    Bronya was a little curious.


    "What is Stelle doing?"


    Lumine, who had just finished eating roast chicken and was washing her hands, said:


    "She''s doing a loot box opening, basically a lottery.


    The garbage bins are from Ye Yun''s shop¡ªcalled the Garbage Bin Scratch-Offs. 1,000 credits per bin. If you''re lucky, you can get something way more valuable than that."


    Bronya nodded¡ªso that''s how it worked.


    Inside the shop, everyone turned their attention to Stelle.


    Klee and Hook stopped playing and ran over to stand beside Stelle, ready to watch the fun.


    "Stelle-sis, what are you doing~?" Klee asked curiously.


    Stelle replied, "Big sis is doing a draw. You two stand back a bit¡ªthere''s going to be some bright light, don''t let it hurt your eyes."


    The two little ones obediently backed off a bit.


    But they still stood on tiptoes, peeking into the bins with curiosity.


    Stelle clasped her hands behind her back and inspected the bins like a general. She even lit three incense sticks to pray for good luck.


    March 7th looked at her speechlessly.


    "Stelle, stop doing these superstitious rituals. They''re not going to change your luck."


    Dan Heng also chimed in, "What''s meant to be yours will be yours. What''s not, you can''t force." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Stelle could argue back, Lumine spoke up in her defense.


    "You guys don''t understand. There''s a mystical element to this kind of draw."


    Stelle gave Lumine a big thumbs-up. "A kindred spirit!"


    Lumine crossed her arms. "Stelle, trust me¡ªjust do a ten-pull. At least you''re guaranteed something."


    Without hesitation, Stelle pulled all ten bins at once.


    In an instant, golden light burst throughout the shop. Klee and Hook, who were standing nearby, quickly covered their eyes.


    As the golden light faded, everyone gathered around to check the results.


    Stelle excitedly tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, come help me check if I got anything good!"


    Ye Yun checked each one carefully.


    "Three Premium Durians, three ultra-fermented herring cans pro max version, one standard katana, a redemption card for ten tons of premium rice, one full imperial feast set, one laptop."


    After checking everything, Ye Yun couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    "Hahaha! Stelle, you got nothing again! This is a full miss, hahaha!"


    Stelle collapsed on the ground in despair.


    "Noooooooooooo!"


    March 7 shook her head helplessly.


    "Told you not to play this. You just wouldn''t listen. That''s 10,000 credits down the drain."


    As she spoke, March 7 picked up a durian and asked Ye Yun, "Ye Yun, is this premium durian any good?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "Of course! This is the best kind of durian."


    Hearing that, March 7 remembered the durian she had at Natasha''s clinic and subconsciously licked her lips.


    "Seele! Lend me your blade! Let''s eat durian!"


    Seele, hearing about durian, grabbed her scythe and followed March 7th to the kitchen.


    March 7th placed the durian on the cutting board, and Seele swiftly sliced it open.


    Klee and Hook ran to the kitchen.


    Klee jumped up and leaned over the counter.


    "March 7-sis! What''s this fruit?"


    March 7 smiled and put a piece on a plate.


    "This is durian. Don''t lean over¡ªcome here and try it."


    Klee and Hook ran into the kitchen.


    Klee took the plate from March 7th. "Thanks, March 7th-sis~"


    March 7th smiled. "No need to thank me. Try it, it''s really tasty."


    Hook, having eaten it before at the clinic, wasn''t fazed by the smell and immediately dug in.


    But Klee, who had never had it before, sniffed it and quickly pinched her nose.


    "This fruit''s gone bad! Klee doesn''t want it!"


    Ye Yun walked over holding the other two durians.


    "Klee, durians always smell like this. Just try it¡ªit''s really good."


    Klee stared at the fruit for a bit, clearly torn.


    In the end, she decided to give it a try¡ªafter all, Hook looked like she was really enjoying it.


    "Nom~"


    Klee took a small bite¡ªand her eyes lit up.


    "Tasty!"


    Ye Yun affectionately ruffled her hair.


    "Then eat lots if you like it."


    Ye Yun cut open the other two durians and shared them with everyone present.


    He cut the fruit, while March 7th handled distribution.


    After the two little ones finished eating, they became the runners.


    Klee carried a plate of durian over to Stelle, holding it up like a treasure.


    "Stelle-sis, have some durian! It''s really tasty!"


    Still heartbroken from her loss, Stelle looked at Klee''s bright smile, and felt a little better.


    "Thanks, Klee."


    Klee beamed. "If Stelle-sis eats tasty durian, she can''t be sad anymore! Mama says, smiling brings good luck!"


    Stelle smiled a little. "Okay, big sis won''t be sad anymore."


    After eating the durian, she stood up with renewed determination and bought ten more garbage bins.


    "I don''t believe this! I''m getting something good today!"


    Everyone continued watching while munching on durian.


    March 7th took a bite and said to Seele, "Wanna bet Stelle crashes again this time?"


    Seele licked her fingers. "Of course¡ªdidn''t she just crash a minute ago?"


    Welt looked at Stelle and sighed.


    Looks like he''ll need to have a serious talk with her about her gambling addiction later.


    Klee and Hook cheered Stelle on beside her.


    "Go, Stelle-sis! You''re the best!"


    "Go, honorary mole party member! Show them what we''re made of!"


    Stelle patted Klee on the head and did another ten-pull.


    Once again, golden light burst forth.


    This time, everyone came prepared¡ªthey all took out sunglasses. March 7th even kindly handed out extras to Seele, Natasha, and Bronya.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27 - 27A flash of light shot out. Ye Yun looked at the results and was immediately so shocked his jaw dropped¡ªhis sunglasses even fell to the ground.


    "What the heck? What kind of god-tier luck is this?!"


    Stelle looked at the ten items on the ground. Aside from five Premium durians, the other five were things she didn''t recognize.


    "Well? Well? Did I hit the jackpot?"


    Ye Yun nodded and picked up a small bamboo-copter.


    "This thing is called a bamboo dragonfly. Put it on your head and it lets you fly freely, controlled by your thoughts."


    Stelle took it and immediately placed it on her head.


    In the next second, in everyone''s eyes, the bamboo-copter on Stelle''s head started spinning¡ªand she slowly lifted off the ground.


    She flailed her arms and legs like she was swimming through the air.


    "Haha! This is so fun!"


    March 7th watched Stelle fly around the shop like she was swimming and felt super jealous.


    "Stelle! Let me try it!"


    Stelle landed and handed the bamboo-copter to March 7th.


    Himeko and Welt were too stunned to speak. Something so small could let someone fly¡ªjust by wearing it on their head?


    Stelle returned to Ye Yun''s side. Ye Yun picked up a glowing energy orb encased in glass and showed everyone.


    "Hey, doesn''t this look familiar to you guys?"


    Everyone looked at it. Suddenly, Welt spoke up.


    "Isn''t this... a Stellaron? But I''ve never seen one this stable before."


    Ye Yun nodded. "Correct. This is a Stellaron. But this one is unusually stable¡ªand it can be directly implanted into a human body."


    "Congratulations, Stelle. You''re leveling up."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up. A Stellaron?! And one that could be implanted?!


    She took the core and studied it curiously.


    Ye Yun added, "Just crush the glass casing around it."


    Stelle did as told. The glass was fragile and shattered easily.


    The Stellaron instantly flew into her body, settling beside her original one.


    Himeko looked worriedly at Stelle. Even though Ye Yun said it was safe, this was still a Stellaron¡ªthe so-called "cancer of all worlds."


    "Stelle, how do you feel? Any discomfort?"


    Stelle crossed her arms confidently. "Nope! I feel way stronger already!"


    Himeko sighed in relief. "That''s good."


    As for the remaining three items:


    One storage ring, one high-level spirit essence, and a redemption card for 100 tons of premium rice.


    Stelle looked over the last three, thought for a moment, and sold both the previous 10-ton and the current 100-ton rice redemption cards to Bronya for just 500 credits.


    She had no use for that much rice¡ªmight as well let Bronya take it.


    As for the five durians, Stelle waved her hand grandly and shared them on the spot with everyone.


    Paimon was over the moon, clapping her hands like crazy.


    Besides Stelle herself, the happiest person with the results was Paimon¡ªbecause when Stelle got durians, Paimon got to eat some too.


    Klee, watching March 7th flying around with the bamboo-copter, also wanted one.


    She ran over to Ye Yun, tugging on his clothes.


    "Big bro Ye Yun~ Klee wants to open a box too!"


    Ye Yun instantly agreed with a smile.


    "Sure!"


    He bought a Garbage Bin Scratch-Off and placed it in front of Klee.


    Everyone gathered around, curious to see what Klee would get.


    Klee stood on tiptoe.


    "Heave-ho!" she struggled to open the lid, then clasped her hands together.


    "Klee wants a reward that can fly and play with Klee!"


    A beam of golden light flashed, and in front of Klee appeared a creature about the height of a person, with a pair of white wings on its back¡ªDodoco!


    The moment Klee saw what she got¡ª


    "Wow! It''s Dodoco! And it can fly!"


    Dodoco waddled over on its stubby legs, picked Klee up, and gently placed her on its back.


    "Dodoco, and Hook too¡ªHook is a good friend~"


    Hearing that, Dodoco also lifted Hook up and placed her behind Klee.


    Then, with a flap of its wings, Dodoco took off with both of them.


    Just at that moment, Jean arrived with Noelle¡ªand saw the scene.


    "Is that... Dodoco?"


    Klee saw Jean and directed Dodoco to land in front of her.


    "Captain Jean~!"


    Klee slid down from Dodoco like it was a slide.


    Jean quickly caught her and flicked her forehead lightly.


    "Klee! Be careful!"


    Klee rubbed her forehead and grinned. "Got it, Captain Jean~"


    Jean glanced at the giant Dodoco. She didn''t need to ask¡ªobviously this was Ye Yun''s doing.


    After all, everyone here knew Ye Yun spoiled Klee, Hook, and Clara silly.


    Put plainly, Ye Yun was a total "daughter-con."


    Ye Yun didn''t deny it¡ªin fact, he proudly agreed. "Raising daughters is the happiest thing in the universe, okay?"


    Klee giggled and introduced cheerfully, "Captain Jean, this is Dodoco~ Can I bring it home?"


    Jean looked at Dodoco. It smiled and waved at her.


    "...Okay."


    Jean agreed.


    She had been busy lately. Just today, she and Lumine had found and repaired the Lyre of the Sky.


    Tomorrow, they''d be heading off to rescue Dvalin.


    She hadn''t had time to properly care for Klee lately. Letting Dodoco accompany her seemed like a good idea.


    Klee cheered and grabbed Hook''s hand.


    "Hook, let''s go play at the Knights of Favonius!"


    Hook happily agreed.


    She''d been to Mondstadt once before with Ye Yun, and it had left a deep impression on her¡ªit was such a beautiful world.


    Dodoco carried Klee and Hook into a teleport portal and left the shop.


    Only then did Jean lead Noelle over to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, this is Noelle."


    Noelle looked at Ye Yun.


    "Hello, Mr. Ye Yun. I''m Noelle. Captain Jean has sent me to assist you as a store clerk."


    She gave a formal knight''s salute.


    Ye Yun smiled at her sincere demeanor.


    "Nice to meet you, Noelle. No need to be nervous¡ªlet me explain your job and benefits."


    "First, your shift starts at 8 AM and ends at 6 PM, with a 2-hour lunch break.


    You''ll mostly be greeting customers. I''ll have Paimon show you the ropes in a bit.


    As for pay¡ªit''s 5,000 credits a month. Meals included; lodging, not. Sound good?"


    Noelle was startled at the mention of salary and quickly waved her hands.


    "No, no! I don''t need payment! This is my duty as a knight!"


    Ye Yun made the decision without hesitation.


    "It''s settled then. Jean, what do you think?"


    Jean nodded. "Yes, that''s fine."


    She agreed on Noelle''s behalf.


    Getting paid for work was normal, after all.


    But Noelle¡ªalways so helpful¡ªwas just too kindhearted.


    Back in Mondstadt, she often helped others for free, so everyone in town liked going to her for help.


    ***


    Noelle had no choice but to agree after Jean spoke.


    "Alright then."


    Ye Yun nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good. Then you''ll start work tomorrow. It''s getting late now, so go get some rest. See you tomorrow."


    After that, everyone in the shop went their separate ways.


    Bronya, Seele, and Natasha happily returned to Belobog through the portal.


    Jean, Lumine, Noelle, and Paimon also went back to Teyvat.


    The Astral Express crew returned to their respective rooms to rest.


    March 7th stretched lazily.


    "Now that I think about it, nothing beats sleeping in my own bed~"


    Stelle finished the last bite of durian and let out a loud burp.


    "Let''s gooo, time to sleep!"


    As Stelle spoke, she headed straight for March 7th''s room.


    March 7th saw this and immediately shouted to stop her.


    "Stelle! Don''t go in yet! Let that smell air out! You reek of durian!"


    Star grinned mischievously and made a silly face.


    "Bleh bleh bleh, I''m going in anyway."


    She ran toward March 7th''s room playfully, with March 7th chasing right after.


    "Stelle! Get back here!"


    Behind them, Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng watched the scene with knowing smiles.


    Ye Yun also washed up and went to bed.


    Belobog.


    After returning to Belobog, Bronya took out a large stack of Stellar Jade vouchers and pressed them onto the bubbles of the item list.


    The bubbles disappeared, releasing a massive amount of supplies.


    Gepard and a group of Silvermane Guards, already waiting there, quickly moved in to receive the goods.


    Rice, vegetables, flour, fruits, meat, mining tools, various industrial equipment¡ª


    There was simply too much. Fortunately, being in the Mechanical Settlement, Bronya had Svarog dispatch a team of robot workers to help transport the goods.


    Finally, Bronya took out the premium rice redemption card that she had bought from Stelle.


    She tore it apart, and a magical formation appeared in her hand, from which rice continuously poured out.


    Seele, quick on her feet, grabbed a bunch of bags to catch the rice.


    At last¡ª


    After more than two hours of effort, all the goods were stored in the warehouse.


    Bronya looked at the now fully stocked warehouse and let out a breath of relief.


    With these supplies, the pressure on Belobog would be greatly reduced.


    In the past, they had to both fight monsters from the Fragmentum and worry about filling their stomachs.


    Now, at least, they didn''t need to worry about going hungry.


    The warehouse was heavily guarded, with Gepard personally leading the security.


    Then, Bronya headed to the recently reclaimed commercial street.


    It''s worth mentioning that all the residents from the Underworld had been relocated here.


    The living conditions in the Underworld had been far too poor, so now that they had a new place, of course they''d move.


    Now, aside from the miners and Svarog''s Mechanical Settlement, hardly anyone remained in the Underworld.


    Svarog''s place wouldn''t be moved¡ªit remained as the guardian of the portal.


    Bronya strolled down the commercial street. In the nearby shops, families gathered around campfires, with iron pots boiling on top.


    In the pot, they were cooking the freshly distributed rice.


    Bronya could faintly hear a family''s conversation.


    "Daddy, the rice smells so good~"


    "Smells good, huh? Eat a lot later then."


    "Mm! Daddy, this place is so pretty! Today I saw a monster that eats people!"


    "Hahaha, that''s a bus. I''ll take you for a ride tomorrow."


    "Yay!"


    "Alright, alright, you two stop messing around. Come eat¡ªafter dinner it''s time to rest."


    "Okay, okay, listen to Mommy."


    The family sat around the fire, happily eating their porridge.


    Though it was just plain porridge, in the snowy winter night, it was enough to warm both body and soul.


    Bronya looked into the distance. Scenes like this were everywhere in the commercial street.


    The eyes of these people were no longer lifeless¡ªthey were filled with hope. Hope for tomorrow.


    Before, their only wish for tomorrow was survival. Now, they had much more.


    For example, earning more money to furnish their new homes.


    Or buying new clothes for their wife and kids.


    Or chasing dreams, enriching their lives.


    A smile unconsciously crept onto Bronya''s lips as she softly murmured: S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How nice."


    She turned and walked away from the street, her steps firmer, her posture more upright.


    At the gates of the Knights of Favonius HQ.


    Lumine and Paimon waved goodbye to Jean and Noelle.


    "See you tomorrow, Acting Grand Master Jean, Noelle."


    Lumine and Paimon then arrived at a small garden below the headquarters. Lumine''s off-road camper was parked there.


    This small garden had already been designated to Lumine by Jean¡ªit was her "home."


    A fence had been placed at the entrance.


    Vines had grown up the fence, blooming with colorful flowers.


    Pushing open the gate, flowerbeds flanked both sides, and ahead was a stone path leading straight to the camper.


    The path was paved with pebbles, with a bench placed along the way.


    The two walked to the camper door and entered.


    The interior had changed a lot since it was first purchased¡ªthere were many signs of daily life now.


    Photos hung on the wall, a vase on the table, and so on.


    After resting for a bit, the two began their nightly routine.


    "Lumine, hand me the towel."


    Lumine passed Paimon the towel, then dried her own hair and lay on the top bunk.


    Since Paimon didn''t take up "space," they both shared the top bunk. The bottom bunk had been converted into a small sitting area, with a little table and a bookshelf.


    Lying in bed, Lumine looked out the window at the scenery.


    The moon shone brightly, reflected on the holy surface of Cider Lake.


    Before long, Paimon had finished washing up too.


    "Lumine, what are we eating tonight?"


    Lumine looked at her.


    "You just ate a bunch of durian and roast chicken. You''re still hungry?"


    Paimon crossed her arms.


    "That was a snack, not a proper meal."


    Lumine was a little speechless.


    "There''s nothing left at home. Just two cups of instant noodles. If you want one, go make it."


    Paimon rubbed her hands together and took the instant noodles from the fridge.


    "Alrighty! Lumine, want one too?"


    "Yeah."


    Paimon cooked the noodles while Lumine opened the outdoor table. The two sat at the table outside, each with a cup of noodles, chatting and slurping.


    "Lumine, let''s go eat Sweet Madame tomorrow, okay?"


    "Nope. Tomorrow we have to go find Dvalin, remember?"


    "Oh right~ Then the day after tomorrow, hehe."


    Inside the Knights of Favonius HQ.


    After returning, Noelle went back to her room, while Jean visited Klee''s.


    Jean gently opened the door to find Klee and Hook snuggled up asleep in Dodoco''s arms.


    The two little ones were cuddled close, sleeping sweetly.


    Dodo-King looked at Jean and smiled.


    Jean walked in, gently tucked them in, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.


    She stretched in her office, then headed home.


    Since they would be searching for Dvalin tomorrow, she decided not to handle paperwork tonight, choosing instead to rest and restore her energy.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 - 28The sun rose and the moon set¡ªsoon, it was the next day.


    Inside Jean''s office.


    Venti, Jean, Diluc, Paimon, and Lumine were chatting together.


    Before long, Ye Yun, Welt, Stelle, and March 7th stepped in.


    "Morning, everyone," Ye Yun waved and greeted them.


    Paimon waved back. "Morning, Ye Yun, and you too, Stelle, March, Mr. Welt!"


    Jean and the others greeted them as well.


    After some brief hellos, they got to the main topic.


    Yesterday, Lumine had told Ye Yun they''d be going to find Dvalin today.


    And as it happened, Noelle was taking care of the shop, so Ye Yun could finally step out instead of being stuck there every day.


    After thinking it over, Ye Yun decided to go with them.


    "So, what do you say? Are we heading out now?" Ye Yun asked.


    Leaning against the wall, Diluc straightened up. "Let''s go. The sooner we get this over with, the better."


    They all headed east¡ªout of Mondstadt, across Windrise, and arrived at Starsnatch Cliff.


    But their journey didn''t feel like a mission¡ªit felt more like a field trip.


    Stelle, Lumine, March 7th, and Paimon were goofing off the whole way¡ªcatching fish, kicking slimes around like soccer balls.


    Especially Stelle, who was having the time of her life. She kicked an Anemo Slime, which exploded and sent her flying from the wind blast.


    At Starsnatch Cliff.


    Venti pulled out the Skyward Lyre and played a song, successfully summoning Dvalin.


    "Barbatos! Did you come with them to hunt me?!"


    Venti tried to explain, "No, it''s not like that¡ª"


    Just then, an Abyss Mage appeared above Dvalin, whispering in his ear.


    "Poor dragon... he has abandoned you. Embrace the Aby¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Ye Yun suddenly appeared behind him and grabbed him.


    The mage''s shield shattered instantly upon Ye Yun''s touch.


    Ye Yun threw the mage down to the ground with force.


    Dvalin was startled and about to attack Ye Yun¡ª


    But Ye Yun glared at him. "What are you lookin'' at?!"


    Dvalin flared up. "What, I can''t look?!"


    Ye Yun smirked. "Oho! Got a temper, huh? Alright, let''s see what you''ve got!"


    Ye Yun instantly appeared on Dvalin and punched him hard.


    The pain made Dvalin realize he had just been attacked.


    Under Ye Yun''s strike, Dvalin crashed heavily to the ground.


    As he tried to get up and fly, he suddenly saw a cheerful gray-haired girl pointing a giant greatsword at his neck.


    "Hehe, don''t move!"


    Feeling the burning heat from the greatsword''s flames, Dvalin immediately gave up resisting.


    Ye Yun landed and dusted his hands. "Okay, my part''s done. Next up!"


    Venti tapped Lumine''s shoulder. "Lumine, you''re up."


    Lumine snapped out of it and ran behind Dvalin, using her dull blade to hack at the poisonous spike.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    That spike was tougher than expected¡ªLumine hacked away for a long time and only managed to cut half of it.


    Panting and wiping sweat from her forehead, she took a breather.


    Meanwhile, Stelle and March 7th were playing with some crabs they''d caught, alongside their critters¡ªthe Fire Monkey and Bub Seed.


    Ye Yun, Welt, and Diluc set up a tea table and began chatting over tea.


    Jean and Venti chatted off to the side about who-knows-what.


    Paimon sat munching on a bag of chips.


    Lumine felt so bitter inside. Why did I agree to do this?! I wanna go back and slap past-me.


    After resting, she got back to chipping away at the spike.


    Just then, the air around them twisted¡ªAbyss portals opened, and hordes of Hilichurls and Abyss Mages came pouring out.


    And then, an Abyss Herald appeared.


    "This dragon''s fate belongs to the Abyss! Hear the grace of the Abyss!"


    Instantly, Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Diluc, and Jean leapt into action.


    A dozen Abyss Mages launched magical attacks, their projectiles glowing in all colors.


    Stelle slammed her flame lance into the ground¡ªinstantly forming a protective shield over everyone.


    Then she drew the Judgment of Shamash and entered greatsword mode.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed"


    With a single strike, a flaming tidal wave surged toward the monsters.


    Now with her dual-core upgrade, Stelle could wield even greater power than before.


    Everything in the wave''s path¡ªHilichurls or Mage¡ªwas turned to ash.


    March 7th shot a huge ice arrow into the sky, which exploded into shards raining down like icy needles.


    Diluc''s greatsword flared with both wind and fire.


    "Dawn¡ªJudgment!"


    A fire phoenix wrapped in wind burst forth, clearing a path through the battlefield.


    Jean, having mastered the Wind Spirit Technique, had far better control over Anemo now.


    With a single swing, she unleashed a wind blade over ten meters long.


    Lumine, whose power had mostly recovered, now stood at Archon-level. Wings of light sprouted from her back as she rampaged across the battlefield.


    Ye Yun and Welt, on the other hand, calmly sipped their tea.


    Venti kept watch on Dvalin, ready in case he tried to flee.


    Ye Yun took another sip. "Tsk, there''s a lot of these guys. We''ve been killing them forever and more keep showing up. Is Dvalin really that popular?"


    Venti looked at Dvalin. "Dvalin''s actually very strong, okay?"


    Ye Yun chuckled. "He did take one of my punches and survive, I''ll give him that."


    Neither Venti nor Welt argued¡ªYe Yun had genuine Emanator-level power.


    Even without a Destiny Path, his physique, mental strength, and control over imaginary energy were on par with a true Emanator.


    The fact that Dvalin survived a punch was a feat in itself.


    On the battlefield.


    Stelle and the others were slaughtering the enemy forces.


    Even the Abyss Herald had been cornered by Lumine.


    Just as she prepared to finish him off, a black sword slash cut in from the side and knocked her back.


    Lumine steadied herself and looked over¡ªeyes going wide in disbelief.


    "Brother?!"


    It was her brother, Aether.


    Aether turned to her. "Lumine. Long time no see."


    Seeing him with the Abyss Order, Lumine cried out, "Brother! Why are you with the Abyss?!"


    Aether replied, "Because they''re my companions. The Seven are my enemies. Celestia is my enemy. I have an unfinished war with the Heavenly Principles!"


    Lumine pleaded, "Brother, let''s go home together, okay?"


    At the word home, Aether seemed to remember something warm¡ªhe smiled faintly.


    "Home... wherever Lumine is, that''s home."


    "Listen to me, Lumine. I''ve already journeyed once. When your journey ends, you''ll understand why I made my choices."


    "We''ve always had time, Lumine. I''ll wait for you at the end of the road."


    Then he turned to the Abyss Herald. "This mission has failed. Let''s go."


    As he began to open a portal, Lumine rushed to stop him¡ªonly to be blocked by several Abyss Mages.


    Suddenly, someone charged in¡ªaiming straight for Aether.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed"


    It was Stelle.


    She raised the Judgment of Shamash and brought it down¡ªAether didn''t even have time to react and got knocked out cold.


    Stelle didn''t waste a second¡ªpulled out a rope and tied him up.


    "Hehe, trying to leave? Not on my watch."


    "Blah blah, waiting for Lumine, war, destiny¡ªwhat are you even talking about? I don''t get it."


    "Lumine''s my bestie. I won''t let her run around chasing after you forever."


    After tying him tight, Stelle tugged the rope with a grin and gave Lumine a big thumbs-up.


    "Lumine, done! I got your brother back for you."


    Lumine stared at the completely trussed-up Aether and finally snapped back to her senses.


    Right! Why even bother listening to all that cryptic stuff? He''s right here¡ªjust tie him up!


    She returned Stelle''s thumbs-up.


    "Stelle! Beautifully done! That''s my girl!"


    ***


    Over an Hour Later


    Aether slowly woke up in a daze, and the first thing he saw was Lumine, Stelle, and March 7th all grinning mischievously at him.


    Stelle chuckled slyly, holding a can of surstr?mming she had drawn earlier.


    "Hehe, you''re finally awake?"


    Aether widened his eyes in shock when he saw the label on the can¡ªhe recognized that thing.


    "You... what are you guys trying to do?"


    Lumine pulled out a calligraphy brush and dipped it in ink.


    "Spill it! What other plans does your Abyss Order have?"


    Aether turned his head away. "Save your breath. I''m not telling you anything."


    Hearing this, March 7th laid out yesterday''s leftover durian shells on the ground and waved her hand.


    "Torture him!"


    Stelle and Lumine grinned wickedly as they grabbed Aether from both sides and lifted him up. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aether immediately realized what they were about to do.


    Kneel on durians! I''m not afraid! Bring it on! I''m a prince¡ªwhy would I fear a mere durian?


    Thud! The sound of durian spikes piercing through his pants echoed, followed by a muffled grunt from Kong.


    "Hmph."


    Stelle saw that Aether didn''t even scream.


    "Well well, not bad. You actually made it through the first round so easily."


    "Then try this!"


    Without warning, Stelle opened the can of surstr?mming.


    In an instant, a putrid stench filled the air. Stelle, who was closest, almost fainted on the spot.


    She quickly pinched her nose.


    "Ugh! This smell is insane!"


    March 7th and Lumine also pinched their noses.


    Aether felt nauseous just smelling the air and nearly threw up.


    Stelle, after recovering a bit, saw Aether''s contorted face and mischievously placed the can right under his nose.


    Aether''s face instantly turned green, as if he had been poisoned.


    He struggled to get away from the can, but Lumine and March 7th held him down firmly.


    Eventually, Aether couldn''t hold it anymore and vomited.


    "Ughhh~"


    The three girls immediately covered their mouths and noses in disgust, shooting him disdainful looks.


    Lumine even mocked him:


    "Eww~ A grown man, and you can''t even handle a can of fish? Pathetic."


    Aether finally caught his breath and started cursing:


    "You Stupid Sister! Try it yourself! Don''t you dare pinch your nose!"


    Lumine saw that he still had the nerve to talk back.


    "Oh? Still resisting? You''re forcing me to use my ultimate move. March!"


    March 7th immediately pulled out another fresh can of surstr?mming.


    Lumine opened it and shoved it under Aether''s nose again. He started dry-heaving on the spot.


    "Spill it! What plans does the Abyss Order have?!"


    Aether shook his head, refusing to talk.


    Lumine sighed.


    "Brother, don''t blame me."


    Then she picked up a pair of chopsticks and lifted a piece of fish, aiming for Aether''s mouth.


    Aether''s eyes almost popped out of his head. The smell alone was already unbearable¡ªeating it?


    No! No! Noooo!


    "You Stupid Sister! Stop! I''ll talk! I''ll tell you everything!"


    Hearing that, Lumine withdrew her hand with satisfaction.


    "See? Was that so hard? Had to make us torture you. Now speak."


    Aether then spilled all his plans to Lumine.


    Another Hour Later


    On Dvalin''s back, Lumine held a dull blade, occasionally waving it near Aether.


    "Get to work!"


    Aether looked resigned¡ªhow did he end up getting caught by this annoying sister?


    Holding a dull blade, he hacked away at the venomous thorns on Dvalin''s back.


    Lumine wanted him to suffer a little for what he just put her through.


    What kind of big brother does this? Living it up in the Abyss while leaving his sister to wander Teyvat alone.


    Back when she had just awakened...


    She could only survive by picking Sunsettia when hungry and drinking river water when thirsty. If it weren''t for finding a dull blade in a chest, she wouldn''t even have been able to eat meat.


    Aether slashed down on a venomous thorn, cutting off a few shards.


    He looked at the broken pieces, then at the thorn in front of him and another intact one behind¡ªit was overwhelming.


    After waking up, his powers had been sealed, leaving him with only enhanced physical strength.


    Lumine saw him slacking and smacked his butt with her sword.


    "What are you looking at? Keep working!"


    Aether''s fists clenched instantly¡ªhe was ready to quit.


    Just as he was about to throw the sword away, he saw Lumine take out another can of surstr?mming.


    Aether gasped and could only vent his anger on the venomous thorns.


    In the Distance


    Ye Yun, Welt, Jean, Diluc, and Venti were enjoying tea and chatting as they watched the scene from afar.


    Jean looked a bit worried.


    "Uh... shouldn''t we stop them? It seems... kind of cruel."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need, those two siblings are always like that.


    There''s a saying in my hometown: When there''s no external danger, siblings are each other''s biggest threat. When there is, they''re each other''s greatest support.


    Don''t worry, they''ll be fine."


    Jean thought about it and found the logic surprisingly reasonable.


    Then the group resumed their tea and chatting.


    Finally


    By the time the sun was about to set, Aether had finished clearing the venomous thorns on Dvalin''s back.


    Exhausted both physically and mentally, he collapsed onto the grass, looking like he had nothing left to live for.


    Lumine walked over.


    "Here, for you."


    She handed him a bottle of water. Aether took it, unscrewed the cap, and took a big gulp.


    The water revived him a bit.


    Lumine looked at him with a disappointed expression.


    "Do you still see me as your sister? How could you carry something so serious on your own? When you face that woman, you must take me with you."


    Aether wanted to refuse. He didn''t want Lumine to be in danger.


    But Lumine interrupted firmly.


    "It''s settled. If I find out you went to face her alone, you''ll be getting today''s combo special again."


    Aether had no choice but to nod.


    "Alright, I promise."


    Satisfied, Lumine nodded.


    "Alright, alright. Now go back to your Abyss. I need to rest too."


    Aether stood up, nodded, and opened an Abyss portal.


    "Take care, Lumine."


    Just then, a voice called out.


    "Trying to run? Judgment of Shamash..."


    Stelle was about to strike with Judgment of Shamash when Lumine quickly stopped her and explained the situation.


    After hearing it, Stelle finally put her weapon away.


    Aether was speechless. What kind of friends had Lumine made? Ready to fight at any moment¡ªunbelievable!


    He quickly made his escape, not wanting to get caught again for any reason.


    After Aether Left


    Ye Yun checked the time¡ªit was about time to make dinner.


    But then he realized: this place was perfect for a gathering.


    So Ye Yun decided to host a feast right there.


    Everyone eagerly agreed.


    Even Jean, who had a pile of paperwork waiting, chose to stay.


    With Dvalin recovered, it was indeed time to celebrate.


    Stelle took the job of messenger and headed to the Honkai: Star Rail world to call people.


    Venti went into Mondstadt to pick up the two little ones and notify Lisa and the others.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 - 29Over an hour later, everyone gathered at Starcatcher Cliff.


    The night sky was dotted with stars, and in the center of the group a bonfire was lit, with everyone playing around it.


    Ye Yun set up the grill, fanning with one hand while attentively roasting skewers with the other.


    Noelle helped on the side, either adding charcoal or skewering more meat.


    All the ingredients were freshly bought and of high quality. Just a sprinkle of salt, cumin, and chili powder made the skewers smell incredibly appetizing.


    Ye Yun turned to Noelle and asked:


    "Noelle, how was your experience today?"


    Noelle looked a little nervous.


    "It¡ªit was fine... Just a bit too relaxing. I''m not used to it."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "There are few people now. Once we get more visitors, you''ll definitely be busier."


    Noelle smiled and nodded.


    Ye Yun checked the mutton skewers in his hand. They were almost done, so he called out:


    "Everyone! The mutton skewers are ready! Come get them if you want some!"


    With a gust of wind, Venti arrived first.


    "Hehe, Ye Yun, give me some! I''m taking them to eat with the old man¡ªwith some wine!"


    Ye Yun handed over half the skewers.


    Venti thanked him and ran off with the skewers to find Zhongli.


    Over there¡ª


    Zhongli sat at a small wooden table, and next to him was Welt.


    Welt and Zhongli got along very well¡ªtheir personalities were somewhat similar.


    Venti placed the skewers on the table.


    "Come on, just drinking isn''t fun. Have some meat. Gotta say, Ye Yun''s cooking is top-notch~"


    Welt smiled and said:


    "Indeed. Ever since Ye Yun joined us, he''s been handling most of the meals.


    Sometimes the conductor helps cook too."


    Hearing that, Zhongli put down his wine glass.


    "Oh? Ye Yun wasn''t originally on your train?"


    Welt nodded and explained to the two how they met Ye Yun.


    The two listened intently while sipping their drinks.


    After Venti left¡ª


    Klee, Hook, and Diona came dashing over from the bonfire, their little footsteps quick and light.


    Diona had been brought along by Venti.


    When Venti went to pick up Klee and Hook, Diona was with them since she had the day off. So Venti brought her along too.


    But he quickly regretted it.


    In his haste to return for drinks, he forgot he was allergic to cat fur.


    As soon as they landed, he started sneezing non-stop, and it took a long time for him to recover.


    "Big brother Ye Yun~ Klee wants to eat, yum yum~"


    "Ye Yun! Hook wants meat!"


    Klee and Hook were already familiar with Ye Yun, and their conversation was casual and natural.


    Diona, having only just met him, was a little more reserved.


    Ye Yun gave each of the three kids a small plate with three skewers.


    "Here you go. If it''s not enough, come back for more."


    The three little ones thanked him and ran back to the bonfire with bright smiles to start eating.


    Soon after, Stelle, Lumine, March 7th, Eula, Amber, and Seele showed up.


    At Lumine''s suggestion, the girls planned to clear out a Hilichurl camp afterward to earn some Primogems.


    Everyone was eager, rubbing their hands together in excitement.


    With Amber¡ªthe living map of Mondstadt¡ªon their team, they felt sure they''d gain a lot tonight.


    As for Diluc, he was chatting with Dan Heng, which surprised Ye Yun. He didn''t expect those two to hit it off.


    Lisa had set up a small tea table not far from the bonfire, chatting with Jean, Bronya, and Natasha.


    The three of them were discussing political affairs.


    Meanwhile, Clara was learning mechanical repair from Himeko.


    Clara was determined to become a great scientist and was diligently studying every day.


    Over the past few days, her mechanical skills had improved significantly.


    She studied theory on the train with Welt and Himeko during the day and practiced on mechanical soldiers at night.


    Surprisingly, she even managed to modify a medical robot capable of handling minor injuries.


    The party was going smoothly. Everyone had found companions¡ªexcept Kaeya.


    Left with no choice, Kaeya ended up helping Ye Yun with the grilling.


    Just as Ye Yun finished cooking a large batch of skewers and was about to take a break¡ª


    Paimon came flying in, carrying her iron bucket.


    "Ye Yun! One more bucket! I want more pork chops!"


    Ye Yun was speechless. How could this little thing eat so much?


    He had started with a whole bucket of grilled pork chops just for Paimon, knowing her big appetite.


    And now? Already gone? From the look on her face, she wasn''t nearly done.


    Sighing, Ye Yun took out 20 more pork chops and started grilling them for her.


    Kaeya brought over a big platter of assorted skewers and placed it on the table by the bonfire.


    "Everyone! Skewers are ready!"


    At his call, people gathered quickly.


    Venti, tipsy and in high spirits, pulled out his lyre and began to sing.


    His song echoed through the field, while others drank and chatted.


    Ye Yun looked around and saw Himeko still teaching Clara mechanical knowledge.


    So he grabbed a small tray, loaded it with skewers, and walked over to the two.


    "Take a break and have something to eat. Studying needs a balance of work and rest."


    The two looked up and, after a moment, nodded in agreement.


    "Thank you, big brother Ye Yun, for the skewers," Clara said politely, smiling sweetly.


    Himeko smiled gently as well.


    "Thanks."


    Ye Yun waved it off casually.


    Then he suddenly remembered he was close to completing a task¡ª


    Hosting 20 different guests. He was just a few short.


    The train''s next stop was the Xianzhou. Lots of potential customers there.


    "Oh right, Himeko, when are we heading to the next stop?"


    Himeko replied:


    "According to the schedule, the train will stay here for a few more days. We''ll depart in about three days."


    Thinking of the next stop, Himeko added:


    "Our next stop is Penacony¡ªalso known as the Star of Festivities. You can explore when we get there. It''s really fun."


    Ye Yun smiled and agreed.


    But things might not go so smoothly. The train crew, under Kafka''s influence, would likely detour to the Xianzhou.


    Hearing the conversation, Clara looked a little sad.


    "Big brother Ye Yun~ Sister Himeko, are you leaving? Clara will miss you..."


    Ye Yun laughed and patted her head.


    "It''s okay. Doesn''t your house have a portal? You can come to the train anytime. Remember?"


    Clara suddenly realized¡ªshe''d been too focused on the fact they were leaving to remember that.


    "Oh right! Clara forgot."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    The three of them continued chatting and eating skewers together.


    Surprisingly, despite this being the wilds of Mondstadt, not a single monster came to disturb them.


    ***


    Night had fallen.


    Everyone was full and satisfied, sitting on the ground chatting.


    Klee, Hook, and Diona, who had evolved from two little ones to three, were fast asleep on top of Dodoco.


    Stelle looked at Venti and Zhongli and suddenly thought of a question.


    "Zhongli, you''re a god too, right?"


    Everyone turned to look at Zhongli at her words.


    Especially the Mondstadt crowd¡ªtheir faces were full of surprise.


    Kaeya spread his hands, a bit skeptical.


    "Hey hey hey, no way! Mister Zhongli is a god?"


    Jean and Diluc, who already knew Venti was the Anemo Archon, had more or less guessed Zhongli''s identity.


    He came from Liyue, Venti called him "old man"¡ªwho else could he be but the Geo Archon Morax?


    Lisa looked at Venti and Zhongli, deep in thought.


    She had long suspected Venti''s identity. From Lumine, she learned that Venti could communicate with Stormterror.


    Stormterror was Dvalin, one of the Four Winds. Back then, she already suspected that Venti had a close connection with Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.


    Looks like she had figured out most of it.


    Venti was actually the Anemo Archon¡ªthen Zhongli''s identity immediately became clear as well.


    "So that''s how it is. This lady greets the Anemo Archon and the Geo Archon."


    Amber, Eula, and Kaeya were dumbfounded.


    No way! These two really are gods? Whoa.


    Zhongli sighed.


    "No need for such formality. I''m just an ordinary consultant now. Zhongli is fine."


    Venti chuckled, "Ehe~ I still prefer it when you call me Venti. Being a god is something I only do occasionally."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "That''s right. Everyone here comes from different places, but here, we''re all friends, aren''t we? Come, let''s drink to that!"


    Ye Yun raised his glass.


    The people of Mondstadt thought for a moment¡ªtrue.


    "To friendship!"


    "To friendship!"


    After resting for a bit, everyone went their separate ways.


    Stelle, March 7th, Amber, Eula, Lumine, and Paimon immediately grabbed their weapons and went off to find a hilichurls tribe.


    Diluc and Kaeya weren''t idle either¡ªthe two went to clear out Abyss Order strongholds.


    After failing to transform Dvalin, most of the Abyss Order had retreated from Mondstadt.


    Meanwhile, in Liyue Harbor, despite the late hour, lights were still bright.


    Zhongli carried a bag of grilled skewers back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Ye Yun had grilled too much earlier¡ªeveryone was full, so at the end, everyone packed some to go.


    As Zhongli pushed open the door to the parlor, he saw Hu Tao sleeping soundly in her rocking chair in the courtyard.


    Zhongli walked over, shaking his head slightly.


    "Why sleep out here? Aren''t you afraid of catching a cold at night?"


    He used his divine power to lift Hu Tao and carry her back to her room, covering her with a blanket.


    Just as he finished, Hu Tao kicked off the blanket and sprawled out in a starfish pose.


    It was summer, after all¡ªtoo hot for blankets.


    Zhongli placed the skewers on the table in her room and went to rest in his own.


    ***


    The next morning.


    Zhongli sat in the courtyard, leisurely sipping tea.


    Beside him sat an electric fan.


    He had bought it from Ye Yun¡ªtoday was incredibly hot, making it hard to enjoy tea.


    So he went to Ye Yun to ask about ways to cool down.


    And that''s how this scene came to be.


    Just then¡ª


    Hu Tao''s door burst open.


    She leapt out full of energy.


    "Ta-da! The head of the parlor is back to full health!"


    She was holding the skewers Zhongli had left for her.


    When she saw Zhongli, she darted over.


    "Good morning, Consultant~"


    Zhongli nodded slightly and poured her a cup of tea.


    Hu Tao took the cup and downed it in one gulp, slamming it down on the table.


    "Ahhh~ Delicious! Another cup!"


    Zhongli was already used to her rough treatment of tea.


    At first, he tried teaching her how to properly savor tea.


    But Hu Tao wasn''t interested at all. Tea? Just fancy water, right? It''s best to gulp it down.


    She looked at Zhongli.


    "Consultant, did you leave these skewers for me?"


    Zhongli nodded. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mm. Last night I had a gathering with friends and brought some back. Quite delicious. You should try them."


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up.


    "Friends? You have friends, Consultant?"


    Saying that, she used her Pyro power to reheat the skewers.


    Soon they were sizzling with oil, and Hu Tao grabbed one and started chomping down.


    She took a big bite, stuffing her mouth full before starting to chew.


    From Zhongli''s perspective, Hu Tao looked just like a little hamster¡ªpuffed cheeks, constantly chewing. Quite cute.


    As she ate, she noticed the electric fan next to her and her eyes sparkled.


    "Wha ish dish?" she mumbled, mouth full.


    She jumped off her stool and inspected the fan curiously.


    She leaned in, fascinated. This thing could produce wind! So cool!


    Zhongli spoke.


    "This was something I got from a friend."


    Hu Tao swallowed the meat.


    "From the friend you had dinner with yesterday? That friend must be amazing to have such a curious thing."


    She pulled up a stool and sat in front of the fan, enjoying the breeze.


    Zhongli looked at Hu Tao and suddenly had a thought.


    Maybe it was time to take her to visit Ye Yun?


    She was growing up. Maybe it was time to broaden her horizons.


    Besides, there were many outstanding young people there¡ªStelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Lumine... Though young, they all shined in their own way.


    After a moment of contemplation¡ª


    Zhongli made up his mind. He would take Hu Tao to Ye Yun''s shop.


    In Mondstadt, many had already come into contact with it.


    In Zhongli''s mind, Liyue should do the same¡ªby relying on Ye Yun, Liyue could rapidly grow.


    The Knights of Favonius had already grown much stronger through Ye Yun''s help.


    Under Jean''s careful selection, some had even started practicing Wind Spirit Arts, gaining command of the wind.


    Zhongli believed Liyue, with its larger scale, would develop even faster.


    Liyue had far more talent than Mondstadt.


    From the Adepti, to the Qixing, to the military...


    All surpassed Mondstadt.


    "Head of the Hall, are you free today?"


    Hu Tao turned her head, mouth open to catch the breeze.


    "Free! Why?"


    Zhongli slowly stood.


    "In that case, allow me to take you somewhere."


    Hu Tao was intrigued. Oh? Where was the Consultant taking her?


    She didn''t know where, but happily stood beside him, ready to follow.


    After all, there''s no way the Consultant would ever hurt her~

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 - 30Zhongli used his divine power to bring Hu Tao to the pond in front of the Dwelling in the Clouds, located at Mt. Aocang in Liyue.


    That''s right.


    Zhongli had placed the portal Ye Yun gave him here at Cloud Retainer''s domain.


    This area was remote, and with the reclusive Cloud Retainer watching over it, plus a divine seal Zhongli had left behind, it was quite secure.


    Hu Tao looked around in amazement, tugging at Zhongli''s sleeve.


    "Wao~ Mr. Consultant, you''re amazing! You really brought me whoosh~ all the way here in a flash!"


    Zhongli didn''t answer her and instead walked toward the portal.


    "This way, Hall Master."


    Hu Tao, who had just flipped over a frog with her Staff of Homa for fun, quickly followed after hearing him.


    Before leaving, she made sure to flip the frog over again.


    Frog:What did I ever do to you?! Will anyone speak up for me?!


    Hu Tao arrived at the portal and looked at it curiously.


    "Wow! Why''s there a door here? It looks so out of place."


    As she spoke, she gave the portal a kick¡ªbut it didn''t budge at all.


    Zhongli opened the portal.


    "Let''s go, Hall Master. Our destination is on the other side."


    The two stepped through the portal.


    In Hu Tao''s vision, everything went black for a moment. Seconds later, her sight returned.


    When it did, she found herself in a very strange place.


    The d¨¦cor was odd¡ªdefinitely not Liyue style.


    And outside the window... were those stars?!


    The group sitting around the long table in the center eating breakfast all greeted Zhongli when they saw him arrive.


    Zhongli gave a slight nod in return.


    What surprised him was how many people were there this morning.


    Ye Yun, Welt, Dan Heng, Himeko, Pom-Pom, Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Paimon, Amber, Eula, Noelle, and even Venti with the three little ones.


    From the kitchen, Ye Yun saw Zhongli walk in.


    "Yo, Zhongli, you''re late today? You were the earliest one the past few days."


    Zhongli explained, "I brought my Hall Master with me today and had to wait a bit for her."


    As he spoke, Hu Tao waved cheerfully.


    "Hi everyone~ I''m Hu Tao!"


    Himeko smiled warmly. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello, Hu Tao. I''m Himeko. Come have a seat over here. You two haven''t had breakfast yet, right? Join us."


    Hu Tao laughed, "No need~ I just ate! Had some grilled skewers the Guest Minister brought me last night. Hehe."


    "Oh right¡ªare you the friends he mentioned? You all had a gathering last night, right?"


    Himeko thought for a moment. "That''s right. Still, have some porridge. Heavy food so early in the day isn''t good for you."


    As she spoke, Himeko served Hu Tao a bowl of plain rice porridge and placed it on a seat beside her.


    Hu Tao smiled and sat down.


    Himeko added a small dish of pickles to the side.


    "Feel at home. No need to be polite. I''ll take care of the three little ones for now."


    Hu Tao looked where Himeko gestured and saw three adorable girls standing on stools, eating.


    "Got it, thank you for the porridge. You go ahead¡ªI''ll help myself."


    Himeko nodded and turned back to helping the little ones.


    Hu Tao took a bite of pickles with a spoonful of porridge and immediately felt refreshed and cozy.


    She then noticed March 7th sitting nearby.


    "Hi there, what''s your name, friend?"


    March 7th lazily turned her head.


    "Hi, Hu Tao. I''m March 7th, a Nameless passenger."


    Hu Tao stared at the dark circles under her eyes.


    "Did you stay up all night? Your eye bags are huge."


    March yawned and nodded.


    "Yeah, we pulled an all-nighter farming Hilichurl camps for Primogems. I''m dead tired."


    Hu Tao was confused. "What do you need Primogems for?"


    March 7th explained, "You don''t know? Zhongli didn''t tell you? You can exchange Primogems for Star Coins, and with those, you can buy items from all across the multiverse at Ye Yun''s shop."


    "The multiverse might be hard to grasp, so just think of it as countless different worlds."


    Hu Tao was surprised. Primogems can do that? She''d always used them to skip stones on water or pelt birds.


    March 7th pointed toward Ye Yun.


    "That''s Ye Yun over there. If you want to buy something, talk to him."


    Hu Tao took note of Ye Yun''s word face and nodded.


    "Got it. Thanks!"


    March waved it off. "No need to thank me¡ªAHHH I''m so tired!!! I wanna sleep!!"


    Hu Tao tilted her head, confused. "Then go sleep?"


    March pulled out a handful of Primogems.


    "We just got back and haven''t exchanged them for Star Coins yet. Plus, we''ve been busy all morning and were starving, so we had to eat first. You can''t sleep on an empty stomach."


    Hu Tao agreed¡ªshe always had to eat before sleeping after returning from Wuwang Hill.


    Soon enough, Hu Tao was chatting away with Stelle and the other girls, fitting right in.


    When she heard they were planning a snowball fight tomorrow, she got super excited and insisted on joining.


    She also learned through their conversation that this was another world¡ªnot Teyvat.


    She was currently aboard a train that traveled through the universe.


    Lumine explained that the universe is made of countless planets, and Teyvat was just one of them.


    Hu Tao was amazed. The train could travel through worlds! If not for her duties at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, she''d love to join them.


    The group continued chatting and eating breakfast.


    Suddenly, loud banging came from a unique booth nearby.


    "WAHAHAHAHA!!!"


    Everyone turned to look.


    There stood Silver Wolf, arms akimbo, laughing maniacally. Her dark eye circles looked like ink, but her eyes sparkled with energy.


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes.


    "What are you doing? Can''t you open a door normally?"


    Silver Wolf shot him a glance and snorted.


    "Hmph, I won''t stoop to your level!"


    Then, she looked around with satisfaction.


    "Hmm, lots of people here. Perfect. All eyes on me¡ªSilver Wolf has an announcement!"


    "Listen up! Eyes forward!"


    Everyone looked at her, and she proclaimed loudly:


    "The invincible Silver Wolf has finally beaten Black Myth: Wukong! Applaud now!"


    Stelle was the first to clap, cheering her on.


    "Nice! Nice! Nice!"


    The others followed suit.


    Even though they didn''t fully understand, they clapped anyway.


    Hu Tao clapped along and leaned toward Lumine.


    "Lumine, what''s going on now?"


    Lumine, yawning and clapping, replied:


    "I have no idea. Just clap. Everyone else is doing it, right?"


    Hu Tao nodded¡ªmade sense.


    ***


    Silver Wolf looked at Ye Yun, wanting to try out the Immobilization Spell.


    "Alright then! Freeze!"


    Silver Wolf struck a casting pose toward Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled as he took a sip of porridge.


    Silver Wolf stared wide-eyed at Ye Yun.


    What? Did I buy a fake item? Or was my pose wrong?


    Silver Wolf changed her pose to one like Ultraman firing a beam.


    "Freeze!"


    Ye Yun calmly picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and put it in his mouth.


    Silver Wolf was stunned.


    No way! No way! I grinded Black Myth: Wukong for so long, and it turned out to be a scam?!


    She looked utterly wronged¡ªheaven knows how hard she worked to finish the game.


    She went without eating or drinking, finally cleared it, and the reward was a dud?


    Ye Yun, seeing Silver Wolf''s soul-crushed expression, said,


    "Is it possible... that you picked the wrong target?"


    Silver Wolf heard this and suddenly remembered that Black Myth: Wukong had a condition:


    The spell only worked on targets below Emanator rank.


    She looked around and finally chose Stelle.


    "Ah Stelle! I''m sorry! Freeze!"


    The next second¡ª


    Stelle was indeed frozen, but only for a few seconds before moving again.


    Seeing it actually worked, Silver Wolf finally cheered up.


    Perfect! The great Silver Wolf can finally counter that evil Kafka!


    She struck a sinister pose, baring her claws.


    "Hehehehe! Kafka! My dear Kafka! Next time you come around, the great Silver Wolf will have her revenge! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"


    Klee tugged at Ye Yun''s clothes and whispered in his ear,


    "Big brother Ye Yun~ Is that sister sick or something?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Hmm, she''s a little sick. So Klee has to eat well to stay healthy, understand?"


    Klee glanced at the now-manic Silver Wolf and was visibly shaken.


    "Klee understands!"


    Then everyone resumed eating while Silver Wolf kept fantasizing by herself.


    About ten minutes later, everyone finished breakfast and went about their own business.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Amber, who had stayed up late grinding Primogems, all went home to rest.


    Ye Yun, Zhongli, Welt, and Dan Heng sat by the coffee table, brewed some tea, set up a chessboard, and started playing.


    Venti sat by the little bar, pulled out a bottle of wine, and began drinking. Now that the Dvalin issue was resolved, he could finally relax.


    Himeko took Clara to class.


    The three little ones ran around the train playing.


    The newly arrived Diona, like Klee and Hook before her, was full of curiosity about the train.


    However, there was one place Diona absolutely hated: the little bar.


    Every time she passed by, she''d glare at it as if she wanted to tear it down.


    Noelle was helping Hu Tao shop.


    Just earlier, March 7th had heard Hu Tao wanted to go shopping and lent her 5,000 star coins.


    Hu Tao arrived at the little bar with her 5,000 coins. The display screen was full of dazzling items, and she didn''t know where to start.


    "Wow! This flying motorcycle looks awesome? It can fly! So cool!"


    "This handheld fan is so cute! Even the guest has one, so I want one too!"


    "What! They even sell exorcism spells here! I''ll take one!"


    Soon, Hu Tao made her choices:


    ? One "Flying Motorcycle (Smart Edition)" with flight capabilities, auto-navigation, and fingerprint engine lock/unlock. Price: 4,000 star coins.


    ? Five uniquely styled "Handheld Fans (Solar-Powered Edition)," one hour of sunlight = full day use. Price: 10 star coins.


    ? One book of exorcism techniques. Price: 800 star coins.


    She kept the remaining 150 star coins for next time.


    After purchasing, Hu Tao listened to Noelle''s introduction and rushed into the teleport gate back to Teyvat.


    The moment she landed, Hu Tao slapped 4,000 coins onto the protective bubble around the flying motorcycle.


    The bubble popped, and the motorcycle appeared in front of her.


    She hopped on excitedly. As soon as she sat down, the smart system spoke:


    "Driver''s license not detected. Initiating beginner tutorial.


    Please remember: Unsafe driving brings tears to loved ones."


    Under the system''s guidance, Hu Tao began learning to ride.


    At first, she moved slowly, but soon picked up speed.


    "Xiangling! I''m coming!"


    Inside the store¡ª


    Ye Yun was shopping with the three little ones.


    How could he have forgotten? The three had never gone shopping before.


    Now with them, he''d gained an extra headcount.


    That meant he completed another mission, didn''t it?


    Dang! Why didn''t I think of this earlier?


    "Here, 100 coins each. Buy whatever you want."


    Ye Yun generously handed each of the three 100 star coins.


    They happily ran off to the bar to shop.


    When they reached the bar, they found they couldn''t reach the display screen.


    Hook had a bright idea.


    "Klee, Diao... uh, Diona, let''s stack up!"


    She patted her shoulders.


    "Diona! Stand on Hook''s shoulders."


    Diona was not happy with the nickname.


    "How many times do I have to tell you, it''s Diona, not Diaona!"


    Hook put her hands on her hips.


    "No, I''m sure it''s Diao-na. Right, Klee?"


    Klee nodded.


    "Yeah yeah, it''s Diao-na, no mistake~"


    Diona drooped her head and sighed.


    Forget it, let''s just buy our stuff.


    She climbed onto Hook''s shoulders, and Klee climbed on top of her.


    Only then could Klee reach the screen to shop.


    Nearby, Dudoco saw what was happening, quickly came over and disassembled the human tower. She lifted them onto her arm and raised it so they could shop safely.


    The three little ones excitedly chattered as they picked their items.


    Soon, they were done.


    Diona bought some food ingredients that looked particularly "nasty" to use in her cocktail experiments.


    She didn''t believe for a second that food from another world could produce delicious drinks. No way! Impossible!


    This time, she¡ªahem¡ªDiona was going to brew the worst drink ever and destroy Mondstadt''s liquor industry!


    Hook bought a bunch of snacks to take back to the Moles in Belobog.


    Tomorrow, Ye Yun would take the little ones to the Belobog Icefield to play.


    The rest of the Astral Express crew were also planning to join.


    After this outing, everyone would rest for a couple of days, restock supplies, and prepare for the next journey.


    [Congratulations, Host! Mission Complete: Host 20 Unique Guests. Reward: Lottery Shop!]


    [New Mission: Host 50 Unique Guests. Reward: Instance Dungeon Portal]


    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31 - 31[Preparing to place the lottery shop. Host, please evacuate all personnel from the store to avoid accidental injury!]


    [Preparing to place the lottery shop. Host, please evacuate all personnel from the store to avoid accidental injury!]


    [Preparing to place the lottery shop. Host, please evacuate all personnel from the store to avoid accidental injury!]


    Upon hearing this, Ye Yun quickly called everyone in the shop to head to the observation carriage.


    "Everyone, let''s step out of the shop for a while. It''s about to undergo an upgrade."


    Hearing this, everyone got up and headed to the observation carriage.


    The three little ones ran the fastest, their footsteps pattering as they dashed toward the observation carriage.


    Soon, everyone arrived there.


    Silver Wolf, who had been napping in her "private room," sat on the sofa with a displeased expression, crossing her legs.


    She''d been sleeping so well, only to be woken up by Ye Yun saying the place was about to be renovated.


    So annoying!!! Totally disrupted Lord Silver Wolf''s precious rest!


    Welt looked at Ye Yun, puzzled.


    "Ye Yun, did you just say your shop is getting an upgrade?"


    Ye Yun, who was communicating with the system, smiled and nodded.


    "That''s right. Something fun will be added. I won''t spoil it now¡ªlet me handle the upgrade first. You''ll see soon enough."


    Hearing this, Welt and the others were intrigued.


    But they didn''t interrupt Ye Yun, who focused on his conversation with the system.


    [Notification: Store renovation in progress. Host may use 5,000 Star Coins to expand the shop''s area. Proceed?]


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and asked in his mind:


    "How much expansion?"


    [Notification: Space will increase fivefold. Additions include 3 booth seats, 1 sofa lounge area, 1 guest reception room, 1 host-only restroom, and 1 library.]


    Ye Yun wasn''t particularly excited at first¡ªthere were enough booth seats already.


    But that private restroom hit him right in the feels.


    There were no rooms in the shop, so lately he''d been sleeping on the floor in the data room with Dan Heng.


    "Upgrade! Do it now!"


    [Notification: 5,000 Star Coins successfully deducted. Store expansion in progress. Completion in one hour.]


    With the store handled, Ye Yun went to chat with everyone.


    Time flew by. Before they knew it, an hour had passed.


    [Notification: Store upgrade complete. Host may return. Wishing the host prosperous business.]


    Ye Yun heard the system chime.


    "Let''s go, everyone. The store upgrade is done. Let''s check it out together."


    Curious, Welt and the others followed.


    Everyone entered the shop.


    What they saw stunned them.


    What... how did the place get this huge?!


    Near the entrance, the kitchen, mini bar, three booth seats, and long central dining table were still there.


    But now, on the right side, there was a whole new area.


    In the center of this space was a massive sofa lounge area that could seat dozens.


    Inside were sofas in all kinds of shapes¡ªrabbits, whales, lions, tigers, noodle bowls, gold ingots, thrones, and even a beanbag shaped like a trash can.


    Klee, Hook, and Diona lit up at the sight of the animal-shaped sofas.


    "Wow! This place is so pretty!"


    The three little ones rushed over and started playing, taking off their shoes and hopping around on the sofas, giggling with joy.


    Ye Yun reminded them:


    "Be careful!"


    The three of them answered in unison, "Okay~!"


    Ye Yun and the others continued their tour.


    Next to the lounge was a newly added lottery shop, with 3 booth seats and one huge room. The walls were decorated with various art pieces.


    Entering the lottery shop¡ª


    It was simple: five rows of benches with 25 seats total, a lottery machine, and a massive screen.


    The screen displayed the current grand prize:


    [This issue''s prize: Spatial Jump Ability. Description: Consumes stamina to briefly teleport. Max jump distance: 1,000 meters. Value: 100,000 Star Coins]


    Everyone''s interest was piqued¡ªthe prize was a power that directly enhanced strength.


    Spatial Jump.


    Any ability related to space was bound to be powerful.


    Ye Yun saw that one ticket cost 1,000 Star Coins.


    He bought one on the spot. Welt, Zhongli, and others followed suit.


    Buying a lottery ticket for fun¡ªwho knows, maybe they''d hit the jackpot?


    Afterward, the group arrived at a large room.


    Ye Yun pushed open the door.


    A massive reception room appeared before them.


    The design was elegant and refined.


    A huge floor-to-ceiling window stood on one side, beside which was a tea table holding a beautifully crafted tea set.


    Nearby were lush bamboo plants and flowers.


    To the left upon entering was a small private theater with just five seats.


    Zhongli and Welt instantly fell in love with the place¡ªit felt tailor-made for them.


    The two exchanged a glance and decided to stay there, leaving Ye Yun to do as he pleased.


    Ye Yun looked at the two, a bit speechless. Seriously? They''re already settling in to hang out?


    He turned to Dan Heng.


    "What about you?"


    Dan Heng thought for a moment and said,


    "I''ll go check out the library. I think it''s next door."


    With that, he left for the library.


    Ye Yun then headed to his own private room.


    It was located behind the mini-bar.


    Pushing the door open, he found a large suite¡ªabout 60 square meters.


    Inside: a sofa, a dining table, a wardrobe, and a massive two-meter bed.


    As for furniture and decorations, Ye Yun would have to purchase those himself.


    He spent the rest of the time arranging his new room.


    Meanwhile, Silver Wolf returned to her "private room," dove into the sofa, pulled a blanket over herself, and went back to sleep.


    ***


    Time flew by.


    Evening came.


    Stelle groggily opened her eyes and checked the time¡ªshe''d slept the entire day. It was almost 7 p.m.


    She jumped out of bed, got dressed, and headed toward Ye Yun''s shop.


    Yawning heavily, she pushed open the door¡ª


    And froze.


    "...Did I walk into the wrong place?"


    She shut the door and double-checked.


    No, this was definitely the right place!


    Opening the door again, she walked inside.


    "What the¡ª?! I just took a nap, and this place changed so much?!"


    Just then, Silver Wolf, who had just woken up and was eating, spoke up:


    "You didn''t go to the wrong place. That jerk Ye Yun remodeled the shop while you were sleeping."


    Stelle blinked. Ohhh, so that''s what happened.


    ***


    Stelle walked over to the sofa and tea break area and was completely stunned.


    Whoa! This place had gotten so much bigger!


    Suddenly, Stelle''s eyes lit up! Like she had seen something she loved.


    "Hss!!! What is this! What is this! There''s actually such a perfect sofa in the world!"


    Without a second thought, Stelle launched herself onto the beanbag shaped like a trash can.


    "Ah~ so comfortable."


    Stelle sank into the beanbag, her face full of bliss.


    She shifted a bit and noticed a lottery shop not far away.


    "A lottery shop? What''s that?"


    Stelle walked into the shop and looked around.


    "Lottery tickets? Let me see what this is all about!"


    After browsing a bit and figuring it out, Stelle suddenly got excited.


    She waved her hand and bought 10 lottery tickets.


    "Hehe! I''m definitely going to win this time!"


    She checked the draw time¡ªtwo days from now.


    Stelle stuffed the tickets into her pocket and returned to the lounge area to rest.


    Before long, March 7th, Lumine, Amber, Eula, and others gradually arrived.


    Kaeya sat alone at the small bar, drinking.


    Everyone seemed to have already turned the shop into their own leisure hangout.


    In Liyue Harbor.


    Hu Tao rode her flying motorcycle, leaping down from Mt. Tianheng.


    "Wahoo~ The Head of the Hall is finally back!"


    She had flown all the way from Qingyun Peak, which had taken her over half an hour.


    And that was flying through the air¡ªif she''d gone by land, it would''ve taken half a day. That terrain is all mountains, geez.


    Hu Tao landed the motorcycle right on Yujing Terrace, startling the surrounding Millelith guards.


    "Who goes there!"


    A squad of Millelith approached, and Hu Tao quickly raised her hands in surrender.


    "I surrender~ don''t hit me~"


    Once they realized it was Hu Tao, the Millelith put their weapons away.


    After all, Hu Tao was well-known in Liyue Harbor. She used to advertise her Wangsheng Funeral Parlor package every day on the streets.


    Even so, the people of Liyue still really liked the quirky girl.


    Hu Tao, despite being mischievous, had a kind heart. People often got rescued by her when attacked by monsters outside the city.


    "Director Hu, it''s you. Please don''t do such dangerous things again. What if something happened?"


    Hu Tao clasped her hands in apology.


    "Sorry, I''ll be more careful next time. You guys go about your business¡ªI''m off."


    With that, she bid the Millelith farewell and rode off toward Chihu Rock.


    She didn''t dare go too fast in the city¡ªshe didn''t want to hit anyone.


    As she cruised through the streets of Liyue Harbor, passersby couldn''t help but marvel.


    "Hey, look at that!"


    "Isn''t that Director Hu? What''s that thing she''s riding? It moves by itself!"


    "Could it be a new mount released in Liyue? Does anyone know where to get it?"


    "No idea."


    "But I have to say, that thing looks pretty cool."


    "Totally! Let''s go see if we can find out where it''s from."


    Hu Tao quickly crossed the bridge and arrived at Wanmin Restaurant in Chihu Rock.


    She stood up on the flying motorcycle and peeked through the kitchen window.


    Inside, Xiangling was busy cooking, while Guoba was fanning the flames with all his might.


    Seeing Xiangling, a mischievous idea popped into Hu Tao''s head.


    "Hehe~"


    She suddenly shouted:


    "Xiangling!"


    Then she ducked below the window so Xiangling couldn''t see her.


    Xiangling turned her head.


    "Huh? Who''s calling me?"


    She looked around, even lifting the curtain to peek outside.


    No one was there. It couldn''t be from the window, right? The kitchen window was built high up on the cliff side¡ªit shouldn''t be possible.


    "Guoba, did you hear someone calling me just now?"


    Guoba, still busy with the fire, shook his head and shrugged.


    Xiangling said, "Maybe I imagined it?"


    She went back to cooking.


    Hu Tao peeked out from the edge of the window again, showing half her head.


    Hehe~ Xiangling didn''t catch me¡ªI can do it again.


    "Xiangling!"


    Xiangling turned again but still saw no one.


    What''s going on? That''s the second time!


    "Who is it!"


    This time, even Guoba heard it and looked around.


    Xiangling lifted the curtain¡ªoutside diners were all just eating as usual.


    She turned around¡ªand suddenly, a spooky face popped right in front of her.


    "Wah!!!" Hu Tao waved her hands like claws, scaring Xiangling.


    Xiangling nearly jumped out of her skin.


    After a while, she calmed down and saw it was Hu Tao. She stomped her foot in anger.


    "Hu Tao! You scared me again! I''m not playing with you anymore!"


    Hu Tao scratched her head and pulled out a bear-shaped handheld fan.


    "Okay okay~ Forgive me, here''s a gift for you."


    Xiangling looked at the fan Hu Tao handed over.


    "What is this?"


    Hu Tao pressed the button. The fan started spinning, blowing a constant stream of air toward Xiangling.


    Xiangling suddenly felt a refreshing breeze.


    "Wow! Hu Tao, where did you get this thing?"


    Hu Tao handed her the fan.


    "Well? Can you forgive me now? This is called a handheld fan¡ªit blows air on its own when turned on."


    Xiangling pressed it right up to her face¡ªthis was so her thing.


    It was summer, and working in the kitchen was always hot.


    With this gadget, cooking would be so much more comfortable.


    "Thanks, Hu Tao. But you still haven''t told me where it came from."


    Hu Tao smiled mysteriously and waved Xiangling over.


    Xiangling leaned in.


    Hu Tao glanced around.


    "Let me tell you..."


    The two whispered for a while before separating.


    Xiangling was incredulous.


    "Hu Tao, you''re saying you went to another world? That sounds too far-fetched!"


    Hu Tao replied, "I thought the same, but it''s true. That fan you''re holding¡ªI bought it from over there.


    Oh right, I still owe someone money. Do you have time later to go gather some Primogems with me?"


    Xiangling said, "Sure! I was just planning to go to Dihua Marsh with Xingqiu and Chongyun this afternoon. Let''s go together."


    Hu Tao was delighted to hear that.


    "Perfect! It''s settled then. I''ll come find you in the afternoon."


    Then¡ª


    Hu Tao jumped out the window back onto her flying motorcycle.


    Xiangling was baffled. Why was she going through the window instead of the door? Looked like she was sneaking off to a secret date or something.


    She walked over to get a closer look¡ªand was totally stunned. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What is that!"


    Hu Tao grinned and twisted the throttle. The flying motorcycle roared.


    "This is a flying motorcycle. It can fly! I''ll come pick you up later. Bye~"


    With that, Hu Tao released the brake and zoomed off into the sky.


    Xiangling watched the bike shoot into the clouds like a rocket, utterly speechless.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 - 32Hu Tao zoomed through the skies above Liyue Harbor on her flying motorcycle.


    "Wahoooo!!"


    This scene happened to be witnessed by Ningguang, who had stepped out onto the Jade Chamber''s balcony for some fresh air.


    "What is that?"


    Keqing, who was working nearby, asked, "What''s wrong, Ningguang?"


    Ningguang pointed out the window. "Hall Master Hu''s got some new toy. Want to come take a look?"


    Keqing raised an eyebrow. "Hall Master Hu? What''s she up to now?"


    She slowly got up and walked to the window.


    And saw¡ª


    Hu Tao is riding a flying motorcycle at high speed over Liyue Harbor, heading straight for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    "What is that? What could allow Hall Master Hu to fly through the sky like that? Could it be an immortal artifact?"


    Ningguang put down her pipe and straightened up.


    "Why don''t we go ask her directly? Baiwen."


    The secretary, ever ready to serve, gave a slight bow. "I''ll arrange it right away, Lady Ningguang."


    Meanwhile, Hu Tao did a stylish drift and landed right in her courtyard.


    Once the motorcycle stopped, she shut off the engine and hopped off.


    Just as she was about to head to her room, she saw Zhongli approaching, holding a notebook.


    "Consultant, you''re back early today?"


    Zhongli gave a gentle nod. "Yes, I bought a little something. Would you like to take a look?"


    Hu Tao skipped over to him, leaving little trails of flame-shaped butterflies fluttering in the wind behind her.


    She poked at the notebook in his hands. "What''s this? Did you buy it from Ye Yun?"


    Zhongli shook his head slightly. "No, this was a gift from Mr. Welt. It''s called a ''laptop computer'' and possesses many wondrous functions."


    Seeing Hu Tao''s clear interest, Zhongli offered, "Would you like to try it with me?"


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up, and she eagerly agreed. "Hehe! That''s what I wanted to hear!"


    She snatched the laptop and dashed into the house.


    Zhongli smiled and followed her inside.


    Soon, they were back in Zhongli''s room.


    His place was elegantly decorated, filled with antiques and calligraphy paintings on the walls.


    Hu Tao sat at the desk and opened the laptop. "Consultant, come here and teach me how to use it!"


    Zhongli joined her, guiding her to enter the unlock password and open a media player where some movies and shows had already been downloaded.


    Hu Tao browsed through and picked a horror film to watch.


    As the screen lit up, spooky sounds soon filled the room.


    Meanwhile, Ningguang and Keqing arrived at the funeral parlor, accompanied by a squad of Millelith.


    The receptionist at the entrance quickly stood up to greet them. "Greetings, Lady Tianquan, Lady Yuheng."


    Ningguang gave a small nod. "Is your Hall Master in?"


    The receptionist thought for a moment¡ªshe hadn''t seen Hu Tao leave today while on duty.


    What she didn''t know was that with a flying motorcycle, Hu Tao no longer needed to use the front door at all. Seriously, who even uses doors when you can fly? That''s so outdated!


    "She''s home. Please, have a seat and some tea. I''ll go fetch her."


    The receptionist hurried into the courtyard.


    As she entered, a piercing shriek rang out.


    But she wasn''t surprised¡ªHu Tao often brought back "guests" who made all sorts of noises. She was used to it by now.


    Following the sounds, she realized they were coming from Zhongli''s room.


    She was a bit puzzled¡ªZhongli shouldn''t be home at this hour. Usually, he''d be out enjoying music, especially today when Yun Jin had a performance.


    But still, she went to check.


    As she opened the door, to her surprise, both Zhongli and Hu Tao were there, sitting at a desk, completely absorbed in a glowing object in front of them.


    Startled by the door opening, they looked up.


    Hu Tao smiled. "Little sister, what brings you here? Is there business?"


    The receptionist shook her head. "No, Lady Tianquan and Lady Yuheng are at the door. They said they need to speak with you."


    Hu Tao blinked. "What could they want with me? Maybe they''ve got a big order for the parlor?"


    After all, the Tianquan of today was Liyue''s richest person¡ªvery rich.


    "Alright, I''ll go right away."


    She paused her video and said to Zhongli, "Consultant, wait for me¡ªwe''ll finish watching it together when I get back!"


    Then she dashed outside.


    Zhongli watched her leave and already guessed what Ningguang and Keqing were after¡ªmost likely the flying motorcycle.


    He didn''t mind; in fact, he hoped Hu Tao could help Ningguang and Keqing get acquainted with Ye Yun and the others. That way, he wouldn''t have to do it himself.


    Realizing Hu Tao might be gone a while, he took out his teaware and made himself a pot of tea.


    Back on Hu Tao''s side¡ª


    She entered the reception room with a bright grin. "Aiya~ No wonder the birds in the yard wouldn''t shut up¡ªit''s because we have honored guests!"


    "Lady Tianquan, Lady Yuheng, good afternoon. Have you eaten yet? If not, we can share a meal."


    Ningguang smiled at her cheerful greeting. "Long time no see, Hall Master Hu. We came today to ask you something."


    Hu Tao gestured for tea to be served and sat down. "Ask away. If I know, I''ll tell."


    Ningguang asked, "This afternoon, I saw someone flying through the skies of Liyue Harbor on some kind of magical device. Do you know who it was?"


    Hu Tao answered directly, "That was me. And that thing isn''t a magic artifact¡ªI bought it from a friend."


    Ningguang''s eyes lit up. "Oh? A friend, you say. To be honest, I''m very interested in that item. Do you think your friend might have another one for sale?"


    Her plan was to buy one, have Liyue''s craftsmen study it, and potentially profit big if they could replicate it.


    Hu Tao thought for a bit. "Hmmmm... probably! I''m going to visit that friend again tomorrow¡ªwhy don''t you come with me?"


    Ningguang considered for a moment and agreed. "Alright. Mind if I bring two friends with me?"


    Though Hu Tao was a loyal Liyue native, caution was still wise.


    Hu Tao didn''t mind at all. In fact, she was thinking about bringing more customers to Ye Yun¡ªMarch 7th had told her that morning it was okay to bring friends to shop there.


    ***


    After chatting with Hu Tao for a while, Ningguang and Keqing got up to leave.


    "Master Hu, see you tomorrow."


    Hu Tao got up and cupped her hands.


    "Alright, see you tomorrow."


    After Ningguang and Keqing left, Hu Tao looked at the sky¡ªit was already around noon.


    So, she asked the little ceremonial girl to bring lunch for both herself and Zhongli to Zhongli''s room, planning to eat while watching a horror movie.


    In the afternoon, she had plans with Xiangling and the others to go to Dihua Marsh to farm Primogems.


    Back at the Jade Chamber, Ningguang had just entered her office when she heard a familiar voice.


    "You called me back in such a hurry¡ªwhat''s the matter?"


    Following the voice, Ningguang saw that it was none other than Yelan, Liyue''s top intelligence agent.


    "Of course, it''s urgent. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have called you."


    Yelan leaned against a pillar, playing with a die in her hand, lost in thought.


    "Let me think... Is it about that Fatui Harbinger who came to Liyue?"


    Ningguang lit her pipe and replied,


    "No, tomorrow I want you to come somewhere with me."


    Yelan grew curious.


    "Oh? Where?"


    Sitting down at her desk, Ningguang took a gentle puff.


    "You must''ve seen it too today¡ªHu Tao''s flying gadget."


    Upon hearing Hu Tao''s name, Yelan smiled. She knew Hu Tao well. The two of them often encountered each other in the wild.


    Yelan''s missions were mostly at night, and Hu Tao''s work also tended to take place after dark.


    Over time, they became acquainted.


    "You mean Little Hu Tao? Yeah, I saw it. You''re not thinking of snatching her gadget, are you?"


    Ningguang shook her head slightly.


    "Of course not. I just went to talk to her. She''s taking me to buy one tomorrow, and I want you to come with me."


    Now Yelan understood. Ningguang basically wanted someone to watch her back.


    But truth be told, Yelan was also quite interested in that flying motorcycle of Hu Tao''s.


    "What time tomorrow?"


    Ningguang flicked some ash from her pipe.


    "First thing in the morning. We''ll meet at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor entrance."


    Time flew, and soon it was afternoon.


    Hu Tao rode her flying motorcycle to Wanmin Restaurant.


    At that moment, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Xiangling were already prepared and just waiting for her.


    With a loud "Wahoo!", Hu Tao did a stylish landing drift in front of the trio.


    She waved cheerfully.


    "Good afternoon, my friends!"


    Xingqiu and Chongyun stared at her, stunned. What the heck was that thing? It could fly?!


    Xingqiu closed the book in his hand.


    "Hu Tao, what is that thing?"


    Hu Tao patted the seat of the flying motorcycle.


    "Hehe, this is my latest treasure¡ªa flying motorcycle! Cool, right?"


    Xingqiu nodded and gave a thumbs up.


    "Pretty cool indeed."


    Hu Tao checked the time.


    "Let''s go. We better head out now. I''ve got things to do tomorrow, so let''s come back early today."


    Then she patted the motorcycle.


    "Hop on, everyone. I''ll take you flying!"


    The three of them climbed on. Xiangling sat behind Hu Tao, and Xingqiu and Chongyun squeezed onto the back.


    Four people¡ªit was super cramped. But the flying motorcycle was fast, so they figured they could tough it out for a bit. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hu Tao twisted the throttle, and the bike shot into the sky like a rocket.


    She had grown fond of launching this way¡ªit gave the biggest thrill.


    Hu Tao was loving it, but for Xiangling, Xingqiu, and Chongyun, who had never ridden a motorcycle before, it was sheer terror. They screamed nonstop.


    "Hu Tao! Slow down!!!"


    Hu Tao, seeing their reactions, cranked the throttle even harder.


    "What? Go faster? You got it!"


    The flying motorcycle sped through the sky toward Dihua Marsh. The three passengers clung on for dear life, afraid they''d fall.


    Yelan, just leaving the Jade Chamber, saw the scene and chuckled.


    "Little Hu Tao''s gadget is really something."


    On a dock outside the Northland Bank, Childe also witnessed it.


    "Interesting. Didn''t expect Liyue to have something like that."


    He glanced in the direction Hu Tao flew off to and followed.


    Inside the Astral Express, it was nighttime. Everyone was gathered around the dining table for dinner.


    Tonight''s meal was pretty good¡ªspicy hotpot. Ye Yun had made two big pots and set them on the table. Everyone helped themselves.


    Stelle slurped her instant noodles with satisfaction.


    "Ye Yun, can we have this hotpot from now on? It''s sooo good!"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes.


    "If you eat this all the time, you''ll get inflamed. Once in a while is enough."


    Stelle patted her chest.


    "No worries. I''m healthy¡ªI can take it!"


    Ye Yun sighed.


    "Klee and the little ones can''t handle this kind of food."


    Stelle fell silent. True, Klee and the kids had delicate stomachs.


    Then Ye Yun remembered their plan to visit the ice fields tomorrow.


    "By the way, have you all decided where we''re going at the ice field?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "Nope~ Got any ideas?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "How about that spot above the Mechanical Settlement? Didn''t Svarog dig a tunnel there? We can just use the portal¡ªjust a few steps and we''ll be at the ice field."


    Everyone agreed with Ye Yun''s suggestion.


    March 7th was already looking forward to tomorrow.


    "I want to ride the snowmobile! I''ve wanted to try that for ages. Let''s bring it with us tomorrow!"


    Stelle immediately clapped in agreement. Great idea!


    Ye Yun added,


    "I''ll bring a few snowboards, so we can go skiing."


    He looked over at the three little ones sitting obediently.


    "And some snow toys too, for Klee and the kids to build snowmen."


    Welt spoke up.


    "I won''t be joining you guys tomorrow. I want to check out the northern part of Belobog¡ªI heard there''s something interesting there."


    Dan Heng added,


    "I''ll go with Mr. Welt."


    Everyone kept eating while discussing plans for tomorrow.


    Just then, Silver Wolf walked out of her compartment, picked up a bowl, and scooped herself a large portion of spicy hotpot to bring back.


    Stelle called out,


    "Silver Wolf, wanna come with us tomorrow?"


    Silver Wolf gave Stelle a look of disdain.


    "No way. Playing in the snow sounds so boring. I''d rather stay in and play games. You guys go ahead."


    With a full bowl of hotpot in hand, she returned to her room and slammed the door.


    By now, everyone on the Astral Express had gotten used to her.


    Before they knew her well, they thought she was some kind of dangerous criminal.


    But now they knew¡ªnope, just a hardcore gamer girl with a warm heart.


    Like yesterday, when March 7''s phone was acting up, Silver Wolf fixed it in seconds after spotting the problem.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33 - 33The next day arrived.


    Northland Bank, inside Childe''s room.


    Childe was tending to his wounds.


    When he chased Hu Tao to Dihua Marsh, he didn''t get far before encountering a legendary adeptus.


    The result goes without saying¡ªXiao was stationed at Dihua Marsh.


    Childe fought Xiao, but it was a one-sided battle. He was completely overwhelmed and had no chance of winning.


    Luckily, he was fast and managed to escape with only minor injuries. If he had been any slower, he might''ve been left behind permanently.


    Still, Childe wasn''t angry. On the contrary, the battle ignited his fighting spirit.


    "As expected of Liyue¡ªa land full of hidden masters. So many powerful figures here. When I get the chance, I want to challenge that adeptus at Dihua Marsh again."


    Outside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Hu Tao and Zhongli were waiting for Ningguang.


    Soon, Ningguang appeared in their view, accompanied by Yelan and Keqing.


    The moment Hu Tao saw Yelan, she lit up with joy.


    "Yay! Yelan-Sis!"


    Hu Tao rushed over and hugged her tightly.


    Yelan gently patted Hu Tao''s head.


    "Little Hu Tao, it''s been a while."


    Hu Tao let go and placed her hands on her hips, grinning.


    "Yeah, it really has! What have you been up to lately, Yelan-Sis?"


    Yelan smiled.


    "Nothing too important. Let''s go, we should head out. I''m here today to serve as Lady Tianquan''s bodyguard."


    Hu Tao, hearing that, suddenly remembered Ningguang and Keqing.


    She had gotten so excited to see Yelan that she forgot about the others.


    "Good morning, ladies."


    Ningguang smiled.


    "Morning. Time is precious¡ªlet''s be on our way."


    Hu Tao turned to Zhongli and called out,


    "Consultant! Time to use your magical powers!"


    Zhongli didn''t waste time. He activated his divine powers and teleported everyone away.


    After a moment of dizziness, Ningguang and the others found themselves in a place filled with celestial energy.


    Hu Tao explained,


    "This is Jueyun Karst. See that door over there? That''s the portal that leads to Ye Yun.


    By the way, Ye Yun is the one who sold me the flying motorcycle.


    Let''s go."


    With that, Hu Tao and Zhongli opened the portal and stepped inside.


    Ningguang''s group exchanged glances. Yelan smiled.


    "Come on, Little Hu Tao already went in. What are you two afraid of? Let''s go."


    Yelan grabbed the handle and walked in.


    Ningguang and Keqing were left feeling a bit sheepish. Really, what was there to be afraid of? This was Jueyun Karst, home of the immortals. As Liyue locals, they had nothing to worry about.


    Then, they both followed into the portal.


    Inside the Astral Express.


    Everyone had just finished breakfast and was packing up to go have some fun.


    Hu Tao arrived and, seeing everyone carrying bags and gear, asked curiously,


    "What are you all up to?"


    Paimon replied,


    "We''re going to play in the snow! Hu Tao, do you want to come?"


    The mention of snow games got Hu Tao excited instantly.


    "Of course! Count me in!"


    Himeko, noticing Hu Tao''s light clothing, pulled out a coat and handed it to her.


    "Hu Tao, wear this. It''s going to be very cold."


    Hu Tao took the coat gratefully.


    "Thank you, Himeko-Sis!"


    Himeko smiled warmly.


    "No problem. Just wait a bit while we finish packing, then we''ll head out."


    Hu Tao nodded happily.


    Just then, Yelan, Ningguang, and Keqing emerged from inside.


    The others all paused when they saw the three elegant women.


    Ye Yun greeted them.


    "Welcome to my humble shop, ladies."


    Zhongli introduced them.


    "This is Ye Yun, the owner of this store. The others here are his friends."


    The three women politely introduced themselves.


    "Hello, Mr. Ye Yun. I''m Ningguang. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "I''m Keqing."


    "Yelan."


    Aside from Ningguang''s more formal greeting, Keqing and Yelan kept it short.


    Ye Yun didn''t mind and smiled.


    "Welcome. Did Hu Tao explain the rules for shopping here?"


    Ningguang shook her head.


    Ye Yun called over Noelle.


    "Noelle, please assist our guests."


    Noelle, who had been washing dishes in the kitchen, hurried over.


    "Right this way, ladies. I''ll show you around."


    Ye Yun added,


    "Sorry, I have some errands to run. Noelle is one of our top employees¡ªif you need anything, just let her know."


    Hearing Ye Yun call her a top employee made Noelle blush with pride.


    Ningguang smiled.


    "Alright, go ahead. We''ll look around ourselves."


    Then Noelle led the trio to the mini-bar area.


    Zhongli thought about it and decided to stay behind. He had originally planned to go exploring with Welt.


    But now, he felt it was better to stay in the shop.


    He had already noticed earlier that Ningguang and the others hadn''t brought any Primogems.


    Chances were, he''d need to lend them some money soon.


    After Ye Yun and the others left through the portal to the Mechanical Settlement for some fun, Ningguang, Yelan, and Keqing quickly figured out a few things.


    First, this place wasn''t Teyvat¡ªit was another world entirely, one much stronger than Teyvat.


    Second, they could use a currency called Stellar Coins to buy anything from Ye Yun''s shop.


    The three of them stared at the display screen for a while.


    Ningguang frowned slightly¡ªshe had no Primogems on her, and thus couldn''t get Stellar Coins.


    But there were so many things here she wanted to buy.


    Keqing thought aloud,


    "Should I go back real quick?"


    Yelan shook her head.


    "Won''t help. The portal is in Jueyun Karst, far from Liyue Harbor. Going back and forth would take way too long."


    Keqing shrugged.


    "Then what do we do?"


    Suddenly, Ningguang said,


    "I have a way."


    Keqing and Yelan looked at her.


    "What is it?"


    Ningguang stared at Zhongli, who was sipping tea nearby.


    "I''ll be right back."


    With that, she walked over to Zhongli.


    Keqing and Yelan immediately understood her plan¡ªclearly, she was going to borrow money from him.


    It was obvious Zhongli wasn''t new here. He''d definitely brought some Primogems or Stellar Coins with him.


    How could they tell? Well, the moment he arrived, he was already chatting with the others like an old friend.


    Ningguang approached Zhongli.


    "Mr. Zhongli¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Zhongli handed her 10,000 Stellar Coins.


    "No need to say it. I know what you''re thinking. Here¡ª10,000 Stellar Coins. Repay me with Primogems when we return."


    Ningguang didn''t hesitate. She accepted the money and thanked him.


    "Thank you. I''ll have someone gather the Primogems and repay you as soon as we return."


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    Ningguang then returned to the display screen with the Stellar Coins in hand.


    ***


    Keqing looked eagerly at Ningguang as she returned.


    "Well?"


    Ningguang smiled and pulled out a wad of Stellar Coins.


    "I got the money¡ªten thousand in total. Let''s see what we can buy."


    The three of them took a sip of water and began browsing items. Noelle, seeing their glasses empty, picked up a kettle and refilled them.


    As the three of them browsed, they didn''t realize Zhongli had been watching the whole time.


    He quietly channeled his divine power to peek at what the trio planned to buy.


    While they browsed, a sudden disagreement broke out between Ningguang and Keqing.


    "I think we should buy this Soil Transformer first. With it, we can improve Liyue''s polluted lands and increase food production!" Keqing said with conviction.


    Ningguang shook her head.


    "The soil does need improvement, but Liyue is currently well-fed¡ªwe''re not in urgent need, are we?


    I believe we should prioritize this ''Diamond Body Tempering Manual.'' Once mastered, it can give someone the combat power of a top-tier Vision wielder.


    And it leads to even more powerful techniques like ''Titanic Divine Suppression.''"


    Yelan, off to the side, didn''t take sides. Her job was just to accompany and protect Ningguang and Keqing.


    In Liyue, she mainly dealt with intelligence, not governance. So she stayed out of the debate¡ªbut truthfully, she leaned more toward Ningguang''s point of view.


    Teyvat wasn''t united. There were constant frictions between nations.


    In the end, strength was the foundation of Liyue''s survival. Just like Rex Lapis¡ªhe had established today''s Liyue through his might, defeating rival gods.


    In a world of supernatural powers, strength could shape the fate of a nation¡ªwhether it thrived or fell.


    Their argument dragged on for over half an hour. Zhongli quietly sipped tea while listening.


    Truth be told, he was satisfied with both women¡ªtheir abilities were top-tier among the Liyue Qixing throughout the ages.


    Eventually, Yelan stepped in to stop them.


    "All right, all right. You two, settle down."


    Keqing and Ningguang looked toward her.


    "Yelan, whose idea do you think is better?" Keqing asked.


    Yelan sighed and turned to Noelle. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Noelle, you''re from Mondstadt, right?"


    Yelan had already researched Noelle¡ªshe was a Vision wielder, and Yelan had memorized info on almost every Vision holder in Teyvat.


    Unless someone hadn''t been documented yet, of course.


    "Noelle, has Acting Grand Master Jean visited this place before? Do you know what she bought?"


    Startled as she boiled water for Zhongli, Noelle looked up.


    "Huh? Are you talking to me?"


    Yelan nodded.


    "Yes. Do you know what Jean bought?"


    Noelle thought hard.


    "Umm... I''m not sure. I only started working here recently."


    Yelan was a bit disappointed¡ªshe''d hoped to use Mondstadt''s choices for reference.


    At that moment, Zhongli suddenly spoke.


    "If I recall correctly, Lady Jean bought a cultivation manual and an artifact that could repair the body of a certain witch."


    He had heard this from Venti during their first conversation about Ye Yun¡ªover drinks, they''d caught up after a long separation.


    Yelan, upon hearing this, made up her mind.


    "Let''s get the cultivation manual first."


    Keqing quickly tried to convince her otherwise.


    "Yelan¡ª"


    Yelan raised a hand to stop her.


    "Keqing, I agree with you¡ªfood is essential for a nation.


    But as Ningguang said, Liyue isn''t facing a shortage.


    So let''s buy the manual first and use it to empower the Millelith.


    As for the soil improvement machine, we can buy it later.


    It''s not like this will be our only visit, right?"


    Keqing fell silent. She realized Yelan was right¡ªthere would be other chances to return.


    In the end, the trio spent 8,000 Stellar Coins on the Diamond Body Tempering Manual.


    They used the remaining 2,000 to buy blueprints and rare ores not found in Teyvat.


    Afterward, they found Zhongli and asked him to use his teleportation powers to send them back to Liyue Harbor.


    They returned to Yujing Terrace and took a teleportation array to the Jade Chamber.


    Along the way, they discussed how best to implement the Diamond Body Tempering Manual.


    Finally, they agreed¡ªjust as Jean once did¡ªto first select a group of loyal Millelith soldiers for training.


    Once this first group succeeded, they would gradually expand the program.


    In the Jade Chamber, Ningguang sat at her desk, propping her chin on one hand while tapping the manual with her index finger.


    "Now that we''ve settled the plan, next we should ask for the Lord''s opinion."


    Keqing thought for a moment.


    "The annual Rite of Descension is coming up. We can ask him then."


    Both Ningguang and Yelan agreed¡ªthere was no rush.


    Besides, it would take time to choose the first candidates.


    At that moment...


    A hooded Zhongli appeared in the room, golden motes of light swirling around him.


    "I am already aware of your plans. Proceed as you''ve decided."


    With that, Zhongli''s figure faded from sight.


    Ningguang smiled.


    "Looks like I won''t need to bring this up during the Rite."


    Keqing said, "Since the Lord has given his blessing, let''s begin.


    I''ll handle the selection. Yelan, will you teach them?"


    Among the three, Yelan was the strongest in combat.


    Twirling her dice, she smiled.


    "All right, I''ll take this tough job."


    Keqing and Yelan then left the Jade Chamber.


    Before leaving, Yelan copied the manual to begin practicing herself¡ªafter all, you can''t teach what you haven''t learned.


    Keqing headed straight to the Millelith headquarters to begin a secret selection of loyal soldiers.


    Meanwhile, on Jarilo-VI...


    A spaceship bearing the logo of the Interastral Peace Corporation landed near Belobog.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 - 34Frozen Tundra Above the Mechanized Settlement


    "Wuhu~!"


    "Yahoo~!"


    "Awesome!"


    "Woohoo!"


    "Lumine! Slow down! I''m about to fly off!"


    Several snowmobiles zipped across the snowy plains, spraying white powder behind them.


    The riders were none other than Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Amber, Eula, and Hu Tao.


    Seele and Bronya were unavailable today and didn''t join them.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Hu Tao each rode a snowmobile on their own.


    Lumine had Paimon riding pillion, and Amber was giving Eula a lift.


    Paimon clung tightly to Lumine''s waist, strapped in with a safety belt. She was utterly stunned from fright.


    Eula wasn''t faring much better. Although her face remained calm, she was silently regretting everything inside.


    Just a moment ago, Stelle had suggested something "exciting"¡ªracing full throttle up a slope several dozen meters high and launching the snowmobiles into the air.


    They had literally flown for over ten seconds before hitting the ground again. At that moment, Eula had instantly regretted joining the ride.


    Why did I join in on this madness?! No¡ªthis is all Amber''s fault for dragging me here!


    Back at the temporary camp...


    Ye Yun was building snowmen with Klee, Hook, and Diona.


    Klee had placed Dodoco nearby, and the three little ones were carefully crafting a snowman in Dodoco''s likeness, checking their work against the real thing as they built.


    And honestly? It looked pretty accurate.


    Not far away, Himeko was helping Clara assemble a mecha.


    Today, Clara wanted to test how much she''d learned recently, so she had asked Ye Yun for a bunch of materials. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Yun didn''t charge her a single coin.


    Ye Yun: "Clara needs parts for a robot? Take whatever you want!"


    Himeko examined Clara''s blueprints and had to admit¡ªher design was clever.


    The robot on the blueprint had been named "Family Unit" by Clara.


    It was humanoid in shape and equipped with medical capabilities for treating basic injuries.


    Clara worked hard, tightening screws with a wrench. Her small face was smudged with black oil, but she didn''t mind at all¡ªcompletely focused on the task at hand.


    After about half an hour, Clara finally finished the assembly.


    Excited, she activated the Family Unit.


    The next moment, the robot came to life.


    "Hello, Clara."


    Clara jumped with joy.


    "Hello, Family Unit! Sister Himeko! I did it!"


    Himeko smiled warmly. Clara''s talent for mechanics truly was extraordinary.


    "Congrats, congrats. Now let''s test its functions."


    Clara nodded and ran over to Svarog.


    "Mr. Svarog, could you please find some injured people for me? I want to test the healing functions."


    Svarog, hearing this, immediately sent out several mechs to search for wounded individuals in the settlement.


    Soon, a few "traffic light" bots brought back a group of injured people.


    Under their guidance, the injured formed a line, waiting to be treated.


    Clara had Family Unit begin its work.


    A few minutes later, Clara cheered in delight.


    Under Family Unit''s care, the injuries were fully healed.


    The robot was equipped with a nano-healing device, the same model used on the Herta Space Station.


    Basically, unless someone was already dead, it could bring them back.


    Elsewhere...


    Stelle and the girls skidded to a stylish stop on their snowmobiles in front of Ye Yun.


    Grinning, Stelle called out:


    "Ye Yun, give me a call when it''s almost time to eat, we''re going to check out a more distant spot."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Sure. Any cravings for lunch?"


    Stelle immediately raised her hand.


    "Spicy hot pot!"


    Ye Yun gave her a playful glare.


    "Nope. You just had that not long ago. Maybe in a few days."


    Stelle instantly drooped.


    "My precious hot pot..."


    March 7th chuckled.


    "Just make what you think''s good, Ye Yun. Call us when it''s time. We''re going racing again!"


    Ye Yun replied, "Alright¡ªbut be careful."


    The girls answered in unison and sped off into the snowy wilderness.


    "Wuhuuuuu!!"


    "Charge!!"


    "Lumine!!! I want to go back!!!"


    Not far from Belobog...


    Topaz and Jade descended from their starship with a large group of Interastral Peace Corporation staff.


    Topaz looked at Jade.


    "You came too?"


    Jade smiled gently.


    "Of course. I came to visit a friend. You go handle your business¡ªI''ll find mine."


    Topaz recalled the little girl Jade had mentioned before¡ªClara.


    During the journey, she had often seen Jade chatting with her.


    "Alright, let''s head into the city first."


    Topaz looked down at Belobog at the foot of the mountain.


    "Hard to believe humans have a settlement in such harsh conditions."


    Jade smiled.


    "In time, this place won''t be so harsh anymore. It''s all up to you, little Elina."


    Topaz proudly patted her chest.


    "Leave it to me."


    Just then, the distant roar of engines reached their ears.


    Topaz asked,


    "Jade, did you hear that? Sounds like motorcycles?"


    Jade pointed to a nearby valley.


    "Probably coming from there."


    The staff of the Peace Corporation quickly stood guard around Topaz and Jade.


    Moments later, Stelle and the others burst from the valley on their snowmobiles.


    Seeing a crowd ahead, Stelle skidded to a stop.


    The others followed suit.


    Then, a squad leader from the Interastral Peace Corporation stepped forward.


    "Stop! Turn back the way you came! Or learn firsthand how powerful the IPC really is!"


    With two "big shots" present, the squad leader wanted to show off¡ªno way would he let a few reckless girls cause trouble.


    Stelle jumped off her snowmobile, hands on her hips.


    "You tell me to turn back and I have to? That''d be a disgrace to me¡ªGalaxy Baseballer! Move aside! I want to ride through!"


    Amber, Eula, Lumine, and Hu Tao looked at March 7th curiously.


    "March, who are these Interastral Peace people?"


    March 7th explained:


    "They''re basically a huge business corporation. The strongest one in our world. They follow the Aeon of Preservation."


    The girls finally understood.


    March stood beside Stelle.


    "Yeah! You guys are way too nosy! Move it, missy wants to pass!"


    The squad leader, seeing no compromise, prepared to act.


    "Everyone¡ªseize these girls!"


    In an instant, a swarm of IPC staff charged forward.


    Stelle raised an eyebrow.


    Oho~ this could be fun. Alright then, let''s warm up a little¡ªtime to test the new moves Ye Yun taught me!


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed"


    Her sword, Judgment Of Shamash, transformed into its greatsword form.


    Then she shouted again¡ª


    "Judgment of Shamash: Annihilation!"


    Judgment of Shamash transformed into its final form¡ªAnnihilation Mode.


    Stelle swung the sword down.


    A terrifying wave of energy swept forward.


    ***


    Half an hour after Stelle unleashed theJudgment of Shamash: Annihilation!


    More than half of the personnel from the Intergalactic Peace Company who came this time were either dead or injured.


    This was thanks to Topaz and Jade''s intervention, who managed to block this strike. Otherwise, all the employees of the Intergalactic Peace Company present would have probably been wiped out.


    Even though they blocked Stelle''s attack, both Topaz and Jade were still injured.


    Stelle stared in disbelief at the destruction her strike had caused.


    "Hiss! This is bad! I think I''ve caused a disaster!"


    Inside Beloberg, the citizens were in a panic, hiding in their homes as they watched the hellfire just a thin line away from the city.


    The once ice fields had now turned into a sea of fire, with flames burning fiercely.


    Trees were falling in the flames, and the snow was melting in the heat.


    Even the recently defrosted Void and other dimension-breaking monsters were completely consumed by the fire.


    Bronya, Seele, and gepard stood at the gates of Beloberg.


    At this moment,


    Ye Yun, along with Lios, was also present.


    Just earlier, it was Ye Yun and Lios who had intervened to stop the flames from reaching the city.


    "Ye Yun, what are you doing here?"


    Ye Yun chuckled helplessly.


    "I''m here to clean up the mess."


    Bronya was a bit confused.


    "Mess?"


    Ye Yun wiped his face helplessly and pointed to the distant sea of fire.


    "Most likely, this was caused by Stelle."


    Bronya was a bit surprised upon hearing this.


    "Stelle? What happened?"


    As she thought, Bronya suddenly recalled the Stellaron inside Stelle.


    "Could it be related to the Stellaron inside her?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "No, if it were the Stellaron, it wouldn''t have caused this scene. It should have been Stelle''s Judgment of Shamash.


    By the way, I think I also have some responsibility in this. It''s a move I taught her, but I forgot to remind her that it''s a bit too powerful."


    Bronya was speechless and didn''t know what to say.


    Ye Yun gave a wry smile.


    "Alright, alright. I''m here to clean up the mess, right? Look on the bright side, once the fire is gone, you''ll have extra land to farm and live on."


    Bronya''s face lit up with excitement.


    "That''s right! After the flames are gone, this land will be free of snow and ice!"


    She quickly ordered Jepard to gather people, planning to develop this land as soon as the flames cleared.


    Even if it couldn''t be farmed immediately, at least they could establish a residential area.


    At the incident site.


    Stelle was visibly panicking.


    Stelle silently deactivated the Judgment of Shamash''s calamity form, turning it back into its dual-gun shape and stowing it away.


    March 7 swallowed heavily.


    "Stelle, that move was a bit too extreme, don''t you think?"


    Stelle didn''t know what to say at first.


    "Uh, well..."


    At this moment, Lumine, who had been silently rubbing her chin, spoke up.


    "At times like this, I think we should just run. What do you think?"


    The girls exchanged looks and then jumped on their snowmobiles, twisting the throttle and speeding off.


    Topaz and Jade, seeing that Stelle was just running away, were furious.


    "Hey! Are they just running off like this?" Topaz stomped her feet in anger.


    Jade slightly adjusted her attire.


    "This isn''t anyone else''s fault. It was your subordinate who started it first, Little Jelena."


    Topaz, upon hearing this, realized that it was indeed her own subordinates who had provoked others first.


    After they returned, she would have to train her subordinates properly to prevent such situations in the future.


    Leaving a few people to clean up the site and guard the warship, Jade and Topaz led the rest to Belobog.


    Back on the snowmobiles.


    Stelle and the girls were heading back along the same route.


    At this point, Stelle received a call from Yeyun.


    "Hello? Ye Yun, why are you calling me?"


    Ye Yun asked, "Where are you?"


    Hearing the tone, Stelle immediately got a bad feeling. Oh no! This sounds like a reprimand!


    "I-I''m at the Mechanical Settlement."


    Stelle nervously lied, feeling guilty.


    Ye Yun sighed in response.


    "Right, I know. It''s a move I taught you. Come to the administrative district. I''ll be waiting for you."


    After hanging up, Stelle, now fully aware of what was coming, took March 7 and the others to the administrative district.


    A few minutes later, at the entrance of Beloberg.


    Ye Yun waved at the group.


    "Stelle, what''s going on? Did you encounter enemies?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yeah, we ran into the company''s people, and they made the first move!"


    Stelle quickly explained the situation, trying to shift the blame onto the Intergalactic Peace Company.


    Upon hearing "the company," Ye Yun already had a rough idea.


    It was probably Topaz coming to settle accounts.


    Seele frowned slightly.


    "The company''s people? How did they end up here?"


    Ye Yun replied, "I''m not sure, but we''ll wait here. If I''m right, their destination should be here¡ªBelobog."


    Seele agreed with Yeyun''s guess.


    There was only one human habitation zone on the planet, Belobog, which was where they had to go.


    Not long later.


    Topaz and Emerald, leading a large group of Intergalactic Peace Company personnel, arrived.


    Topaz, seeing Stelle here, was furious and charged forward.


    "I can''t believe you''re here! Guards! Get them!"


    Stelle immediately turned to Ye Yun, saying, "You saw that! They started it first!"


    Then, Stelle drew out her Judgment of Shamash and was ready to attack.


    Ye Yun sighed, instantly moving to block Topaz. He grabbed her by the ear and dragged her to him, restraining her.


    "Don''t attack yet, there might be a misunderstanding."


    Ye Yun released Topaz, allowing her to return to her team.


    Topaz, ready to roll up her sleeves, was stopped by Jade.


    "Alright, Little Jelena, leave this to me. I''ll go negotiate."


    Emerald walked up to Yeyun.


    "Hello, I''m Jade. Pleased to meet you."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Hello, I''m Ye Yun."


    Jade looked at Ye Yun and then at the group of girls behind him.


    Suddenly, her pupils shrank as she noticed the special "ticket" hanging from Stelle, realizing Ye Yun and the others'' true identities.


    "I didn''t expect the famous Nameless Guest to be here on this planet."


    "Well, it makes sense," Ye Yun replied. "This planet was once corrupted by the Stellaron. With your Nameless Guest''s usual style, you wouldn''t have just stood by."


    Jade smiled lightly.


    "I came to see a friend, but Topaz is here for company business."


    Ye Yun was a bit confused.


    "A friend?"


    Jade nodded slightly and looked over at Clara.


    "Clara, your sister is here."


    Clara, who was a bit dazed, looked at Jade and wondered how she knew her.


    Jade, seeing that Clara didn''t recognize her, took out her phone and sent Clara a message.


    A moment later, Clara''s phone rang.


    Clara looked at the message from "Jade" and was taken aback.


    Jade: Clara, sister is here.


    Clara, finally recognizing the message, looked at Jade in shock.


    "You''re... Jade?"


    Jade chuckled lightly.


    "That''s right, Clara."

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35 - 35Jade summoned an Interastral Peace Corporation employee.


    "Bring the gift I prepared."


    The employee quickly ran to the back and returned with a book, handing it to Clara.


    Jade walked up to Clara and handed her the book.


    "Here, Clara, this is a gift from your big sister."


    Clara accepted the book, and when she saw the title, she was overjoyed¡ªshe had searched for this book on her shopping app for a long time but couldn''t find it.


    "Thank you, big sister. Clara really likes it."


    Jade smiled gently.


    "As long as you like it."


    Jade glanced at Topaz, who was already negotiating with Ye Yun.


    After thinking for a moment, Jade said, "Clara, can you take me to see where you live?"


    Clara agreed and led Jade toward the Mechanical Settlement.


    Seeing this, Himeko also followed.


    She had heard of Jade''s name before¡ªone of the Ten Stonehearts was no ordinary figure.


    Half an hour later, Clara brought Jade to the Mechanical Settlement.


    Upon arriving, they saw Svarog waiting for them.


    "Welcome home, Clara."


    The robot "Family" also greeted her.


    "Welcome home, Clara."


    Clara happily waved her hand.


    "Mr. Svarog, Family, Clara''s back. This is a big sister Clara knows, her name is Jade."


    Jade looked curiously at the two robots before her.


    These two were quite interesting¡ªthey had actually developed their own "personalities."


    "Hello."


    Svarog scanned Jade up and down.


    "Welcome to the Mechanical Settlement."


    After greeting her, Svarog turned to Clara.


    "Clara, go rest in your room. I''ll have food prepared."


    Clara smiled happily and agreed.


    She then took Jade to her room.


    Clara also called in Family and introduced it proudly, like a child reporting good news to a parent.


    Jade listened attentively, surprised by Clara''s outstanding mechanical talent.


    She had only studied for a few days and was already capable of creating machine soldiers.


    Just then, a loud alarm suddenly rang out across the settlement, piercing the air.


    Clara and Himeko rushed outside and saw Svarog organizing the machine soldiers to head to the perimeter.


    Clara quickly asked, "Mr. Svarog, what''s going on?"


    Svarog replied, "A large hostile force has been detected invading the settlement. I''m organizing a defense."


    Using her binoculars, Himeko looked toward the edge of the settlement and frowned.


    "The Antimatter Legion!"


    Jade also frowned upon hearing this.


    "What are they doing here?"


    After thinking for a moment, Himeko quickly realized the reason.


    "These must be the Antimatter Legion that were frozen by the Stellaron earlier. Now that the Stellaron has been sealed and with Stelle''s recent strike, they''ve been released."


    Jade sighed. "This planet really can''t catch a break. Just got rid of the Stellaron, and now this."


    The two quickly joined the battle.


    Clara also picked up a small, homemade pistol and started shooting.


    There were simply too many Antimatter Legion soldiers this time, and the machine soldiers were steadily pushed back.


    Even with Svarog, Himeko, and Jade anchoring the defense, the tide couldn''t be turned.


    Before long, a breach was forced open, and a swarm of Voidrangers poured into the settlement.


    At that moment, the light on Family''s head suddenly turned red.


    "Combat Mode: Activated!"


    Suddenly, Family shot forward.


    Upon landing, it punched clean through the chest of a Voidranger, instantly killing it.


    More enemies swarmed in, and Family swept them away with a spinning kick.


    Agile and powerful, Family tore through the Voidrangers like a storm.


    Himeko was shocked by Family''s prowess¡ªwasn''t it supposed to be a medical robot? How did it have such terrifying combat abilities?


    Clara had indeed built it following the blueprints. The only possible variable Himeko could think of... was the materials Ye Yun had provided.


    With Family''s addition, the defense line barely held.


    Soon, reinforcements arrived.


    Stelle and the others rode snowmobiles in, leading a large force of Silvermane Guards.


    Stelle jumped off her snowmobile and drew the Judgment of Shamash, ready to strike, when March 7th quickly stopped her.


    "Careful! Don''t use that move again."


    Stelle nodded and charged into the enemy ranks with her weapon.


    Rios strolled calmly through the battlefield, surrounded by a tide of Voidrangers.


    He glanced at them with disdain and stomped down hard.


    "Wildfire Ignition!"


    Flames erupted outward from Rios, incinerating all nearby enemies.


    Welt and Dan Heng suddenly joined the battle from another direction.


    They had just returned from collecting samples, only to find the settlement under attack.


    Welt channeled energy into his Star of Eden, creating a small black hole that devoured the Legion.


    Dan Heng dashed around the battlefield, heading straight for the front lines to assist.


    On a nearby hilltop, Ye Yun stood watching the battlefield below. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bronya stood beside him.


    "What are these monsters?"


    Topaz, who had come along as well, answered, "The Antimatter Legion. Minions of the Aeon of Destruction, Nanook."


    With that, she ordered her company''s personnel to join the fight.


    After all, Planet Jarilo-VI was likely to become company property in the future¡ªthey couldn''t let the Legion destroy it.


    Thanks to everyone''s combined efforts, the invading Antimatter Legion was completely wiped out.


    Everyone regrouped.


    Svarog looked at them and said, "Thank you all for helping the Mechanical Settlement."


    The others said it was no big deal¡ªjust something they did in passing.


    Bronya added, "Mr. Svarog, no need to thank us. We''re family, after all."


    Topaz said, "No need to thank me either. I was just protecting company property."


    Everyone turned to look at Topaz in confusion.


    "Company property?" Bronya asked, puzzled.


    Topaz nodded and pulled up a contract on her phone.


    "That''s right¡ªcompany property."


    She handed the phone to Bronya.


    "You''re the one in charge here, right? Take a look."


    Bronya took the phone, and after reading it, her expression turned grim.


    "How could this be?"


    Stelle peeked over curiously.


    "Whoa! That many credits?! Wait¡ªBronya, you owe the company this much money?!"


    Bronya shook her head.


    "I had no idea... I''ve never heard of this before."


    Topaz said, "Of course you haven''t. This debt was taken on who-knows-how-many years ago."


    Bronya stared at the string of zeroes on the contract, feeling a headache coming on.


    ***


    Administrative District of Belobog¡ªInside Bronya''s Office


    After some negotiations, Bronya let Topaz go take a rest while she herself needed time to think.


    Bronya was deeply troubled. She never expected Belobog to be burdened with such a massive debt.


    Just when the people had finally started living good lives, hardship loomed once more.


    Bronya thought it over and decided to ask Stelle and the others about how their company had handled similar situations in the past and what the outcomes were.


    Meanwhile, on Topaz''s side...


    She brought her subordinates to the Mechanical Settlement, where she found Jade eating lunch.


    Today''s meal was provided by Ye Yun¡ªsauerkraut and pork dumplings.


    "Jade, I''m here."


    Jade looked up from her dumplings and saw Topaz walking in through the main gate.


    "Little Jelena, perfect timing! We just started eating. Want some?"


    Topaz was a bit at a loss for words.


    Jade, how can you be so chummy with the enemy? We just fought this morning!


    Seeing this, Jade scooped a bowl of dumplings and handed it to Topaz.


    "Come on, try it! These are really tasty. I was thinking of buying the recipe from Ye Yun.


    I want to take it back and have our useless company chefs learn how real master chefs cook."


    Topaz sniffed the dumplings¡ªthey did smell quite good.


    More importantly, her stomach was already growling.


    She glanced at Stelle devouring dumplings in the distance and sighed.


    To be fair, it was our side that struck first...


    And she had to admit, Stelle''s sword strike earlier had been quite effective. The surviving Interastral Peace Corporation employees were now behaving themselves in Belobog, obedient as could be.


    Topaz accepted the dumplings and started eating.


    Not long after, Bronya arrived at the settlement and, naturally, saw Topaz and Jade eating together.


    Bronya made her way to Stelle''s table.


    Stelle was seated with March 7th, Lumine, Amber, Eula, Hu Tao, Paimon, and Seele.


    Stelle found it too tedious to eat one dumpling at a time, so she had skewered several onto her chopsticks and was eating them like kebabs.


    She coughed twice to get the others'' attention.


    "Watch this awesome trick!"


    She then stuffed all 8 dumplings from the chopsticks into her mouth at once, completely filling her cheeks.


    The girls stared in disbelief, then burst into applause.


    Hu Tao suddenly stood up to imitate her.


    "The Head of the Hall will try too!"


    The others joined in the fun, each trying to gobble down a string of dumplings.


    Soon, the table had several "hamsters" furiously chewing away.


    Bronya stepped up.


    "Good afternoon, everyone."


    Seeing Bronya, Seele moved her dishes to make space and called over a stoplight-colored robot to bring extra utensils.


    Once Bronya sat down, Seele had already scooped some dumplings for her.


    The dumplings were stored in a thermal container nearby¡ªYe Yun had made hundreds at once, so people could help themselves.


    "Bronya, try this. It''s really good."


    Bronya forced a smile and took a bite.


    Across from her, Hu Tao noticed Bronya seemed troubled and asked, "Bronya, is something bothering you?"


    Bronya sighed and told everyone about Belobog''s debt crisis.


    March 7th was quick to respond.


    "Bronya, you mustn''t sign anything. So what if you owe money? Just work hard and pay it back."


    Bronya nodded.


    "Yes, but that means future generations in Belobog will live in hardship."


    Seele patted her chest.


    "No worries! We survived the Stellaron crisis¡ªwhat''s this compared to that?"


    Bronya smiled, heartened.


    True, the people of Belobog weren''t afraid of hardship.


    But... the company was demanding immediate repayment, and Belobog''s credit was already exhausted.


    Just then, Ye Yun walked over carrying Klee.


    "Bronya, I actually have a way that might help clear that debt."


    Bronya looked up anxiously.


    "What is it?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "I can contact someone for you. If she''s willing, this whole debt problem will be nothing."


    Stelle asked curiously:


    "Who is it, Ye Yun? Do we know her?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "You and March both know her. The station master of Herta Space Station¡ªAsta."


    As soon as the name "Asta" was mentioned, both March 7th and Stelle immediately understood.


    Of course! If Asta was willing to step in, this issue would be resolved in minutes.


    "Right! Why didn''t I think of that?" March 7th said, slapping her forehead.


    Seeing their reactions, Bronya chose to trust Ye Yun''s words.


    She quickly made her decision.


    "Ye Yun, could you please arrange a meeting with her?"


    Ye Yun set Klee down and ruffled her hair.


    "Klee, go play with big sis Himeko for a bit. Big brother Ye Yun has some business to take care of."


    Klee nodded sweetly and ran off to find Himeko.


    Ye Yun pulled out his phone and called Asta.


    Soon, the call connected.


    Asta: "Good afternoon, Ye Yun."


    Yeyun: "Hey Asta, do you have a moment? I''ve got a friend who wants to discuss some business with you."


    Asta: "Sure. Should I head over to your shop?"


    Yeyun paused. He''d been planning to meet at his shop, but remembered there was no teleportation gate from the space station.


    "I''ll send you a location. If you''ve got time, drop by."


    They ended the call.


    Ye Yun turned to Bronya.


    "She''s agreed. She should be here soon."


    Bronya gratefully responded, "Thank you, Ye Yun."


    Yeyun smiled.


    "No problem. Just start thinking about what kind of compensation you''re ready to offer."


    Bronya nodded and pulled Stelle and the others aside to discuss it.


    Meanwhile, aboard the Herta Space Station...


    Asta, accompanied by a team of guards, headed to the launch platform to board a starship bound for Jarilo-VI.


    Just as Asta was about to board, Herta suddenly popped her head out from the side.


    "You''re going to see Ye Yun? Count me in."


    Without waiting for a reply, Herta walked right into the starship.


    Asta wasn''t surprised at all¡ªMadam Herta always did as she pleased.


    Once inside, Asta found Herta already sitting on the couch, a bag of Stellar Jade casually dropped on the floor beside her.


    Herta asked curiously:


    "So why the sudden visit to Ye Yun?"


    Asta replied:


    "Ye Yun asked me. Said a friend of his wants to talk business."

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 - 36Belobog.


    After having their meal, everyone gathered in Bronya''s office.


    "Miss Bronya, have you made your decision yet?"


    Before Bronya could respond, Ye Yun interjected.


    "No rush, someone hasn''t arrived yet."


    With that, Ye Yun calmly took a sip of tea and exhaled in comfort¡ªhe was all about enjoying the moment.


    Upon hearing this, Topaz wanted to press further, but Jasper spoke ahead of her.


    "It''s fine, let''s wait a bit longer. There''s no need to rush."


    Seeing this, Topaz gave a cold snort and sat down with her arms crossed, closing her eyes to rest.


    Hu Tao shifted uncomfortably in her seat¡ªthe atmosphere here was just too stifling.


    She wanted to leave, but she had to support Bronya right now and couldn''t walk out.


    Oh well, oh well. As the Hall Master, nothing is more important than friendship~


    Stelle also felt bored and slouched casually in her chair.


    She glanced at Ye Yun drinking tea and suddenly grew curious¡ªwhy do Ye Yun, Zhongli, and Uncle Yang all like tea so much?


    Speaking of which, she hadn''t had any tea since waking up at the space station.


    So, she tugged at Ye Yun''s sleeve and pointed to her mouth.


    "Ye Yun, can I have a cup of tea?"


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you sure? My tea is very bitter."


    Stelle shook her head¡ªshe just wanted to satisfy her curiosity.


    Ye Yun picked up the teapot and poured her a cup.


    Stelle took it and recalled how Ye Yun, Zhongli, and the others drank tea: lift the cup, take a whiff, close your eyes, relax, sip gently, don''t gulp, just take a small mouthful, and swallow slowly.


    After following the whole process, she felt... incredibly cozy.


    So this is the charm of drinking tea!


    Without a word, Stelle handed her cup back to Ye Yun for a refill.


    March 7th, Lumine, Amber, and Eula saw this and also asked for a cup.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun simply bought some little cakes from the system and placed them on the table.


    Tea party! Showtime!


    The girls'' eyes lit up as soon as they saw the cakes and each picked their favorite to eat.


    Jade and Topaz also chose one each.


    Klee spotted a cake shaped like a Dodoco.


    "Wow~ It''s a Dodoco cake!"


    "Where? Let Hook take a look!"


    "Cake? Nah, I bet it''d taste great with some booze."


    Ye Yun handed the Dodoco cake to Klee.


    Klee cheered, waving her arms happily.


    "Thank you, Brother Ye Yun~"


    Ye Yun smiled fondly.


    "Go ahead, share it with the other two¡ªthis cake is pretty big. Too much cream isn''t good for you."


    Klee nodded obediently and picked up a small knife, slicing the Dodoco cake into three parts.


    "This one''s for Hook~"


    "This one''s for Diona."


    "And this one''s mine~"


    The three little ones each held their slice and began eating.


    The scene at the table could be divided into three categories:


    First group: Stelle, Seele, and Paimon¡ªwild eaters who just shoveled cake straight into their mouths. Forks and knives? What are those?


    Second group: Himeko, Jade, Topaz, Bronya, and Eula¡ªelegant eaters with tiny forks and spoons, eating in dainty bites.


    Third group: average folks like Lumine, Amber, and March 7th.


    As everyone enjoyed their cake, the door was pushed open.


    Ye Yun thought it was Asta.


    But to his surprise, it was Zhongli.


    After greeting everyone, Zhongli calmly sat next to Ye Yun, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup.


    Ye Yun swirled the tea in his cup slightly.


    "You settled things on your end?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes."


    "How did it go?" Ye Yun asked.


    "Acceptable," Zhongli replied calmly.


    Hearing that, Ye Yun raised an eyebrow and continued chatting casually with him.


    On the other side¡ª


    Jade eyed Zhongli and grew a little worried for Topaz.


    This guy clearly wasn''t an ordinary person. If he joined the negotiations, Topaz might not be able to hold her ground.


    Jade decided she''d help Topaz out if things got rough.


    Not long after, the door opened again.


    This time, it was the real guest of honor.


    Asta entered the office with Herta.


    Herta immediately turned to Ye Yun to go shopping.


    Ye Yun asked Dan Heng to escort her to the teleportation gate at the Mechanical Settlement.


    Jade was stunned when she saw Herta.


    These people actually had connections with Herta? And by the looks of it, they were very close.


    Then again, now that she thought about it, she had heard the Astral Express team often helped Herta collect rare items.


    Asta walked over to Ye Yun.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, long time no see."


    Ye Yun smiled and gestured for her to sit.


    "Long time no see, Asta. Please, take a seat."


    Once seated, Ye Yun called to Bronya.


    "Bronya, my friend is here. Have a chat with her."


    Asta turned to Bronya.


    "Hello, I''m Asta."


    Bronya stepped forward and held out her hand.


    "Hello, Bronya. This way, please. I''d like to speak with you privately."


    Asta nodded and followed Bronya into a side room.


    Topaz was stunned¡ªwhat the heck?! Why is Asta here?


    And it looked like... she came to help settle the debt!


    Soon after, Bronya and Asta came back out.


    Asta looked at Topaz.


    "Director Topaz, long time no see. Last time we met was at the company''s annual party, wasn''t it?"


    Topaz smiled faintly.


    "Indeed, Miss Asta. So, how did your talk with Miss Bronya go?"


    Asta smiled and took out a black card.


    "Charge it to my account."


    Topaz sighed and had an assistant bring out a high-value payment device.


    After the transaction was complete and the funds confirmed, Topaz handed the card back to Asta.


    She couldn''t help but be a little curious.


    "Miss Asta, if I may ask¡ªwhat did Miss Bronya promise you in return for such a hefty expense?"


    Asta replied:


    "Bronya promised to repay me 10,000 Stellar Jade in installments.


    Well, now that it''s settled, I''ll be heading off to take care of my own business."


    She turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, can you take me to your store? I want to buy something."


    Seeing everything was resolved and the time wasn''t too early, Ye Yun prepared to leave.


    He then led the three little ones, Stelle, and the others back to the train.


    Topaz and Jade also got up to leave.


    Honestly, Topaz didn''t expect the issue to be resolved so quickly.


    Usually, messy debts of this size were incredibly hard to clear up.


    They often dragged on with endless disputes, and in worse cases, required violent collection tactics.


    Still, Topaz preferred to settle things peacefully whenever possible. She disliked using force.


    After everyone left, only Bronya and Seele remained in the office.


    Bronya slumped into a chair, looking out at the busy city streets, and let out a long sigh.


    "Whew~ It''s finally over."


    Seele nodded.


    "Yeah, Belobog really has been through a lot.


    Let''s hope we can finally enjoy some peace and development from here on."


    Bronya nodded.


    "Yes. Seele, starting tomorrow, take a squad out to collect Stellar Jade in the wild.


    We may not owe any credits anymore, but we still have a Stellar Jade debt to repay."


    Seele accepted the task¡ªnegotiating wasn''t her thing.


    But fighting? That was her specialty. Just grab the scythe and swing.


    Speaking of scythes, Seele suddenly remembered she hadn''t cleaned hers since slicing a durian at Ye Yun''s shop.


    She pulled out the weapon and sniffed it. Hmm... There was still a faint smell.


    Time for a wash.


    Seele bid Bronya farewell and left the office.


    Back on the train, everyone went off to do their own thing.


    Zhongli, Welt, and Dan Heng were organizing the newly gathered specimens.


    They planned to preserve the samples as specimens for storage.


    It was Zhongli''s first time seeing this kind of material. Curious, he followed Welt''s instructions and made a leaf specimen himself.


    The girls¡ªStelle and the others¡ªwere lounging in the tea lounge playing games.


    "Can someone please watch my back?! I''m the marksman here, and no one''s protecting me!" March 7th cried out after being easily assassinated again.


    Stelle, Lumine, Eula, and Hu Tao were all charging recklessly into the enemy.


    "I''m the top laner¡ªI have to be up front," Stelle said while chasing the enemy marksman.


    Lumine was engaged in a close-range fight with the enemy tanks.


    "I''m tanking damage right now¡ªno time."


    Hu Tao was the jungler.


    "I just took down their mid, but I''m low on health. Heading back to base."


    Eula cast her combo and ran.


    "I''m out of Mana. Later."


    The team fight ended with just March 7th dead.


    Marksman sacrificed¡ªmagic thrives. The other four healed up and steamrolled the enemy in one push.


    Seeing the "MVP" title next to her name, Stelle grinned proudly.


    "As expected! I carried! Come on, ready up for the next match!"


    Hu Tao was about to click "Ready" but paused.


    "You guys go ahead¡ªI''ve got something to do tonight."


    "Oh? What''s the rush? Need help?" Stelle asked.


    "You know my job¡ªI''ve got to send a client to Wuwang Hill tonight," Hu Tao replied.


    The others lit up with curiosity.


    "Let''s go with you!" Stelle said eagerly.


    Hu Tao didn''t mind. While the others didn''t know soul-guiding rituals, their strength was more than enough to handle ghosts.


    "Sure, shall we head out now? The portal''s still a ways from Liyue Harbor."


    Stelle glanced at Venti, who was sipping wine at the small bar, and smirked.


    "No rush¡ªsomeone''s giving us a lift."


    Then, the girls continued playing.


    Soon after, March 7th let out another wail¡ªshe got assassinated again with no protection!


    The noise caught Silver Wolf''s attention, and she came out of her private room to join the game, taking March 7th''s place.


    Silver Wolf was way better at the game.


    With her on board, the team racked up a winning streak and quickly climbed to the King rank.


    Before long, it was time for the group to head to Teyvat.


    Silver Wolf thought for a moment and decided to tag along¡ªshe''d never been to another world before.


    So the girls went to Ye Yun and asked him to open a portal.


    Only a portal opened by Ye Yun could send Stelle, March 7th, and Silver Wolf to Teyvat.


    Then, the girls and Venti stepped through the portal, heading for Teyvat.


    ***


    Stelle and the girls hurriedly stepped into the teleportation portal heading to Liyue.


    Stelle successfully summoned the "Venti-brand ride-hailing service" with a bottle of wine.


    After arriving at Jueyun Karst, Venti would take the group to Liyue Harbor.


    After the girls left¡ª


    Himeko suddenly found Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, weren''t the materials you gave Clara to assemble her mech a bit... special?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, since Clara asked, of course I gave her the best.


    As for the core, I used one embedded with a super intelligent system, loaded with a ton of combat techniques.


    The body materials all came from a technologically advanced sci-fi world.


    Let''s put it this way¡ªif it were a one-on-one fight, our dear mech could take down two Creation Engines without a problem."


    Himeko was speechless after hearing that.


    Ye Yun was really spoiling Clara, huh?Creation Engines? And not just one, but two!?


    Himeko was completely at a loss for words. In her opinion, on the Astral Express, the strongest one was undoubtedly Clara now.


    Even if Bronya and Seele teamed up, they wouldn''t be a match for Svarog and the mech.


    Those two were top-tier in Belobog¡ªwell, except maybe for that guy in the tavern, Sampo.


    Meanwhile, Jade and Topaz returned to the warship to rest.


    Topaz stretched after organizing the mission report into a table and sending it out, then flopped straight down onto the couch.


    "Didn''t expect Asta to show up halfway through."


    Jade stirred her teacup gently, the spoon circling the rim smoothly.


    "At least the outcome was good. We recovered the full debt, didn''t we?"


    Topaz nodded¡ªtrue, at least the money was back.


    Then she suddenly recalled the reward Bronya had given Asta.


    "Hey, Jade, did you catch that? Asta mentioned that Bronya paid her 10,000 Stellar Jades for the favor.


    Is Stellar Jade really worth that much? From Asta''s reaction, it looked like she''d hit the jackpot."


    Jade looked down thoughtfully into her tea.


    That was indeed worth looking into¡ªStellar Jade was everywhere, yet no one seemed to know its true value.


    Topaz suddenly asked:


    "Should I go ask Asta about it?"


    Jade shook her head.


    "No need. Let''s go ask that guardian lady. She should know what''s going on."


    Topaz agreed.


    "Alright, then I''ll get some rest first. See you tomorrow."


    Jade nodded slightly.


    "See you, little Jelena."


    Topaz turned and headed to her room for rest.


    In Liyue Harbor¡ª


    Venti used his divine power to carry Stelle and the girls to the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    "Mission complete. I''m heading off now," Venti said to the group.


    Just as he was about to leave, Stelle grabbed him.


    "Don''t rush off¡ªwe''ll need you to take us back later."


    Venti looked reluctant.


    "Huh? Didn''t you just say you wanted to come to Liyue Harbor?"


    Stelle waved her hand dismissively.


    "Oh, don''t be like that. I''ll pay extra. How about I buy you a few more bottles of wine when we get back?"


    Hearing that, Venti immediately agreed.


    "Aiya, Stelle, no need to be so polite! Of course I''ll take you back.


    It''s totally not because of the wine¡ªI''m doing it purely for our friendship.


    I''ll be nearby in Teyvat. Just holler when you want to go, I''ll come flying right over!"


    Stelle nodded with satisfaction.


    "Off you go then~"


    Venti turned into a breeze and vanished.


    Hu Tao, Amber, and Eula looked confused.


    Hu Tao raised her hand.


    "Question! Stelle, didn''t you say Venti was going to take us back? Why''d you let him leave?"


    Stelle replied nonchalantly:


    "Don''t worry. I heard from Ye Yun that you can see Venti anywhere outside Mondstadt.


    Besides, he''s your local Anemo Archon. What did Ye Yun say again... ah yes, ''every wind carries his ears and eyes.''"


    March 7 chimed in:


    "Exactly! That''s why Venti said we could just call him when we want to go back."


    Hu Tao was dumbfounded.


    What!? That drunkard is Mondstadt''s Anemo Archon!?


    Amber and Eula exchanged glances¡ªthough they didn''t want to admit it, that guy really was their god.


    "Yes, Venti is Mondstadt''s Anemo Archon."


    Amber suddenly remembered Barbara in the church. If Barbara ever found out that Wendy was the Anemo Archon...


    Stelle suddenly remembered something.


    "By the way, Hu Tao, did you know that Zhongli is the Geo Archon?"


    Hu Tao froze on the spot, her mind crashing.


    "You what!? Our guest consultant is the Geo Archon!?"


    Lumine nodded.


    "Yup. He said it himself after we saved Dvalin. You weren''t there that time."


    Hu Tao was stunned.


    "Give me a moment to process that."


    She turned around and squatted down, deep in thought.


    March 7 and the others didn''t expect that Hu Tao really didn''t know.


    Just as March 7 was about to comfort her, Hu Tao suddenly stood up.


    "Hold on!"


    Everyone looked at her.


    Hu Tao mumbled to herself.


    "Our guest consultant is the Geo Archon... Hiss! I think I just struck gold!"


    She dashed into the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and called out to the receptionist girl.


    "Girl! Go find someone to print flyers¡ªmake sure they have our guest consultant''s portrait on them! Yes, his portrait!"


    Hu Tao rubbed her hands together excitedly.


    "Hehe~ Even the Geo Archon works for me. Let''s see who dares not to book my funeral packages now!"


    Stelle, March 7, Lumine, Amber, and Eula were all speechless. But on second thought, maybe this was why Zhongli chose to work at the funeral parlor.


    Because there was a Hu Tao who cared about him, regardless of his status.


    After gathering supplies, the girls set out for Wuwang Hill.


    They strolled through Liyue Harbor''s streets.


    Stelle and March 7 had never seen architecture like this before. They looked around curiously, everything was new and fascinating.


    "March, look over there! That place looks like a library, but it''s actually a restaurant!"


    March 7 followed her gaze¡ªsure enough, it looked like a cultural hub, yet it was a dining spot.


    It was dusk.


    The sun was setting as they reached the long staircase from Yujing Terrace down to the docks.


    "Wow! The sunset is beautiful!" Amber exclaimed.


    The girls nodded in agreement.


    From their vantage point:


    Below the stairs, the market was bustling with people, vendors loudly advertising their wares.


    Beyond the market stretched the endless sea, half the sun already dipping below the horizon.


    The golden sun lit up the entire ocean, its reflection turning the waters golden.


    Above, flocks of seagulls hunted across the sea, ready to return to their nests after a full meal.


    After quietly enjoying the view for a while, Hu Tao led the group toward Wuwang Hill.


    Behind them, a handsome young man with short orange hair quietly followed.


    Yes¡ªTartaglia, freshly recovered, was stalking Hu Tao again.


    "Hope I get luckier this time," he muttered, tailing them.


    Once they were out of the city, Hu Tao finally let her client out of a jar.


    The client was exuding dark energy¡ªclearly, he hadn''t accepted his death.


    Within seconds, he transformed into a vengeful spirit and lunged at Hu Tao.


    She sighed helplessly.


    "Sigh... Why do I always get clients like this? Can''t people just accept death peacefully?"


    She pulled out the Staff of Homa and, in a flash, jabbed the ghost, dispersing the resentment.


    Then she casually slapped a talisman onto him, muttered a few incantations, and sealed him back in the jar.


    Hu Tao picked up the jar.


    "I thought I''d have it easy this time. Guess not¡ªlooks like I''ll be lugging this jar the whole way."


    This customer had been her chance to travel light, but no such luck.


    It was the first time Stelle and the others had seen something like this.


    Stelle was amazed by Hu Tao. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hu Tao! Could you teach me your exorcism techniques sometime?"


    Hu Tao immediately agreed.


    Just then, a cold wind blew. Lumine suddenly noticed a shadow behind Amber¡ªa black-robed figure leapt out.


    "Amber!"


    Lumine instantly teleported beside her and struck down the attacker.


    The girls drew their weapons¡ªan ambush!


    Eula looked at the corpse.


    "That was a Fatui Debt Collector!"


    Amber was furious.


    "Ugh! The Fatui are the worst!"


    No sooner had she said that than dozens of shadows appeared¡ªmore Debt Collectors!


    Stelle immediately summoned a flame spear and cast a shield, protecting everyone.


    At that moment¡ª


    Tartaglia jumped down from a tree, clapping.


    "Not bad, your reflexes are quick."


    Stelle looked at him.


    "Who are you? Why did you try to ambush Amber?"


    He introduced himself.


    "Me? You can call me Tartaglia."


    Paimon muttered,


    "Eh? This guy is so full of himself¡ªhe wants us to call him ''Young Master''?"


    Eula reacted.


    "Tartaglia? You''re one of the Fatui Harbingers?"


    Tartaglia looked at her.


    "Oh? Someone who knows their stuff. I''ll give you all a chance¡ªcome at me together. Don''t want people saying I bullied the weak."


    The girls raised their eyebrows¡ªwow, this guy is really arrogant!


    Tartaglia was about to strike when Stelle raised a hand.


    "Hold on! Let us talk about who''s fighting you first."


    Then she pulled the group into a huddle to discuss.


    In the end, after much deliberation, they agreed Stelle should take him on.


    If this guy was gonna act all high and mighty, they''d let Stelle teach him a lesson.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed"

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 - 37A few minutes later...


    Childe lay on the ground in his Foul Legacy form, his chest heaving violently.


    Stelle cast a disdainful glance at him.


    "Hmph, and here I thought you were strong. That''s it? I haven''t even activated Annihilation, and you''re already down."


    Still, she had to admit¡ªwhatever this Foul Legacy thing was (she already forgot the name), it did look kind of cool. She made a mental note to check with Ye Yun later and see if she could buy a set for herself to try on.


    Then Stelle called out to Hu Tao and the others to continue their journey. Heading to Wuwang Hill sounded way more fun than fighting this guy.


    Stelle already had a plan: on the road, she''d ask Hu Tao to teach her some ghost-catching techniques, and the moment they reached Wuwang Hill, she''d try them out.


    Hehe~ Little ghosts, I''m coming for you!


    After Stelle and the others left, Childe struggled to his feet.


    "What the heck is up with Liyue? Is everyone here a monster?"


    He was kind of numb. Sure, he liked to fight¡ªhe lived for it.


    But ever since he arrived in Liyue, every single battle had ended in total defeat.


    Yesterday wasn''t so bad; at least he could exchange a few blows with that adeptus.


    But today? Complete annihilation. The other side wasn''t even serious.


    Even after activating Foul Legacy, he''d been sliced down by that girl Stelle in one strike.


    For the first time, Childe started to worry¡ªif these people were already this powerful, then just how terrifying was the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis, the actual god of Liyue?


    He didn''t think he''d offended Her Majesty... So why had she sent him to steal the Archon''s Gnosis?


    With this level of strength, even the captain might not make it out.


    "Teucer... Big Bro might not be coming back for a while."


    After a short rest, he glanced around. All the debt collectors he''d brought with him had already been dealt with.


    They were no match at all for the other girls and were quickly wiped out.


    Time flew, and two days passed.


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Basically everyone who had ever bought a lottery ticket from Ye Yun was now gathered inside the lottery store.


    Topaz and Jade were also there.


    After asking Bronya a few questions, the two of them had come to find Ye Yun directly.


    Jade had already reported the matter to Diamond.


    Diamond had immediately ordered them to establish a friendly relationship with Ye Yun.


    In fact, Diamond had already arranged for people to secretly gather Stellar Jades¡ªkeeping the operation hidden from the company.


    If what Jade and Topaz reported was true, this could be a major opportunity for their strategic investment department.


    Everyone present had purchased lottery tickets¡ªjust varying amounts.


    The biggest spender? Stelle. In her words, this was "increasing her winning chances."


    The room was crowded. The three little ones were running around, playing, and peeking at everything.


    Stelle and the other girls were chattering nonstop, discussing what they''d do with their new ability if they won.


    Stelle whipped out her ten lottery tickets and waved them around smugly.


    "Alright, alright, this time I will win. Got it? Why are you all discussing what to do with my ability?"


    March 7th glared at her, clearly annoyed.


    "Hmph! No way to know who''s gonna win yet!"


    Lumine added, "Exactly! I''m super lucky, you know."


    Hu Tao, on the other hand, looked rather gloomy.


    Seeing her expression, Stelle asked, "Hu Tao, what''s wrong? Why the long face?"


    Hu Tao sighed.


    "Ugh... I went over the balance sheets for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor yesterday. Business has been awful this year."


    As she said this, she couldn''t help but feel irritated at Zhongli.


    That so-called consultant! He''s Rex Lapis for crying out loud, yet he still makes her pay for food, drinks, and entertainment?! Outrageous!


    Topaz suddenly spoke up.


    "Why not try a side business? Open up a secondary income stream or something."


    Hu Tao hesitated. The Funeral Parlor had been passed down for generations¡ªit was her family''s legacy.


    Was it really okay to start a side hustle?


    Zhongli, however, chimed in.


    "Director, I think Miss Topaz makes a good point. With the resources and manpower of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, we''re more than capable of expanding.


    If we launch a side business, we''ll have more funds to promote the Funeral Parlor itself, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Hu Tao considered it. That made sense. It''s not like she''d stop running the Parlor¡ªjust using spare time to earn extra income.


    And the money could go toward advertising. Why not?


    But... what kind of business should she start?


    "I wonder what kind of side gig would work..." she muttered, rubbing her chin.


    Nearby, Silver Wolf was lounging with her legs crossed, playing on her handheld game console. She spoke up without looking away.


    "How about an internet caf¨¦? A place like yours, that''d definitely make money."


    Hu Tao blinked, confused.


    "Internet caf¨¦? What''s that?"


    Silver Wolf, still playing her game, answered casually:


    "It''s a place where people can go online. Didn''t your consultant bring a laptop back the other day? Basically, you rent those out by the hour."


    Hu Tao listened and finally understood.


    She thought about it and decided it was worth a shot.


    "I''ll go talk to Ye Yun and buy a few computers."


    Silver Wolf stopped her.


    "No need to bother Ye Yun. I''ve got you covered."


    With that, she used her Aether Editor to open a portal.


    A moment later, ten computers emerged from it.


    Silver Wolf explained:


    "These are just some old ones I bought when I was bored. Should be enough for your caf¨¦."


    Hu Tao was touched¡ªSilver Wolf had helped with the idea and now even provided the equipment.


    She pulled out 1000 Stellar Jades and handed them over.


    "Silver Wolf, thank you! I don''t know how much these are worth, but is 1000 Star Coins enough?"


    Silver Wolf glanced at the money. Honestly, she felt a little guilty taking it.


    These were super outdated machines¡ªnot worth much.


    But still decent enough for a retro-themed internet caf¨¦.


    She thought for a moment.


    "Forget the money. Just bring me meals for the next month, deal?"


    Hu Tao instantly agreed.


    "No problem! Let''s add each other¡ªjust tell me what you want to eat and I''ll get it."


    She pulled out the phone Himeko gave her and added Silver Wolf as a friend.


    Silver Wolf put her phone away.


    "By the way, these computers won''t work right out of the box. Tell you what¡ªadd another month of meals, and I''ll set up the network and management system too."


    Hu Tao thought it over and agreed.


    And so, Hu Tao''s internet caf¨¦ venture was about to begin.


    Ye Yun glanced at the time. It was time for the lottery draw.


    He walked over to the counter. Instantly, the previously noisy room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at him.


    Ye Yun pulled out a numbered ball and held it up.


    Everyone clutched their tickets and stared intently.


    He turned the ball around to reveal the number:


    The girls let out dramatic cries of despair.


    Especially Stelle¡ªshe''d bought ten tickets, spending 10,000 Stellar Jades... and didn''t win a single thing.


    "Noooooooo!!" she wailed, collapsing to her knees in agony.


    Meanwhile, Dan Heng, quietly listening to music on the side, looked at his ticket.


    "Huh? I think I won," he said calmly.


    Stelle clutched her head in disbelief.


    "What?! You won? You bought a ticket too?!"


    March 7th was equally shocked.


    No way! The cold-faced little dragon actually bought a lottery ticket? Wasn''t he totally disinterested in that kind of stuff?


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "The shop had just been renovated. I saw Mr. Welt buy one, so I bought one too."


    He walked up to Ye Yun.


    "I''d like to claim my prize."


    Ye Yun hadn''t expected Dan Heng to be the winner.


    He took the ticket and placed it into the counter.


    Moments later, a scroll wrapped in bubbles floated out.


    The bubbles flew toward Dan Heng, popped in his hand, and the scroll landed in his palm.


    Ye Yun leaned on the counter, arms crossed.


    "Just tear it open."


    Dan Heng did so.


    As the scroll shredded, new knowledge appeared in his mind.


    It was the technique for "Spatial Teleportation."


    He looked toward the nearby bar and activated it.


    In an instant, he appeared beside it.


    Sure, powerful people could move that fast, but they always left traces.


    Teleportation, however, left none.


    The difference? One could be interrupted or diverted, the other could not.


    If someone could predict your movement path, they could strike in advance and force a change.


    But not with Dan Heng''s teleportation¡ªit bypassed all that.


    March 7th ran over.


    "Dan Heng, how does it feel?"


    He replied, "Good."


    March 7th rolled her eyes.


    "Can''t you give a bit more detail?"


    Dan Heng thought a moment.


    "Very useful."


    Then he walked off toward the library.


    Since it was built, Dan Heng had basically split his time between training and reading.


    March 7th stared after him, twitching.


    Well... at least that was technically "more" detailed.


    Forget it. Talking to Dan Heng was impossible.


    She returned to the lottery shop.


    At that moment, the big screen displayed the next prize.


    [Next Prize: Swordmastery]


    Description: A sword technique from a high-level cultivation world. Mastery allows one to comprehend Sword Intent.


    Value: 130,000 Stellar Jades


    Draw Countdown: 7d 23h 40s


    Everyone rushed to buy tickets again.


    This time, Stelle only bought one.


    She finally realized¡ªbuying a bunch doesn''t help. It''s all about luck.


    After getting their tickets, everyone left.


    Himeko, Welt, and Pom-Pom went to check the Astral Express. If all went well, they''d be heading to their next stop tomorrow.


    ***


    Hu Tao and Silver Wolf asked Ye Yun to open a portal, and the two of them headed to Teyvat.


    Upon arriving at Jueyun Karst, Hu Tao walked toward the flying motorcycle she had parked there that morning.


    Just as she was about to reach it, she suddenly froze.


    She saw¡ª


    A giant bird was dismantling her flying motorcycle, and it was almost completely taken apart, leaving parts scattered across the ground.


    "What kind of contraption is this? I''ve never seen this kind of structure before."


    That''s right¡ªthe big bird was none other than our friend, Cloud Retainer.


    Cloud Retainer had just come out from seclusion after crafting a small trinket and went out for a stroll to relax.


    As soon as she stepped outside, she saw the flying motorcycle parked in front of her abode.


    Immediately intrigued, Cloud Retainer decided to disassemble it and examine the inner workings.


    Hu Tao dashed over to the remains of her flying motorcycle.


    Grabbing a handful of parts, she immediately burst into tears.


    "Wahhh!!! My flying motorcycle! You died so tragically!!!"


    Seeing Hu Tao sobbing, Cloud Retainer realized she might have made a mistake.


    She had been so focused on researching the contraption that she had forgotten it belonged to someone else.


    Cloud Retainer glanced at the pile of parts and said,


    "No matter, This One shall reassemble it for you."


    With that, she lifted the motorcycle''s body and stared at the pile of parts, suddenly freezing.


    Hu Tao saw her just holding the frame and not moving, and asked,


    "Didn''t you say you''d fix it?"


    Cloud Retainer fell silent for a moment.


    "Er... This One seem to have forgotten how I took it apart."


    Hu Tao fainted on the spot.


    What kind of situation was this?!


    Looking at Hu Tao lying on the ground with a lifeless expression, Cloud Retainer thought for a moment.


    "How much did this object cost? This One shall compensate you."


    Hu Tao stood up and gave Cloud Retainer a once-over.


    "Forget it, I''ll go see if someone else can fix it. You just keep an eye on it¡ªdon''t let any parts go missing."


    Cloud Retainer quickly agreed.


    "Rest assured. Though This One can''t reassemble it, I can certainly watch over the components. Go ahead."


    Hu Tao turned around and walked into the portal.


    Back in the shop, she looked around and spotted Venti at the bar, drinking.


    She ran up to him.


    "Venti, have you seen Mr. Welt or Sister Himeko?"


    Venti shook his head.


    "Nope~ Why, is something up?"


    Hu Tao sighed.


    "My motorcycle got taken apart by a big bird immortal. I was hoping Welt or Himeko could help me see if it can be fixed."


    Hearing this, Venti immediately guessed who she meant.


    Who else could it be? It had to be Cloud Retainer. He didn''t even need to think¡ªshe must''ve gotten curious and dismantled the thing for study.


    Venti pointed to Clara, who was studying nearby.


    "Why not try asking Clara?"


    Hu Tao looked over at Clara.


    Clara might not be as skilled as Welt or Himeko, but her technical skills were still solid.


    She ran over.


    "Clara, are you free?"


    Clara looked up and smiled when she saw Hu Tao.


    "Sister Hu Tao~ Do you need something from Clara?"


    Hu Tao spread her hands.


    "My flying motorcycle is broken. Got a moment to come take a look and see if it can be fixed?"


    Clara closed her book and immediately agreed.


    "Clara''s free, Sister Hu Tao~ Let''s go right now."


    Hu Tao was overjoyed at her agreement.


    The two then found Ye Yun in the reception room, who was playing chess with Zhongli, and asked him to open a portal for them.


    Back at Jueyun Karst¡ª


    Hu Tao brought Clara back to the "crime scene."


    Cloud Retainer had gathered all the parts in one spot and even categorized them.


    Seeing Hu Tao return with only a little girl, she was confused.


    Fixing things, and she brings back a little girl? She looks so delicate¡ªcan she even do repairs? Cloud Retainer was skeptical.


    Hu Tao pointed at the parts.


    "Clara, take a look¡ªcan it be fixed?"


    Clara was a bit stunned by the mess.


    How did it get dismantled to this degree? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without saying much, she knelt down and started sorting through the parts.


    After checking them, she found they were all intact with no damage.


    The real challenge was reassembling them. Judging from the situation, it would take quite a bit of time.


    Silver Wolf found a comfortable spot, lay down, and started playing on her handheld console.


    Cloud Retainer watched Clara working, part by part.


    At first, she was dismissive¡ªthere was no way this girl could reassemble it.


    A while later¡ª


    As more and more parts went into place, her attitude started to change.


    Oh? This girl has some skills. She''s managed to reassemble quite a bit.


    A while later¡ª


    Wow! This girl is impressive¡ªshe''s almost halfway done!


    Another while later¡ª


    Cloud Retainer stared in disbelief at the fully repaired flying motorcycle.


    Impossible! Absolutely impossible! This little girl could fix what even this immortal couldn''t?!?


    Watching Clara, she began to like her more and more.


    Clara was running tests on the motorcycle''s smart system when suddenly, Cloud Retainer grabbed her hand.


    "This child has the fate of a disciple! From now on, I am your master. Come, let me take you to my abode."


    Before Clara could react, Cloud Retainer pulled her toward her cave dwelling.


    Eh? What is this big bird doing?


    Hu Tao was also dumbfounded. This immortal bird was kidnapping a little girl in broad daylight?!


    Just as Hu Tao regained her senses and tried to stop her, it was too late.


    Clara had already been taken into the cave.


    Hu Tao was in complete shock.


    No way! You''re a revered immortal! How can you do something like this?!


    She tried everything she could to open the door, but it wouldn''t budge.


    Silver Wolf glanced at her.


    "Isn''t that guy Zhongli your boss or something? Just go get him."


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up¡ªright! Find the consultant!


    She had brought Clara here, and she had to get her back. Otherwise, she feared Svarog and Clara''s family might just point a cannon at her head.


    She dashed through the portal and skidded to a stop at the reception room, flinging the door open.


    "Consultant! Bad news! Clara got kidnapped!"


    Ye Yun and Zhongli stood up with furrowed brows.


    Zhongli asked,


    "Didn''t she go with you to Jueyun Karst just now? What happened?"


    To him, Jueyun Karst was extremely safe. With immortals stationed there, no criminals would dare venture in.


    Hu Tao panted and said,


    "Bad news! That bird immortal insisted on making Clara her disciple and dragged her into the cave!"


    Zhongli and Ye Yun both fell silent.


    Well... that does sound like something Cloud Retainer would do.


    Cloud Retainer finds a kid:


    Mooncarver has one, This One get one. Mountain Shaper has one, This One get one. Madam Ping has one, This One get one. Me? This One want all the disciples!


    They looked at each other and followed Hu Tao to Jueyun Karst.


    Eventually¡ª


    With Zhongli''s intervention, Clara was finally retrieved from Cloud Retainer''s cave.


    At the cave entrance¡ª


    Cloud Retainer sulked as she watched Clara step into the portal.


    She was furious. Just when she had finally found someone worthy of inheriting her skills, the Geo Archon wouldn''t let her take her in.


    Hmph! This One is very upset!!!


    Though she had disciples like Ganyu and Shenhe, neither of them liked mechanical gadgets.


    Zhongli looked at her, feeling a headache coming on¡ªwhat kind of mess was this?


    Cloud Retainer turned and disappeared back into her cave.


    At Liyue Harbor¡ª


    Hu Tao and Silver Wolf were leading staff from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to clean out a house near the main gate.


    "Move this, toss that," Hu Tao said, pointing at a broken chair.


    With their effort, the room was quickly tidied up.


    Silver Wolf looked around, then set up ten computers on the desks.


    As for gaming chairs and such, Hu Tao planned to buy those later from Ye Yun''s shop.


    Silver Wolf finished setting everything up and stepped outside with Hu Tao, holding out her hand.


    "The mini-satellite Himeko gave you?"


    Hu Tao pulled out a palm-sized orb.


    This little ball was a satellite. Himeko had given it to her for free when she heard Hu Tao was opening an internet caf¨¦.


    Hu Tao handed it over, and Silver Wolf did some adjustments before placing it on the ground.


    Soon, the satellite rose into the air, hovering high above Liyue Harbor.


    It could cover all of Liyue and nearby areas¡ªmore than enough for Hu Tao''s internet caf¨¦.


    With that done, Silver Wolf started configuring the network, uploading caf¨¦ management systems, and installing essential software and games.


    Since Hu Tao couldn''t help, she decided to fetch some food as a thank-you for Silver Wolf.


    An hour later, everything was set. Downloading took some time due to Teyvat''s lack of internet infrastructure.


    The satellite, though small and not super fast, was good enough for caf¨¦ use.


    Silver Wolf gave the setup a final test, then clapped her hands.


    "All done."


    Hu Tao, who had just returned with food, quickly handed it over.


    "Thanks for the hard work! Here, try this¡ªI had it packed from Wanmin Restaurant. It''s one of the best places to eat in Liyue."


    Silver Wolf nodded in satisfaction and started eating.


    Hu Tao sat down at the admin computer to familiarize herself with the system and check what games had been installed.


    After finishing the meal, Silver Wolf gave her some business tips.


    "Get a fridge. Ask March or Asta to order you some drinks online¡ªthose sell well.


    Also, stock up on instant noodles and snacks. Make a list."

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 - 38The next day arrived.


    At the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao was out on the street with her staff, loudly advertising.


    "Come take a look, everyone! Wangsheng Internet Caf¨¦ is officially open! Here, you''ll experience something you''ve never encountered before!"


    Hu Tao was enthusiastically shouting on the street, and even Zhongli was standing there spinning a rattle-drum.


    Zhongli had been dragged over by Hu Tao early in the morning; he originally planned to visit Ye Yun.


    Hu Tao made such a big scene that all the passersby were drawn to it.


    "Internet caf¨¦? What''s that?"


    "I think it''s probably a new funeral package Hu Tao came up with. What do you guys think?"


    "I don''t think so¡ªprobably some kind of new store. Otherwise, she wouldn''t say it''s ''open for business.''"


    "What''s the use of all this guessing? Why don''t we go in and take a look ourselves?"


    Soon, driven by curiosity, some people stepped into the Wangsheng Internet Caf¨¦.


    Seeing a customer enter, Hu Tao quickly followed to greet them.


    "Welcome, dear customer! We charge by the hour¡ªonly 998 mora per hour! What do you think?"


    After the customer topped up some money at the front desk with the help of the receptionist, Hu Tao led them to turn on a computer.


    The people of Liyue Harbor had never seen anything like this before, so of course, Hu Tao had to spend time helping and guiding in the beginning.


    Wangsheng''s location was on Yujing Terrace¡ªa prime spot with heavy foot traffic.


    Soon, the internet caf¨¦ was packed.


    Some customers had already started playing games.


    Games like Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Mario, and Angry Birds¡ªsimple and easy to pick up.


    Nearly every computer was surrounded by onlookers. While the players were gaming, the spectators were watching and discussing.


    "Wow! This general is strong¡ªhe wiped out a group of soldiers with one skill!"


    "Try launching the bird this way¡ªyeah, like that! That should do it!"


    "Jump faster! You got hit by the turtle again, didn''t you?"


    "Your reflexes are way off¡ªcouldn''t even get that one next to you. See? Gotta start over with Snake again."


    The internet caf¨¦ was buzzing with excitement, and Hu Tao sat at the front desk happily counting money.


    With 10 computers, she could make 9980 mora an hour.


    These computers didn''t need much supervision and could run 24/7. She was making bank!


    Soon, Xiangling, Xingqiu, and Chongyun also arrived at Hu Tao''s internet caf¨¦.


    Xiangling looked at the packed house.


    "Wow, Hu Tao, your business is booming!"


    Hu Tao stood proudly, hands on her hips, head held high.


    "Of course! Want to give it a try later? I''ll save you a machine."


    The three nodded in agreement.


    Their friend''s new shop¡ªthey had to show some support.


    Hu Tao handed off the front desk to Zhongli and brought the trio inside to watch people play.


    Xiangling stopped in her tracks next to one computer.


    Because the guest was playing a realistic cooking simulation, Xiangling''s eyes lit up. She stared at the kitchen game on the screen, utterly captivated.


    Xingqiu wandered over to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms game, watching generals decimate enemies. He felt the itch to try it himself.


    Chongyun just looked for a cooler spot to sit. Hu Tao had placed a big fan in the room to keep things from overheating.


    Word of this spread fast¡ªsoon, everyone in Liyue Harbor knew that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had launched a new business.


    It was fun, and there were magical devices inside that let people play games.


    In the Northland Bank.


    Childe, who had just recovered, heard the news and immediately headed to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with money in hand.


    This time, he just wanted to join the fun.


    He didn''t want a greatsword against his neck again¡ªthere was a difference between liking battle and liking pain.


    Elsewhere,


    The Astral Express crew had gathered in Ye Yun''s shop, preparing for their next destination¡ªPenacony.


    Just as they were about to depart, the train''s lights flickered, and Kafka''s hologram appeared in the shop.


    "Good morning, everyone~ Long time no see."


    Himeko frowned at the sight of Kafka.


    Kafka was nothing like Silver Wolf. She was dangerous, and her Spirit whisper was terrifying¡ªit could control people''s thoughts and actions.


    "What are you doing on the Express again?"


    Kafka smiled.


    "No need to get nervous¡ªI''m just here to ask if you''ll consider changing your destination."


    March 7th snorted.


    "Why would we listen to you? You''re not part of our team. I''m not changing a thing!"


    Kafka wasn''t surprised.


    "No need to be so hasty. Let me share some news.


    Not long ago, a Stellaron erupted on the Xianzhou Luofu. I''d like to ask you to change course and head there instead.


    You might not know, but the Luofu is very close to your current location."


    Hearing the word "Stellaron," Welt''s expression turned serious.


    "Stellaron?"


    Kafka nodded with a smile.


    "Yes. A Stellaron.


    And if you don''t go, at least half of Luofu''s population may perish in this crisis."


    Himeko crossed her arms.


    "Cut to the chase. Don''t waste our time¡ªeveryone''s busy."


    Kafka stared at Himeko for a few seconds before smiling again.


    "Alright."


    Kafka''s projection flickered, transforming into a sinister-looking man. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her voice followed.


    "His name is Blade, my comrade. He was captured by the Cloud Knights of Luofu.


    They''re trying to pin the blame of the Stellaron eruption on us¡ªon the Stellaron Hunters.


    I need your help to rescue him.


    That''s all. See you in a few days."


    With that, Kafka''s image disappeared, and the train''s lights returned to normal.


    The crew began discussing whether they should follow Kafka''s suggestion.


    In truth, Welt and Himeko had already made up their minds. They couldn''t just ignore a Stellaron incident.


    Kafka had made it sound dire¡ªif they didn''t intervene, at least half of Luofu''s people would die.


    They already knew from Silver Wolf that their actions were part of a "script."


    Elio, the so-called "Destiny''s Slave," had foreseen a certain future, and the Stellaron Hunters were now working toward it.


    But no matter how they asked, Silver Wolf refused to reveal what the script actually said.


    In the end, the crew decided to head to Luofu.


    As March 7th put it, they couldn''t just stand by and do nothing.


    After confirming Luofu as the next stop, Pom-Pom activated the train.


    "Attention passengers: the train is preparing to warp. Please remain seated and hold on tight. No running in the aisles."


    Ye Yun, hearing the announcement, quickly gathered the three little ones and found a booth to sit in.


    The three cuddled close together, watching the scenery blur past outside the window with excitement.


    "The train''s moving!" Klee raised her hands and cheered.


    Hook looked out at the shrinking Yalilo-VI.


    "Wow! Hook''s hometown is getting smaller!"


    Diona explained, "It''s not getting smaller¡ªwe''re just moving farther away, so it looks smaller."


    Soon, the train hit warp speed.


    A flash of white light filled the three girls'' vision, not blinding but immersive.


    A few minutes later¡ª


    Their vision returned, and what appeared before them was a massive "ark" sailing through the sea of stars.


    It was called an "ark" for a reason¡ªit was huge, nearly the size of a planet.


    And this was the Xianzhou Luofu.


    The train began to slow down, approaching Luofu''s landing area.


    Himeko pulled out a device to request docking.


    "This is the Astral Express, requesting permission to dock at Luofu."


    After she spoke, there was silence for a long while.


    Himeko frowned and tried again.


    "Hello? Can you hear me? This is the Astral Express, requesting docking."


    Ye Yun looked over at Silver Wolf''s treasure chest¡ªthe lights inside were flashing, which meant she was still gaming.


    He walked over and opened the door.


    There she was¡ª


    Silver Wolf, hugging her controller, fully absorbed in her game.


    Her body even mimicked the in-game character¡ªleaning left, right, stretching her neck, crouching.


    Ye Yun was speechless. He took off her headphones.


    "Stop playing¡ªit''s time for serious business."


    Silver Wolf was instantly mad.


    "Why''d you do that?! You broke my rhythm again! See?! I lost!"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes.


    "Come on, do your job. We''re at Luofu¡ªthey''re waiting for you to open the gate."


    Only then did Silver Wolf remember¡ªright, she had a part in this segment.


    She quickly typed away, hacking into Luofu''s network and unlocking the Luofu Gate.


    Soon after, Himeko received a response.


    "Docking request approved. Welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu."


    Pom-Pom moved the train into the Luofu Gate.


    Due to the train''s unique structure, it couldn''t stop at the tourist port.


    So they had to dock at the cargo port instead.


    Once docked, Dan Heng and Himeko stayed behind on the train. Welt, Stelle, and March 7th would explore.


    In Huixing Port,


    Welt, Stelle, and March 7th walked along the main road.


    They didn''t see a single person.


    But they did find several treasure chests.


    Stelle was overjoyed. She charged forward with her Heavenly Fire Greatsword, cracking them open.


    She played with the Stellar Jade in her hand, finally recovering some of the Star Coins she had burned through earlier.


    Stellar Jade was great¡ª1 Jade could be exchanged for 100 Star Coins.


    Primogems, on the other hand, only gave 10 per piece.


    Stelle had asked Ye Yun about it before. He said it was due to different world levels.


    The higher the world''s level, the higher the energy, and thus the better the exchange rate for items like Stellar Jade and Primogems.


    Soon, the three heard a scream from near the exit of the container area.


    "Ahhh!"


    ***


    Welt, Stelle, and March 7th quickly drew their weapons and rushed forward.


    Turning the corner, the trio saw several vine-covered Mara-struck soldiers surrounding a Cloud Knight.


    The three immediately stepped in to help.


    Stelle drew the Judgment of Shamash and, in a flash, appeared before the Mara-struck soldiers, slashing with her weapon.


    In an instant, all the soldiers were slain without any resistance.


    The Cloud Knight breathed a sigh of relief now that the danger had passed.


    Welt stepped forward and looked at the fallen Cloud Knights and Mara-struck soldiers around him.


    "What happened here?"


    The Cloud Knight took a moment to catch his breath and replied:


    "These are people from the Alchemy Commission. They orchestrated an attack on the Starport.


    Thank you for saving me. Judging from your clothing, you''re not from the Xianzhou, are you?"


    Welt nodded.


    "We''re members of the Astral Express."


    Upon hearing that Welt was from the Astral Express, the Cloud Knight relaxed a bit.


    The reputation of the Nameless echoes throughout the universe¡ªthis Cloud Knight had naturally heard of them.


    "So you''re the Nameless. Welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu.


    Unfortunately, you''ve arrived at a rather chaotic time. If you came for sightseeing, you might''ve picked the wrong moment."


    March 7th shook her head.


    "We heard there''s a Stellaron outbreak here. We came to help."


    The Cloud Knight was touched by this and said,


    "As expected of the Nameless¡ªjust as the rumors say, always willing to lend a hand.


    Our main forces are stationed just ahead. Let''s head to a safer place."


    Welt and the others nodded in agreement and followed the Cloud Knight to the base.


    Along the way,


    they encountered more Mara-struck soldiers, but all were swiftly taken out by Stelle''s sword.


    When they reached the base, they were shocked by what they saw.


    The base had already been breached, and the ground was littered with the corpses of Cloud Knights and Mara-struck soldiers. The scene was gruesome and bloody.


    Just then,


    a cry of alarm came from deeper within the base.


    The four quickly rushed over.


    Arriving at the scene,


    they saw a group of Mara-struck soldiers surrounding several Cloud Knights. In the center of the group stood a foxian woman being protected.


    Seeing Stelle and the others arrive, the foxian woman immediately cried out for help:


    "Please stop standing around and help us out~!"


    Hearing this, Stelle and the others jumped into action.


    After swiftly eliminating the Mara-struck soldiers,


    the foxian woman bowed slightly in gratitude.


    "I''m Tingyun. Thank you, kind heroes, for coming to our aid. May I ask your names?"


    March 7th smiled.


    "Hello, I''m March 7th."


    Just as she was about to introduce Stelle and Welt,


    Stelle suddenly interjected.


    "I''m the Galactic Baseballer Hero."


    March 7th was speechless¡ªwas Stelle acting up again? Once this whole situation was over, March 7th wondered if she should take Stelle to Herta for a proper checkup.


    Tingyun giggled and covered her mouth.


    "You''re quite the jokester, hero. This place is dangerous¡ªplease follow me. I''ll take you somewhere safer."


    Soon after,


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt followed Tingyun aboard a Starskiff headed deeper into the Luofu.


    Meanwhile, aboard the Astral Express¡ª


    Jean and Lisa once again arrived at Ye Yun''s shop to shop.


    Recently, thanks to the efforts of the Knights of Favonius, they had managed to collect 2,000 Primogems.


    These 2,000 Primogems could be exchanged for 20,000 Star Coins.


    This time, Jean intended to purchase items that could help improve Mondstadt''s economy.


    The Wind Spirit Technique had already been successfully practiced by nearly 100 carefully selected knights.


    However, progress was slow¡ªthey could only manipulate small amounts of wind elemental energy.


    Therefore, after some discussion with Lisa, Jean decided not to rush into buying new cultivation techniques. The Wind Spirit Technique hadn''t been fully digested yet, so getting new ones now would be pointless.


    Jean and Lisa sat on high stools beside the bar.


    Lisa took a sip of her red tea and smiled at Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, we''d like to buy something that could help develop Mondstadt''s economy. Any recommendations?"


    Ye Yun responded,


    "Isn''t Mondstadt known for its wine? Why not buy a few brewing recipes?"


    Jean thought it over and felt it was a good idea.


    But brewing wasn''t just about recipes¡ªthe ingredients were also a problem.


    Many ingredients in the recipes probably didn''t exist in Teyvat.


    They would have to cultivate the raw materials themselves.


    For example, Mondstadt''s Apple Brew used apples unique to Mondstadt.


    Only apples grown in Mondstadt could produce that distinct flavor¡ªfruits from other regions just didn''t taste the same.


    Jean pondered and asked,


    "Ye Yun, do you have any ingredients that are easy to grow and suitable for brewing?"


    Ye Yun began searching the shop''s inventory.


    After a moment, he found something that fit Jean''s requirements:


    [Item: Spirit Wheat Seeds] Description: Wheat seeds from a xianxia world, imbued with faint spiritual energy. Can increase the surrounding spiritual energy density. Price: 1 Star Coin / pack


    [Item: Spirit Beer Recipe] Description: A beer recipe using Spirit Wheat as the main ingredient, with a touch of fruit. Long-term consumption may improve one''s physique. Price: 1,000 Star Coins


    Ye Yun displayed the items for Jean and Lisa to see.


    Both felt these items were perfect.


    Jean decisively purchased 5,000 packs of seeds.


    Each pack could plant one acre''s worth, meaning 5,000 acres total.


    She planned to develop a farming estate in Windrise and assign Knights to guard it.


    After sending the seeds and recipe back to her office¡ª


    where Kaeya and a squad of knights were on standby to handle logistics¡ª


    Jean returned to the bar to continue shopping.


    She still had 14,000 Star Coins left.


    Ye Yun asked,


    "So, what else are you looking to buy?"


    Jean considered this.


    The Spirit Beer project was already set in motion and would require a lot of manpower.


    Currently, Mondstadt didn''t have enough hands¡ªmost of the Knights were away on expeditions.


    "We''ll just browse for now¡ªwe''re not sure what to get yet."


    Ye Yun suggested,


    "How about buying a spirit?"


    Jean and Lisa were intrigued.


    "A spirit?"


    Ye Yun pointed at Rios, who was playing with a child nearby.


    "Like him¡ªRios is a kind of spirit.


    spirits have intelligence equal to humans, and are extremely loyal. They grow and evolve through combat.


    I think it would be perfect for you. What do you think?"


    Jean and Lisa were surprised¡ªthey had heard of Rios''s strength, but didn''t expect him to be a Spirit.


    The two exchanged a glance and decided¡ªlet''s buy a Spirit!


    Seeing their decision, Ye Yun explained:


    "Spirits need to be hatched using a ''Spirit Core.'' I have three levels of cores available:


    Basic: 1,000 Star Coins


    Intermediate: 10,000 Star Coins


    Advanced: 100,000 Star Coins


    The higher the grade, the stronger the spirit''s potential and abilities. Which one would you like?"

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 - 39Jean looked at the 14,000 Star Coins in her hand and decisively bought 10 Basic Spirit Cores, leaving the remaining 4,000 for later use.


    Ye Yun handed the 10 Basic Spirit Cores to Jean and pointed at the spirit incubator next to them, which had just been moved over from Natasha''s clinic the day before.


    "That''s the spirit incubator. Just place the cores inside and they''ll hatch."


    Jean nodded with a smile. "Thank you. We''ll head back for now and come again later."


    Ye Yun nodded and waved the two women goodbye with a smile.


    After returning to Mondstadt¡ª


    Kaeya happened to be walking in after moving some items.


    "Oh? Back so soon? Not buying a bit more?"


    Lisa smiled. "Kaeya, we''ll need your help¡ªgo and call Diluc, Amber, and Eula for us."


    Hearing that, Kaeya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did you two get your hands on something interesting?"He immediately guessed they must''ve bought something good from Ye Yun, or else they wouldn''t be gathering everyone.


    Lisa said, "You''ll know in a moment. Just go call them first."


    Kaeya, now fully intrigued, replied, "Alright, I''ll go."


    A few minutes later¡ª


    Diluc and the others arrived at Jean''s office.


    Jean took out the 10 Basic Spirit Cores.


    "These are Spirit Cores. They can be used to hatch Spirits."


    Amber and Eula were instantly overjoyed.


    Amber ran up excitedly. "Captain Jean! Are you serious? These can really hatch into Spirits?"


    They had seen the little Flame Monkey and Bub Seed that belonged to Stelle and March 7th, and had absolutely loved them.


    Now, the idea of having their own sprite filled them with glee.


    Jean nodded. "Yes. Ye Yun introduced them to us. Everyone pick one¡ªlet''s keep the rest stored for now."


    Saying this, she placed the ten Spirit Cores on the table.


    Everyone stepped up to choose one.


    Diluc, Kaeya, Eula, Jean, and Lisa each casually picked one.


    Amber, however, hesitated.


    "Emmm... This one''s red¡ªI love red.But that blue one also looks so cool..."


    She was torn, loving both equally.


    Eventually, Amber chose the red one.


    Once everyone had picked, Jean stored away the remaining four Spirit Cores.


    With their chosen cores in hand, they returned to Ye Yun''s shop and placed them into the incubator to hatch their Spirits.


    Since hatching took time, everyone left the cores in the incubator and returned to Mondstadt, leaving Amber behind to keep watch.


    At the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Internet Caf¨¦¡ª


    Zhongli sat at the front desk, sipping tea.


    Tartaglia (Childe) walked in and glanced around before spotting Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao was curled up with a laptop, watching a horror movie while munching on chips.


    "Using a computer?" Zhongli, the cashier, asked flatly.


    Tartaglia looked confused. "Using... a what?"


    Zhongli noticed his bewilderment and rephrased, "Would you like to try out one of our games?"


    Now Tartaglia understood. "Yes, yes, I want to play!"


    Zhongli nodded calmly. "998 Mora for half an hour. Queue over there."


    Tartaglia looked where Zhongli pointed¡ªon a row of benches, a dozen or so people were waiting their turn.


    A small smirk formed at the corner of Tartaglia''s lips.


    Queue? That concept doesn''t apply to me.


    He walked straight up to someone in the front of the line."I''ll give you 100,000 Mora for your spot. Deal?"


    The person instantly agreed¡ªwho could say no to free money falling from the sky?


    Besides, the Wangsheng Net Caf¨¦ was a permanent fixture. He could just come back later.


    In the end, Tartaglia spent 100,000 Mora to skip the line and take the front spot.


    The others didn''t object. He paid for the spot fair and square. As long as their own queue positions weren''t affected, they didn''t care.


    Zhongli watched him silently, pondering whether he should still go through with handing over the Gnosis to the Tsaritsa.


    Originally, he planned to trade the Gnosis to her.


    Her plan, if successful, truly could save Teyvat.


    But now, with Liyue no longer facing existential threats...


    He figured that if worse came to worst, he could just call up Celestia and migrate to the Honkai world to terraform a deserted planet. Problem solved.


    After thinking it over, Zhongli decided he would cancel the deal with the Tsaritsa soon. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her plan was too uncertain¡ªemigrating was much more reliable.


    And if they were to emigrate, they''d need Celestia''s help to make a new planet livable anyway.


    So there was no point in offending them.


    Soon, Tartaglia was on a computer and started gaming.


    He was recommended a game called Meteor, Butterfly, Sword.


    After going through the tutorial, he entered his first mission.


    At first, he thought it would be as easy as the tutorial.


    But that illusion was quickly shattered as the AI thrashed him with no mercy.


    His eyes lit up with fighting spirit. "Interesting... Looks like I need to get serious."


    Tartaglia sat up straight, now fully focused.


    Aboard the Astral Express¡ª


    Dan Heng was in the library, trying to read a book¡ªbut no matter how he tried, he couldn''t focus.


    His eyes kept drifting to the window, his mind on Stelle and the others.


    He finally closed the book and put it back on the shelf.


    Can''t focus at all.


    He stepped out of the library¡ªonly to see Ye Yun relaxing with Klee and the other little ones, watching cartoons.


    Ye Yun had set up a giant screen TV in the lounge.Watching from a comfy sofa was pure bliss.


    He noticed Dan Heng''s troubled face.


    "What''s wrong? You look like you''ve got the whole world on your shoulders."


    Dan Heng replied coolly, "It''s nothing."


    Ye Yun chuckled. Dan Heng always tried to play it cool.


    He said, "If you want to go, just go. Rios and I are still here¡ªyou don''t need to worry.


    Unresolved things will always weigh on you. Solve it, and it''s not a problem anymore."


    Dan Heng paused, thinking it over.


    A moment later, without a word, he turned and left the shop.


    But his actions said it all.


    "Brother Ye Yun~ Klee wants to go out and play~"


    Klee looked up at Ye Yun with big, sparkling eyes.


    His precious daughter wanted to go out? What to do?Of course he''d say yes!


    Ye Yun smiled, patting her head.


    "Alright, let''s go. Brother Ye Yun will take you all out to play."


    The three little ones jumped off the couch with joy, hurriedly putting on their shoes and lining up beside Ye Yun like good kids.


    Ye Yun turned to Noelle at the counter.


    "Noelle, I''ll leave the shop to you. I''m taking the kids out."


    Noelle nodded."Leave it to me."


    Ye Yun nodded, then looked at Rios.


    "Rios, you''re in charge of security on the train. If you run into anything too strong, just get everyone out. Got it?"


    Rios gave a firm nod.


    With the store and the train in good hands, Ye Yun took the kids off the train and headed for Luofu.


    ***


    Luofu, in front of the Sky-Faring Commission.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt had already met Yukong and were now standing in front of the inn arranged by Tingyun, accompanied by the little fire monkey and the Bub Seed.


    March 7th was still a bit upset. That Yukong''s attitude was just too rude¡ªweren''t they here to help?


    "Hmph! If I''d known it would be like this, I wouldn''t have voted yes. I could''ve been in Penacony right now! I heard it''s super fun there!"


    The Bub Seed at March 7th''s feet, sensing its master''s anger, also began to chirp in protest.


    "Bubu~ Bubu~"


    Stelle shrugged.


    "What can you do? It''s the path you chose¡ªgotta walk it even on your knees."


    Then Stelle''s tone changed, suddenly becoming mysterious.


    "But hey, coming here isn''t without benefits, hehe~"


    March 7th looked curious.


    "What benefits? I don''t see any."


    Stelle pointed to a wooden treasure chest nearby.


    "There, look!"


    March 7th''s eyes lit up the moment she saw it.


    Oh ho! A treasure chest! Treasure chest = Credits!


    Seeing that March 7th got the idea, Stelle continued.


    "Didn''t Yukong say we could move around freely? Hehe~"


    March 7th giggled.


    "Let''s go, let''s go~"


    The two girls waved goodbye to Welt and went off in search of treasure chests.


    Welt looked around, then decided to wander a bit and gather some information.


    Stelle and March 7th looted as they went¡ªno chest was safe. Every one of them was cracked open.


    Eventually, they arrived at the gates of the Xianzhou Alliance''s "Evernight City."


    Unbeknownst to them, people had been giving them strange looks the whole way.


    Couldn''t be helped¡ªtheir sneaky, gleeful expressions were... well, a bit unsettling.


    The two were constantly darting their eyes around, looking left and right like they were afraid to miss a single treasure chest.


    Naturally, the locals steered clear of them.


    "Stelle-sis! March 7th-sis!"


    Stelle and March 7th turned around to see Klee running excitedly toward them.


    Stelle was a little surprised.


    "Klee?"


    She crouched down and caught the little girl in her arms.


    "What are you doing here, Klee?"


    Klee grinned cheerfully.


    "Brother Ye Yun brought me~ And Diona, Hook, and Dodoco also came!"


    Just as Klee finished, Ye Yun appeared, holding Diona and Hook by the hand, with Dodoco trailing behind.


    "Yo, Stelle, March. Didn''t expect to run into you two here."


    March 7th asked,


    "Ye Yun, what are you doing here?"


    Ye Yun patted Diona and Hook on the head.


    "These three little ones wanted to go out and play, so I brought them. What about you two? How''s it going?"


    The question immediately ticked March 7th off again. She crossed her arms and huffed.


    "Ugh, don''t even mention it. We just met with the leader of the Sky-Faring Commission, and she was super cold. Didn''t even let us help.


    If General Jing Yuan hadn''t stepped in, we might''ve been kicked out of Luofu altogether."


    Ye Yun smirked.


    "Luofu''s in a bit of a crisis right now¡ªstrict rules for outsiders are kinda expected. Good luck, then. I''m taking the kids to play more. Are you two coming back for dinner tonight?"


    Stelle definitely wanted to go back¡ªshe loved Yeyun''s cooking, especially his spicy hotpot.


    March 7th wanted to go too. Even though Tingyun had arranged a luxurious room for them, as the saying goes, "Gold nest, silver nest¡ªnot as good as your own doghouse."


    "Of course we''re coming back! Remember to save us some food, okay?"


    Ye Yun nodded with a smile.


    Then he said goodbye to Stelle and March 7th and led the kids toward Challenge Heaven¡ªwhere all the fun was.


    Stelle and March 7th, meanwhile, continued their treasure-hunting spree.


    Half an hour later.


    Yeyun brought the three little ones to Challenge Heaven. Just as they reached the plaza, a commotion broke out nearby.


    "Out of the way! Don''t block this young lady''s path!"


    Ye Yun looked toward the noise and saw a small girl with dragon horns and a ponytail sprinting toward them.


    Despite her short legs, she was fast¡ªso fast that the adults chasing behind couldn''t catch up.


    Ye Yun recognized her immediately.


    Wasn''t that the "Dragon Sovereign"? He still remembered pulling her in his previous life...


    Good news: Five-star, Dragon Sovereign!


    Bad news: Purple-haired Dragon Sovereign!


    Coincidentally, the little girl¡ªBailu¡ªwas charging straight toward Ye Yun.


    Bailu saw him in the way and waved frantically.


    "Get out of the way! I can''t stop!"


    Dodoco quickly stepped in front of Yeyun.


    Bailu couldn''t brake in time and crashed right into Dodoco''s fluffy belly.


    Just as she was about to fall, Dodoco caught her.


    Bailu let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her brow.


    "Whew~ That was close. This young lady nearly fell."


    At that moment, the group chasing her caught up.


    "Miss Bailu, please come back with us."


    Bailu shook her head.


    "No way! I finally escaped, I''m not going back! It''s nothing but study, study, study¡ªit''s so boring!"


    The lead adult sighed.


    "Miss Bailu, sorry about this. Everyone, go!"


    They all lunged at once. Bailu panicked and tried to run.


    At that moment, a bomb dropped from above.


    "Boom-boom bomb! You''re not allowed to bully people!"


    Klee stood atop Dodo-D''s shoulders, pulling bomb after bomb from her backpack and hurling them at the group.


    The group scattered in panic¡ªwhat kind of little girl brings bombs out in public?! Where are her parents?!


    If Alice heard their complaints, she''d probably say, "What''s wrong with my Klee bringing bombs? That''s nothing yet! Right, Stormterror?"


    The group fled quickly. Seeing the cratered ground, Ye Yun promptly grabbed the four little ones and ran.


    Gotta say, his Emanator-level speed really paid off¡ªhe dashed them straight into the quieter "Golden Alley."


    Though Golden Alley was still a commercial street, its former glory had faded, with only a few shops open.


    Bailu looked at Klee, who was busy packing up her little backpack.


    "Thanks for helping me. What''s your name?"


    Klee looked up.


    "Are you talking to Klee?"


    Bailu nodded.


    "Yes. So your name''s Klee? Nice to meet you, I''m Bailu."


    Klee asked,


    "Hi, Sister Bailu. Why were those bad guys trying to catch you?"


    Bailu thought for a moment.


    "I ran away from home. They want to drag me back. It''s just study and more study over there¡ªit''s sooo boring."


    Klee nodded in understanding.


    "Oh! Klee gets it. I hate being grounded too. When I''m grounded, I can''t go out to play~"

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 - 40Bailu immediately felt a deep sense of kinship with Klee¡ªfinally, someone who shared her pain!


    "Exactly! I hate being grounded too. That''s why I had to escape."


    Just like that, the two little ones formed an unbreakable revolutionary friendship based on this single shared experience.


    Klee then introduced Yeyun, Hook, and Diona to Bailu.


    Bailu greeted each of them politely.


    She looked them over curiously.


    "You''re not from the Xianzhou, are you?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "That''s right, we''re not from here."


    Klee was surprised.


    "Wow~ Sister Bailu, you''re amazing! You could tell right away that we''re not from around here!"


    Bailu wagged her tail slightly, clearly pleased by the compliment.


    "That was easy! I''m a doctor¡ªI know exactly what Xianzhou folks look like."


    Klee clapped her hands in admiration.


    "Waaah~"


    Ye Yun glanced toward Challenge Heaven. They probably wouldn''t be able to return there for a while.


    Thinking it over, he decided they should head back first. Tonight was hotpot night¡ªhe had already invited nearly everyone.


    The hotpot base would be much tastier if he stir-fried it himself, and there were still vegetables and ingredients to prepare.


    "Klee, Hook, Diona, time to head back."


    Hearing that they were leaving, Bailu suddenly looked downcast. She had only just made new friends¡ªbarely even played together¡ªand they were already parting ways?


    Diona noticed Bailu''s reluctant expression and spoke up.


    "Bailu, do you want to come back with us? It''s not far from here."


    Bailu''s mood instantly turned sunny. Her face lit up.


    "Really? I can go with you?"


    Klee and Hook immediately hugged Yeyun''s legs from either side, pleading for Bailu.


    "Brother Yeyun~ Can we bring Sister Bailu back with us? Please?"


    "Ye Yun! Let Bailu come too! If we''re short on food, I''ll eat less and give my share to her!"


    Ye Yun couldn''t say no to that. Of course, he agreed.


    "Alright, alright. Let''s go, Bailu¡ªcome with us."


    Bailu jumped and danced with joy on the spot.


    "Yay!"


    Klee, Hook, and Diona were thrilled as well.


    Bailu pointed ahead with a little finger.


    "Everyone, let''s go!"


    She led the charge, running ahead, with Klee, Hook, and Diona close behind.


    Ye Yun smiled and followed closely behind the four little ones, watching over their safety.


    Luofu ¨C Divine Foresight Mansion


    Jing Yuan lounged lazily beside a tea table, sipping his tea. In front of him was a report detailing everything Stelle, March 7th, and Welt had done that day in Luofu.


    It was extremely detailed¡ªeven noting exactly which treasure chests Stelle and March 7th had opened and when.


    After reading it, Jing Yuan sighed.


    "They came at just the right time. Now my odds of winning have increased."


    What he focused on most was the group''s strength¡ªand clearly, they were all top-tier.


    As for the treasure chests, he barely glanced at that section.


    Those chests were guarded by monsters, the loot was poor, and the contents were mostly junk materials or those useless Stellar Jades.


    If Stelle and March wanted to open them, let them¡ªtreasure chests like that existed all across the galaxy, not just in Luofu.


    At that moment, a pink-haired girl in white stockings entered from outside.


    "General, why haven''t you arrested Kafka yet?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Well, if it isn''t Fu Xuan. Don''t just stand there¡ªcome, sit."


    Fu Xuan rolled her eyes.


    "Sit? Why sit? General, why haven''t you captured Kafka yet? She''s almost certainly involved with the Stellaron."


    Jing Yuan smiled gently.


    "No need to rush, Fu Xuan. Some people haven''t revealed themselves yet."


    Hearing this, Fu Xuan understood his reasoning.


    Luofu was already chaotic even before the Stellaron had fully activated.


    Domestically, there were meddling old schemers among the Vidyadhara clan, and externally, the Disciples of the Abundance were secretly growing their influence.


    This disaster might just be the perfect chance for some of these hidden elements to reveal themselves¡ªgiving Jing Yuan the excuse to act.


    Jing Yuan continued.


    "Don''t worry, Fu Xuan. I''ve already arranged the team to apprehend Kafka. We''ll move out tomorrow."


    That finally calmed Fu Xuan down a bit.


    "As long as you''ve got a plan. Since you''ve made arrangements, I''ll head back."


    She turned and left without hesitation.


    Just then, a Cloud Knight rushed up to Jing Yuan.


    "Report, General! Someone from the Alchemy Commission says Miss Bailu has run off again. They''ve asked us to help find her."


    Jing Yuan chuckled. Bailu had slipped away again, unable to sit still.


    With all the current chaos in Luofu, it really was better for her to stay at the Alchemy Commission.


    Back in the day, Jing Yuan would''ve helped search for her¡ªbut when he got around to it was another matter entirely.


    Hey, he never said he wouldn''t help¡ªjust that he had other things to do first, right?


    That way, even those so-called dragon elders couldn''t say a word. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At Yeyun''s shop


    When Ye Yun returned, he saw Amber playing with a small yellow sprite.


    "Little Firebee, come this way¡ªfly faster!"


    The yellow spirit was called Little Firebee, a Flying-type.


    Diluc, Kaeya, Jean, Lisa, Lumine, and Paimon were all there, each playing with their own little spirits.


    Kaeya had chosen a Water-type sprite, Barr¡ªits final evolution was impressively strong.


    Diluc''s was a fiery red bird named Crimson Chick. Its ultimate form, Crimson Phoenix Spirit, was a top-tier powerhouse¡ªabsolutely at lieutenant-level strength.


    Honestly, Yeyun was shocked that Diluc had managed to pull a Crimson Chick from a low-tier spirit capsule. That was about as likely as winning the grand prize in an interstellar lottery where only one person wins per drawing.


    Eula had a deep-blue, octopus-like sprite named Blu¡ªa super rare Water-type known as the "Child of the Sea."


    Lisa''s was a Grass-type rare sprite that looked like a bean sprout: Little Sprout.


    Jean''s sprite was a fluffy pink creature named Poppy.


    Jean sat with Poppy in her lap, gently petting its fur.


    "Poppy, nice to meet you. We''ll be partners from now on."


    "Poppy~ Poppy~"


    After greeting everyone, Ye Yun headed into the kitchen to start preparing the hotpot for the evening.


    Noelle quickly came to help¡ªwashing vegetables and dishes, lending a hand where needed.


    Soon, Zhongli and Hu Tao arrived at the shop, accompanied by Ningguang, Yelan, Keqing, and Cloud Retainer.


    As soon as Cloud Retainer stepped inside, she couldn''t resist the urge to take things apart¡ªitching to see how everything was built.


    No choice¡ªshe was the ultimate techie through and through.


    ***


    Bailu arrived inside the train and looked at the lively atmosphere with delight.


    She had spent most of her years in the oppressive environment of the Alchemy Commission, which made her feel stifled.


    This was also why Bailu often ran away. She was just a child, after all¡ªwho could endure such an atmosphere?


    It wasn''t that Bailu didn''t like studying. She genuinely wanted to learn medicine and help others, but the mood in the Alchemy Commission was just too much for her to take.


    "Sister Bailu~ come over here, we''re watching cartoons~"


    Bailu snapped out of her thoughts and saw Klee calling her from the sofa and refreshment area.


    "Okay! I''m coming!"


    Bailu''s short legs pitter-pattered as she dashed over.


    The four little ones sat in a row, huddled together watching cartoons, occasionally chattering about the characters on the screen.


    "Wow, Klee thinks this kitty is so dumb¡ªit can''t even catch the mouse~"


    "Hook thinks so too."


    "How can a cat be this dumb? The cats at my tavern are way better."


    "Exactly! If it were me, I''d have caught that mouse ages ago!"


    Before long, the portal shimmered.


    Bronya, Seele, Natasha, Gepard, Pela, Serval, and Lynx stepped out.


    Bronya looked around and saw Ye Yun and Noelle busying themselves in the kitchen.


    "Ye Yun, Noelle, we''re here."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun looked up.


    "Welcome, welcome. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves¡ªI''ll need a bit more time over here."


    Noelle chimed in.


    "Welcome, everyone."


    Natasha saw Ye Yun handling ingredients and patted Bronya''s shoulder.


    "Bronya, you go show them around. I''ll go help Ye Yun."


    With that, Natasha headed into the kitchen.


    "Ye Yun, anything I can help with?"


    Yeyun was glad to see her¡ªtoday was going to be really busy with so many guests, and lots of food to prepare.


    "You and Noelle can help wash and cut the vegetables."


    Natasha rolled up her sleeves and got to work.


    Bronya led the rest of the Belobog group to the sofa and refreshment area.


    Bronya, Gepard, and Seele were fine¡ªthey had been here before.


    The newcomers¡ªLynx, Pela, and Serval¡ªwere a bit shy.


    Serval was alright thanks to her outgoing personality and quickly hit it off with the Mondstadt group.


    Lynx and Pela, however, were socially anxious. If not for Bronya introducing them, they probably wouldn''t have said a word.


    Amber noticed how timid they were and pulled the two over to sit next to her.


    "Hi Lynx, Pela! I''m Amber, an Outrider with the Knights of Favonius.


    This is Eula, the Spindrift Knight."


    Lynx and Pela quickly greeted them.


    "Hello, hello."


    Eula crossed her arms in annoyance.


    "Amber, did I say you could introduce me? Hmph! I''m adding that to my list of grudges!"


    Pela and Lynx were startled. Oh no, she really holds grudges! Are we on her list now?


    Amber nodded knowingly.


    "Yep, yep, you''ve already got plenty of grudges against me¡ªwhat''s one more? Go ahead and add it."


    Seeing Pela and Lynx looking worried, Amber reassured them.


    "Don''t worry, Eula''s actually really nice. That whole ''grudge'' thing is just her catchphrase."


    Eula huffed.


    "Oh really? Saying I don''t mean what I say? That''s another grudge!"


    Pela and Lynx finally realized¡ªso that''s what''s going on.


    Amber continued chatting with them, warming up the mood.


    Soon enough, Pela and Lynx got comfortable with Amber and Eula, chatting enthusiastically.


    As the conversation went on, Pela returned to her true self and started shipping Amber and Eula as a couple.


    After all, Pela was Belobog''s number one shipper.


    She had previously shipped Bronya and Seele.


    Before long¡ª


    Hu Tao, Zhongli, Ningguang, Yelan, Keqing, and Cloud Retainer arrived as well.


    Hu Tao was in a great mood today¡ªher internet caf¨¦ was booming, packed all day long.


    When she left earlier, there were still people waiting for seats. Some rich folks had even booked overnight sessions.


    She walked straight into Silver Wolf''s private room, intending to thank her.


    The internet caf¨¦ could only open thanks to Silver Wolf''s help.


    Hu Tao had even brought over a special dish, Golden Thread Shrimp Balls, made by Xiangling to thank her.


    Pushing open the door, she saw Silver Wolf focused on her game.


    The room wasn''t big¡ªjust a sofa, a table, and a wardrobe with her clothes inside.


    As for washing up, Silver Wolf used March 7th''s room.


    "Silver Wolf, what are you playing?" Hu Tao sat beside her, curious about the screen.


    Silver Wolf, seeing it was Hu Tao, replied,


    "Just a little game I heard about online. People said it was fun, but it''s just okay."


    Then she noticed the shrimp balls in Hu Tao''s hands.


    "What''s that?"


    Hu Tao opened the box and pulled one out.


    "Try this¡ªGolden Thread Shrimp Balls, made by a good friend of mine. Thanks again for helping me yesterday."


    Silver Wolf waved it off.


    "No biggie. These look pretty good."


    She popped one into her mouth¡ªand the sweet flavor of the shrimp exploded on her taste buds.


    "Mmm~ These are delicious!"


    Hu Tao giggled.


    "Glad you like it. By the way, do you still have more computers? I want to buy some."


    Silver Wolf picked up another shrimp ball and tossed it into her mouth.


    "Yeah, how many do you need?" she asked, chewing.


    Hu Tao thought for a moment. She and Keqing had planned to renovate the two rooms next to the internet caf¨¦¡ªshould be enough space for 50 more computers.


    "Fifty. Do you have that many? How much will it cost?"


    This time, Hu Tao was determined to pay. Silver Wolf had already generously gifted her ten units¡ªshe couldn''t take advantage again.


    Silver Wolf did some quick math.


    "Those fifty aren''t too expensive. About 80,000 credits each on the company site¡ªsome old tech.


    That''s 4 million credits. How about this¡ªyou got any gold or antiques?


    Give them to me, and I''ll sell them online for credits. Once we''ve got that, I''ll buy the computers for you."


    Hu Tao thought it was a great idea.


    She originally wanted to pay in Mora, but the exchange rate to credits was too uncertain.


    Standing up with a grin, she said:


    "Wait here, I''ll go treasure hunting!"


    Hu Tao darted out of Silver Wolf''s room and into the portal.


    Not long after¡ª


    She returned, using a flying scooter to make the trip between Qingce Village and the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    As Zhongli leisurely sipped his tea, he noticed the vase Hu Tao was holding and his pupils trembled.


    Wasn''t that the same vase he had spent forever negotiating with a Liyue collector to buy?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 - 41Zhongli saw Hu Tao sneak into Silverwolf''s private room holding a vase, and a sudden, inexplicable feeling of unease washed over him.


    What is the director doing with my vase? Zhongli thought for a moment and walked over to the side of the room to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.


    Inside the private room.


    "Silverwolf, did you put it up?" "Yes, I did, but it might not sell so quickly." "No rush, no rush. As long as it sells, how much did you list it for?" "I started with 6 million, maybe some sucker will buy it for a high price." Suddenly, there was an exclamation from Hutao. "Wow! Someone already bought it? 6 million credits!" "Hey, there really is a sucker. Let me check who it is. Hmm, it''s Shaxin, one of the ten heartless people. This guy''s loaded."


    As soon as Zhongli heard that his vase was being sold, he immediately knocked on the door.


    The door opened, and Hu Tao poked her head out. "Consultant? Why aren''t you having tea and are here instead?"Zhongli said with a deadpan expression, "I just saw you take my vase." Hutao didn''t deny it. "Yep, it''s mine now. I''m selling it to buy a computer. Alright, alright, you go do your thing, I''m going to talk to Silverwolf about the computer. "With that, she slammed the door shut.


    Zhongli felt inexplicably disappointed. My little vase! It''s the one I love the most! Whenever I had free time, I would tidy it up and wipe off the dust from the walls.


    With a gloomy face, Zhongli sat down at the tea break area. Venti, seeing this, curiously asked, "Old man, what''s wrong?" Zhongli''s response was a creepy whisper, "My vase... my vase, heh, it''s gone."


    Venti quickly realized, remembering Hu Tao carrying the vase earlier, and patted Zhongli''s shoulder. "Old man, rest in peace."


    Soon, Silverwolf received the payment. Silverwolf transferred 4 million credits immediately, leaving the remaining 2 million to be sent to Hutao''s card. The two of them agreed to meet tomorrow to assemble the computer.


    Silverwolf''s after-sales service was quite good, personally delivering the installation.


    At the tea break area, Bronya was chatting with Jean when Ningguang and Keqing walked over. Ningguang looked at Jean. "Hello, my pen pal, this must be our first official meeting, right?" Upon hearing this, Jean immediately guessed Ningguang''s identity. "You''re Ningguang? Hello, Ningguang!" Ningguang chuckled lightly. "What are you two discussing?"


    Jean replied, "We''re talking about some state governance experiences." Ningguang smiled, "Oh? Mind if we join you? Let me introduce, this is Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing." Keqing then introduced herself. "Hello, I am Keqing, the Yuheng of Liyue, nice to meet you." Bronya and Jean also introduced themselves.


    After introductions, the four of them sat down to chat. Jean looked at Bronya and said, "Bronya, you don''t know, Ningguang is the ruler of Liyue, and her experience is far richer than ours." Ningguang smiled. "Oh, no, just a few little tricks." Then, the four women discussed some state governance methods and experiences. With Ningguang and Keqing joining in, it quickly turned into a conversation where Ningguang and Keqing spoke while Bronya and Jean took notes.


    Yelan saw this and sat down at the small bar. She glanced at Noelle, who was busy, and walked into the bar to pour herself a drink. Ye Yun had said that everyone, except for one particular drunkard, was welcome to drink the bar''s liquor. As for why the drunkard was excluded? That was obvious¡ªYe Yun feared that if they allowed him, the bar''s stock would be emptied in no time.


    Yelan studied Venti. This guy had suddenly appeared in Mondstadt after gathering intel in Liyue, and no one had seen him before. Thus, Yelan was curious and wanted to chat with Venti to see if she could extract some information. However, the experienced Venti immediately recognized Yelan''s intentions. So, he took a big gulp of his drink and pretended to fall asleep.


    Soon, Ye Yun finished preparing the meal, and everyone gathered around.Welt, Stelle, and March 7th just barely made it back minutes before dinner started. Stelle and March 7 rushed to the bar to exchange for Stellar Jades. This time, the two girls made a huge profit. Last time, Bronya and her group had come to steal the crystals in Belobog.


    This time, however, they cleared out all the Stellar Jades from locations like Luofu''s Starsea Central, Changle Sky, Huixing Port, and Golden Alley, with no boxes left behind.


    Stelle placed the bag of Stellar Jades on the bar, scooping them out one by one to exchange for Star Credits. Stelle handled the exchange while March 7th organized the star coins. Together, they quickly finished exchanging the entire bag.


    Everyone watched in awe, and when they saw the final amount, they couldn''t help but gasp. Hiss!!!! 300,000 Star Credits! This was incredible! Stelle and March 7th each took half, 150,000 each.


    Stelle happily pocketed the 150,000 Star Credits, walking with a proud air. Now! Call me the wealthy Stelle!


    Ye Yun glanced at Stelle, who was still showing off. "Stelle, calm down, it''s time to eat." Stelle immediately stopped being flashy and quickly sat down to wait for dinner.


    Tonight''s hotpot feast was prepared with five large pots placed on a long table outside the bar. The long table could only accommodate 20 people, so the big guys like Ye Yun, Zhongli, Welt, and Diluc stood and ate, letting the girls and the four little ones sit.


    The four little ones were delighted to stand by the table. As children, the more people there were, the happier they were, and the food tasted even better. Especially Bai Lu, who was the happiest, her little tail wagging as she happily chatted with Klee, Hook, and Diona.


    "Klee wants to eat a lot of meat~" "Hook wants to eat too!" Diona, on the other hand, wanted to eat grilled fish. "You guys eat meat, I''ll eat fish. I saw Ye Yun cutting a lot of fish slices, hehe~" Bai Lu acted like a little adult. "You can''t just eat meat, you have to eat some vegetables to keep a balanced diet."


    Hook blinked his big eyes. "What''s nutrition?" Bai Lu thought for a moment and explained in simple terms. "Let me put it this way, if you only eat meat, your body will have some small problems." Hook understood at once. "Hook understands now, Hook will eat vegetables too!" Klee raised her hand eagerly. "Klee wants some too~" Diona said, "That''s true, I''ll eat some too."


    Himeko and Ye Yun were taking care of the four little ones. Tonight, Ye Yun prepared a lot of dishes, more than 50 kinds, enough to feed 30 adults. Ye Yun handed everyone a small basket, and the dishes were in the kitchen. You could pick what you wanted and put it in the basket.There were also seasonings there. Ye Yun called everyone to go get their food. Everyone got up and grabbed their baskets, happily choosing dishes like they were at a market.


    The fourth update of the day is now complete.


    ***


    Stelle walked around, holding her basket, looking at this and that. With over 50 types of dishes, Stelle had to take a look at each one.


    "This chicken wing looks pretty fat! I''ll take two. Hmm, this squid is good too, it''s still moving, impressive. These pork belly slices look good, and so does this beef..."


    After a round of picking, Stelle filled her basket with nothing but meat, not a single vegetable in sight.


    Stelle returned to her seat, with her basket full of meat, and eagerly watched the pot, waiting for it to boil.


    At that moment, March 7th and Amber also returned with their chosen ingredients.


    March 7th looked at Stelle''s basket, which was overflowing with meat, and couldn''t help but feel speechless.


    "Stelle, can''t you take some vegetables too?"


    Stelle shook her head wildly.


    "Impossible, vegetables are not for me, meat suits me better."


    Amber, too, couldn''t watch anymore.


    "Stelle, you should eat at least a little bit of vegetables, they''re good for your body."


    Stelle still shook her head, just as Seele and Lumine passed by her.


    Stelle stopped them.


    "Seele, Lumine, what did you pick? Do you have any vegetables?"


    Seele gave Stelle a blank look.


    "Vegetables? If there''s meat, why eat vegetables?"


    Lumine raised a finger and shook it.


    "With hotpot, it''s all about the meat. If you don''t eat meat, where would you get the energy to fight?"


    Paimon, struggling, flew over with a basket of meat.


    "Exactly, meat fills you up, who needs vegetables?"


    March 7th and Amber sighed in resignation. These guys were all the same.


    At least Klee and the others knew to grab vegetables!


    Before long, everyone returned to the dining table.


    Ye Yun had prepared two full baskets of ingredients for the four little ones, enough for them to eat.


    "Have you washed your hands?" Ye Yun asked the little ones while holding some seasonings. "If not, go wash them first. You can only eat after washing your hands."


    The four little ones shook their heads and hurriedly ran to the kitchen.


    Standing by the sink, they sighed. The sink was too high for them to reach.


    At that moment, Bai Lu''s eyes lit up when she saw the little step stool that Paimon used for cooking.


    Bai Lu walked over and pushed it toward the sink.


    "Here, standing on this should make you tall enough."


    Klee, Hook, and Diona all cheered and lined up to wash their hands.


    After Klee washed her hands, she ran to her seat with a skip in her step.


    "Ta-da! Klee''s gonna eat hotpot now!"


    Klee ran to her seat, climbed up the chair, and stood on top.


    Klee saw around her and realized that Clara usually sat next to her during meals.


    Klee looked around and didn''t see Clara.


    After thinking for a moment, Klee remembered that Clara was probably in the library studying at this time.


    Klee went to the library, and sure enough, Clara was still there, working on a model.


    "Clara, it''s time to eat."


    Clara, hearing Klee, finally realized that she had been so absorbed in her work that she lost track of time.


    "Okay, I''ll be right there."


    Clara put the model on the desk and jogged over to Klee.


    Klee brought Clara to the kitchen to choose ingredients and wash her hands, then they returned to the dining table.


    Ye Yun smiled at Clara as she entered.


    "Clara, how''s your research going? That model?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clara smiled back.


    "Well, I have some ideas now."


    Ye Yun looked at Clara and thought about whether he should set up a small lab for her.


    There''s a large storage room on the second floor of the train. Maybe I can renovate it and set up something simple for her.


    After a few seconds of thought, Ye Yun decided to start tomorrow.


    The teleportation gate from Herta had been lowered. Since Asta and Herta had things to do today, they didn''t attend tonight''s hotpot dinner.


    Tomorrow, Ye Yun planned to ask Herta for help in getting equipment suitable for Clara, a beginner.


    Everyone gathered around the table, and the five hotpots quickly began to boil.


    "Dinner''s ready!" Ye Yun called out, and everyone started putting ingredients into the pots.


    Stelle was the most dramatic, filling her red hotpot with meat.


    The soup in the pot almost started spilling over.


    March 7th quickly picked out some of the ingredients to prevent the soup from overflowing.


    "Stelle! Be gentle! There''s too much soup, it might burn someone."


    Stelle grinned sheepishly.


    "Sorry, sorry."


    Ye Yun and Himeko were taking care of the four little ones, serving them two portions each.


    Ye Yun patted Klee and Hook''s heads.


    "What do you two want to eat first?"


    Klee raised her hand.


    "Report! Ye Yun, Klee wants to eat fish!"


    "Hook wants to eat meat!"


    Ye Yun smiled fondly.


    "Alright, Leafy will cook it for you."


    Ye Yun cooked fish and meat slices for the two little ones.


    Jean and the others were also chatting while adding ingredients to the pot.


    Only Zhongli, Welt, and Diluc sat together, and in their pots, there was just a tiny bit of vegetables.


    Kaeya suddenly felt he had chosen the wrong spot.


    Looking at the others, Venti had gone straight to sit near Stelle and the others. They were clearly having a blast.


    Well, at least there was an advantage: Kaeya could cook many of his favorite dishes all at once.


    As they ate, Venti went to the small bar and turned on the sound system, lively music filling the whole shop.


    When eating hotpot, the key is to be lively.


    Everyone ate while chatting, and the atmosphere was cheerful and harmonious.


    Paimon was gorging on meat. This was her first time eating hotpot, and the taste amazed her.


    This thing called hotpot is absolutely delicious!!


    Stelle, Seele, and Paimon''s eating habits were similar: they all held their bowls and devoured their food wildly.


    March 7th had already given up on trying to persuade them. She sighed, there was no way to convince them.


    The three of them sat together, as if in a competition, constantly putting more ingredients in.


    Before long, they had eaten a whole basket of food.


    The three of them stood up and went to get more ingredients.


    In the end, Paimon was crowned champion.


    Paimon stood on her chair, hands on her hips, looking down at Stelle and Seele.


    Stelle had eaten two baskets of food and couldn''t eat any more, Seele ate one and a half, while Paimon had three baskets.


    The others were deeply shocked by their appetites.


    Dinner passed quickly. After everyone finished eating, they rested for a while before heading home.


    During this time, Ningguang and Bronya finalized some collaboration deals.


    Bronya traded 200 mech soldiers for a large amount of food supplies from Liyue.


    With this batch of food, the food situation in Belobog for the next six months was secured.


    Ningguang was very satisfied with this transaction. The 200 mechs had much stronger combat abilities than the average Millelith soldiers.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 - 42The next day, Ye Yun and the four little ones got up early, had breakfast, and arrived at the Herta Space Station.


    This time, Ye Yun intended to ask Herta for help in setting up a small laboratory for Clara in the spacious storage room on the second floor of the train.


    It was the first time the four little ones visited the space station, and they were quickly captivated by its technological style.


    "Wow~ this place is so beautiful! What''s that small thing over there? It can fly~" Hook curiously pointed at a small smart robot.


    "Klee doesn''t know, does Bailu know?" Klee asked.


    Bailu thought for a moment, stroking her chin. It seemed similar to the mechanical birds from the Immortal Ship.


    "This should be used for transporting things. We have a similar one in Luofu, it''s the same size and can fly. It''s called a mechanical bird, and it''s used for delivering things."


    Ye Yun looked around. They were in Herta''s laboratory, next to the simulated universe.


    Ye Yun wasn''t particularly interested in the simulated universe. This was something that Herta, Ruan Mei, and the others had developed to study the mysteries of the Aeons.


    Lately, Stelle had been busy and hadn''t had time to return, so this project hadn''t made much progress.


    At that moment, the laboratory door opened.


    Herta and asta walked in.


    "Ah, it''s you. I was wondering who it was. I just got an alarm from the lab saying someone had entered," Herta said, looking at Ye Yun with some surprise.


    Ye Yun smiled. "Good morning, Herta, Asta."


    Asta smiled back. "Good morning, Mr. Ye Yun. I''ll soon have enough Star Jades. Is that warship still available?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "It is. You''ll need to go to the store to buy it when you''re ready." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asta agreed. "Okay."


    Herta looked at Ye Yun. "What brings you to my space station?"


    Ye Yun was about to answer when Bailu suddenly tugged at his sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, we want to go play."


    Ye Yun paused and thought for a moment before looking at Asta. "Asta, I have something to do. Are you free? Can you take these four little ones around the station?"


    Asta smiled and agreed. "Sure, leave it to me."


    She waved at the four little ones. "Come on, kids, let''s go play!"


    The four little ones happily ran over to Asta and stood obediently beside her.


    After asta took the little ones away, Leafy turned to Herta.


    "I need to ask you for a favor."


    Herta raised an eyebrow. Ye Yun was asking her for help? Interesting.


    "Go ahead."


    Ye Yun explained. "I need help setting up a simple laboratory. There''s a little girl learning about mechanics, and I want to give her a place to work. It''s not enough just to study from books, right?"


    Herta looked a bit speechless. "That''s it? You''re asking me for help with something so small?"


    Ye Yun smiled. "Well, I''m asking you because you''re the expert. I can buy the equipment myself, but I don''t know anything about it. I''m a complete novice, so I thought I should ask someone with experience like you."


    Herta thought for a moment. "You''ve got a point. You''re talking about mechanical equipment, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    After confirming, Herta snapped her fingers, and a virtual screen appeared in front of her. She began to operate it quickly, and the images on the screen changed rapidly.


    Finally, it turned into a blueprint with a list of equipment.


    Herta grabbed it and made the list fold. Then she tossed it toward Ye Yun, and his phone lit up with an email notification.


    "I won''t be going. I don''t have time. This is a list of equipment suitable for beginners in mechanics. You can buy it yourself."


    Ye Yun opened the email and looked at the list.


    "Okay, thanks! I won''t bother you anymore. I''ll pick up Klee and the others later."


    Ye Yun said goodbye to Herta and returned to the train.


    Back on the train, Ye Yun went straight to Himeko to get the key to the second-floor storage room and headed there.


    Himeko, curious, followed along.


    The storage room was messy, filled with abandoned items.


    "Ye Yun, what are you doing here?"


    Ye Yun pulled out his phone and opened the message from Herta.


    "I got a list of equipment suitable for beginners in mechanics from Herta. I plan to set up a lab for Clara. It''s not enough just to study from books, right?"


    Himeko was surprised. While she knew Ye Yun cared for Clara, she didn''t expect him to go this far¡ªsetting up a laboratory for her!


    She looked at the list of equipment, and although it wasn''t expensive, the equipment was top-notch, much better than anything most people had.


    Himeko started to doubt if these were really for beginners.


    Many people in the space station didn''t have equipment like this, right?


    Himeko thought for a moment, and realized that since Ye Yun had consulted Herta, perhaps Herta had used the equipment she had when she was a beginner to compile the list.


    Ye Yun opened the shop and started buying the equipment one by one according to the list.


    These devices were rare in the Star Rail Universe, but not so much in the system''s shop.


    The entire set of 13 devices only cost less than 10,000 star coins.


    Ye Yun carefully placed the devices in the room, and then called Venti from the first floor to blow away the clutter.


    Half an hour later, a luxurious laboratory was completed.


    Himeko looked at the lab. The equipment was truly impressive, much better than her own lab on the train. The machine tool alone was far superior to hers.


    Himeko thought she might come here to work on experiments in the future; the equipment was just so complete.


    Ye Yun looked at the freshly finished lab and clapped his hands, feeling a sense of accomplishment.


    "All done. I''ll go get Clara."


    Ye Yun went to the shop and found Clara, who was studying a Gundam model in the library.


    "Clara, bring your textbooks and models. I''m taking you to a special place."


    Clara, hearing this, put away her books and models and stood obediently next to Brother Ye Yun.


    "Where are we going, Brother Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun smiled affectionately and ruffled Clara''s hair. "I won''t tell you yet. You''ll find out when we get there. It''s close, let''s go."


    Clara, now even more curious, quickly followed Ye Yun.


    They arrived on the second floor.


    When Clara saw the lab, her eyes widened, filled with surprise.


    "This is a lab?"


    Ye Yun smiled. "Yes, this is your lab from now on. What do you think? Do you like it?"


    Clara, in disbelief, looked around. "This lab is mine?"


    She was about to refuse, but Ye Yun cut her off.


    "Don''t worry, it''s decided. It''s not for free though. Once you finish studying the model you''re working on, help me build one, okay?"


    Clara, seeing no way out, nodded. "Okay, I''ll work hard!"


    Ye Yun gently patted Clara on the back of her head. "Go ahead and learn how to use the equipment from Himeko."


    Himeko smiled and waved at Clara. "Come on, Clara, let me show you around."


    Clara followed Himeko, attentively noting the use and operation of each piece of equipment.


    To make sure she wouldn''t forget, Clara wrote down everything she could, so she wouldn''t mess up the usage or miss any important details.


    ***


    In Liyue Harbor, inside the Northern Bank.


    Signora arrived here with her attendants.


    "Where is the Childe? Why is he not here?"


    One of the Childe''s subordinates quickly replied, "The Young Master went to the Wangsheng Hall internet caf¨¦ to play."


    Signora furrowed her brows. "Play? How can he still have the mind to play? The Empress''s grand plan hasn''t been fulfilled, and he dares to go play!"


    "Take me to find him!"


    The subordinate quickly led Signora to the Wangsheng Hall internet caf¨¦.


    About half an hour later, the lady arrived at the caf¨¦''s door.


    The usually quiet Wangsheng Hall was now bustling with people, most of whom were here to surf the internet.


    The receptionist saw the lady and her group, and quickly came forward to greet them.


    "Honored guest, are you here to surf the internet, or to handle business related to Wangsheng Hall?"


    Signora glanced at the receptionist coldly and walked into the hall without even acknowledging her.


    Signora looked around the courtyard and soon spotted the internet caf¨¦, because it was the place with the most people.


    She entered the caf¨¦, and as soon as she stepped inside, she saw Childe sitting near the door, playing "Meteor Butterfly Sword."


    "Small fry, take this! Beautiful! Finally avenged!"


    Childe was excitedly playing the game, feeling like this kind of game was made just for someone like him, a martial enthusiast.


    Childe was deeply absorbed, playing happily.


    However, while Childe was having fun, Signora was extremely displeased.


    She walked directly to Childe''s side and ordered the person sitting next to him to get up.


    "You, get up!"


    The person who was addressed turned around to look at Signora.


    "Who are you? Want to play a game? Go queue up, scram, don''t disturb me."


    Signora''s anger flared up, and she directly slapped the person with an ice-element attack.


    The person who had just mocked Signora was sent flying, and even the computer in front of him was sent crashing into the wall, shattering into pieces.


    It was only then that the Childe realized what was going on. He quickly took off his headphones and saw the furious Signora, realizing something bad had happened.


    "We''re done for! This is Liyue! Back then, when I first came here so arrogantly, after getting beaten a couple of times, I learned to be more reserved."


    Childe grabbed the lady''s arm.


    "Hurry, let''s go! You''ve caused trouble!"


    Signora shook the Childe''s hand off.


    "What trouble? You, a dignified Fatui Harbinger, why are you afraid? Today, I''m going to see what these people in Liyue can do to me!"


    Childe clicked his tongue, feeling that the lady reminded him of his own arrogance when he first arrived in Liyue.


    At that moment, Hu Tao and Silver Wolf, who were working on assembling a new machine, walked out.


    Hu Tao saw the chaos and immediately became angry.


    "What''s going on? Who''s making trouble here?"


    Silver Wolf looked around and quickly locked onto the target.


    "Hu Tao, it should be this woman."


    Hu Tao looked at the lady.


    "Who are you? Coming here to cause trouble in my Wangsheng Hall? Did I provoke you?"


    Signora snorted.


    "Tell me, how much do I need to pay?"


    Hu Tao was very displeased with Signora''s attitude, as if she were the victim when it was clearly the lady who caused the trouble.


    "Hey, what''s wrong with you? Dare to cause trouble in my Wangsheng Hall! Today, I''ll show you what I can do!"


    Hu Tao took out the Staff of Homa and charged at the lady.


    Signora quickly dodged, and her escape path led outside.


    The two soon engaged in a fierce battle outside.


    Hu Tao was one of the top experts in Liyue, not to mention she had been trained by none other than Zhongli, the God of War of Teyvat!


    Signora was no match for Hu Tao and was steadily pushed back by Hu Tao''s relentless attacks.


    Childe sighed. Despite being from the same faction, he had no choice but to keep quiet.


    He was about to intervene when suddenly, a calm voice came from the side.


    "I think it''s better for you to just stand here and watch, don''t you think?"


    Childe looked to the side and saw Silver Wolf, chewing gum and playing a game.


    Though Silver Wolf''s tone was casual, Childe could feel a strong sense of threat emanating from her words.


    He instinctively felt that if he interfered, he would be directly suppressed by this girl.


    Soon, the situation proved him right.


    On a hill beside Wangsheng Hall, an elderly woman with white hair stood, watching as Hu Tao pinned Signora. She looked pleased.


    "As expected of a child raised by the Archon, her martial arts are indeed impressive."


    Signora, seeing that she couldn''t fight back, was in disbelief.


    "It''s impossible! How can I be suppressed by a little girl?!"


    Signora was completely enraged and transformed into a fiery moth.


    "Die!!!"


    Signora suddenly launched an attack, catching Hu Tao off guard. Hu Tao couldn''t dodge in time and could only prepare to take the blow head-on.


    Just as Signora was about to strike Hu Tao, Silver Wolf spoke again.


    "Freeze!"


    Signora suddenly felt that she lost control over her body and was frozen in mid-air.


    Silver Wolf put away her game console, and with a swift motion of her right hand, a virtual keyboard appeared in front of her.


    "Alright, this farce should come to an end."


    Silver Wolf rapidly typed on the keyboard, and an ether energy blast struck Signora, sending her crashing to the ground.


    The immense force caused the ground to sink beneath her.


    Childe watched, swallowing hard at the sight of Silver Wolf effortlessly subduing the lady.


    It was a good thing he didn''t intervene earlier; otherwise, he would''ve ended up just like the lady, lying on the floor.


    Silver Wolf walked over to Hu Tao, blew a bubble, and looked disdainfully at Signora who had already passed out beside them.


    "Is that it? This is the strength she dares to come here and cause trouble with?"


    Silver Wolf turned to look at Childe.


    "Hey, you there, come over and take her away. Remember to pay for the computer and the floor."


    Childe agreed and called over several subordinates to take the lady away.


    After Childe and his group left with the lady, Silver Wolf and Hu Tao took a short break before returning to assemble the new computers.


    Later that evening, inside the Northern Bank, Signora slowly regained consciousness.


    Just as she was about to move, she felt sharp pains all over her body, causing her to cry out in pain.


    "Ugh! It hurts!"


    Childe, sitting beside her, shook his head helplessly when he saw she had woken up.


    "I told you to leave earlier, but you didn''t listen. Now look at you, you only learn when you get a beating."


    Signora recalled what had happened. She never expected Liyue to have so many powerful people.


    A little girl was able to match her in a fight, and then there was the girl who easily suppressed her.


    What kind of monsters were these people in Liyue? So young and already so powerful.


    Childe saw the lady reflecting on her foolish actions and said,


    "You''ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. You haven''t seen the really strong ones yet. Liyue... it''s a place where even the strongest can be eaten alive."

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 - 43Signora frowned upon hearing this.


    "Have you seen something more terrifying?"


    Childe bitterly smiled and shook his head.


    "Of course. Do you understand that feeling? When you''ve given it your all, and yet your opponent treats it like a game¡ªjust one strike, and you''re defeated? That feeling is pure strength crushing you, and no skill can make up for it."


    Childe couldn''t help but think back to when he fought that girl with the fiery greatsword.


    In the end, when she left, she gave him a disappointed look.


    That was the look of disappointment in his strength. She probably thought he was strong at first, but after their fight, she realized he was just average.


    Seeing that Signora had woken up, Childe stood up to return to his room to rest.


    "Take care of your injuries here. I''ll go rest. As for the Liyue mission, I personally think we should pause it for now. Let''s observe the situation here first, what do you think?"


    Signora nodded in agreement.


    "You make a good point."


    Clearly, after being beaten, Signora had become much more docile, at least not as arrogant as she was in Mondstadt.


    Elsewhere, on the Luofu Immortal Ship.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt had successfully caught up with Kafka.


    After a brief exchange, Fu Xuan of the Taibu Division appeared.


    Fu Xuan activated her divine eye, changing the trajectory of all the bullets Kafka shot.


    The divine eye dimmed, and Fu Xuan landed.


    None of Kafka''s bullets hit Fu Xuan.


    Kafka discarded her submachine gun.


    "I lost."


    Fu Xuan ordered her subordinate, the Cloud Knights, to arrest Kafka.


    Fu Xuan looked at Stelle, March 7th, and Welt. "Are these the people the General arranged for you? The General actually entrusted such an important task to a few outsiders?"


    "You''ve completed your mission. If you have questions for Kafka, you can go to the Taibu Division."


    With that, Fu Xuan led the Cloud Knights and Kafka away.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt thought about it and decided to ask Kafka some questions. She must know a lot of information.


    Later, they boarded the Starship to Changle Tian. Fu Xuan said that someone had already been arranged to meet them there.


    As they arrived at the square, a sudden shout from the crowd broke out.


    "Run!!! Run! It''s a Mara-Struck Soldier!!!"


    The crowd instantly went into a panic, scattering in all directions.


    Stelle immediately drew out the Judgment of Shamash and rushed to the scene.


    Before them, a group of Cloud Knights that had just transformed into Mara-Struck Soldier were chasing the residents.


    Seeing this, Stelle quickly intervened. Since this was a bustling area with many civilians, she held back a bit, only coating her Judgment of Shamash with flames and striking at the Mara-Struck Soldier.


    Welt and March 7th also joined the battle.


    With the three of them working together, the chaos was quickly subdued.


    At this point, in the original story, Stelle''s group met Bai Lu.


    With Bai Lu''s healing abilities, there shouldn''t have been so many Mara-Struck Soldier.


    After settling the disturbance, the three quickly found the person assigned to meet them.


    Qingque, who was casually playing Celestial Jade, spoke without looking up.


    "Don''t rush, my esteemed guests. Wait until I finish this round, and then I''ll take you there."


    March 7th glanced at Qingque''s position and then at the place where the recent chaos had happened.


    Is she not worried? The disturbance was so close! How can she still play Mahjong?


    "Aren''t you afraid?" March 7th asked out of curiosity.


    Qingque waved her hand casually.


    "This is Changle Tian, where there are many Cloud Knights stationed. Even if you hadn''t intervened just now, the nearby Cloud Knights would have quickly subdued it. No need to worry."


    March 7th glanced around and saw that more Cloud Knights had arrived in just a few minutes.


    Stelle, seeing Qingque still playing Mahjong, suddenly became interested.


    She leaned in next to Qingque.


    "Qingque, how do you play this game? It looks quite fun."


    Qingque raised an eyebrow. "Oh, didn''t expect you, a distinguished guest, to be interested in Mahjong."


    "How should I address you, esteemed guest?"


    Stelle patted her chest proudly.


    "Call me the Galactic Fire Hero!"


    Qingque raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Stelle''s humor.


    Soon, the round ended, and Qingque stood up.


    "When I have time, I''ll teach you how to play, okay?"


    Xing eagerly nodded. "No problem, let''s do it tonight. Do you have time?"


    Qingque thought for a moment.


    "Sure, I''ll bring a Mahjong set to meet you then."


    Welt, seeing that the two had exchanged contact information, spoke up.


    "Qingque, please take us to the Taibu Division. The important matters come first."


    Qingque nodded with satisfaction.


    "Of course, my esteemed guests, please follow me."


    Qingque led the three of them to the Taibu Division aboard the Starship.


    After the formation was repaired, Fu Xuan began the memory tracing on Kafka.


    Upon learning the truth behind Kafka''s arrival at Luofu, Fu Xuan was shocked.


    "I can''t believe it... so that''s the reason! It''s absurd!"


    Fu Xuan turned and looked at Stelle.


    "If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have other matters to attend to."


    March 7th and Welt looked at Stelle, deciding to let her ask the questions.


    From their reactions, it was clear that Stelle knew Kafka before.


    During the chase, Stelle hadn''t used her full strength.


    Had Stelle gone all out, Kafka would have been captured long ago.


    Stelle approached Kafka and looked at her familiar face.


    "Long time no see."


    Kafka smiled slightly.


    "Long time no see, Stelle. How have you been lately?"


    Stelle thought for a moment and smiled.


    "Very well. I''ve made many new friends¡ªMarch, Dan Heng, Himeko, Uncle Yang, Ye Yun, Venti, Lumine... And I''ve had lots of delicious food lately. Ye Yun always finds ways to cook for us, especially the spicy hot pot. It''s my favorite. Heh heh."


    Kafka was comforted to hear Stelle talk so happily about her time recently.


    But suddenly, Stelle realized that it was her turn to ask the questions.


    "Kafka, why did you bring us to the Immortal Ship?"


    Kafka smiled and replied.


    "Stelle, if I told you that even the Aeons could die, would you believe it?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "I believe it. Ye Yun told me that the Aeons is just a small role among the myriad worlds."


    Kafka nodded.


    "In the script chosen by Elio, the hunt is an indispensable force. That''s why I brought you here, to help establish an alliance with Luofu. Only this way can we reach the best ending."


    "Alright, I''ve said what I needed to. I have other matters to attend to. We''ll meet again in the future."


    With that, Kafka suddenly broke free from her restraints and walked toward the edge of the platform.


    Stelle was about to chase after her when Blade suddenly appeared and blocked her way.


    Kafka looked at the distant "Ambrosial Arbor" and murmured.


    "The show is about to begin. Blade, let''s go. We still have things to do."


    With that, Kafka leapt down, Blade following right after her.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt reached the edge, but suddenly, the ground trembled.


    The three looked on in disbelief at the sight.


    Ambrosial Arbor was growing wildly, its thick vines rampaging through the surrounding caves.


    Stelle, staring at the distant Ambrosial Arbor, suddenly had a thought.


    Could Ambrosial Arbor withstand a full strike from her Annihilation Mode?


    She thought for a moment and decided to try.


    March 7th saw Stelle preparing the Judgment of Shamash and immediately guessed her intention.


    "Stelle! Wait! That move is too powerful! There are too many people here!"


    Stelle recalled the destruction she had caused in Belobog and decided to put away her Judgment of Shamash.


    ***


    While the Ambrosial Arbor revives, onboard the train...


    A surprise guest arrived at Ye Yun''s shop inside the train.


    "Ye Yun, what do you think would happen if I went and lit the Ambrosial Arbor on fire right now? Would those Emanators of Abundance go completely crazy?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A masked young man asked Ye Yun this question casually.


    Ye Yun was speechless. Although he had mentally prepared himself for this, the moment this masked man really showed up, he still felt caught off guard.


    No doubt about it.


    The masked man was none other than the infamous Aha!


    Ye Yun replied,


    "You can give it a shot. You''ll find out soon enough."


    Aha looked eager. Honestly, he was tempted to see what would happen if he lit the Jianzhu on fire.


    "Hmmmmm... nah, forget it. It''s more fun here. Where''s your Anywhere Door? Lend it to me for a spin."


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes at Aha.


    "You want to play? Pay up. Don''t tell me a whole Aeon like you doesn''t even have any Stellar Jade."


    Aha grinned and shook his head.


    "Nope, nope~ Aha''s broke. Back then, when I blew up that train with Akivili, it was him who paid for the explosives~"


    Ye Yun didn''t know what to say. Back in his previous life, there were rumors online speculating that Akivili was definitely involved in the train explosion.


    He didn''t expect... it was actually true.


    And even more ridiculously, Akivili paid for the bomb.


    Ye Yun could only respond:


    "Impressive. You two sure know how to have fun. Just don''t cause any trouble this time."


    Aha chuckled.


    "Got it, got it. But can I play with that Anywhere Door? Come on, pleaaase? I swear I won''t break it."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment, bought 20 Destiny Coins, and tossed them to Aha.


    "The Anywhere Door''s off-limits. But here, you can play with these. You''ll have fun for sure."


    Aha quickly caught the Destiny Coins. He had seen "that hunk of scrap metal''s" little girl use them before.


    "Ye Yun, what are these?"


    Ye Yun explained,


    "Destiny Coins. Just toss one. Heads, it heals all injuries and curses on your body.


    Tails, you get struck by lightning."


    Aha''s eyes lit up.


    "Ohohoho! I love it! Aha likes this!"


    Saying that, he started stuffing the coins into his pocket.


    Ye Yun stopped him.


    "You want to keep them? That''ll be 6,000 Star Coins. Which is 60 Stellar Jade."


    This time, Aha pulled out 60 Stellar Jade without hesitation and handed them to Ye Yun.


    He really couldn''t wait to try out the Destiny Coins¡ªor try them on someone.


    Hehe, this was going to be fun.


    After receiving the Stellar Jade, Ye Yun didn''t stop him any further.


    Aha pocketed the 20 Destiny Coins and waved playfully at Ye Yun.


    "Bye-bye, Ye Yun~ Aha''s off to have some fun!"


    The next second, Aha vanished from the shop.


    Ye Yun converted the 60 Stellar Jade into Star Coins, then went to sit at the small bar.


    At the moment, both of his current tasks were progressing slowly.


    [Task 5: Serve 50 different customers.] Current Progress: 23/50. Reward: Dungeon Teleporter x1


    [Task 6: Reach 10 million Star Coins in revenue.] Current Progress: 190,000/10,000,000. Reward: Life Level Ascension (Equivalent to peak Emanator level strength)


    Looking at the second task made Ye Yun feel a bit of a headache. 10 million in revenue... at this rate, who knew how long it would take?


    He couldn''t just wait for the system to give him power anymore¡ªit was time to train himself.


    So...


    Ye Yun opened the system interface and began browsing for techniques or mystical tools.


    He still had 160,000 Star Coins on hand.


    After a long selection process, Ye Yun locked in a talent, a sword technique, and a cultivation method.


    [Item: Eternal Sword Body] Description: Ranked within the top 3,000 of all physiques across myriad worlds. Can be upgraded in the future to a supreme sword physique with enough Star Coins. Price: 100,000 Star Coins


    [Item: Sword Control Technique] Description: A swordsmanship technique from a Xianxia world. Price: 30,000 Star Coins


    [Item: Divine Sword Art ¨C Basic Volume] Description: A divine-level cultivation technique from a Xianxia world. This volume covers from Qi Gathering to Golden Core stage. Price: 20,000 Star Coins


    Ye Yun purchased all three items.


    He looked at the small figure floating in front of him, encased in a bubble. On its forehead, one could faintly see a sword-shaped mark.


    Ye Yun slightly curled his fingers. The bubble popped, and the little figure flew straight into Ye Yun''s body.


    The moment it entered, Ye Yun felt his senses sharpen significantly¡ªhe could now feel the presence of food around him with astonishing clarity.


    A few minutes later, Ye Yun slowly opened his eyes.


    His physique had completely transformed into the Eternal Sword Body.


    Looking around, he returned to his room and asked Rios to guard the door, not letting anyone disturb him.


    It was time to begin training in the Divine Sword Art and Sword Control Technique.


    In a certain palace on a newly interstellar civilization in the Honkai Star Rail universe...


    The young prince Javin sat slumped by the window, empty wine bottles scattered across the floor.


    When he was a child, Javin was smart and loved by his father, the king.


    It was practically a given that he would be crowned heir; the king had even planned to name him as the next monarch.


    But unexpectedly, the crown prince poisoned Javin''s wine¡ªmaking him infertile for life.


    For some reason, this incident became widely known, and people gossiped about it endlessly.


    After hearing about it, the king threw Javin into cold storage¡ªa fallen prince.


    A future king could never be a "cripple"¡ªit would disgrace the royal name.


    Javin looked up at the moon in the sky.


    "I''ve heard that gods roam the universe... Aeons, they''re called. I wonder if they''re real."


    As soon as he spoke, a burst of laughter echoed around him.


    The sound grew nearer and nearer. Javin looked around in terror.


    Suddenly, masks appeared all over his room.


    A single coin floated before him, shining silver.


    "Dear little prince, I have here a coin that may change your fate.


    Toss it. If it lands heads up, all your injuries will be healed.


    If it lands tails, well... divine punishment awaits. You''ll be struck by lightning.


    So, what do you choose, dear prince?"


    Javin stared intently at the coin, completely ignoring the risk.


    His attention was laser-focused on the part about healing all injuries.


    He snatched the coin and threw it into the air.


    The coin spun higher and higher, flipping and whirling.


    Heads.


    Tails... Heads... Tails...


    The coin dropped.


    The result was...


    Heads!


    Seconds later, the coin turned into a green light and shot into Javin''s body.


    The moment it did, Javin felt it¡ªhe was whole again! A man once more!


    Overwhelmed with joy, he looked around to thank the masked figure¡ªonly to find it gone.


    But his recovery was proof enough that everything had been real.


    With renewed spirit, Javin bathed, dressed, and went to see the king.


    Then... killed the crown prince!


    And far away, Aha sat silently, watching this drama unfold.


    Would the little prince kill the crown prince?


    Or would the crown prince kill him instead?


    Either way¡ªAha, with 19 Destiny Coins still in his pocket, eagerly awaited the next act in his self-produced play.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 - 44Back to the train...


    Klee, Hook, Bailu, and Diona were left to roam around the train on their own since Ye Yun was busy.


    As they wandered, the four little ones quickly got bored and started thinking about heading out to play.


    Bailu pointed at the Herta Space Station outside the window.


    "Let''s go out and play?"


    Klee shook her head.


    "Nope~ Big brother Ye Yun and Captain Jean both said we can''t go out without an adult¡ªit''s dangerous outside!"


    Hook and Diona both nodded, backing up Klee''s words.


    Bailu lowered her head, disappointed.


    She glanced around, and then her gaze landed on Zhongli, who was listening to music.


    Zhongli was sitting on a couch in the lounge area with his eyes closed, holding a small radio, quietly enjoying a tune.


    "I''ve got an idea! Follow me!"


    The four little ones ran over to Zhongli''s side and stared at him in silence.


    Even without opening his eyes, Zhongli already knew who had come.


    Children often carried a subtle milky scent, and these four were no exception.


    Zhongli slowly opened his eyes.


    "Do you need something from me?"


    The four exchanged glances. Eventually, Klee stepped forward.


    "Grandpa Zhongli~ can you take us outside to play?" Klee asked sweetly, hands behind her back.


    Zhongli asked calmly,


    "Where''s Ye Yun?"


    Hook pointed toward Ye Yun''s room.


    "He''s busy."


    Zhongli looked over the group. They were usually very well-behaved and easy to manage.


    After thinking it over, he decided to take them to Belobog for a bit of fun.


    Originally, he had planned to bring them to Jueyun Karst, but since Ye Yun was occupied, he couldn''t take Hook and Bailu to Teyvat.


    So he went with a backup plan: Belobog.


    "Follow me."


    The four little ones lit up with excitement. They quickly lined up behind Zhongli, with Klee leading the way and holding onto the edge of his robe.


    "Klee gets to go out and play~"


    Then Zhongli took the four kids through the portal to Belobog.


    Upon arrival, they found themselves in the Mechanic Settlement.


    This place had become one of the most important areas in all of Belobog, since it housed the portal that led to Ye Yun''s shop.


    Svarog personally guarded the portal with his team.


    All the wanderers who used to live here had been relocated to the Upper District.


    As soon as they landed, the four little ones began playing in the courtyard.


    Hook packed a snowball and suddenly launched a surprise attack at Bailu, hitting her right on.


    Bailu spun around and, seeing her attacker was Hook, immediately counterattacked.


    And so the four started a full-on snowball fight, giggling and running around.


    At that moment, Gepard happened to pass by with a squad of mechanized soldiers, transporting supplies. He spotted Zhongli and the children.


    "Mr. Zhongli!"


    Zhongli turned at the sound.


    "Gepard? What are you up to?"


    Gepard responded,


    "Star helped us melt a massive glacier earlier. The Supreme Guardian has ordered us to quickly build a windbreak wall to claim the area as part of Belobog."


    Zhongli was intrigued.


    "Oh? May I take a look?"


    Gepard immediately agreed¡ªZhongli wasn''t an outsider after all; they were friends.


    "Of course. This way, please."


    Zhongli nodded and turned to call to the kids in the courtyard.


    "Children, we''re going somewhere else now."


    The four immediately shook the snow off their clothes and ran back to Zhongli''s side.


    They followed Gepard to the Upper District.


    From the city gates, they could see a large area outside that looked distinctly different from its surroundings.


    This was the area scarred by Stelle''s sword strike.


    Thankfully, Ye Yun and the others had stepped in to control the fire at the time¡ªotherwise, Belobog would''ve been in serious danger.


    "Gepard, have all the building materials arrived yet?" Bronya emerged from the city to ask.


    Gepard replied promptly,


    "We''re still in the process of transporting them."


    Bronya trusted Gepard''s efficiency.


    It was only then that she noticed Zhongli and the children.


    The four immediately swarmed around her.


    "Bronya big sis!" "Bronya!"


    Bronya chuckled and gave their heads a gentle pat.


    "What brings you all here today? Did Ye Yun come too?"


    Klee spread her hands.


    "Big brother Ye Yun is busy~ Grandpa Zhongli brought us!"


    Bronya nodded.


    "I see."


    Just then, a Silvermane Guard ran up in a panic.


    "Supreme Guardian! A blizzard is approaching!"


    Bronya''s expression turned serious, and she immediately rallied everyone to provide support.


    She led a large group of workers and guards toward the new area.


    Seeing this, Zhongli thought for a moment and decided to take the children along to help however they could.


    Belobog''s New District.


    The snowstorm raged.


    A section of the newly constructed windbreak wall collapsed entirely.


    Many workers who hadn''t had time to evacuate were buried under the rubble.


    Bronya arrived at the scene.


    "Rescue them¡ªnow!"


    She personally led the effort, clearing debris to free trapped workers.


    But the blizzard was too strong, and progress was painfully slow.


    Zhongli stood still, watching the chaos unfold. Moved by compassion, he extended his right hand, a golden glow blooming in his palm.


    Suddenly, the earth trembled¡ªand a solid stone wall rose from the ground, blocking the wind and snow entirely.


    Everyone on site was stunned by what seemed like a divine miracle!


    Bronya looked toward the distant Zhongli. She knew who he really was.


    Liyue''s Geo Archon. Morax.


    No doubt, that stone wall was his doing.


    She cast him a grateful glance.


    But at that very moment, Zhongli froze in place.


    His consciousness drifted to the middle of a starlit sky.


    "...Where is this?" Zhongli looked around, puzzled.


    In the distance, he saw a giant hammering at a wall.


    The giant turned and glanced at Zhongli.


    In the next moment, Zhongli felt a new, foreign power surge through his body.


    Back in reality.


    The four little ones looked up at Zhongli curiously, whispering.


    "What''s Grandpa Zhongli doing?" "No clue~"


    Soon, Zhongli regained his senses and lowered his outstretched arm.


    He quietly sensed the new power within him.


    "That giant just now... could it have been the legendary Amber Lord?"


    He hadn''t expected to receive the blessing of a star god¡ªespecially not as someone from another world.


    After familiarizing himself with the new strength, Zhongli took the children down to the camp to see how they could help.


    At the camp, many of the injured had been rescued, but with limited medical supplies, only basic treatment could be administered.


    Bailu''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    She marched right up to one of the medics, pointed her tiny finger, and snapped,


    "Who taught you to treat wounds like that?! If you keep this up, he''s definitely going to die! Step aside, I''ll show you how it''s done!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    The medical staff were startled by Bailu''s sudden words and instinctively made way for her.


    Bailu picked up the anti-inflammatory medicine and skillfully treated the wounded person''s injury, then carefully wrapped it with a bandage.


    Klee, Hook, and Diona were all shocked by what they saw.


    "Wow~ Sister Bailu is amazing! She can even heal people!"


    "Bailu is incredible!"


    Even the nearby medical staff were stunned¡ªthis little girl actually knew what she was doing!


    And she was really good at it! Her whole treatment process was smooth and efficient, without a single pause.


    It felt like even they didn''t have that level of skill.


    Bailu continued to treat the injured one by one, while the other three little ones acted like her assistants, handing her whatever medicine or tools she needed.


    Klee carried a basket of bandages, Hook had a basket of anti-inflammatory medicine, and Diona had a basket of medical tools.


    The four little ones approached another injured person.


    Bailu patted the wounded man.


    "Don''t move. I''ll heal you."


    She examined the wound, then reached out her hand without looking back.


    "Anti-inflammatory medicine!"


    Hook immediately handed her a bottle.


    After cleaning the wound, Bailu extended her hand again.


    "Forceps!"


    Diona quickly handed her the freshly sterilized forceps.


    Once she had removed the foreign objects from the wound, she stretched her hand out again.


    "Bandage."


    Klee swiftly passed over a roll of bandages.


    Bailu wrapped it up neatly.


    "Remember, try not to move around too much for now. Start with light activities in about a week, and keep the wound dry, got it?"


    The patient nodded gratefully.


    "Understood, understood."


    Bailu nodded in satisfaction and waved her hand.


    "Alright girls, next one!"


    Klee, Hook, and Diona happily followed her to the next patient.


    Honestly, with the help of the four little ones, the pace of treatment had greatly improved.


    No joke¡ªBailu''s medical skills were top-tier. In the Xianzhou Luofu, it was nearly impossible to even get an appointment with her.


    Luofu, Artisanship Commission


    Stelle, March 7th, and Welt were fighting the Abundant Ebon Deer.


    The deer''s vitality was freakishly strong. They nearly defeated it several times, but it kept fully recovering thanks to its outrageous regeneration.


    Looking at the deer once again fully restored, Stelle couldn''t take it anymore.


    She gripped the Judgment of Shamash tightly.


    "Judgment of Shamash, Annihilation!"


    In an instant, the entire Artisanship Commission lit up like a blazing sun. Even far-off Changle Heaven could see the intense light.


    Divine Foresight Mansion


    Jing Yuan stood up immediately, looking toward the direction of the Artisanship Commission.


    He pondered for a moment¡ªat this time and place, someone strong enough to create that level of energy... it could only be one of the nameless visitors aboard the train.


    "To think one of the young girls among them has such power."


    He had observed Stelle before when she apprehended Kafka through the surveillance system.


    The form of that energy¡ªwithout a doubt¡ªwas hers.


    Gazing at the blazing light from the Artisanship Commission, Jing Yuan felt more certain than ever that the Luofu would triumph in this battle.


    After all, so many old friends had returned. Surely, they wouldn''t stand by if things went truly wrong.


    Back to the Artisanship Commission


    After Stelle used Annihilation Mode to destroy the Ebon Deer, Welt quickly created a black hole to absorb the raging flames.


    Stelle brought the fire, and Welt handled the cleanup¡ªonly that way was the Artisanship Commission spared from total incineration.


    More than ten minutes later, Welt finally closed the black hole.


    March 7th looked around at the devastated scene and exhaled deeply.


    "Finally got rid of that ridiculously ugly deer. I''m exhausted."


    Stelle wiped her nose.


    "It really forced me to go all out..."


    This time, March 7th actually agreed with Stelle''s decision to go all-in.


    That deer was so hard to kill¡ªit kept regenerating. If Stelle hadn''t used her ultimate, it probably wouldn''t have gone down.


    Welt surveyed the surroundings. Stelle''s flames had conveniently burned away all the invading Arbor roots.


    "We should keep moving¡ªAlchemy Commission isn''t far ahead."


    The three continued forward.


    Half an hour later, at Alchemy Commission


    As soon as they entered, they saw a fierce battle underway ahead.


    Fu Xuan was leading the Cloud Knights in an assault against the front lines of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.


    Thanks to Stelle vaporizing the Ebon Deer earlier, they had skipped the step of burning the Arbor roots and saved a lot of time.


    So they arrived at the Alchemy Commission just in time to join the battle between the Cloud Knights and the enemy forces.


    The trio didn''t hesitate and jumped straight into the fight.


    Stelle charged forward with Judgment of Shamash, cutting a path through the enemy lines with a group of Cloud Knights behind her.


    Welt wasn''t far off, opening another gap in the front.


    Watching them unleash their power, March 7th clenched her fists with determination.


    "I''m going back to buy some upgrades from Ye Yun tonight! I want to be cool too! I want to get stronger too!"


    She decided right then and there to spend all her credits at Ye Yun''s shop.


    Seeing the opening, Fu Xuan immediately ordered a full assault, determined to break through this line of defense held by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.


    "All troops advance! Don''t let a single one of them escape!"


    The Cloud Knights responded in unison:


    "Bound by this oath! We, the Cloud Knights, like clouds shielding the sky, protect the Xianzhou! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    With morale at its peak, the Cloud Knights pressed forward, quickly overwhelming the enemy. The first line of defense collapsed in an instant as the enemy forces retreated.


    Fu Xuan didn''t order a pursuit, instead choosing to establish a camp on the spot.


    She had just received intel that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had placed herbs inside the Dan Ding Commission''s alchemical furnaces¡ªsubstances capable of generating more of the monster troops.


    For now, there was no good way to deal with them.


    At that moment, the trio arrived.


    Welt asked curiously:


    "Why not pursue them? I don''t think they have many troops left."


    Fu Xuan pointed to the alchemical furnaces.


    "They''ve placed reagents in those furnaces that can generate more of those monster troops. We can''t move in the army recklessly."


    Hearing this, Xing drew Judgment of Shamash again.


    "Simple! I''ll just slice the furnace in half!"


    March 7th agreed.


    "Right? And Uncle Yang can clean up the fire. We don''t have to worry about the destruction."


    Fu Xuan looked at the two girls like they were fools.


    "I can use formations too, but can you guarantee the furnaces won''t be damaged? These are the lifeblood of the Alchemy Commission."


    Stelle sighed and put her weapon away.


    "So what now?"


    At that moment, Bub Seed on March 7th''s shoulder suddenly jumped onto a railing and spread its arms, glowing with golden light.


    In the next second, all the toxic fumes in the Alchemy Commission began to flow toward it.


    March 7th blinked, then realized:


    "Oh! That''s a new ability it learned¡ªPhotosynthesis! I didn''t expect it could absorb these medicinal fumes!"

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 - 45Fu Xuan looked curiously at the Bub Seed in front of her. What kind of creature is this? It looked quite cute.


    The Bub Seed continued absorbing the medicinal fumes.


    More than three hours later, it successfully absorbed all the fumes.


    Just as March 7th was about to scoop up the Bub Seed for a cuddle¡ª


    The Bub Seed suddenly burst into dazzling light, so bright that everyone had to shield their eyes.


    After a few minutes, the light faded. In its place stood a sprite that resembled the Bub Seed, but much larger.


    This sprite was about as tall as a person, with a pink daffodil blooming on its head.


    "Bubbu~ Bubbu~"


    Hearing its voice, March 7th finally realized¡ª


    "You''re... the Bub Seed?!"


    The now-evolved Bub Bloom nodded with a smile.


    At that moment, Stelle suddenly remembered:


    "This must be what Ye Yun meant by ''evolution''!"


    She looked down at the tiny Fire Monkey, still wrestling with an empty soda can.


    Who knows how long it''ll take for it to evolve? And what would it look like afterward?


    Oh, right! She still had a high-grade spirit egg! Once they returned, she''d hatch it to see what kind of sprite came out.


    Then she''d have two spirits!


    With a shout of joy, March 7th dashed forward and hugged Bub Bloom tightly. Its body was soft and plush¡ªperfect for cuddling.


    "Bub Seed, you''ve changed so much! I almost didn''t recognize you!"


    Bub Bloom smiled and nodded.


    "Bubbu~ Bubbu~"


    Welt also curiously observed the evolved Bub. Who would''ve thought that tiny little thing could turn into something this big?


    Noticing Welt''s gaze, Bub Bloom waved enthusiastically.


    Before its evolution, the Bub Seed used to visit Welt while he watered the flowers. Every time, he''d pour a little water for the Bub Seed too.


    And every time it got watered, it would dance with joy.


    Welt had always liked the little creature.


    Now, with the toxic fumes gone, Fu Xuan immediately rallied the troops and launched the final assault on the Alchemy Commission, Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.


    Bub Bloom stayed close to March 7th during the battle, acting as her protector while she focused on dealing damage.


    Several Mara-Struck Soldier soldiers tried to ambush March 7th, but Bub Bloom summoned powerful vines and crushed them, draining every bit of energy from their bodies.


    The battlefield quickly became one-sided. Fu Xuan led the Cloud Knights straight through enemy lines.


    Deep within the Alchemy Commission, the sect leader Dan Shu looked down in fury at the collapsing defenses.


    "Damn it! Where''s Destruction''s people?!"


    Danshu had dared to launch this reckless rebellion only because of her alliance with Destruction. Without that support, she never would have exposed the Alchemic Sect like this.


    Soon¡ª


    Fu Xuan, Stelle, March 7th, and Welt led the Cloud Knights to confront Danshu and defeated her.


    Danshu slumped to the ground, bruised and bloodied.


    "Phantylia! Where are you?! Where are the reinforcements you promised?!"


    At that moment¡ª


    Tingyun stepped out from the Cloud Knights'' formation.


    "My, my... Why does everyone always force my hand? This goes against my style of Destruction style, you know? Little pawn."


    Stelle, March 7th, and the others looked at Tingyun in shock.


    "Tingyun, you...!" March 7th stammered.


    Tingyun looked at her with a cold smile.


    "Oh, are you calling out to the original owner of this body? Sorry¡ªshe''s no longer here."


    Then, she stepped toward an Mara-Struck Soldier soldier.


    "You''ve already received the blessing of Abundance. Now, let me grant you the grace of Destruction!"


    She gently traced a finger along the soldier''s body.


    In an instant, a wave of destructive energy erupted from within him.


    In the blink of an eye, the Abyssspawn soldier was transformed into a Voidranger.


    Then, Tingyun suddenly turned her head to look at everyone. Her head tilted at a grotesque angle, then her body crumpled and dissolved into light.


    March 7th jumped in shock.


    "T-this...!!!"


    Fu Xuan quickly led the Cloud Knights to destroy the remaining Voidspawn soldiers Phantylia had corrupted.


    "We should return for now. The Alchemic Sect is no more. Next... we deal with the Arbor."


    The trio returned to the Alchemic Commission''s temporary base to rest.


    After a short break, they joined the main Cloud Knights force and set off for the Arbor''s location: Scalegorge Waterscape.


    Elsewhere


    Dan Heng, Su Shang, and Luocha arrived at the Alchemy Commission.


    Su Shang turned to Dan Heng and Luocha.


    "Alright, we''re in the safe zone now. I''m heading back to report in. See you later~!"


    She waved goodbye and left to report for duty¡ªshe had been transferred from another Xianzhou ship, Yaoqing, and wasn''t local to Luofu.


    After she left, Dan Heng also found an excuse to separate from Luocha.


    He was determined to catch up with Stelle, March 7th, and Welt.


    The sights along the way were sobering¡ªsigns of war were everywhere.


    As he neared the Scalegorge Waterscape, more memories of his past life began surfacing in his mind.


    Then, just as Dan Heng approached the port¡ª


    A sharp sword came flying from the side. He quickly drew his Cloud-Piercer spear and deflected it.


    Blade had appeared, lying in wait along Dan Heng''s path.


    Blade grinned wickedly and let out a chilling laugh.


    "Hahaha! I finally found you! Of five people, three must pay a price! And you... you''re one of them!"


    Blade lunged at Dan Heng with his sword. Without his memories, Dan Heng could only barely hold him off.


    Looking for an opening, Dan Heng used a spatial shift to put some distance between them.


    He spun his Cloud-Piercer horizontally, then warped again to Blade''s rear and struck.


    Blade blocked with one hand, then instantly countered with a slash.


    Dan Heng, prepared this time, jumped away using another spatial shift.


    The two clashed back and forth¡ªDan Heng relying on his warping ability to keep up with Blade''s relentless assault.


    But neither could gain the upper hand.


    Suddenly¡ª


    A barrage of flying swords struck Blade, forcing him back.


    It was Yanqing, who had tracked Blade and sworn to capture him.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t that pup who follows Jing Yuan around. Kid, don''t stick your nose where it doesn''t belong. This fight isn''t for you."


    Yanqing snorted and dashed toward Blade.


    "Who decides that? Take this!"


    Blade casually parried his strikes. Yanqing was strong for his age, but still no match for Blade.


    But Blade had an idea.


    He suddenly turned and charged straight at Yanqing.


    Yanqing was caught off guard and couldn''t react in time.


    Seeing this, Dan Heng warped behind Blade again¡ª


    But Blade spun around and stabbed him mid-air.


    Dan Heng was flung backward, crashing hard.


    Yanqing glared at Blade.


    "You criminal...! I swear I''ll bring you to justice today!"


    Blade laughed maniacally.


    "Criminal? Kid, let me introduce the guy behind you... he''s one of the Ten Sins, a traitor to the Xianzhou¡ªImbibitor Lunae!"


    Yanqing turned around in shock.


    A stream of water lifted Dan Heng from the ground¡ª


    Imbibitor Lunae has arrived!


    ***


    Yanqing thought to himself that things were not looking good¡ªhe had certainly heard of the name "Imbibitor Lunae".


    But he was a man who aspired to become the Sword Champion¡ªthere was no way he would back down!


    Yanqing drew his sword and faced Dan Heng and Blade.


    "None of you are leaving today!"


    Yanqing launched an attack toward Blade and Dan Heng.


    Dan Heng, holding the Scalegorge Waterscape Pearl, summoned a dragon-shaped tidal wave that instantly shattered Yanqing''s assault.


    "My apologies, but I must catch up with my friends."


    Dan Heng and Blade attacked simultaneously, instantly forcing Yanqing back. The flying swords behind him scattered to the ground.


    The two didn''t go all out¡ªthey didn''t want to hurt Yanqing.


    To Blade, this young man was still a junior. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To Dan Heng, he didn''t want to make an enemy of Yanqing either¡ªhe just wanted to catch up with Stelle and help resolve the Stellaron crisis.


    Just as Yanqing was about to strike again, Jing Yuan appeared.


    "Yanqing, stand down."


    Seeing Jing Yuan arrive, Yanqing was overjoyed.


    "General!"


    Jing Yuan looked at Yanqing and gave a slight nod.


    "You can step down now, Yanqing. Leave this to me."


    Yanqing frowned, looking at Jing Yuan, then at Dan Heng and Blade.


    "But General!"


    Jing Yuan said, "It''s fine. You may leave now, Yanqing."


    Yanqing hesitated deeply but ultimately chose to obey orders.


    As a member of the Cloud Knights, he had to follow commands.


    Reluctantly, Yanqing put away his swords.


    "Yes, General."


    After Yanqing left¡ª


    Kafka, who had been watching the whole time, looked at Jing Yuan.


    "Well, it''s done. Time for us to go."


    Jing Yuan glanced at Kafka. He had already learned from Fu Xuan about the Stellaron Hunters'' intentions this time and chose not to interfere.


    Right now, the Luofu was in the midst of a great crisis¡ªthere was no room for new enemies. Besides, they had come to help.


    Seeing Kafka and Blade leave, Dan Heng also prepared to depart.


    Just then, Jing Yuan stopped him.


    "Long time no see, old friend."


    Dan Heng took a deep breath¡ªhe disliked being addressed that way.


    "I am not him."


    Jing Yuan chuckled bitterly.


    "No, you''re not. But as his reincarnation, there are some things you must face."


    Dan Heng understood what Jing Yuan meant.


    "If it''s something I must face, I won''t run away."


    Jing Yuan was relieved¡ªhe had feared Dan Heng might refuse.


    The Arbor was sealed deep within the Scalegorge Waterscape.


    To resolve the Arbor crisis, someone had to break the seal.


    And the only ones who could break it were the Vidyadhara High Elders.


    This generation''s elder was Bailu¡ªbut she was still a young girl, not yet capable of unlocking the seal.


    Therefore, Jing Yuan had to ask Dan Heng.


    Dan Heng carried half of the dragon''s power within him¡ªhe should be able to break the seal.


    Soon after¡ª


    Dan Heng followed Jing Yuan to the Scalegorge Waterscape.


    At this time, Stelle, March 7th, Welt, and Fu Xuan were already waiting there.


    March 7th and Stelle''s eyes widened the moment they saw Dan Heng¡ªcompletely shocked by his appearance.


    They rushed up to him.


    March 7th exclaimed, "My Gosh! Dan Heng, you really were hiding power this whole time!"


    Stelle examined Dan Heng''s new outfit¡ªit looked incredibly cool, especially the dragon horns on his head. Her hand itched to touch them.


    "Where did you get this outfit? It''s awesome!" Stelle gave him a big thumbs-up.


    Dan Heng simply nodded and replied calmly, "Mm."


    Stelle and March 7th were instantly speechless. Even after unlocking his hidden power, Dan Heng was still as taciturn as ever~


    Jing Yuan was briefing Fu Xuan on the plan.


    Fu Xuan immediately objected.


    "General! No! You can''t go in alone!"


    Jing Yuan smiled and looked toward Welt, Dan Heng, and the others.


    "I''m not going in alone. I''ve got many friends with me, don''t I?"


    Fu Xuan glanced at the Astral Express crew.


    Welt was examining the statue of the Dragon Lord.


    Stelle and March 7th were circling Dan Heng, still marveling over his look.


    Several times, Stelle tried to touch the horns on his head, only to be smacked away by Dan Heng.


    They were strong. With them, Fu Xuan could relax a little.


    Jing Yuan said,


    "This time, we''re not just facing the Arbor. There''s also a Lord Ravager to deal with.


    Fu Xuan, if I don''t make it back, the Luofu is in your hands."


    Fu Xuan clenched her small fists. Indeed, the Luofu couldn''t go a day without a leader.


    If both she and Jing Yuan were lost, chaos would break out.


    "General, you jerk!"


    After that¡ª


    Fu Xuan stayed behind with the Cloud Knights to guard the Scalegorge Waterscape Realm''s entrance.


    Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Welt, Stelle, and March 7th proceeded deeper into the realm.


    Along the way, Dan Heng studied the murals within the ruins and recalled the incantations needed to lift the seal.


    The group finally arrived at their destination¡ªbefore the Arbor.


    Stelle pointed at the towering tree.


    "General Jing Yuan, we just need to chop this thing down, right?"


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "In theory, yes. But the Arbor isn''t so easy to destroy¡ªand someone''s already inside it."


    As soon as he said this¡ª


    The Arbor began to transform, slowly morphing into a giant woman.


    She held a wooden fan and looked down at them from above.


    "Benefactor, we meet again."


    Stelle and March 7th instantly flew into a rage.


    "So it''s you! We''re settling the score today!" March 7th shouted, pointing at Hualong.


    Stelle signaled the others to fall back.


    "You all stay back. Let me handle this one-on-one. I haven''t gone full power in a long time¡ªtime to cut loose!"


    Stelle drew the Judgement of Heavenly Fire.


    "Judgment of Shamash, Annihilation!"


    "Second Engine, Activate!"


    Stelle activated the full power form of her weapon, and the second Stellaron within her began to operate.


    "Let''s fight! Let''s go!"


    She kicked off the ground with explosive force, reaching Phantylia''s head in a blink and slashing down with her sword.


    "Battle time! Let''s go wild!"


    Stelle unleashed a barrage of attacks, surrounding Phantylia in endless flames.


    Phantylia was stunned. Wait, you opened with your ultimate move!?


    Stelle didn''t care. She''d been scared by Phantylia''s creepy head tilt earlier¡ªnow it was payback time.


    "Full power! Ora ora ora! Ora ora ora!"


    Stelle slashed again and again at Hualong.


    Watching Stelle unleash her fury, March 7th became even more determined to go all in at Ye Yun''s shop with her Star Coins.


    Jing Yuan was delighted¡ªthis made the fight much easier.


    "Everyone, let''s go!"


    Dan Heng, Welt, and March 7th launched their attacks on Hualong.


    Jing Yuan began charging up the Divine General''s energy for a heavy strike.


    The Divine General is winding up!

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 - 46With Stelle attracting all the aggro up front, Phantylia had no way of dealing with the others.


    Stelle had gone full berserker, completely unhinged¡ªone hand wielding the Judgment of Shamash, the other brandishing a flame spear. Slash with the right, stab with the left.


    Whenever Huanlong finally got a chance to attack Stelle, Dan Heng''s water dragon would come crashing in and push him back.


    If not that, then it was a hit from Welt.


    Nearby, March 7th was casting shields for everyone, and Bubu the flower was secretly siphoning Phantylia''s life force.


    Phantylia couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Impudence!"


    She activated her final form¡ªone that put extreme strain on the physical body.


    Unleashing her full power, Phantylia quickly forced Stelle and the others back.


    She broke free, grabbed a small asteroid bare-handed, and hurled it at them.


    Stelle''s eyes widened as she saw the asteroid falling from the sky.


    So cool! she thought. I want a size-changing ability like that! I''m totally trying that move someday!


    March 7th quickly yanked the stunned Stelle aside.


    "What are you staring at? Dodge, now!"


    The asteroid was incredibly fast.


    Welt and Dan Heng sprang into action¡ªone forming a black hole, the other summoning his water dragon.


    Just as they were about to strike¡ª


    A booming voice echoed through the sky, one they all instantly recognized.


    "Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!"


    March 7th looked up and saw three figures in the sky¡ªand when she recognized them, she was overjoyed.


    "Look! It''s Ye Yun! And Zhongli!"


    Countless flying swords circled around the trio in the air.


    Ye Yun held the Oath of Freedom, which he had traded for with wine from Venti.


    "Go!"


    At Ye Yun''s command, the swords surrounding them surged toward the asteroid.


    Each sword was wrapped in razor-sharp sword energy.


    The sword rain shattered the asteroid into countless fragments.


    Zhongli glanced down at Stelle and the others.


    "As solid as rock."


    Instantly, a sturdy barrier appeared around Stelle and her teammates.


    Venti, meanwhile, readied his bow¡ªpowerful Anemo energy gathering at the tip of his arrow.


    "Ode of the Wind¡ªawaken, slumbering spirits!"


    With a single shot, the storm of debris was swept away by raging winds.


    Stelle stared, utterly thrilled by the overwhelming coolness of the trio.


    "Frogging awesome!!! That was so cool¡ªI want to learn that!"


    "That one''s amazing too! Just a wave of the hands and¡ªsolid defense!"


    "Venti''s move is sick! ''Ode of the Wind,'' epic!"


    March 7th was also cheering on the trio, especially moved by Venti''s arrow¡ªit made her momentarily associate him with the word god.


    Phantylia was stunned. What the heck?! More powerful fighters?!


    Before she could react, a voice came from behind him:


    "Radiant spirit, heed my word. Show no mercy!"


    Jing Yuan, controlling the Lightning-Lord, delivered a devastating slash to Phantylia''s back.


    Seeing the chance, everyone unleashed their ultimate attacks to finish Phantylia once and for all.


    "Judgment of Shamash¡ªunsheathed! Annihilation!"


    "Let this lady show you what I can do!"


    "Azure Dragon Purifies the World!"


    "You know nothing of the weight of this power!"


    "Heaven Moves All Things!"


    "You''re not getting away~"


    "Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!"


    Phantylia looked up at the overwhelming barrage.


    Meteors, black holes, hurricanes, sword rain, flames, water dragons, ice crystals... and the Lightning-Lord looming overhead.


    Heh... heh... this world isn''t worth it. Suddenly, I don''t want a physical body that badly anymore.


    The attacks landed, and Phantylia''s body¡ªconstructed from the Ambrosial Arbor¡ªinstantly collapsed. This time, unlike the original story, she didn''t even have the energy for a final threat. She just bailed.


    Ye Yun, Zhongli, and Venti descended.


    Stelle and March 7th rushed forward to greet them.


    Stelle tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve with a mischievous grin.


    "Ye Yun, could you teach me that ''Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect'' move?"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Buy it in the shop¡ªSword Mastery."


    Stelle gave a hand gesture of understanding.


    Just then, Jing Yuan and Dan Heng approached.


    Jing Yuan nodded gratefully to the three.


    "Thank you, friends, for your help."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No problem. I was just here to get some practice. With your strength, you could''ve handled it¡ªit would''ve just taken more time."


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "By the way, may I ask your names?"


    Ye Yun, Venti, and Zhongli replied in turn.


    "Ye Yun."


    "Venti."


    "Zhongli."


    Jing Yuan bowed again.


    "A pleasure to meet you all. This isn''t the best place to talk¡ªlet''s move somewhere more comfortable. I''ll have some tea prepared. Shall we chat over refreshments?"


    Everyone had no objections.


    After Dan Heng sealed the Jianzhu again, the group returned with Fu Xuan at the entrance of the Abyss Domain, heading back in triumph.


    Fu Xuan was relieved to hear the Jianzhu issue was resolved.


    But when she learned Phantylia had merged with the Ambrosial Arbor, she was stunned.


    Good thing the Astral Express crew was there... otherwise, the general this time... pah pah pah¡ªdon''t jinx it!


    Everyone boarded the Starskiff and headed to the Divine Foresight''s Manor.


    About an hour later¡ª


    They arrived, and Jing Yuan led them to the backyard.


    Since it wasn''t official business, a relaxed setting like the garden was more suitable.


    Jing Yuan, fond of tea, had built a pavilion in the manor''s backyard for moments like this.


    Once there, he invited everyone to sit.


    "Please, have a seat. I recently acquired a new batch of tea¡ªhelp me taste it."


    He poured tea for everyone. Zhongli took his cup, gave it a sniff, and nodded approvingly.


    "Excellent. The aroma is light¡ªmust be freshly picked."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Indeed. I didn''t expect Mr. Zhongli to be a tea connoisseur."


    Zhongli gently shook his head.


    "I know a little."


    Stelle gulped her down in one go and tasted it.


    Tsk. Not bad, but still not as good as the tea Ye Yun gave me last time.


    Everyone chatted while drinking tea.


    Stelle and March 7th grew restless. Stelle finally couldn''t hold it in anymore.


    "Um, you guys keep chatting. March and I are going for a walk. We''ll head back to the Express on our own later, no need to wait."


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "Feel free to explore the Xianzhou. All expenses are on the Divine Foresight''s Manor."


    The two girls lit up.


    "Really?" Stelle asked, still a bit skeptical.


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "Really."


    Stelle''s eyes sparkled instantly.


    "Then we''re off! You all enjoy your tea! March¡ªGoGoGo!"


    The two dashed off like schoolgirls fleeing the classroom at the end of the day.


    Jing Yuan watched them go, quietly envying the Astral Express crew.


    Every one of them was outstanding. Not to mention their strength¡ªit was formidable.


    Then he thought about his own Luofu... while the younger generation was promising, there was no clear leader among them. So tough. Poor me, over a thousand years old and still not retired.


    Jing Yuan, Ye Yun, and the others continued sipping tea and chatting.


    ***


    Teyvat, Liyue, Stone Gate.


    "We''re almost in Liyue, Lumine!"


    Lumine was driving her off-road RV along the trade route from Mondstadt to Liyue.


    The trade route was relatively smooth and well-maintained.


    Crossing through a mountain pass, Lumine successfully arrived in Liyue.


    At Stone Gate, there was a small market that usually sold food and tea to passing merchants and travelers.


    Paimon opened the car window, sniffed the air a few times, and took a deep breath.


    "Wow~ smells so good! Lumine, let''s get something to eat. I''m hungry."


    Lumine glanced out the window. Sure enough, there were many food stalls.


    But she had no intention of stopping.


    "Eat? Hold on a bit. Didn''t we make plans with Hu Tao? She''s waiting for us at Wangshu Inn to take us to eat something really good."


    Paimon suddenly remembered¡ªright! Hu Tao said she was treating them to a meal.


    "Then let''s keep going! I don''t want to keep Hu Tao waiting too long!"


    Lumine rolled her eyes and closed the window. You''re not worried about making Hu Tao wait¡ªyou''re just craving snacks, aren''t you?


    She floored the gas and continued driving.


    Passersby on the road looked curiously at the RV. What is that thing? It moves on its own?!


    Meanwhile, near the Statue of The Seven in Dihua Marsh, a group of Treasure Hoarders was setting an ambush, waiting to rob passing merchants.


    Their boss, A-Biao, was directing his men.


    "Hurry up, move faster!"


    Suddenly, a voice called out¡ªa lackey came running.


    "Boss! A big target is coming!"


    A-Biao grinned with excitement and motioned for his underlings to hide.


    "Get ready to jump out when I give the signal! Remember¡ªmake it loud and fierce!"


    The men hid in the grass by the roadside.


    A-Biao found a good vantage point and saw the RV coming from the distance.


    What kind of thing is that? It moves on its own?


    He thought hard but couldn''t figure it out. Oh well¡ªit''s probably just some fancy kind of carriage.


    "Don''t rush! Wait till it''s closer, or you''ll scare off the target!" he whispered, holding back his eager men.


    Finally, when the RV was only about ten meters away, A-Biao shouted:


    "Now! Get them!"


    He leapt out, followed by his crew.


    Unfortunately, they had underestimated the RV''s speed.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    One by one, they were all knocked flying into the nearby river.


    Perfect diving form, huge splash!


    Lumine, now approaching Wangshu Inn, decided to text Hu Tao.


    Phones worked fine in Liyue.


    Lumine looked up, confused.


    "Eh? Did I just hit something?"


    She slammed the brakes, opened the door, and looked around.


    Nothing.


    She shrugged and got back in, hit the gas, and kept going.


    Back at the river by the Statue of The Seven¡ª


    A-Biao dragged himself onto the riverbank, trembling.


    "You¡ªyou''re not allowed to just drive off! You hit people! I want medical compensation! I''ll sue you!!! Sob sob sob sob sob~"


    Ten minutes later.


    Lumine reached Wangshu Inn. Right in front, she saw Hu Tao crouched down by her parked motorcycle, counting Primogems.


    Hu Tao had arrived early. Instead of waiting around, she decided to explore the inn.


    To her delight, Wangshu Inn was full of treasure chests!


    She''d looted every single one. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao, watching silently from the rooftop the whole time, couldn''t understand why Hu Tao was so obsessed with chests¡ªthey rarely had anything good.


    Lumine parked the RV in front of Hu Tao and leaned out the window, honking.


    "Toot toot~ Hu Tao, I''m here!"


    Hu Tao looked up.


    "Oh~ Lumine, you finally made it!


    Let''s go, let''s go! I made a reservation at Wanmin Restaurant. I got Xiangling to whip up a whole feast for us¡ªshe''s one of Liyue''s best chefs!"


    Lumine nodded.


    "Why don''t you hop in and guide me? I can load your motorcycle in the back."


    Hu Tao looked over the RV with interest. Not bad! She wanted to give it a try.


    "Sure, open the trunk."


    Lumine hit the trunk release, and Hu Tao loaded her flying motorcycle inside.


    Then she stepped inside the RV and looked around.


    Right across from the door was a small booth with seats for four.


    Paimon was munching on chips in one of the seats.


    "Hu Tao! Come sit here¡ªwant some chips?"


    Hu Tao shook her head.


    "You eat. I''ll look around."


    She explored the interior. Despite its small size, the RV had everything¡ªperfect for a traveler like Lumine.


    After checking it out, Hu Tao briefly considered getting one herself.


    But then she thought¡ªnah, her flying motorcycle was fast and got her home quickly.


    Hu Tao moved up to the front just as Lumine was starting the engine again.


    "Can you help guide me?"


    Hu Tao grabbed a small stool and sat next to Lumine. The two chatted and drove on.


    Over an hour later¡ª


    Lumine and Hu Tao arrived at the entrance of Liyue Harbor.


    The stationed Millelith soldiers stopped the RV.


    "Stop right there! Step out for inspection!"


    Lumine and Hu Tao stepped down.


    Hu Tao squinted at one of the guards and grinned.


    "Yo~ Isn''t that A-Cai? You''re on duty today?"


    The squad leader, A-Cai, recognized Hu Tao immediately. She had once saved him from monsters out in the wild.


    Seeing her, he motioned for the others to lower their weapons.


    "Ah, it''s you, Master Hu. I thought it was something else. Is this vehicle yours?"


    Hu Tao pointed to Lumine.


    "Nope, it''s hers. This is Lumine. The RV''s kind of like a carriage."


    A-Cai nodded.


    "I see. We thought it might be a monster or something.


    Are you just getting back from work?"


    Hu Tao laughed.


    "No no, I went to pick up Lumine. I''m treating her to a meal at Wanmin Restaurant."


    A-Cai smiled, reassured.


    "All right then, I won''t keep you. We''ve got to stay on duty anyway."


    Hu Tao nodded and climbed back into the RV with Lumine.


    As they passed A-Cai, Hu Tao leaned out the window again.


    "Stop by Wangsheng Funeral Parlor sometime for tea!"


    A-Cai smiled and waved.


    "Sure, I will."

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 - 47Hu Tao first parked the RV in front of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and asked the staff there to look after it.


    Then she took Lumine and Paimon on foot to Chihu Rock.


    The streets at Chihu Rock weren''t as spacious as Yujing Terrace, and they were quite crowded¡ªdefinitely not suitable for Lumine to drive through.


    So, Hu Tao led Lumine and Paimon swaggering down the streets of Chihu Rock.


    Before long, they arrived at Wanmin Restaurant.


    As soon as Hu Tao stepped inside, she shouted toward the kitchen:


    "Xiangling! The head of the hall is here¡ªare my dishes ready yet?"


    The very next second¡ª


    Xiangling popped her head out of the kitchen.


    "Go up to the second floor first, there''s still a soup coming."


    Hu Tao lifted the curtain and peeked inside¡ªthere was a pot of fish soup still boiling.


    "All right, hurry up and come up when it''s done¡ªwe''ll eat together."


    Hu Tao led Lumine and Paimon upstairs. The second floor of Wanmin Restaurant had only one large round table¡ªbasically their "private room."


    Upstairs, Paimon was already drooling from the aroma in the air. It smelled so good!


    The three of them sat down.


    Lumine asked:


    "Hu Tao, are you going over to Ye Yun''s place later?"


    Hu Tao tilted her head.


    "You''re going? Why?"


    Lumine replied:


    "I''ve saved up quite a few Primogems, so I was thinking of buying some stuff and then hanging out with Stelle and the others.


    Didn''t they go explore a new place? I want to check it out¡ªare you coming?"


    Hu Tao thought for a moment. Business at the internet caf¨¦ was booming, and the secretary girl already knew how to manage the place well.


    As for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, there were a few pending jobs, but all simple ones that didn''t need her personally.


    "Sure, let''s go play later."


    At that moment, Xiangling and Guoba came upstairs¡ªone carrying a pot of fish soup, the other a bowl of rice.


    "What are you all chatting about?" Xiangling set the fish soup on the table and looked curiously at Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao said:


    "Oh, just talking about where to go later.


    Right, let me introduce you¡ªthis is the Traveler, Lumine, and this little one here is Paimon."


    Lumine and Paimon smiled and waved.


    Xiangling smiled back warmly.


    "Nice to meet you, Lumine, Paimon!


    Let''s eat first¡ªif the food gets cold, it won''t taste as good."


    The four of them started eating and chatting.


    Hu Tao popped a golden shrimp ball into her mouth.


    "Xiangling, wanna come with us this afternoon?"


    Xiangling agreed immediately. She wasn''t on duty today¡ªshe only came in because Hu Tao had asked her to make a big meal.


    "Sure! Where are we going? Luhua Pool? Dihua Marsh?"


    Hu Tao shook her head.


    "Neither. We''re going to another world."


    Xiangling looked puzzled.


    "Another world? What do you mean?"


    Hu Tao explained:


    "An alternate world. Want to come?"


    Xiangling was shocked.


    "What?! Hu Tao, you know how to go to another world? Are you messing with me again?"


    Hu Tao looked speechless. She pointed at Lumine and shrugged.


    "If you don''t believe me, ask Lumine. I''m not joking this time."


    Xiangling turned to Lumine, still confused.


    Lumine nodded.


    "Hu Tao''s telling the truth. I''m not originally from Teyvat either¡ªI came from beyond this world."


    Xiangling stared at Lumine in disbelief.


    "What?! You''re from outside this world?"


    Hu Tao quickly pressed the now-standing Xiangling back into her seat.


    "Calm down, calm down¡ªit''s just another world! No big deal! Now sit and eat¡ªafter we finish, we''ll head out."


    About two hours later, Hu Tao, Lumine, Xiangling, and Paimon took Hu Tao''s flying motorcycle to Jueyun Karst.


    Just after they landed, they saw Cloud Retainer walking out of her abode.


    Hu Tao tilted her head and waved.


    "Cloud Retainer! You finally came out!"


    Cloud Retainer recognized Hu Tao and huffed.


    "Hmph! What does a little girl like you know? This one has been researching mechanical arts. Do you even understand what that means?"


    Hu Tao threw up her hands.


    "I don''t, but I do know you broke my motorcycle and didn''t fix it. In the end, Clara fixed it¡ªteehee~"


    Cloud Retainer immediately looked annoyed.


    "You little brat, what do you know? I was just... just..." She couldn''t think of a decent excuse.


    "Forget it. You wouldn''t understand even if I explained. Now go, go! Stop bothering me¡ªI need to study the books brought back by the Lord of Geo."


    With that, she grumpily turned and walked back into her domain.


    Hu Tao pouted and dragged Xiangling into the portal.


    "Let''s go have some fun~" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aboard the Astral Express, inside Ye Yun''s shop.


    Hu Tao, Lumine, Xiangling, and Paimon had just arrived when they saw Amber and Eula relaxing in the lounge area, playing with some little sprites.


    Hu Tao waved.


    "Amber! Eula! You two are here too?"


    Amber was sitting on the sofa, cuddling a tiny Lumiblossom Bee.


    "Yeah, after everyone in the Knights started training with the Wind Spirit Technique, they''ve all gotten stronger. So Captain Jean gave us a day off to relax."


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "Nice! Speaking of which, I wonder how that Diamond Body Technique Ningguang and the others bought is working out."


    Eula replied:


    "I heard that the Tianquan Star is a very capable woman. I''m sure it''s working fine.


    Anyway, what brings you all here?"


    Hu Tao thought for a moment. Why did I ever doubt Ningguang? She''s a powerhouse who built her success from scratch.


    "I''m just accompanying Lumine to do some shopping. By the way¡ªwhere are Stelle and the others? I haven''t seen them around."


    Amber explained:


    "They''re out on a Trailblazing mission. I heard from Himeko that they ran into some very tough enemies¡ªbut they''ve already wrapped it up and won."


    Hu Tao perked up.


    "Oh? I''ll call her and ask where she is. We''ll go visit them¡ªsound good?"


    Everyone agreed, including Lumine. Ye Yun''s shop wasn''t going anywhere, so there was no rush.


    Hu Tao took out her phone.


    "Hey, Stelle? Where are you?"


    On the other end, Stelle had one hand holding Judgment of Shamash, the other on her phone, and one foot stomping down on a Guardian standing over a treasure chest.


    "I''m in Luofu with March. What''s up?"


    Hu Tao replied:


    "Lumine and I want to come hang out with you guys. Where are you? We''ll come find you."


    Stelle thought for a moment.


    "I''ll come pick you up. I''m far from the Express¡ªI''m worried you might get lost."


    Hu Tao grinned.


    "Okay okay! We''ll wait for you on the train."


    She hung up the call, and then everyone started playing around on the Express.


    It was Xiangling''s first time there, and she was wide-eyed, curiously exploring everything.


    Wow¡ªis that a lantern? Probably...


    And what''s this thing that plays moving pictures?


    ***


    Soon, Stelle and March 7th returned to the train and reunited with Hu Tao and the others.


    Each of them was carrying a small bag filled with Star Jades.


    Hu Tao''s eyes went wide.


    "Where did you get this much Star Jade?!"


    Stelle and March 7th exchanged a glance, and Stelle chuckled.


    "Of course we got them from opening treasure chests! Let me tell you, the Luofu is packed with Star Jade!


    In the past two days, look how much March and I have made."


    March 7th nodded in agreement. Indeed, the two of them had been raking it in lately.


    "That''s right, yesterday Stelle and I each got 150,000. Today should be about the same."


    Hu Tao quickly said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s see how much that converts to in credits!"


    Stelle and March 7th, upon hearing that, excitedly ran over to the exchange balance scale to start converting their loot.


    When the final results came in, Hu Tao, Amber, and the others were practically drooling with envy.


    The star credits they got were piled high all over the bar counter, while Stelle and March 7th cheerfully sorted through the stack.


    Lumine sneaked a look at the stack of credits in her hand¡ªthese had been earned through grinding over 15 hours a day to farm Primogems and exchange for credits.


    Comparison really is the thief of joy!


    Her stack of credits was only about 10 centimeters tall.


    Stelle and March 7th''s stack was at least five times that! Five times!!


    Lumine stared tearfully at Stelle and March 7th, who were grinning as they counted their credits finger by finger.


    Suddenly, an idea sparked in Lumine''s mind.


    "Stelle, March 7th, are you going back out later to look for more Star Jades?"


    By now, Stelle and March had already sorted through all their credits¡ª340,000 total, 170,000 each. Add that to yesterday''s 150,000, and each of them now had 320,000, shooting straight to the ranks of the rich.


    Stelle replied, "Of course! Why wouldn''t we? You think we''ll hide in our room and regret it once the Luofu authorities catch on? No way! I won''t allow that!


    Girls! Assemble!"


    Hu Tao, Amber, and the others raised their arms and cheered.


    "Yes! Yes! Yes!"


    Xiangling watched them get fired up like they were injected with pure adrenaline and looked confused.


    She tugged on the only one still calm¡ªEula.


    "Eula, why are they so hyped? Are star credits that useful?"


    Eula thought for a moment. Xiangling loved cooking... Got it!


    "Let me put it this way."


    She pulled out a single 100-credit note.


    "This is 100 credits, and it only costs one Star Jade to get it. And with these 100 credits..."


    Xiangling saw how mysteriously Eula was acting and was getting anxious.


    "What about the 100 credits?!"


    Eula smiled faintly.


    "With 100 credits, you could buy a whole stack of recipes!"


    Xiangling immediately stumbled backward, gasping.


    "Hissss!!!"


    A few seconds later¡ª


    Xiangling suddenly shouted, imitating Hu Tao and the others as she raised her fists and joined the team.


    "Star Jades! Star Jades! Star Jades!"


    Stelle saw this and was very satisfied with the morale.


    "Good! Sisters! Our mission is to sweep up every single Star Jade in the Luofu! Lazy dogs, move out!"


    Stelle led the charge, storming out of the train like a pack of hungry ghosts, eyes scanning every corner, determined to leave no treasure chest unopened.


    Time flew, and before long it was the next morning.


    Jing Yuan slowly got up, washed, and dressed.


    His steward approached.


    "General, what would you like for breakfast today?"


    Jing Yuan straightened his collar and smiled.


    "No need to prepare anything today. I''ve been invited to a friend''s place for breakfast.


    Did you prepare the tea I asked for last night?"


    The steward returned to the room and brought out three boxes of tea leaves.


    Taking the tea intended for Ye Yun and the others, Jing Yuan checked his reflection in the mirror¡ªyes, appropriately dressed. Time to depart.


    Just as he was about to leave, the steward said, "General, there is one more matter to report."


    Jing Yuan turned back. "What is it?"


    The steward spoke slowly, "Last night, the girls from the train team were running around the Luofu opening treasure chests. It caused quite a stir, and many citizens lodged complaints. What shall we do?"


    Jing Yuan thought for a moment.


    "It''s fine. The train team helped us greatly. Let''s compensate the affected residents and calm things down."


    The steward bowed. "Yes, General."


    Jing Yuan nodded, then boarded a star skiff bound for Starport.


    The previous night, he had an enjoyable conversation with Ye Yun, Zhongli, and Welt, talking all the way past 8 p.m.


    Given that they had just survived a fierce battle, Jing Yuan held back his eagerness to continue the conversation and instead invited them to meet again today.


    Ye Yun had then directly invited Jing Yuan to come visit the Astral Express and have breakfast together.


    Jing Yuan agreed¡ªhe was also curious to see the legendary train.


    About an hour later¡ª


    Jing Yuan''s star skiff arrived at the Starport, where the Astral Express was docked.


    He walked to the viewing car''s door and knocked lightly.


    As soon as he finished, the door opened, and Pom-Pom stood before him.


    Pom-Pom looked up at him.


    "I''m Pom-Pom, the conductor of the Express. Who are you? What brings you here?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Hello, Conductor Pom-Pom. I am Jing Yuan, here at Ye Yun''s invitation."


    Pom-Pom was a bit surprised to hear the name.


    "Whoa, you''re that Jing Yuan, the general of the Luofu? Come in then! Ye Yun and the others are in his shop. Follow me, pom!"


    Pom-Pom stepped aside and let Jing Yuan in.


    As he entered, Jing Yuan took in the interior of the train.


    Hmm, very nicely decorated. Elegant and lighthearted.


    Following Pom-Pom, Jing Yuan arrived at Ye Yun''s shop.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Ye Yun, Xiangling, and Noelle busily cooking in the kitchen.


    Ye Yun noticed the movement at the door, looked over, and seeing Jing Yuan, quickly called out:


    "General Jing Yuan, you''re early! Have a seat first¡ªbreakfast will be ready in a bit."


    Hearing Ye Yun''s voice, the others in the shop turned and greeted Jing Yuan.


    Jing Yuan looked around and saw Stelle, March 7th, and a few unfamiliar girls slouched at the table, all with dark circles under their eyes.


    On the sofa, Welt and Zhongli were chatting comfortably.


    Jing Yuan took out the tea.


    "Mr. Welt, Mr. Zhongli, I brought some tea I happened upon. Please, try some."


    He handed the tea to Welt, Zhongli, and Ye Yun, then joined them at the sofa to continue the chat they hadn''t finished the night before.


    Jing Yuan truly enjoyed talking with the two. Both were full of wisdom, and speaking with them always broadened his horizons.


    In the kitchen¡ª


    Ye Yun glanced at the happily humming Xiangling, smiled.


    Xiangling, holding her new stack of recipes in one hand and cooking with the other, added ingredients with gusto. Even though she''d spent all night treasure-hunting, she was still full of energy.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 - 48As soon as Xiangling came back and saw Ye Yun cooking, she asked to use a stove to cook something herself.


    Ye Yun shared a burner with Xiangling and showed her how to operate the modern kitchen setup.


    Seeing how convenient the stove was, Xiangling immediately wanted to buy one. Of course, she couldn''t have the one in the kitchen¡ªYe Yun still needed it for his own use.


    It wasn''t expensive either. Ye Yun spent 30 star credits in the system store to get Xiangling a gas-tank-fitted set.


    In exchange, Xiangling agreed to take responsibility for making breakfast for everyone every day.


    That''s right¡ªYe Yun wanted to sleep in. Getting up early to cook was just too painful.


    Xiangling accepted without hesitation. Cooking? Easy peasy!


    Considering that commuting between Jueyun Karst and Liyue Harbor would be inconvenient, Ye Yun even bought Xiangling her own personal teleportation gate.


    He also had a word with Zhongli, asking him to go and help with the setup so nothing problematic would occur.


    Zhongli agreed. In fact, it was a good thing for him too¡ª


    This way, he could eat Xiangling''s cooking every day.


    Ye Yun''s cooking was good, but it still didn''t compare to someone like Xiangling¡ªnaturally gifted and hardworking.


    Soon enough, breakfast was ready.


    Ye Yun kept it simple: a large pot of lean pork and vegetable congee, plus some soup dumplings and fried dough sticks.


    Xiangling didn''t make much this time¡ªshe was experimenting with a new dish: Cold Dressed Slime.


    But this wasn''t the kind of slime from Teyvat¡ªit came from a certain fantasy world where people actually ate this type of slime.


    This slime had no odor and a springy, jelly-like texture.


    However, because it absorbed seasoning very easily, it really tested the chef''s skill with flavoring.


    Xiangling placed a plate of Cold Dressed Slime on the table and looked at everyone expectantly.


    "Come on! Try my new dish!"


    Hu Tao and Zhongli, who had prior experience with Xiangling''s slime dishes, were immediately put on edge.


    Eat it... or not? That was the question.


    Even if it wasn''t Teyvat slime, and even if Ye Yun had assured them it was edible, it was still slime...


    Before they could decide, Stelle¡ªwho didn''t know any better¡ªpicked up her chopsticks and dove right in.


    She grabbed a portion and popped it into her mouth.


    "Slurp~"


    The cold slime slid in. Stelle chewed thoughtfully as everyone else stared at her.


    After swallowing, Stelle gave a thumbs-up and smiled.


    "Tasty! You all should try it."


    Encouraged, everyone picked up their chopsticks¡ªeven Hu Tao and Zhongli gave in.


    Among them, only March 7th didn''t move.


    The moment she saw Stelle put down her chopsticks, she saw through everything.


    After all this time together, she knew Stelle like the back of her hand. If there was something tasty, Stelle would never stop at one bite.


    And that faint smile on her face? March had seen it before.


    That exact expression was how Stelle had tricked her into drinking Himeko''s terrible coffee.


    You sneaky frog, always rubbing your belly in victory!


    There was only one truth¡ªthis Cold Dressed Slime... was NOT good!


    Sure enough¡ª


    A few seconds later¡ª


    "BLEUGH¡ª!"


    "Xiangling! You''re trying to kill me! How could you poison the great Head of the Hall?!"


    "Xiangling, maybe... maybe we don''t cook with slime anymore, alright?"


    "Mmm... technically edible."


    Xiangling looked at their reactions, completely frustrated. She had followed the recipe exactly¡ªwhere had she gone wrong?


    Ye Yun tasted a piece, chewed thoughtfully, and said:


    "Xiangling, you over-seasoned it. This kind of slime, when shredded, absorbs flavor very easily. Next time, try using less seasoning."


    Xiangling''s eyes lit up with realization.


    "I see! The recipe was for three pounds of slime meat, but I only used half to practice... and didn''t reduce the seasoning."


    No wonder.


    She took the plate of Cold Dressed Slime and dumped it out, then started making a fresh batch.


    This time, she nailed it.


    Everyone tried it again and showered her with praise.


    The texture was springy, with a satisfying "crunch" when bitten into¡ªperfect to eat with congee.


    As Jing Yuan sipped his congee and looked around Ye Yun''s shop, he suddenly remembered¡ªYe Yun was running a store.


    "Ye Yun, what do you sell here? May I take a look?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "My shop sells goods from across the myriad worlds. As long as you have enough star credits, you can buy anything you want.


    As for star credits, you can exchange them with Star Jade.


    Currently, in your world, Stellar Jade is the only currency that can be exchanged for credits."


    Jing Yuan caught the phrase "your world" in Ye Yun''s words.


    "Oh? Then... are there people here from other worlds?"


    At the table, Zhongli slowly raised his hand. Hu Tao, Xiangling, Amber, and Eula followed suit.


    Welt raised his halfway, then lowered it again¡ªhe wasn''t sure if he counted as from another world.


    Jing Yuan looked at Zhongli in surprise. He hadn''t expected Zhongli to be from another world.


    No wonder he''d never heard of someone with Zhongli''s strength and wisdom before¡ªsomeone like him couldn''t possibly be obscure under normal circumstances.


    Zhongli said calmly:


    "We are from Teyvat. We came to this world via Ye Yun''s teleportation gate."


    Jing Yuan nodded in understanding.


    "Ye Yun, just to confirm¡ªStar Jade can be exchanged for star credits, right?"


    Ye Yun smiled and nodded.


    "That''s right. One Stellar Jade equals 100 star credits."


    Jing Yuan nodded again, already planning to have people collect Stellar Jade after returning.


    Upon hearing Stellar Jade mentioned, Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, Amber, Eula, Lumine, and Xiangling all suddenly tensed¡ªthen found random excuses to slip away.


    Stelle said nothing, but her face clearly read: If I don''t run now, I''m getting whooped later!


    Soon, breakfast came to an end.


    Jing Yuan went with Welt, Zhongli, and Ye Yun to the tea room for a game of chess.


    The night before, after returning to his manor, Jing Yuan had already taken care of all arrangements¡ª


    He had fought a grand battle and was gravely injured! He needed a break.


    So...


    Fu Xuan, sorry for the trouble.


    At that moment, inside the Divination Commission¡ª


    Fu Xuan was already fried. She had come to work this morning in high spirits.


    In recent days, General Jing Yuan had said the reconstruction of the Xianzhou Luofu would be entirely left in her hands.


    This was it! He was nurturing her potential¡ªthis was the path to becoming General!


    But...


    After just one hour on the job, reality hit her like a truck.


    What the heck?! Why is there SO MUCH to do?!


    Fu Xuan stared at the mountain of official documents on her desk, utterly dazed.


    This wasn''t what she signed up for! Nobody said being General was this exhausting!


    What Fu Xuan didn''t know was that being a general normally wasn''t this hard¡ªyou just had to guide the big picture.


    But right now, the Luofu was in the middle of reconstruction, so of course there were tons of tasks.


    Which is why Fu Xuan felt like she was drowning in work.


    She sighed and quietly picked up her pen, continuing to review the paperwork.


    Meanwhile, back in Ye Yun''s store reception room¡ª


    Jing Yuan was sipping tea and playing chess.


    Ye Yun had even brought over a variety of desserts. Play a move, nibble a treat, sip some tea¡ªwhat a life!


    ***


    At noon, Stelle and March 7th heard that Jing Yuan was still in Ye Yun''s shop, so they didn''t dare to return for lunch. The group asked Ye Yun to open a portal, and they went to Liyue Harbor to play.


    The girls had just finished lunch made by Xiangling at Wanmin Hall. They met Keqing on the way, who was also invited to join them for lunch.


    When Keqing saw the portal at Xiangling''s house, she was delighted. Now she and Ningguang and Yelan could often visit Ye Yun''s shop. Unlike Hu Tao and Zhongli, the three of them held important positions, so it was troublesome for them to visit Ye Yun''s shop. They had to first go to Jueyun Karst, which was time-consuming.


    Stelle let out a satisfied burp and leaned back in her chair, slowly rubbing her stomach with her right hand.


    "Ah, Xiangling, your boiled perch is really delicious!"


    Xiangling was happy to hear Stelle compliment her cooking.


    "I''m glad you like it! By the way, you all chat for a bit; I''m going down to try a new dish. I just bought a lot of ingredients from other worlds at Ye Yun''s shop."


    Xiangling had spent the whole night yesterday scavenging treasure chests and earned over 6,000 star coins.


    She had bought 10 cookbooks, a storage ring, and used the rest of the money to buy ingredients from other worlds.


    These ingredients were all stored in the storage ring.


    The girls saw how useful Xiangling''s storage ring was, and they each bought one.


    For those with Vision, like Amber, it was fine because they could store weapons.


    For others like Stelle, they used space-folding bags sold by the Interstellar Peace Company.


    These bags were small and could only store weapons, and they were extremely expensive.


    Keqing glanced at the group and asked, "Have you all decided what to do this afternoon?"


    Star looked at Hu Tao.


    "Hu Tao, do you know of any fun places in Liyue?"


    Hu Tao thought for a moment.


    "Let me think... hmm."


    After about a minute, Hu Tao raised her head and shrugged.


    "I don''t really know. I''m a local, so some places might seem fun to you, but to me, they''re just... okay."


    The girls were a bit troubled. If Jing Yuan hadn''t known that Stellar Jade could be exchanged for star coins, it would have been fine, and they could have continued collecting star coins.


    But now that he knew, they certainly wouldn''t dare to continue.


    Stelle took out the "Advanced Spirit" she had won from a lottery.


    "Sigh, I was planning to hatch this Advanced Spiri today, but I got distracted and forgot to put it in."


    Just then, Hu Tao''s phone rang, and she checked it.


    "Why is Zhongli calling me?"


    Hu Tao answered the phone, and Zhongli''s voice came through.


    "I''ll send Klee and the others to your place soon. Please look after them for the afternoon. Remember to come back to the shop for dinner."


    After finishing, Zhongli hung up the phone.


    Hu Tao stared at the phone in a daze.


    March 7th, standing nearby, asked curiously, "Hu Tao, what did Zhongli say?"


    Hu Tao snapped out of her daze.


    "Nothing. He just asked us to look after Klee and the others. Apparently, Ye Yun has something to do."


    The girls were all confused. "Take care of kids? Are you sure?"


    Soon, their confusion was cleared up.


    Zhongli walked through Xiangling''s portal with the four little ones following him. Behind them was Rios.


    Rios was carrying the four little ones on his back, and they were happily playing and laughing.


    Zhongli said, "Ye Yun, Mr. Welt, and General Jing Yuan have something to do this afternoon.


    Himeko will be taking Clara for an experiment, so I need you all to look after Klee and the others this afternoon."


    After saying that, Zhongli turned and walked back into the portal, not giving the girls a chance to refuse.


    Zhongli returned to the shop and headed straight for the reception room.


    At that moment, in the reception room, Ye Yun and Jing Yuan were seriously playing chess.


    Yes! The four of them had decided to have a big chess match this afternoon to settle who was the best.


    Back at Wanmin Hall, Hu Tao and the others had no choice but to take on the task.


    Hu Tao patted Klee''s little head.


    "Klee, is there anywhere you''d like to go?"


    Klee thought for a moment and replied, "Klee wants to go fish bombing!"


    Hu Tao was delighted.


    "Ah, that''s a good idea! Bombing fish is so fun!"


    "I know where we''re going! We''re going to the Sea of Clouds! There are a lot of big fish there. If we''re lucky, we might even bump into Beidou, and we can take her ship out to sea. How about it?"


    The girls thought this plan was feasible.


    So they all helped clean up the table and chairs and then said goodbye to Xiangling before heading towards the Sea of Clouds.


    After leaving Wanmin Hall, Keqing bid them farewell, saying she had something to take care of.


    Hu Tao, Stelle, and the others didn''t stay either. After all, Keqing was a busy person, unlike them.


    Soon, Hu Tao, Stelle, Lumine, Amber, Eula, Paimon, and March 7th boarded the boat heading to the Sea of Clouds with the four little ones and Rios.


    At Jade Chamber.


    Ningguang was counting the raw ores in the room, which were gathered by her subordinates recently.


    She planned to go to Ye Yun''s shop tomorrow or the day after to buy some things.


    Just then, there was a noise outside the room, and Keqing walked in.


    "Ningguang, good news! There''s a portal in Liyue Harbor now."


    Ningguang was delighted.


    "Really? Where is it? How did it come about?"


    Keqing said, "From now on, Xiangling will be in charge of breakfast at the shop, and Ye Yun gave her a portal to make it easier for her to get to the shop."


    Ningguang recalled Xiangling upon hearing this.


    That little girl was a disciple of the Immortal family, a genuine Liyue person, and her personality was very likable. Her cooking skills were so good that everyone in Liyue praised her.


    "I see. It seems we''re benefiting from Xiangling''s generosity as well."


    Keqing smiled slightly.


    "Indeed. Ningguang, I''m thinking of sending a team of Millelith troops to guard that portal. What do you think?"


    Ningguang shook her head slightly.


    "No, that will only draw attention to the portal."


    "How about this? I''ll ask Yelan to change her office location. What do you think?"


    Keqing thought for a moment and said, "That works. I''ll go check who owns the property next to Wanmin Hall."


    Ningguang smiled.


    "You don''t need to ask. It''s mine."


    Keqing inhaled deeply and looked at Ningguang.


    "As expected of you, the Tianquan of Liyue, wealthy and powerful."


    Ningguang smiled slightly. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you for the compliment.


    Alright, no more joking. Come help me count the ores, and tomorrow, we''ll go to Ye Yun''s shop to buy some things."


    Keqing nodded and helped Ningguang count the ores.


    The last batch of Qianyan soldiers who practiced the Golden Body Tempering Technique with the earth-style martial arts Ye Yun had provided were now ready.


    Ningguang had hidden them at Nan Tianmen to keep them out of sight, as it was a remote and dangerous place, making it perfect for training.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 - 49On a beautiful afternoon, Hu Tao, Ying, Stelle, and the others boarded a merchant ship with the four little ones, heading towards the Sea of Clouds.


    Since there were many people, Hu Tao rented a relatively large cruise ship.


    Rios was lying at the bow of the ship, enjoying the sea breeze.


    Inside the cabin, everyone sat together, chatting as they still had some time before reaching the Lonely Cloud Pavilion.


    In the meantime, Stelle, March 7th, and Lumine decided to play cards.


    Hu Tao, Amber, and Eula were watching from the side.


    The four little ones were gathered around Klee''s backpack.


    Klee placed her backpack on the ground and kept taking out bouncy bombs from it.


    The four little ones took turns picking them up, one for each.


    Finally, Klee pulled out a super large bouncy bomb and proudly showed it off.


    "Heh-heh~ this is Klee''s new type of bouncy bomb, made with materials from Brother Ye Yun!


    This super bouncy bomb will definitely blow up so many fish!"


    The other three little ones looked at Klee in admiration. Klee was amazing, she could even make bombs by hand.


    Not long after, the boatman at the bow called out.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we''re about to dock."


    Everyone packed up their things.


    Hu Tao glanced at the playing cards on the table, mischievously putting them away, planning to go back and play with Xiangling and Xingqiu.


    Rios led the way off the boat, checking the surroundings for any danger before picking up the four little ones.


    As soon as the little ones landed, they dashed ahead.


    Seeing this, Rios quickly followed them.


    Stelle whistled at Rios, who was seriously looking after the kids.


    "With Rios here, we don''t need to worry about Klee at all!"


    The others agreed. Usually, wherever the four little ones went, Rios would follow.


    March 7th released her Bub Flower.


    "Bub Flower, go help look after Klee and the others." March 7th thought for a moment, worried that Rios might not be able to manage all of them, so she called Bubu Flower over.


    "Bubu~ Bubu~" Bub Flower nodded and ran towards where the little ones were.


    March 7th clapped her hands with satisfaction.


    "OK, problem solved. Now we can enjoy ourselves!"


    Stelle looked at the turbulent waves on the sea and suggested.


    "Everyone, how about we try surfing? What do you think?"


    March 7th''s eyes lit up.


    "That sounds great! I haven''t surfed in ages."


    Lumine also looked excited.


    "Me too, the last time I surfed was in the previous world.


    But we don''t have surfboards. How are we going to do it?"


    March 7th thought for a moment.


    "How about we go back for a surfboard? But it would take too long."


    Hu Tao clapped her hands.


    "Why don''t we just fish instead? How about a contest to see who catches the biggest fish?"


    The girls agreed to this idea, since they didn''t bring anything for water activities, fishing was the only option.


    They asked the boatman for a few fishing rods and started fishing once they reached a deeper part of the sea.


    Meanwhile, the four little ones arrived at a shallow beach, and Klee got excited when she sensed the fish swimming nearby.


    "Fishy! Fishy! Klee''s coming to play with you¡ªbouncy bomb!"


    Klee threw a bouncy bomb with all her might, and it landed in the distance in the sea. She quickly covered her ears.


    A few seconds later, a loud "boom!!" sounded.


    A huge wave shot up into the sky, and the seawater was blasted up about ten meters before falling back down.


    Along with the water, many unknown small fish flew up into the air.


    The fish fell back into the sea, most of them stunned and floating on the surface.


    Klee cheered, seeing the fish.


    "Yay! Klee did it!"


    Bai Lu, grinning widely, said, "I''ll do one too! Heave-ho!"


    Bai Lu threw her bouncy bomb with force. Due to her unique physique, she threw it much farther.


    It successfully created a ten-meter-high splash and blew up some small fish.


    The Sea of Clouds was a remote place, rich in fish resources.


    Diona and Hook also followed along, imitating the others and blowing up fish.


    For a while, the shallow beach was filled with the joyful sounds of the four little ones.


    Rios and Bub Flower sat on the beach quietly observing the surroundings.


    At that moment, deep under the sea at Sea of Clouds.


    A certain sealed demon god, Osial, was feeling very annoyed.


    Where did these wild kids come from, blowing up fish here? Do they have no sense of decency? They''ve disturbed my peace!


    Yes, this demon god was Osial, who had been sealed by Zhongli here.


    Osial had been irritated by the seal and was hoping to take a nap to calm down.


    But no sooner had he fallen asleep than an explosion from above disturbed him.


    If not for the seal, Osial would have gone to teach these kids a lesson and shown them what it meant to disturb someone''s rest!


    Unfortunately, with the seal in place, Osial had no way to do anything.


    The four little ones kept blowing up fish on the shallow beach, picking them up as they went. A small mountain of fish had piled up next to Rios and Bub Flower.


    The fish had all been blown up by the little ones.


    The little ones played for a full two hours.


    At this point, Stelle and the others, having finished fishing, came over to get the little ones and head back.


    By the time they sailed back to Liyue Harbor, they would be just in time for a quick rest before dinner.


    Stelle was carrying a large fish that was about a meter long on her shoulder.


    She looked proud, almost wanting to walk through Liyue Harbor''s streets to show off her catch.


    The fish still had a hook and a piece of fishing line attached to its mouth.


    Fish: That''s right, I was about to break the line and escape when this little grey-haired girl swung a big sword and sliced through the sea, pulling me onto the shore.


    I''m about to be made into food with oil, salt, and vinegar...


    March 7th walked to the shore and waved at the little ones still blowing up fish.


    "Hey, kids, it''s time to go home!"


    Klee, hearing this, pulled out her latest creation, the super bouncy bomb.


    "Bai Lu, Hook, Diona, help me!"


    The three little ones rushed over to help Klee with the super bouncy bomb.


    They used all their strength to lift it up.


    Bai Lu took a deep breath.


    "Listen to my countdown, let''s all throw together."


    "3"


    "2"


    "1"


    "Throw!"


    Together, they hurled the super bouncy bomb high into the air, sending it flying far into the deep sea.


    Then, they ran back to the shore to pack up and head home.


    Under the sea.


    Osial saw the little ones running back to the shore and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, they were leaving, and he could enjoy some peace.


    Just as Osial was about to turn over and take a nap, he suddenly saw a small black dot falling from the sea.


    This black dot was falling at an incredible speed, heading straight for Osail.


    Osial focused on it and thought, What is that? It looks familiar.


    Wait a minute.


    No! It''s one of those kids'' bombs!


    Osail didn''t have time to react before a bright white light flashed, blinding him.


    My eyes!!!!


    ***


    On the beach, everyone was eagerly awaiting the explosion of the last super bouncy bomb from the four little ones.


    Stelle, March 7th, and the others regretted not bringing any bombs with them. Why didn''t they think of bringing something to blow up fish? Isn''t it more fun than fishing?So, they all agreed to come back tomorrow and continue fishing with bombs. Once they get back, they''ll immediately contact Topaz to order more bombs!


    On the beach.


    Soon, everyone saw a flash of white light, and a mushroom cloud roared up into the sky.


    It seemed as though the mushroom cloud had come to life and was shouting two words.


    "Peace!!!!"


    Not long after, Stelle gasped in awe at the scene on the sea.


    "Wow! Klee, what kind of materials did you pack into this bomb? Is it that powerful?"


    They saw a "super big fish" rising up with the mushroom cloud.


    The moment Osial, who had just regained his sight, looked around, he was confused.


    "Did I just fly up? How did that happen?"It wasn''t until he fell into the sea that he realized what had happened.


    So, these wild kids'' bombs managed to shatter my seal?


    Osial laughed maniacally.


    "Ha ha ha ha! I''m finally out! Morax! Come face me!"


    Osial, controlling the ocean, instantly stirred up monstrous waves, and even the clouds in the sky turned dark and ominous.


    The fierce wind howled, the waves surged, and the black clouds pressed down, causing the people of Liyue Harbor to rush to higher ground in panic.


    At the Jade Chamber.


    Ningguang and Keqing immediately ordered the Jade Chamber to set out to confront Osial. They couldn''t let him reach Liyue Harbor.


    Ganyu and Yelan arrived at the Jade Chamber.


    Seeing Ganyu, Ningguang''s face lit up.


    "Ganyu! Please contact the other Adepti. The demon god Osail has broken free!"


    Ganyu knew the severity of the situation and immediately used her celestial arts to contact her master.


    No sooner had Ganyu finished when a gust of wind blew, and Xiao appeared above the Qunyu Pavilion.


    "Conqueror of Demons, Vigilant Yaksha, Xiao, here to protect!"


    Ganyu, seeing Xiao, was delighted.


    "Great Sage of Conqueror of Demons!"


    Xiao glanced at Ganyu and nodded slightly.


    "We''ll head out to confront him first. The other immortals are on their way. We''ll try to hold him off."


    Saying that, Xiao summoned the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and turned, keeping his gaze fixed on Osial in the sea. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, on the beach at Sea of Clouds.


    The four little ones seemed to realize they had caused trouble and were feeling a bit guilty.


    Klee lowered her head.


    "I think I might have caused trouble."


    Bailu patted Klee on the shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, Klee. We all set off the bombs together. If there''s punishment, we''ll take it together!"


    Diona and Hook also agreed.


    "That''s right! Don''t worry, Klee! Hook will always stay by your side."


    "Klee, don''t be afraid."


    At this moment, Stelle walked over and threw her fish from her shoulder in front of the four little ones.


    "It''s okay, Klee. Your sister Stelle will handle this trouble. Just take care of my fish while I go!"


    With a flash of light from the storage ring on Stelle''s finger, the Judgment of Shamash appeared in her hand.


    Star immediately activated the sword form of Judgment of Shamash, gripping it tightly and charging up her power.


    From afar.


    Osial noticed Stelle.


    "Heh, foolish mortal. From this distance, without a ship, do you really think you can strike me? Who do you think you are? Are you Morax?"


    Before Osial could finish his mocking words, Stelle swung her sword.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed! One strike! Open the sea!"


    In Osial''s view, a flame sword aura streaked across the sea, speeding toward him.


    Wherever the sword aura passed, the sea water evaporated.


    Osial had no time to react as the sword aura struck him directly.


    Osial was instantly heavily injured, howling in pain.


    He looked at Stelle, who was gathering more energy, his soul nearly leaving his body in fear. He quickly swam into the deep sea.


    Seeing this, Stelle thought, "Oh? You think I''ll let you escape today?"


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed! Annihilation!"


    Stelle swung the Judgment of Shamash directly toward the sea surface, which was about to close after being split open.


    In Devastation mode, the sea water didn''t just part; it evaporated completely, creating a vacuum zone.


    Osial, not noticing the danger beneath him, stepped into the newly revealed ground.


    "No! I wasn''t in the sea? Why does this look like land?"


    Osial suddenly felt a hot sensation from behind. He turned around and his pupils contracted in horror, as if seeing something terrifying.


    There, Stelle had leaped into the air, and with the Judgment of Shamash, she slashed downward with flames.


    Osail instantly lost consciousness and fell, unable to resist.


    Stelle landed and kicked Osial.


    "Try running again? You''re just a fish I caught with Klee''s bomb. You think you can escape? Tonight, I''ll have Ye Yun make you a nice oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar spa!"


    At Jade Chamber, which had been observing the situation.


    Ningguang, Keqing, Ganyu, and Ye Lan all stared in shock at Osial''s miserable state below.


    Ningguang couldn''t help but exclaim.


    "Is Stelle really that strong?"


    Keqing also swallowed hard, not quite believing what she was seeing.


    "Isn''t Osial a demon god? Ganyu?"


    Before Ganyu could respond, Liu Yun, who had just arrived, spoke up.


    "Osial is undoubtedly a demon god. Let''s go, let''s check it out."


    More than ten minutes later.


    Stelle stood on the boat, asking March 7th to take a photo of her with Osail.


    As soon as Stelle left, Hu Tao immediately bought the boat they had been using to pick Star up.


    They had originally come by boat themselves, but given how dangerous the situation was, the boatman refused to come.


    So, Hu Tao bought the boat outright. After all, with the booming business at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦, they weren''t lacking in money.


    "March, take another shot with a better pose."


    Stelle placed her foot on Osial''s head, gave a thumbs-up, and looked proud.


    After March 7th took the photo, she asked the others.


    "Anyone else want a photo?"


    Hu Tao immediately volunteered.


    "Me, me, me! March, take one for me too!"


    The four little ones were chattering excitedly by the side of the boat.


    At that moment, the immortals from Jade Chamber descended.


    Ningguang, Keqing, Yelan, Ganyu, and Xiao all arrived at the boat.


    Stelle waved at Ningguang and Keqing.


    "Yo, isn''t this Keqing and Ningguang? Come and see the big fish I caught! How awesome is that?"


    Keqing gave a stiff smile and gave a thumbs-up.


    "Very impressive."


    Ningguang also agreed.


    "You''re amazing."


    Stelle beamed at their praise.


    Soon, Hu Tao finished taking her photo and looked at it, satisfied with the result.


    Seeing Keqing, Hu Tao handed her the photo she had just taken.


    "Keqing, what do you think of this picture of me?"


    Keqing smiled.


    "It looks great."


    Nearby, Lumine, grinning stupidly, gave a "Yay!" and asked March 7th to take two pictures for her as well.


    After Lumine saw the photo, she was also very pleased with it and planned to put it up in her RV.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 - 50Lumine put away the photo, looked at Ningguang and Keqing, and asked:


    "Do you two want to take one as well?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Ningguang and Keqing heard this¡ªhiss!¡ªthey realized... they didn''t really have a way to refuse!


    And so¡ª


    The two women stood beside Osial and took more than a dozen photos, trying out a variety of poses.


    March 7th handled the photos on-site, processing them right away, and everyone was quite pleased with the results.


    Meanwhile, Moon Carver, Cloud Retainer, and Madam Ping stood at the bow of the ship, sighing as they looked at the unconscious, eyes-rolled-back Osial.


    Kids these days were this strong already? Fighting demon gods like it was a game.


    They had just watched the entire scene unfold from the Jade Chamber¡ªStelle''s pursuit and beatdown of a demon god.


    Their review? Fantastic. More of this, please.


    After all, Osial was a long-time nemesis of Liyue. Seeing him suffer? Great entertainment.


    And judging from Tianquan and Yuheng''s reactions, this young lady who beat up Osial was one of their own.


    The three immortals were even more delighted. If it weren''t for the presence of the Millelith and the Qixing, they would''ve clapped and cheered on the spot.


    After the photo session, Ningguang and Keqing stared at the massive body of Osial, clearly at a loss.


    Seeing this, Stelle pulled out the Judgment of Shamash.


    "Want me to just vaporize him?"


    Xiao immediately stopped her.


    "No. When a demon god dies, a massive surge of energy erupts, and it will leave behind corrupted remains."


    Stelle shrugged.


    "Well then, I got nothing~"


    Hu Tao stroked her chin in thought.


    "How about I go ask our guest consultant? He should have a solution."


    Ningguang looked surprised.


    "Guest consultant? You mean Mister Zhongli? He''s very knowledgeable, sure, but he''s still a mere mortal. What can he do?"


    At this moment¡ª


    March 7th suddenly spoke up in agreement with Hu Tao, revealing a piece of shocking news to the Liyue crowd.


    "That''s a great idea! Your guest consultant is your Liyue Archon, right? He''ll definitely have a solution. Go ahead, Hu Tao, we''ll wait here."


    Hu Tao gave an OK sign.


    "Then you all head back to the Jade Chamber first. I''ll take the boat to Liyue Harbor and use Xiangling''s gate to cross over."


    Upon hearing that, Xiao coolly said:


    "No need for all that. I''ll take you back."


    With that, Xiao wrapped Hu Tao in Anemo energy and vanished into the distance.


    After Hu Tao and Xiao left¡ª


    Ningguang and Keqing were left standing frozen in place.


    What?! Hu Tao''s "guest consultant"¡ªthat Zhongli¡ªis actually the Geo Archon?!


    Oh my Archon!!!


    Ningguang suddenly remembered she once invited Zhongli to work at Jade Chamber... and instantly felt the sting of awkwardness.


    Keqing, on the other hand, looked like she turned to stone.


    Haha... ha... she had directly criticized the Archon to his face once.


    How boring. Life is meaningless. Humanity is not worth it.


    Meanwhile, at Ye Yun''s store¡ª


    The chess quartet had finished their match.


    Champion: Zhongli.


    Runner-up: Welt.


    Third place: Jing Yuan.


    Last place: Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun''s head was spinning. These guys played chess like monsters, calculating ten steps ahead. He couldn''t keep up at all and got eliminated early on.


    Ye Yun checked the time.


    "Alright, alright, I''m off to make dinner."


    He stood up and opened the reception room door¡ªonly to see Hu Tao already at the entrance.


    "Hu Tao? You''re back already?"


    Hu Tao shook her head.


    "Not yet. I came back to find our guest consultant."


    She stood on her tiptoes and peeked inside, spotting Zhongli sipping tea.


    "Guest consultant! I need you!"


    Hearing her call, Zhongli came to the door.


    "Hall Master, what do you need from me?"


    Hu Tao replied casually:


    "Nothing major. We went to Sea of Clouds this afternoon to have fun, and Klee and the others ended up bombing some fish. They blew up a demon god from the seabed. Stelle knocked him out, but we don''t know how to deal with him. Mind coming with me?"


    Upon hearing this, Zhongli''s eye twitched uncontrollably.


    They bombed fish... and blew up a demon god? That must''ve been Osial. What kind of bombs were those kids carrying to break through even his seal?


    Just then, Jing Yuan and Welt walked out from inside the room.


    Jing Yuan smiled and asked:


    "What''s going on?"


    Zhongli sighed.


    "Nothing too serious. I''ll head out first and join you for tea again tomorrow."


    Jing Yuan checked the time¡ªit was still early.


    He wanted to go with Zhongli and see this "other world" for himself.


    "Mr. Zhongli, are you heading back to your world? Mind if I tag along? I''d like to see what this other world looks like."


    Zhongli agreed without hesitation.


    "By all means."


    Seeing that, Welt joined in as well.


    "Count me in."


    Ye Yun chimed in:


    "I''ll open the gate for you. You all go ahead, I''ll stay and make dinner.


    "Oh right, Hu Tao¡ªgo check if Xiangling''s free and ask her to come help."


    Hu Tao agreed.


    Soon, Jing Yuan, Zhongli, Welt, and Hu Tao stepped into the portal.


    A moment later, the portal flashed again¡ªXiangling dashed out excitedly.


    "Ye Yun, you called for me?"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Yep, come in and help out. We''ve got a lot of people eating tonight. Bronya and the others just messaged¡ªthey''re coming to shop. The Interstellar Peace Corporation folks too."


    As he spoke, he realized Xiangling didn''t know these people, and smacked his forehead.


    "Right¡ªyou don''t know them yet. No worries, you''ll meet them soon. Come on, time to help out."


    Xiangling ran into the kitchen. Noelle was already washing vegetables.


    Xiangling went to her familiar cooking station, tied on her apron, and started cooking.


    Half an hour later¡ª


    At Liyue Harbor, the place was packed. Basically, the entire city had gathered.


    Why? Everyone came to watch the spectacle.


    Osial had been dragged back and was now laid out at the harbor.


    He had regained consciousness¡ªand felt thoroughly humiliated.


    All these puny Liyue people were pointing and gawking at him, which made him very uncomfortable.


    But... the little gray-haired girl standing next to him was far too strong. Just thinking of how she split the sea and smacked him down made Osial choose to lie flat and behave.


    Besides, that guy Morax was here too.


    Forget it, forget it. There''s a saying: "A wise man knows when to retreat."


    Zhongli was also troubled over how to handle Osial. He could seal him again, sure, but what if someone broke the seal again?


    Killing him was no good either¡ªthe remains of a slain demon god would be problematic.


    Jing Yuan looked at Osial, thought for a moment, and said:


    "How about I take him and lock him up in the The Shackling Prison?"


    Zhongli pondered the suggestion for a moment.


    "Then I shall trouble you, General Jing Yuan."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "No trouble at all. Consider it a small favor."


    He hadn''t expected Liyue to be like this¡ªa place so similar to Luofu.


    It even felt reminiscent of the ancient days of the Xianzhou.


    Jing Yuan was quite fond of Liyue Harbor. Nestled between mountains and water, the scenery was beautiful and the environment well-preserved.


    ***


    Jing Yuan couldn''t help but think ¡ª maybe he could retire here in the future?


    That didn''t seem like a bad idea. Mr. Zhongli was the master of this place. If he asked for a small farm and a little house, surely Zhongli wouldn''t refuse.


    Ningguang and Keqing stepped forward and bowed slightly in front of Zhongli.


    "Current Tianquan Star, Ningguang, greets the Lord."


    "Current Yuheng Star, Keqing, greets the Lord."


    Hearing how the two women addressed him, Zhongli glanced at Hu Tao, who was playing card game with Amber and Eula nearby.


    No need to guess ¡ª it was definitely Hu Tao who spilled the beans.


    Fortunately, the place he was standing was rather hidden, under a small pavilion. Otherwise, if others saw...


    "Sigh~ Just call me Zhongli. I am merely a guest consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor ¡ª Zhongli."


    Ningguang and Keqing were smart enough to catch Zhongli''s hint ¡ª he didn''t want to reveal his true identity.


    "Yes, Mr. Zhongli."


    Zhongli nodded slightly, then looked at Osial.


    "Have the civilians cleared out first. As for Osial, I will handle it."


    Upon hearing this, Ningguang and Keqing responded:


    "Understood."


    They went off to instruct the Millelith to disperse the crowd that had gathered to watch.


    Once the people and soldiers had left, Zhongli stepped in front of Osial.


    "Transform into a human form."


    Osial snorted coldly.


    "Hmph! Why should I listen to you, Morax! A thousand years of hatred ¡ª how will you repay it?"


    Just as Osial was about to rise and roar into the sky, he saw that little grey-haired girl silently pulling out her flaming greatsword, smiling as she stared at him.


    Osial froze instantly and swallowed hard.


    Zhongli spoke again.


    "Transform, unless you want to suffer pain."


    This time, Osial obediently transformed into a human form.


    His human form was a burly man with a full beard, looking very rugged.


    After that¡ª


    The group headed to Wanmin Restaurant, using the portal inside to return to the train.


    Along the way¡ª


    Jing Yuan admired the bright lights and bustling streets, deeply enjoying the atmosphere.


    It was already night, the moon hung in the sky, and vendors were shouting their wares on the roadside.


    The passersby all wore smiles of happiness.


    Klee and the other little ones were running and laughing in the street.


    Jing Yuan really liked this kind of environment. Once upon a time, Luofu had a place like this too.


    It was called Jinren Alley. Jing Yuan still remembered ¡ª as a child, he often ran there to buy little snacks.


    Back then, even just a small treat, a Qiongshi Bird Skewer, could bring joy for a long time.


    Now that he was grown up, not even gourmet food could make him truly happy.


    That''s why he enjoyed spending time with Zhongli, Welt, and Ye Yun.


    Their interactions were equal, all friends. Sometimes they''d joke and tease each other.


    That kind of relationship¡ªwas something Jing Yuan hadn''t felt in a long time.


    Bai Heng, Yingxing, Jingliu, Dan Feng...


    As they walked¡ª


    The four little ones who were playing suddenly stopped at a vendor''s stall.


    Everyone looked over to see the four girls curiously staring at the sky lanterns on an old lady''s stall.


    "Granny, what is this?" Klee asked, biting her finger curiously.


    The old lady smiled kindly.


    "These are sky lanterns. The Lantern Rite is coming soon, and releasing these can bring peace and safety."


    Upon hearing that¡ª


    "Brings peace and safety? Klee wants to release one too! Granny, how much for a lantern?"


    The old lady chuckled.


    "You little cuties, Granny will give one to each of you for free."


    The four immediately shook their heads.


    "No, no, we can''t take your things for free!" Bailu waved her hands rapidly.


    But the old lady stuffed the lanterns into their arms.


    "It''s fine, they''re not worth much. I made them myself. Take them, be good."


    Bailu, after inspecting the old lady carefully, took out her medicine gourd and asked a nearby juice vendor for a cup, pouring some medicine into it.


    "Here, Granny, drink this. Consider it payment for the lanterns."


    Seeing that, the old lady liked them even more ¡ª so polite and well-mannered.


    "Alright, Granny will drink."


    Once Bailu saw her drink the medicine, she finally accepted the lantern.


    Zhongli watched this scene.


    "The Lantern Rite is coming in a few days. It''s the most important festival of the year in Liyue."


    He looked at Jing Yuan, Welt, and the others.


    "Would you like to come to Liyue then? Join us for the Lantern Rite."


    Jing Yuan and Welt answered right away.


    "Sure!"


    They continued walking and arrived at Wanmin Restaurant.


    On the second floor, they entered the portal¡ª


    And returned to Ye Yun''s store.


    At this moment, Ye Yun, Xiangling, and Noelle had already prepared many dishes.


    Tonight was all stir-fried dishes. With Ye Yun and Xiangling both cooking, it was fast ¡ª a dish came out every few minutes.


    Meanwhile, the Belobog crew and Topaz, along with Jade, were chatting and resting in the lounge.


    They had just arrived too.


    After learning that Bronya and the others had a good relationship with Ye Yun, Diamond immediately sent supplies to mend ties.


    Clearly, Belobog would soon thrive with Ye Yun''s help.


    Diamond''s move was a smart investment.


    As the saying goes ¡ª the more friends, the more paths.


    In the cold universe, more allies meant better survival.


    Topaz and Jade were in charge of delivering the supplies to Belobog.


    Thanks to support from the company, Belobog had quickly reclaimed the land Stelle had thawed with her power.


    They got a huge amount of building materials, and with help from the mechanical soldiers, a residential area was quickly built.


    Now, there were no more housing issues in Belobog.


    The entire Underworld, except for the mechanical units and Svarog, had moved back to the Overworld.


    After discussions between Topaz, Jade, Gepard, and Serval¡ª


    Bronya decided to stop mining the underground ores.


    Overexploitation could bring unimaginable disasters to Belobog.


    Jade suggested Bronya visit Ye Yun to explore new ways to grow the economy. Surely Ye Yun would have something.


    She also mentioned that the company could invest in building factories ¡ª but they''d only pay taxes, and profits would have nothing to do with Belobog.


    And so¡ª


    Bronya and the others came to Ye Yun''s store.


    Meanwhile, Topaz and Jade had struggled to collect more Stellar Jades lately.


    To be exact, treasure chests across the universe had suddenly disappeared.


    Yes ¡ª disappeared.


    Now, only a very few planets still had them.


    So this time, they only brought 3,000 Stellar Jades.


    The Ten Stonehearts had already discussed ¡ª this visit was for buying items that could improve their strength.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 - 51And the culprit behind the disappearing treasure chest¡ªour fun-loving god, Aha¡ªis currently holding the remaining 16 Destiny Coins, enjoying a "drama" he personally directed.


    That''s right, in just a short time, Aha had already handed out three more Destiny Coins.


    "Hahahahaha! Congratulations! You got the tails side! Boom boom boom!"


    A bolt of heavenly lightning struck down, instantly reducing a destitute general¡ªwho wasn''t even a Pathstrider¡ªto ashes.


    After laughing heartily, Aha took out another Destiny Coin.


    "Next up, which protagonist will appear? Aha is looking forward to it."


    Inside the train.


    Everyone was sitting together having dinner. Tonight''s meal was especially sumptuous¡ªYe Yun and Xiangling had stir-fried 12 different dishes.


    Each dish had generous portions. Ye Yun figured, since it was just their group eating, he might as well serve everything in large basins.


    Twelve basins of food and three pots of rice were placed on the table. Everyone helped themselves.


    The four little ones were chatting and eating at the same time¡ªtypical kids, unable to sit quietly even at the dinner table.


    Jing Yuan, Zhongli, and Welt each scooped a big bowl of rice, added some dishes on top, and stood chatting by the floor-to-ceiling window, having a great time.


    Jade, Topaz, Bronya, and others were also eating.


    Topaz was so engrossed in the conversation that she forgot about "Numby" (the small creature).


    Seeing this, Numby had no choice but to run over to the small spirits like the Fire Monkey, Bubu Flower, Rios, Little Firefly, and Blue.


    Ye Yun had prepared berries from a certain yellow-mouse world for the little spirits.


    These berries tasted pretty good and helped the spirits grow stronger.


    Numby approached, and Rios glanced at her before signaling Blue to give her a few berries.


    "Bluu~ Bluu~"


    Blue smiled and handed over the berries.


    Numby happily hopped a few times and started munching down.


    After dinner, everyone dispersed.


    Some went for tea and chess, some watched anime, some played video games, and some went to sleep.


    Stelle went over to the spirit incubator and placed the high-grade spirit core she had drawn earlier into it.


    She checked the time¡ª12 hours were needed.


    So, she left it to incubate and ran off to team up with Silver Wolf for some gaming.


    Bronya, Gepard, and others went to the mini-bar to shop for items that could help develop Belobog''s economy.


    Now that they had help from a company, Belobog no longer had to worry about sales channels.


    The only thing missing was a product¡ªa unique one.


    After browsing for a long time, they eventually chose something that surprised Ye Yun.


    How to put it¡ªthis thing would definitely sell if it went to market, but the initial returns might be slow.


    [Product: Icefield Deer Fawn]


    Description: A species from a certain fantasy world. The meat is incredibly delicious¡ªone bite and you''re hooked.


    Price: 50 star coins


    Bronya had brought 10,000 star coins this time and planned to spend it all on this.


    She had already made up her mind.


    It''s best to develop agriculture first. Belobog simply couldn''t afford the upfront investment required for industry.


    The biggest issue? Raw materials¡ªBelobog couldn''t supply them.


    Buy them? Sure, but what about the factory tech? Even producing items that match current market standards would be hard, let alone surpassing them.


    Belobog was like a small village in the modern world. Agriculture had to come first to lay the foundation for any industrial leap.


    Bronya remembered something Topaz told her yesterday:


    "Any civilization trying to skip the agricultural age and jump straight into the industrial era is committing civilizational suicide."


    So¡ª


    Bronya decided to take it step by step.


    If one generation isn''t enough, then two. If two can''t do it, then ten. Belobog would succeed eventually.


    She bought 200 Icefield Deer fawns and returned to Belobog with Gepard and the others.


    These deer required very specific environmental conditions¡ªconditions that Belobog happened to meet perfectly.


    Bronya planned to set up a ranch on the icefields to raise them.


    Once these deer matured, a large sum of funding would come in.


    And why was she so confident it would work?


    Simple¡ª


    Tonight, Ye Yun had made a dish using Icefield Deer.


    Everyone raved about it¡ªnot a single bite was left.


    Even the last bit of broth was scooped up by Paimon to mix with her rice.


    Not long after Bronya returned to Belobog, she received a message from Topaz.


    Topaz: Bronya, can you reserve two Icefield Deer for me?


    Bronya immediately agreed.


    In Ye Yun''s shop.


    Jade and Topaz came shopping. After exchanging their Stellar Jade, they asked Ye Yun to help them find something to strengthen their powers.


    "Ye Yun~ We''ve got a total of 30,000 star coins. Can you help us find something to boost our power?" Jade leaned on the counter charmingly.


    Ye Yun thought for a moment. There was something.


    He searched and pulled up an item.


    [Product: Equipment Enhancement Card]


    Description: An item from a certain game, used to upgrade and enhance equipment. Note: There''s a chance of failure. The higher the enhancement level, the higher the failure rate.


    Price: 10,000 star coins**


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Your powers are gem-based, right? Your Jade and Topaz gems count as equipment.


    This is a bit of a gamble, but if it works, your strength will definitely increase."


    It was expensive, but justifiably so.


    Even in fantasy worlds, this item could enhance high-grade weapons.


    Topaz was impressed. It seemed perfect.


    "Jade, let''s buy this. We''ll split it¡ªthree cards each."


    Jade smiled.


    "Alright, your call, little Jelena."


    She reluctantly stuffed 300,000 star coins into the vending slot.


    They disappeared, replaced with 30 Equipment Enhancement Cards in her hand.


    She handed three to Topaz.


    "Here, Jelena. These are yours. I''ll take the rest back for the others. We''ll count on you here from now on."


    That''s right.


    After a discussion among the Ten Stonehearts, it was decided that Topaz would be stationed permanently on the train.


    To that end, Diamond even spent a large sum to buy materials to build a new train car for Himeko.


    The only condition was that one room in the car be reserved for Topaz.


    Himeko naturally agreed¡ªwho wouldn''t accept such a good deal?


    Once the materials arrived tomorrow, she planned to get Welt and Clara to help with construction.


    Clara, now clutching the train blueprints Himeko gave her, was studying hard to avoid dragging things down.


    Later¡ª


    Jade disembarked, boarding a warship headed for Pier Point.


    ***


    Pier Point.


    Jade brought 27 Equipment Enhancement Cards into the highest-level conference room of the Strategic Investment Department.


    At this moment¡ª


    All members of the Stoneheart Ten, except Topaz, were present.


    Jade entered the meeting room and sat in her designated seat.


    Diamond looked over at her.


    "You got the goods?"


    Jade placed a briefcase on the table and opened it.


    "This is what Topaz and I bought. Three cards each¡ªTopaz already took hers."


    Jadeite distributed three Equipment Enhancement Cards to each person.


    Diamond examined the cards before him.


    "What do these do? I thought you''d bring back weapons or something."


    Aventurine was also curious.


    "Jade, you spent so much Stellar Jade, and all you brought back were these things that look like entry tickets?"


    Jade smiled charmingly and crossed her legs.


    "These are called Equipment Enhancement Cards. As the name suggests, they''re used to enhance and upgrade equipment.


    According to Ye Yun''s explanation, they come from a certain game world."


    The others didn''t quite understand what she meant.


    Aventurine leaned back slightly in his chair.


    "Jade, did you forget the plan we agreed on? We were supposed to get something that boosts our personal strength.


    These only enhance gear. They don''t improve our own abilities."


    Jade smiled calmly.


    "Don''t worry, Aventurine. Like I said¡ªthese are Equipment Enhancement Cards."


    As she spoke, Jadeite took out her Jade Stone, placed it in front of her, then pressed one of the cards against it. The stone began to glow brightly.


    She continued,


    "And our Stonehearts are considered equipment too!"


    As her words landed, the Equipment Enhancement Card vanished, and her Jade Stone had been successfully enhanced¡ªa small star symbol appeared on its surface.


    The others could sense the change¡ªthe energy within the stone had clearly become stronger. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aventurine looked at the card in his hand and laughed heartily.


    "Interesting! This came at the perfect time."


    He clenched the three cards tightly.


    This would give his plan in Penacony even more assurance.


    The others followed suit, using the cards to strengthen their own Stonehearts.


    Most of them succeeded twice. Jade and Diamond had better luck, both managing three successful enhancements.


    Except for Aventurine, who didn''t use any, only Pearl failed every attempt.


    Furious, Pearl slammed the table and glared at Jadeite.


    "Hmph! Don''t buy this junk again next time!"


    With that, he stormed out of the conference room.


    Opal removed his pacifier and scoffed.


    "Tsk, someone sure had bad luck. Jade, good job this time. These cards are perfect for us Stoneheart Ten."


    Then he turned to the others.


    "Everyone, if there''s nothing else, this meeting is adjourned."


    After the meeting, Jade and Aventurine went to a small tavern for a drink.


    The tavern was Aventurine''s property. Jade and Topaz often came here¡ªit was like a small base for the three of them.


    Jade gently stirred the spoon around her teacup, then looked at Aventurine.


    "Don''t tell me you plan to wait until you''ve infiltrated Penacony before using the cards."


    Aventurine shook his head.


    "No, no, no. I plan to use them after the judgment when the dust has settled."


    Jade sighed at the thought of the plan Aventurine had previously described.


    "You sure you want to take this kind of risk?"


    Aventurine sipped his wine.


    "Unless you have a better way to get inside?


    This is the best option. Even if I fail, you''ll have a perfect reason to step into Penacony.


    From the very start, we''ve already won. The only cost might be something small¡ªlike me dying there."


    Jadeite nodded.


    "Let''s hope I won''t have to collect your corpse."


    Sajin smiled.


    "Let''s hope."


    Luofu Xianzhou, inside the General''s residence.


    Jing Yuan returned home in high spirits¡ªtoday had been very satisfying. Drinking tea and chatting with friends was all he needed.


    He summoned his butler.


    "Pass down the order to gather all the Stellar Jade on the market. Also, have Yanqing lead a team to open treasure chests."


    The butler suddenly remembered something.


    "General, you may have forgotten. Last night, most of Luofu''s Stellar Jade was already taken by the girls from the Express team.


    Except for the Fyxestroll Garden and The Shackling Prison¡ªthose two places they didn''t visit."


    Jing Yuan froze. Oh right! The butler had told him this morning.


    He felt numb¡ªhe dropped the birdcage in his hand.


    "Then have Yanqing go now! Get all the treasure chests from those two areas and bring back the Stellar Jade!"


    Jing Yuan took a deep breath, nearly having a demonic outburst.


    What had he done?! That Stellar Jade should have been his!


    When he left earlier, he saw Xing, March 7th, and the others still lining up to shop.


    Now that he thought about it, they must''ve used the Stellar Jade they got from Luofu''s chests, right?


    Just thinking about it made his blood boil.


    I''m such a fool! I''ve failed the Xianzhou!


    No! I must hurry. I need to clear out all the treasure chests on the entire ship tonight!


    Midnight.


    Though Jing Yuan had already gone to bed, he suddenly sat up and slapped himself hard.


    I really am an idiot! Back when the butler reported the situation, I even compensated those residents who were bothered by the girls!!!


    He tossed and turned the entire night, unable to sleep.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, March 7th, and the others were happily spending money in Ye Yun''s shop.


    March 7th walked up to the bar with her star coins.


    "Ye Yun, what do you think I should buy? I want to power up."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "How about a new weapon?"


    March 7th perked up.


    "What kind of weapon? Let me see."


    Ye Yun tapped away on a screen. A beautiful longbow appeared before her.


    [Item: Hou Yi''s Bow (Replica)


    Description: Crafted by a top craftsman from a certain mythological realm, this replica of the legendary Hou Yi''s Bow boasts incredible destructive power.


    When drawn, it automatically generates Solar Arrows.


    Solar Arrows automatically lock on and ignore defenses below Emanator level.


    Bonus Skill: Rain of Arrows ¨C unleashes dozens of Solar Arrows in a designated area. (Note: This skill consumes a large amount of the user''s stamina.)


    Price: 150,000 Star Coins]


    March 7th''s eyes lit up. This was perfect!

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52 - 52March 7th didn''t hesitate at all¡ªshe immediately pulled out 150,000 Star Coins and bought Hou Yi''s Bow.


    Even though it was a replica, it was still powerful enough: it ignored defenses below the Emanator level, could automatically generate arrows, and even auto-track targets!


    It was practically the dream weapon for an archer like March 7th.


    She was overjoyed after getting the bow. Now she could show off just like Stelle!If she had Hou Yi''s Bow back when fighting Abundant Ebon Deer, the battle probably would''ve been way easier.


    Holding the bow, March 7th was itching to find a monster to try it out on.


    Unfortunately¡ª


    After the battle at the Arbor of Luofu, most of the forces from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had already been wiped out.


    Next up was Lumine''s turn to shop.


    She directly bought a pill called "Unsealing Pill", enough to fully restore all her sealed powers.


    Right after receiving it, she grabbed a whole handful and popped them into her mouth, chewing loudly.


    In an instant, all of Lumine''s sealed power was restored.


    Paimon was thrilled to see her recover.


    "That''s great, Lumine! Your powers are finally back!"


    Lumine nodded happily. Finally, she had the strength to get revenge on that woman.


    She could barely wait to rush over and give that woman a good beating to vent all her frustration.


    But... then she remembered¡ªlast time, even with her brother in a 2v1, they had still lost. That instantly made her lose steam.


    No! She needed to work harder to earn more Star Coins and strengthen herself. Then she''d have the power to truly take revenge!


    Hadn''t Stelle done the same?Grinding madly for Star Coins and opening chest after chest, that''s how she got so strong.


    Enemy appears? No words, just Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed.


    Still not enough? Easy¡ªAnnihilation Mode.


    Still not enough? Dual-Core Stellaron, activate!


    At this point, Stelle''s strength was enough to go toe-to-toe with lower-level Emanators.


    Lumine reached into her pockets.


    Sigh... broke again.


    Paimon saw this and comforted her.


    "It''s okay, Lumine~ We''ll just earn more Star Coins! Come on, let''s go see what Stelle gets from her pulls!"


    Lumine nodded and followed Paimon outside the train.


    At that moment¡ª


    Out in the open space near the train, a crowd had gathered.


    Stelle had just spent 320,000 Star Coins to buy 320 "Trash Can Brand" Scratch Cards.


    She laid all of them out on the open ground.


    Somehow she''d even found a table and set up a small altar on top, with three sticks of incense burning. She was praying sincerely.


    Next to her, a huge speaker was blasting the song "Good Luck is Coming."


    Everyone had come to watch the spectacle¡ªcurious to see what Stelle would get.


    After finishing her incense ritual, Stelle approached the first row of scratch cards.


    Each row had ten. Thirty-two rows in total. The scene was truly massive.


    Without hesitation, Stelle went for a warm-up 10-pull.


    "Come on, give me something good!!"


    Ten beams of dazzling light flashed.


    And then... 10 cans of surstr?mming (fermented herring) appeared neatly on the ground.


    Stelle gasped sharply.


    No way¡ª10 surstr?mming right out the gate?! What kind of terrible luck was this?!


    Nearby, March 7th, Lumine, and Amber all burst out laughing.


    "Pfft¡ªhahahaha! Stelle, what kind of garbage luck is this? Ten cans of stinky fish?! HAHAHA!"


    "Exactly! Even durians would be better than this!"


    Stelle flailed in frustration.


    This was absurd! Was her luck going to be garbage for the whole session?


    With a grim resolve, Xing made up her mind. Screw it¡ªopen them all!


    She dashed around the field like lightning, opening one trash can card after another.


    She didn''t even look at the items¡ªjust kept opening nonstop.


    Golden light flashed across the field, illuminating the previously dim space.


    Then suddenly¡ªStelle stopped in her tracks.


    Wait... something good just came out?!


    She turned back and saw one of the trash cans glowing with a brilliant red light.


    This was the first time Stelle had ever seen red!


    Ye Yun was stunned.


    No way... did Stelle actually pull something rare from that junk?


    Everyone was drawn by the beam of crimson light.


    Ye Yun looked closely¡ªand saw that Stelle was holding a core.


    [Item: Weapon Fusion Core]


    Description: Can be implanted into a weapon. After implantation, the weapon gains the ability to absorb traits from up to three other weapons.


    Note: Maximum absorption level: Immortal-grade weapons.Price: 500,000 Star Coins


    Stelle ran up to Ye Yun, cradling the core.


    "Ye Yun! Ye Yun! Did I hit the jackpot?!"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "You sure did. This is one of the best items you can get from Trash Can Brand scratchers."


    Paimon was curious.


    "How much is that thing worth?"


    Ye Yun held up five fingers.


    Paimon guessed, "Five thousand?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Fifty thousand?"


    Still no.


    Paimon''s eyes widened in shock.


    "No way¡ª500,000?!"


    Ye Yun nodded again.


    "Yup. This baby is worth 500,000 Star Coins.


    Put it this way¡ªif Stelle can find three Immortal-grade weapons and fuse them into Judgment of Shamash...


    Even just with Judgment of Shamash, if she goes all-out, she could actually go toe-to-toe with a Emanator-level being."


    Why did Ye Yun say Stelle would need to go all-out to do that?


    Simple¡ªher body couldn''t handle the recoil from a weapon fused with three Immortal-grade weapons.


    We''re talking Immortal-grade weapons here!


    The entire crowd was stunned by Ye Yun''s words.


    What?! That item was that strong?!


    March 7th stared at the Weapon Fusion Core in Stelle''s hand in disbelief.


    "Stelle, you''re totally cracked now."


    Amber agreed.


    "Yeah, those Emanator-level beings are insanely powerful!"


    Just then¡ª


    Himeko chimed in.


    "It is powerful, but there''s a catch. Like Ye Yun just said, Stelle needs to find three Immortal-grade weapons first.


    An item this powerful won''t come cheap." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Exactly. Immortal-grade weapons are incredibly rare¡ªonly high-level worlds even have them.


    I do have some in stock though¡ªthe cheapest starts at 1 million Star Coins."


    After hearing that, the others finally felt a bit better.


    To achieve the potential Ye Yun described, Stelle would need to spend at least 3 million Star Coins.


    And 3 million Star Coins was not easy to earn.


    Just earlier, they''d heard from Jade and Topaz that many treasure chests in this world had mysteriously vanished.


    Even with the full power of the Interastral Peace Corporation, they''d only managed to collect 300,000, and it was getting harder and harder to find more.


    Ye Yun glanced at Stelle, who was looking mighty smug with her prize.


    "Alright, Stelle, you''d better stash that for now. You''ve still got half your scratchers left to open."


    Stelle cheerfully tucked the Weapon Fusion Core into her storage ring and went back to scratching.


    Klee, watching nearby, tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Big bro Ye Yun~ Klee wants to open trash cans too~"


    ***


    When Ye Yun heard that Klee also wanted to play, he bought 10 "Trash Can" scratch cards for the four little ones.


    "Here, go have fun."


    The four little ones gathered around their 10 scratch cards, chirping excitedly about what they hoped to get.


    Over on Stelle''s side:


    After that god-tier lucky pull earlier, everything Stelle got afterward was very ordinary.


    Things like resource cards, computers, some furniture, and various miscellaneous items.


    You could say they had some value, but... Stelle couldn''t use them.


    Seeing this, Hu Tao spent 1,000 star coins to buy a computer voucher card from Stelle.


    This voucher could redeem 1,000 computers.


    The specs of this batch of computers were much better than the ones Silver Wolf had sold her before.


    Hu Tao planned to find Ningguang to rent a place and expand the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Internet Caf¨¦.


    After about half an hour, everyone helped Stelle sort through the prizes.


    Himeko looked at the mountain of canned herring piled beside them and couldn''t help but tease:


    "Stelle, looks like that fusion core pulled all your luck out~"


    Stelle, who was eating durian, looked up and spread her hands helplessly.


    "I didn''t want this either~"


    She glanced at the mountain of canned herring and, after thinking a bit, decided to store it.


    That stuff could still come in handy in certain situations... right, Your Highness?


    Kong: speechless.


    Everyone helped sort through Stelle''s loot while also checking if there was anything they could use, offering star coins to buy stuff from Stelle.


    Stelle, of course, welcomed this. At least she could get some of her money back.


    Right now she was broke¡ªevery star coin she had was spent on those scratch cards.


    And, to be fair, there really were some fun little things in there that interested everyone.


    Once the place was tidied up, they helped the four little ones arrange their scratch cards in an open space.


    Klee and Hook got three each; Diona and Bailu got two each.


    This was Bailu''s distribution method. In her words:


    "Miss Diona and I are older than you two, so we''ll take a loss and only get two."


    The four little ones stood next to their trash cans, and everyone watching smiled knowingly.


    These little ones were the joy of the group, always bringing laughter.


    March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others even cheered them on, wishing they''d get what they hoped for.


    Ye Yun rubbed Klee''s little head.


    "Klee, you go first."


    Klee nodded happily, stood on tiptoe, and forcefully opened the trash can lid.


    As the lid lifted, a flash of golden light appeared, leaving behind a blueprint.


    The blueprint detailed a bomb design.


    Klee was thrilled and immediately grabbed it, about to run off¡ªtotally forgetting she still had two more to open.


    Ye Yun picked her up and tapped her little nose.


    "Klee, there are still two more. Open them first, then study the bomb, okay?"


    Klee blinked, remembering.


    "Klee forgot! I''ll open them now!"


    Probably eager to study the bomb, Klee opened the last two scratch cards at once.


    Suddenly¡ªtwo red beams shot into the sky.


    Everyone was stunned.


    March 7th pinched her arm hard.


    "Ow, ow, ow¡ªwait! Is this luck even legal?!"


    Hu Tao gulped.


    "I don''t think so. Stelle opened so many and only got one..."


    Stelle looked at the two red beams and suddenly burst into wild laughter.


    "Hahahahaha! I knew it¡ªI really am cursed! Hahahaha!"


    Amber looked at Stelle, who was on the verge of losing it, and tried to comfort her.


    "Stelle, your luck is really good... it''s just that Klee''s is better.After all, her constellation is the lucky four-leaf clover."


    Stelle heard this and felt a bit better.


    Ah, so it''s not that I''m unlucky... it''s just that Klee is ridiculously lucky.


    The red beams faded, revealing a book and a small kitten.


    Ye Yun checked the prize info:


    Item: Magic Grimoire. Description: Contains all the magic from a high-tier magical world, including many forbidden spells and divine arts. Price: 490,000 star coins


    Item: Magical Kitten. Description: A magical cat from a game world that helps its owner learn magic. Significantly boosts magic learning speed. Price: 490,000 star coins


    Ye Yun didn''t know what to say after reading that. That level of luck? What''s left to say?


    Only one thing: Klee, of course.


    Suddenly, a digital voice echoed in Ye Yun''s mind:


    [Notice! System update in real-time! Update details as follows: Klee is now banned from using any items obtained through luck-based rewards!!!]


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue.


    Tsk tsk... Klee''s luck was so insane, the system blacklisted her.


    Especially those three exclamation marks at the end¡ªouch.


    The magical kitten jumped onto the Magic Compendium and lay down on it.


    A glow shimmered across the surface of the compendium, lifting both the book and the kitten into the air.


    The kitten, balancing on the book, flew to Klee''s side, meowing and rubbing its head against her.


    Lumine asked Ye Yun curiously:


    "Ye Yun, how are those two items?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "How are they? You''re really asking that? Red beams don''t lie.Let me put it this way: together, those two are worth 980,000 star coins.At this rate, Klee could be at her mom''s level in just a month."


    When Lumine heard 980,000, she involuntarily took a few steps back and gasped.


    "What?! 980,000 star coins?!"


    Everyone else was stunned by the number too.


    That amount... was beyond imagination.


    You could say that since Ye Yun arrived, everyone''s total combined star coin gain didn''t even reach that number.


    But Klee? She only spent 3,000.


    Wait¡ªno. The scratch cards were a gift from Ye Yun.


    Thinking of that...


    Stelle suddenly started to wonder¡ªdid Ye Yun choose these cards for Klee?


    After all, the scratch cards came from him.


    Ye Yun noticed Stelle''s suspicious look and said, exasperated:


    "Don''t give me that look. I can''t control these things¡ªI just sell them. I have no idea what''s inside.


    If I did, would I sell them? I''d use them myself!"


    Stelle thought about it and nodded. True.


    The magical kitten rubbed against Klee again, and suddenly, Klee''s mind filled with foreign knowledge. A strange power flowed through her.


    "Heavenly Fire Descent?"


    Klee murmured, stretching out her little hand and shouting at the sky.


    The next second¡ª


    The sky changed color, and a swarm of meteors suddenly rained down.


    Welt and Ye Yun quickly acted to gather up the meteors¡ªotherwise, the entire Herta Space Station might''ve been leveled.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53 - 53Klee, the very instigator of the chaos, suddenly went limp and fainted.


    Fortunately, Ye Yun reacted quickly and caught her in time.


    He carefully picked her up, looking at the peacefully sleeping Klee in his arms, and smiled helplessly.


    Even though this little one had learned powerful magic, her physical strength still couldn''t keep up. Just one use, and she passed out.


    At that moment, Himeko walked over, glanced at the sleeping Klee, and gently took her from Ye Yun''s arms.


    "I''ll take her. I''ll carry her back to rest."


    The other three little ones saw Klee had fainted and immediately abandoned their scratch cards, hurrying after her.


    They followed Himeko closely, asking in soft voices:


    "Sis Himeko~ Is Klee gonna be okay?" Hook blinked her big, worried eyes.


    Himeko smiled gently.


    "She''s fine. Klee''s just tired. Do you still want to open your trash cans?"


    The three little ones looked at each other. Diona said:


    "Forget it, let''s not. We''ll go rest with Klee," Bailu added.


    Hook and Diona nodded in agreement.


    Then, Himeko carried Klee and took the three little ones back to rest.


    Ye Yun glanced at the seven remaining unopened trash cans, then looked at Lumine, Amber, and the other girls who were clearly itching to try.


    "You guys go ahead and have fun."


    With that, Ye Yun turned and walked back onto the train, ready to rest. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as the girls heard him say that, they rushed toward the trash cans.


    Lumine was the fastest, grabbing one instantly, her face lighting up with mischievous glee.


    From an outsider''s view, she looked completely like a gleeful gremlin¡ªimage totally gone.


    "Hehe, little trash can~ I wanted to play but had no money, and now I get one for free? Lucky~ Even if I get canned herring, I''ll take it!"


    The others grabbed one each too.


    Hu Tao leaned close to one trash can, knocking on the lid and listening to the echo, wondering what she''d get.


    "With my Hall Master luck, I''ve got to get something useful, right?"


    Amber said from the side:


    "Why don''t you open it and find out?"


    Hearing that, Hu Tao opened the trash can. A flash of golden light¡ªand a Hydro Vision appeared before her eyes.


    Hu Tao rubbed her eyes, barely believing it.


    Lumine, witnessing the scene, immediately imagined Hu Tao casting Vaporize reactions all by herself.


    Hu Tao was already strong¡ªnow with a Hydro Vision on top of her Pyro one?


    Lumine figured she must now be at least at the level of a divine beast''s follower.


    Amber''s eyes lit up when she saw the Hydro Vision. Only someone with a Pyro Vision would understand what it meant to Vaporize solo.


    "Wow! Hu Tao, you actually pulled a Hydro Vision? That''s crazy lucky!"


    Hu Tao scratched the back of her head, stuck out her tongue, and smiled.


    "Hehe, just got lucky~"


    Amber couldn''t wait to see it in action.


    "Hu Tao, try it out¡ªlet''s see what it can do!"


    Hu Tao hooked the Hydro Vision onto her waist, pulled out her Staff of Homa, and poked it at a nearby wooden crate.


    Then she spun around¡ªboth her Pyro and Hydro Visions flaring at once.


    Two elemental serpents¡ªone blue, one red¡ªwrapped around her weapon.


    With one thrust, the dual-element spears lashed toward the crate.


    The moment they struck, a loud explosion rang out, followed by a cloud of thick steam.


    As the steam cleared, the wooden crate was reduced to powder.


    Amber was stunned with envy. Vaporize, all on your own? That was something she had only dreamed of.


    And now... she had witnessed it in real life.


    Amber turned to her own trash can, clasped her hands, and closed her eyes in a sincere prayer.


    "May the Anemo Archon bless me¡ªplease let me pull a Hydro Vision too!"


    With hopeful anticipation, Amber opened the lid.


    A flash of golden light¡ªAmber froze, her face falling as she saw what she got.


    Lumine peeked over and smirked.


    "Ohho~ I mean, your prayer kind of worked? It''s water-related, at least. Don''t you think, Amber?"


    Lumine mischievously picked up the water gun Amber had drawn and gave it a playful squirt.


    Seeing Lumine''s smug face, Amber burst into tears.


    "Waaaah!!! Why does Hu Tao get a Vision and I get a water gun?!"


    Lumine ran around with the water gun, gleefully squirting here and there.


    "Amber, how about I buy your water gun for 1 star coin?"


    Amber, hearing Lumine still daring to tease her, immediately pulled out her longbow, notched an arrow, and lit the tip.


    "Lumine! You''re asking for it!!"


    Lumine thought Amber was just bluffing and kept playing.


    Suddenly¡ª


    She felt a burst of heat near her ear¡ªan arrow, trailing fire, had just missed and landed in a nearby container.


    "Hiiiss!!" Lumine sucked in a breath. Uh-oh... looks like she pushed too far.


    "Amber! Calm down!"


    But Amber wasn''t hearing it. She loosed another arrow.


    Lumine dodged quickly.


    "No calming down! Lumine, you''re dead!!"


    Lumine fled in panic, Amber chasing close behind.


    As Lumine ran, she begged Eula, Stelle, and the others for help.


    The girls, however, all shrugged. You started it¡ªdeal with it yourself.


    Meanwhile, the others had gathered by Eula. Stelle and March 7th had already opened their trash cans and unlocked... something new.


    Cow Stomach Soup.


    The smell alone nearly made them vomit on the spot.


    To Stelle, this stuff was even more lethal than canned herring.


    Stelle turned to Eula.


    "Eula, you haven''t opened yours yet?"


    Eula nodded.


    "I''m just about to."


    She opened her trash can, revealing a capsule inside.


    Eula picked it up.


    "What is this thing?"


    Stelle took it and examined it.


    "Some kind of medicine? Let''s ask Ye Yun."


    So, aside from Amber and Lumine still causing chaos, the rest returned to the train.


    Eula found Ye Yun and showed him the capsule.


    "Ye Yun, what is this?"


    Ye Yun took a look.


    Item: Experience Capsule. Description: A special item from a certain game world. When fed to a spirit creature, it greatly boosts its growth rate. Price: 10,000 star coins


    Ye Yun explained, pointing at Blu by Eula''s feet:


    "It''s an experience capsule¡ªfor Blu. Feeding it to him will greatly speed up his growth.If all goes well, he should evolve."


    Eula was surprised¡ªshe hadn''t expected to pull something for Blu.


    She knelt down and handed the capsule to Blu, gently patting his little head.


    "Blu, would you like this?"


    "Blu blu~" Blu nodded eagerly, clearly enjoying the affection.


    Eula gave him the capsule.


    ***


    Blu ate the experience capsule.


    In an instant¡ª


    Blu was enveloped in a white light, and its body began to change.


    After a few minutes, an elf who looked very similar to Blu appeared in front of Eula.


    "Blu~ Blu~"


    Blu had completed its evolution and became Blukuku.


    Blukuku reached out its little hands to hug Eula, looked up, and smiled sweetly at her.


    Eula patted the little one''s head, noticing a brilliant blue gemstone had appeared on it.


    Ye Yun said:


    "This is Blu''s evolved form, Blukuku. Alright, if you don''t have anything else, I''m going to rest."


    The girls shook their heads.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun turned and headed to his room.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, March 7th, and Eula went to the sofa lounge area to relax.


    As usual, Stelle plopped herself directly onto her exclusive "trash can" sofa.


    Lying on the couch, Stelle looked at Blukuku, who was playing with Eula, and suddenly had a thought flash through her mind.


    "What do you think about us organizing a little spirit competition?"


    Hu Tao shook her head immediately.


    "I don''t think that''ll work¡ªI don''t even have a little spirit yet."


    Eula placed Blukuku in her arms, using one hand to gently tease its chin.


    "A competition would need lots of people, right? With just a few of us, it wouldn''t be much of a match."


    Hearing that, Stelle temporarily gave up on the idea. Yeah, there weren''t enough people or spirit yet, so a competition wouldn''t be any fun.


    They played a while longer, then each returned to their rooms.


    ¡ªThe scene shifts to Liyue Harbor''s Wanmin Restaurant.


    Hu Tao, feeling a bit hungry after returning and already being at Wanmin Restaurant, asked Xiangling to make hotpot. The two sat at a table near the street outside the first floor and chatted while eating.


    The dining area on the first floor of Wanmin Restaurant was an open space right next to the street.


    "Xiangling, I think you should add this hotpot to your menu. Business will definitely boom."


    Xiangling nodded thoughtfully¡ªit made sense. She had learned this hotpot recipe from Ye Yun.


    Liyue had spicy dishes before, but nothing like hotpot.


    "That''s a good idea. If I do this, it''ll also take some load off my dad."


    Hu Tao picked up a piece of beef and popped it in her mouth, immediately feeling satisfied.


    "Ah~ so good, muamua~"


    At that moment, a white-haired woman with golden eyes walked down the street outside the railing. Her dignified aura made passersby naturally step aside.


    This woman was none other than the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.


    Originally, Sustainer of Heavenly Principles had been monitoring the False Sky from Celestia.


    Suddenly, she sensed an immensely powerful energy erupting in Liyue.


    So she secretly descended to Liyue, curious to investigate.


    Before she knew it, she had arrived at Wanmin Restaurant and spotted Hu Tao and Xiangling enjoying hotpot by the street.


    Leaning against the railing, Hu Tao saw Asmode too.


    Their eyes met, and Hu Tao waved.


    "Hello there!"


    Asmode nodded coldly in response and was about to walk away¡ªI am the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles! I do not accept handouts!


    Just then, a delicious aroma wafted into her nose.


    "Gurgle gurgle~" Her stomach let out two thunderous growls.


    Seeing this, Hu Tao said,


    "Hey friend, want to come eat with us?"


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles looked at Hu Tao, about to refuse. But Hu Tao continued cheerfully,


    "Come on, come on! No worries!"


    She got up and gently pulled Asmode to the table.


    Xiangling also brought over a new set of tableware for her.


    "Can you use chopsticks? Want me to get you a knife and fork instead?"


    Hu Tao picked up some beef and placed it in Sustainer of Heavenly Principles''s bowl.


    "No need to be shy. In Liyue, we say: ''A guest is a guest, no matter where they''re from.'' When traveling, anyone can run into trouble."


    "I''ll even take you to Yujing Terrace later to report your lost items¡ªmaybe we can help you find them."


    Yes.


    Hu Tao and Xiangling had assumed Sustainer of Heavenly Principles was a traveler who had run into hardship¡ªlost her wallet or something like that.


    Hu Tao thought: What else could it be? Didn''t you hear that stomach growl just now? Loud enough to shake ten streets!


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles looked at the beef in her bowl, then at the two warmhearted girls inviting her to eat.


    Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she decided to eat just a little. Just a little.


    After all, how could she let down such warm hospitality?


    Half an hour later¡ª


    Hic~


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles leaned back in her chair with a satisfied expression, her small hands gently rubbing her stuffed belly.


    Looking at the towering stack of empty dishes, Hu Tao and Xiangling were now completely convinced that she was a traveler who had fallen on hard times.


    No one knew just how much she had eaten¡ªHu Tao felt her appetite could rival even Paimon''s.


    Incredible. Truly terrifying.


    The three chatted while eating. Hu Tao even warmly invited Sustainer of Heavenly Principles to stay at her place for the time being.


    Wait until she felt better, then she could move elsewhere.


    As they sat and chatted, Sustainer of Heavenly Principles mostly listened while Hu Tao and Xiangling shared little stories from their everyday lives.


    After a break, Hu Tao and Xiangling began clearing the table.


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles stood up to help too.


    She might be of high status, but that didn''t mean she lacked common courtesy, alright?


    After cleaning up, Hu Tao said goodbye to Xiangling and led Sustainer of Heavenly Principles toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    "Hey, you can stay at my place for now. There''s a spare room next to mine¡ªI''ll get you new bedding and everything."


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles looked at Hu Tao, who kept chatting and making arrangements for her, and a warm feeling surged in her heart.


    That feeling... wasn''t bad at all.


    Her lips curled into a subtle smile, a rare hint of emotion showing on her face.


    Half an hour later¡ª


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles and Hu Tao arrived back at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Just as they entered, Sustainer of Heavenly Principles noticed the flickering lights of an internet caf¨¦.


    "What''s this?"


    Seeing Sustainer of Heavenly Principles''s curiosity, Hu Tao said:


    "That''s one of our side businesses¡ªan internet caf¨¦. It''s where you can play games. If you''re interested, just go in and give my name to the clerk."


    Sustainer of Heavenly Principles nodded and followed Hu Tao further inside.


    They arrived at a quiet courtyard, far from the internet caf¨¦.


    Next to Hu Tao''s room, she lit a lantern in the adjacent room.


    "Here, you can stay here for now. Tomorrow I''ll get you an electric lamp¡ªit''s more convenient. I''ll also bring you some fresh bedding. Take a rest for now. See you in a bit!"

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54 - 54Hu Tao soon returned with the bedding. After getting everything ready for Unknown God, she yawned and headed back to sleep.


    Asmode looked around the room. The little house wasn''t luxurious¡ªvery simple, in fact¡ªbut it gave her a warm feeling inside.


    Pulling the covers over herself, Unknown God quickly drifted into sleep.


    Sun rose, moon fell.


    Morning arrived the next day.


    Unknown God woke up early and peeked into Hu Tao''s room, only to see the vine-like spirit sprawled out in all directions, fast asleep.


    A fan sat by the bed, gently blowing cool air onto Hu Tao.


    Unknown God quietly closed the door and decided to wander around.


    Wandering a bit, she soon found herself at the entrance of the internet caf¨¦.


    She had been curious about it since yesterday, and now seemed like a good time to take a look.


    So, Unknown God walked into the internet caf¨¦.


    The moment she stepped inside, a wave of noise hit her.


    "Hey net admin! Bring me a cup of instant noodles¡ªpickled cabbage flavor!"


    "You''re still playing that old mini-game? Everyone''s into Meteor, Butterfly, Sword now, nobody touches that anymore."


    "Take this¡ªmy sword strike!"


    The internet caf¨¦ was bustling, packed with people immersed in their screens.


    One of the front-desk girls noticed Unknown God and approached her.


    "Hello there! Are you here to use the internet?"


    Unknown God glanced around at all the happy, absorbed people using computers. She nodded.


    "Mm."


    She wanted to give it a try¡ªwanted to understand what made this thing called a "computer" so fun.


    The girl smiled and said,"Alright, it''s 998 Mora for half an hour. How much would you like to top up?"


    Mora? Unknown God thought. What''s that?


    "I don''t have Mora."


    The girl chuckled awkwardly.


    "Ah, sorry... we need payment for access."


    Just then, Unknown God remembered what Hu Tao had said yesterday.


    "Hu Tao told me to give her name."


    The girl''s expression lit up immediately.


    "Oh, you''re a friend of the Hall Master! No problem at all."


    She led Unknown God in."Let me get the computer started for you. Where would you like to sit?"


    Unknown God glanced around and picked a single-person booth by the window.


    The girl set up the machine, then brought her a cola and a bag of chips.


    Anyone who came with Hu Tao''s name didn''t need to pay, and they''d even get a complimentary iced cola and chips.


    "If you need anything, just press this button. Someone will come help you. Enjoy your time!"


    After the girl left, Unknown God looked at the cola and chips¡ªnot that interested at first.


    She turned to the glowing computer screen but had no idea how to operate it.


    So¡ª


    Unknown God quietly activated her divine power and secretly peeked at how others were doing it.


    Coincidentally, a nearby young girl had just started using a machine and opened a game called Audition Online.


    Unknown God mimicked her and opened Audition too.


    The screen flickered, and the tutorial mode began.


    Lively music started playing, and characters on-screen began to dance.


    Unknown God discovered that if she pressed all the correct keys for a round, the character would dance¡ªif she failed, the avatar would stomp in frustration.


    Her eyes sparkled. Interesting!


    She stared at the keyboard and pressed each key with careful precision.


    Unfortunately, she was a little slow¡ªmissed the round.


    But now her competitive spirit had been awakened.


    "Today, I will beat this!"


    Asmode threw herself into the challenge.


    Soon, she advanced from "watch-and-play" to "blind play" level.


    After all, there were only five keys to remember.


    Finally! After more than half an hour, she completed the beginner tutorial.


    She slapped the table, joy written all over her face.


    "Nice! I did it!"


    After immersing herself so deeply in the game, Unknown God now felt a bit thirsty and hungry.


    She looked at the untouched cola and chips and decided to try them.


    She opened the chips first, sniffed one, and popped it into her mouth.


    The moment it touched her tongue¡ªher eyes lit up.


    "Mm! This is delicious!"


    Then she turned to the cola.


    Slurp~ slurp~


    Unknown God felt all her cells bursting with excitement. She let out an astonished shout.


    "This!!! What is this magical drink? It''s amazing!"


    Without pause, she bit the straw and sucked furiously.


    "Ahh~ so refreshing! This cola with chips is the perfect combo."


    Sadly, it was gone too fast.


    So she pressed the call button.


    Soon, a young girl from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor arrived¡ªit was the daughter of a staff member, working part-time to support her family.


    "Hello, how can I help you?"


    Unknown God waved her hand grandly.


    "Bring me one¡ªno, five bags of chips!And five more colas!"


    The girl smiled brightly.


    "Alright, that''ll be 2,000 Mora. Please make your payment."


    Unknown God froze.


    Oh no. I don''t have any Mora.


    She grew a little embarrassed. What should she do? The girl was still smiling at her expectantly.


    What now?! What do I do?!


    At that moment, she spotted Zhongli outside through the window, casually walking a bird.


    Perfect!


    She reached out¡ªand suddenly, Zhongli was yanked from outside into the booth.


    Before he could react, Unknown God pointed at him.


    "You can go ahead and fetch it, he will pay."


    The little girl recognized Zhongli immediately¡ªhe was a big shot at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    "Alright! Just a moment, please."


    The girl ran off with a skip.


    Zhongli finally processed what just happened. When he looked at Unknown God, his pupils contracted in shock.


    "It''s... you!!! What are you doing here?!"


    Unknown God gave him a sideways glance.


    "What do you mean ''you''? Go pay the bill already. Can''t you see I''m busy?"


    She refocused on the game, entering a beginner room and clicking the "Ready" button.


    Zhongli forced himself to stay calm. After a moment, he sighed and went to the front desk.


    He told the front-desk girl, "Put all expenses from booth #3 under Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. This guest is a VIP."


    The girl, surprised by how serious Zhongli looked, quickly nodded and agreed.


    Once it was settled, Zhongli picked up the five bags of chips and five colas, took a deep breath, and returned to Unknown God''s booth.


    He stepped inside.


    Unknown God glanced at him.


    "Just put it on the side."


    She was still laser-focused on her game.


    Zhongli placed the items down and remained standing, planning to have a serious talk with her once this round ended.


    ***


    Very quickly, Unknown God finished a round of the game.


    The result was self-evident¡ªshe came in last.


    Unknown God looked unhappily at herself beside the podium, only responsible for throwing confetti.


    She, the dignified sustainer of heavenly principles, relegated to tossing flowers for others? No way! Absolutely not!


    Especially since the first-place winner even sent a public message:


    [Bunch of noobs, especially the one who came last!]


    Unknown God''s anger was instantly ignited!


    "You''ve got a big mouth, huh? Don''t you dare leave the room¡ªI won''t rest until we settle this!"


    Just as Unknown God was about to click the "Ready" button again¡ª


    Zhongli spoke up.


    "Why have you come to Liyue?"


    Unknown God looked at Zhongli and resumed her previously aloof demeanor.


    "No reason, just an inspection. I''ve already heard the news from Hu Tao.


    Do me a favor."


    Zhongli asked, "What is it?"


    Unknown God said, "Help me ask that Ye Yun if there''s a way to repair the False Sky.


    If this is done, I can overlook what Liyue has done previously."


    Zhongli nodded in agreement.


    "Alright."


    He walked out of the private room and glanced back at Unknown God, who was now fiercely engaged in another match.


    Zhongli let out a long sigh. Fortunately, this matter seemed resolved, and Liyue wouldn''t have to suffer divine punishment.


    But looking at the girl inside¡ªjust like Silver Wolf, a total gaming addict¡ªhe still couldn''t quite believe that she was the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, who ruled over Teyvat.


    Zhongli turned and left the internet caf¨¦, intending to find Ye Yun and ask about a way to repair the False Sky.


    Instead of heading straight to Ye Yun, Zhongli walked toward Hu Tao''s room.


    He needed to have a good talk with her¡ªhow could she just bring someone back without saying anything?


    Ten minutes later¡ª sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhongli was chased out of Hu Tao''s room in disgrace.


    He had just told Hu Tao not to bring random people back again.


    Naturally, Hu Tao wouldn''t agree¡ª"I''m the director here, okay! Besides, I was being nice!"


    And then¡ª"I''ll dock your pay!"


    Faced with Hu Tao''s threat to dock his salary, Zhongli had no choice but to drop the matter.


    Sigh... what a mess.


    Outside the back door of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, in an empty area, Lumine''s RV was parked.


    Just waking up, Lumine opened the window. Warm sunlight and fresh air flooded in.


    She stretched lazily, enjoying the morning air and loosening up her body.


    She opened the door, unfolded the outdoor table and chairs, and set up the canopy.


    After that, she went to the bathroom to wash up.


    Once done, she headed to the stove and set a pot of water to boil¡ªshe planned to cook noodles later.


    Last night, she had run into Xiangling, who happened to be making noodles, right when she returned via portal.


    So Xiangling gave her some.


    With the water boiling, Lumine walked to the driver''s seat.


    On the dashboard, she had a few pots of green plants. She picked up a watering can and gave them a light spray.


    Then¡ª


    She headed to the bedroom, looked at Paimon who was still sleeping sprawled out, and picked her up.


    "Paimon, time to wake up."


    Paimon opened her eyes sleepily and yawned.


    "Lumine, what''s for breakfast?"


    Lumine was speechless. Classic Paimon¡ªthe first thing after waking up is asking about food. Impressive.


    "Noodles. Go wash up, and keep an eye on the pot afterward. I''m heading out to buy some vegetables¡ªwe''re out."


    Paimon woke up fully.


    "Okay~"


    Lumine looked in the full-length mirror to check her appearance.


    Hmm! Perfect!


    She left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and headed toward Chihu Rock.


    Xiangling had said that Chihu Rock always had lots of street vendors, and the vegetables were freshly picked and super cheap.


    As Lumine walked down the street, she listened to the conversations around her.


    "The Rite of Descension is almost here. Time flies. I wonder what decree the Archon will deliver this year?"


    "I have no idea. We just do what the Archon says."


    "Exactly. The Archon''s decisions have always been right."


    "Liyue is the best. The Archon appears every year. Over in Mondstadt, who even knows where the Anemo Archon''s gone."


    Lumine thought to herself¡ª


    The Rite of Descension? Oh¡ªso they''re talking about Zhongli.


    But yeah, Zhongli''s way more reliable than Venti.


    Soon, she arrived at Chihu Rock. The variety of street vendors dazzled her.


    In the end¡ª


    Lumine bought a huge pile of vegetables. She couldn''t help it¡ªthey were just too cheap! In Mondstadt, a single cabbage costs 600, but here it''s only 100!


    Tsk tsk! Liyue really is rich.


    On the Astral Express¡ª


    Ye Yun and the crew were having breakfast with the four little ones.


    Stelle and March 7th each held a bowl of noodles while standing near the Essence Incubator.


    The high-level essence Stelle placed yesterday was about to hatch.


    Finally!


    The timer on the incubator hit zero, and the chamber opened. A small red sprite appeared inside.


    "Mika~ Mika~"


    The moment Stelle saw Mika, she was completely won over by its cuteness.


    "Wow! So cute!"


    She set down her bowl and picked Mika up, spinning around happily.


    The commotion caught Ye Yun''s attention.


    He looked over¡ªand his eyes widened.


    "Mika!!!"


    Ye Yun had a shocked expression.


    Stelle really is the protagonist¡ªshe even got Mika!


    Himeko noticed Ye Yun''s reaction and asked,


    "What''s wrong, Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun slowly explained:


    "You guys don''t know¡ªthis sprite is called Mika. It''s a Light-type, and it ranks among the very top of all sprites."


    Everyone was stunned.


    Whoa¡ªso Stelle really did hatch an exceptionally rare one!


    Hearing Ye Yun''s explanation, especially the part about "top tier among all sprites," made Star love Stelle even more.


    Her luck was just too good!!!


    She looked at her Fire Monkey and picked it up as well¡ªhugging one sprite in each arm, completely satisfied.


    Both her sprites had incredible potential. Perfect!


    She silently made a decision in her heart¡ª


    She would become the ambassador for spirit promotion! Everyone who visits Ye Yun should leave with a spirit.


    Then she could organize a grand sprite tournament. She would show up with Mika and the Fire Monkey¡ªdominating all opponents. That would be... totally fire!


    At that moment¡ª


    Mika rubbed its tummy, looking unhappy.


    Stelle got the message.


    "Mika, are you hungry? Come on, I''ll get you something tasty."


    She carried Mika and the Fire Monkey into the kitchen, opened the spatial fridge, and took out a few berries.


    Mika sniffed the fruit and took a small bite.


    With that first bite, its eyes lit up. It hugged the huge berry¡ªbigger than itself¡ªand started munching away.


    Next to it, the Fire Monkey also began happily eating a berry.


    Stelle patted both little ones on the head.


    "Eat! Eat lots! The more you eat, the faster you''ll grow!"


    Mika and Fire Monkey responded with a happy cry and sped up their feasting.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55 - 55Luofu, inside the General''s Mansion.


    Jing Yuan sat up in bed, looking exhausted.


    He hadn''t slept well at all last night. After thinking about it the whole night, he finally came to terms with it.


    So what if the treasure chests were taken? After all, they were unowned. Whoever defeated the monsters guarding the chests had the right to claim them.


    After freshening up, Jing Yuan looked at himself in the mirror¡ªhis face was marked with heavy dark circles.


    At that moment¡ª


    The secretary approached.


    "General, Lord Yanqing has returned."


    Jing Yuan nodded slightly.


    "Let him in."


    The secretary bowed and stepped back.


    Jing Yuan casually washed his face again, then went to lie down in the pavilion in the backyard.


    Not long after¡ª


    Yanqing entered with a team of Cloud Knights, each holding a small chest.


    Yanqing stood before Jing Yuan and bowed.


    "General, the task is complete. All treasure chests across Luofu have been collected.


    Though for some reason, there seemed to be a lot fewer chests than expected."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "I''m aware. The chests are indeed fewer. They were opened by Stelle and the others."


    Yanqing''s mind immediately conjured up images of the Astral Express crew.


    "So it was them.


    Right, General, there''s something I don''t understand."


    Jing Yuan glanced at Yanqing.


    "What is it?"


    Yanqing asked,


    "Why did you instruct me to collect all this Stellar Jade? Isn''t it just decorative?"


    Jing Yuan waited until the Cloud Knights around them had dispersed before slowly explaining the situation with Ye Yun''s shop.


    Upon hearing this, Yanqing instantly lost his composure.


    "This is true?! General, doesn''t that mean we missed out on a massive amount of Stellar Jade?!"


    Jing Yuan smiled bitterly and shook his head.


    "Indeed. But we can''t blame anyone. The treasure chests were unowned.


    Yanqing, from now on, whenever you''re free, take a team and patrol Luofu¡ªyou might still find treasure chests in some corners."


    Yanqing accepted the order.


    "Yes! Also, there was a recent major battle near the Starwatcher Avenue. There might be some Stellar Jade left behind there.


    General, I''ll go check it out."


    Jing Yuan nodded, and Yanqing took his leave.


    Afterward, Jing Yuan opened the chests Yanqing had gathered and summoned a few Cloud Knights.


    With several boxes of Stellar Jade in hand, Jing Yuan headed to Ye Yun''s shop aboard the Astral Express.


    He had his eye on a few items since yesterday, intending to buy them all today.


    But now, judging by his funds, it seemed he wouldn''t be able to afford everything.


    He''d have to think carefully about what to buy.


    To think he once could splurge on everything¡ªnow he had to pinch pennies. What a pain!!!


    On the Astral Express


    After breakfast, Stelle and March 7th dove into a portal, off to play in Belobog.


    Ye Yun and the others cleared the table and went about their own business.


    Ye Yun returned to his room, left Rios to watch the door, and began cultivating.


    Noelle was busy cleaning the shop.


    Welt and Dan Heng headed to the library to read.


    Himeko brought the four little ones and Clara to the lab Ye Yun had prepared for Clara.


    Klee was planning to study the blueprint she''d acquired yesterday, with Yuumi fluttering around her.


    That''s right¡ª


    The cat Klee got was none other than Yuumi from League of Legends.


    However, it had a slight twist¡ªthis Yuumi had a special function: it could directly teach Klee magic (though it couldn''t speak).


    But this magic-learning ability wasn''t unlimited¡ªit could only be used once a month.


    When Jing Yuan arrived on the Express, he found only Noelle in the shop.


    Noelle quickly greeted him.


    "Good morning, General Jing Yuan."


    She gave a knightly salute.


    Jing Yuan smiled in return.


    "Good morning, Noelle. Where is Ye Yun and the others?"


    Noelle thought for a moment, counting on her fingers.


    "Mr. Ye Yun is cultivating, Himeko took Klee and the others to the lab, Mr. Welt and Dan Heng are in the library. Who would you like to see?"


    Jing Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly.


    "I''m here to see Ye Yun. I want to buy a few things."


    He patted the chests he had brought with him.


    Noelle''s eyes lit up with joy.


    Noelle! It''s time to prove yourself! A customer! Let''s make this sale!


    "If you''d like to shop, please follow me. I''m a staff member and can assist you."


    Jing Yuan was pleased.


    "Great. Thank you, Noelle."


    Noelle smiled gently and gestured.


    "Please, let''s exchange your Stellar Jade first."


    Following Noelle, Jing Yuan exchanged all his collected Stellar Jade for a total of 180,000 Starcoins.


    Holding the 180,000 Starcoins, Jing Yuan began shopping.


    Noelle pointed to a touchscreen and explained,


    "Here you can view all item details. Please take your time. I''ll prepare some tea for you."


    She turned to the small bar area and began brewing tea.


    Jing Yuan moved to the touchscreen and started browsing the catalog.


    Soon, Noelle returned with the tea and poured him a cup.


    Jing Yuan accepted it and thanked her, downing the small cup in one sip.


    Noelle quickly refilled his cup.


    Jing Yuan drank tea while browsing.


    Before long, he found something that caught his eye:


    [Item: Qingling Pill Recipe]


    Description: A medicinal recipe from a xianxia world. This pill clears the mind and suppresses inner demons.


    Note: Only one may be consumed per person. A second dose will have no effect.


    Price: 150,000 Starcoins.


    If it really worked, it could potentially help with the "Mara, Long-Life Curse."


    Many Xianzhou people succumb to that condition due to emotional breakdowns¡ªessentially being overtaken by inner demons.


    This pill might just help suppress that.


    Jing Yuan spent 150,000 Starcoins to purchase it.


    Moments later¡ª


    A scroll appeared in his hand.


    Opening it, he read:


    [Qingling Pill Recipe] Ingredients: Qingling Flower (3 qian (11.19? Gram)), Guling Grass (1 qian (3.73? Gram))...


    The full list included over 30 different ingredients.


    Looking at his remaining 30,000 Star Coins, Jing Yuan knew he had to be frugal now.


    He decided to purchase 10 sets of ingredients to bring back and have the Alchemy Division study them.


    Who knew? Some of these ingredients might already exist in Luofu.


    If so, he''d only need to buy the ones that weren''t available there.


    That would save him a lot of money!


    Having finished his purchase, Jing Yuan smiled and bid farewell to Noelle.


    "I''ll be going now. Thanks for the hospitality, Noelle.


    Oh, and when Ye Yun''s done, please tell him to check his phone¡ªI left him a message."


    Noelle nodded.


    "Understood. I''ll be sure to let Mr. Ye Yun know. Farewell, General Jing Yuan."


    Jing Yuan turned and boarded a Star Skiff back to the General''s Mansion, scroll and recipe in hand.


    Along the way, he held his formation blade tightly, staying alert.


    At the slightest sign of danger, he was prepared to summon his Divine Companion.


    ***


    Back at the General''s Mansion.


    Jing Yuan asked the secretary to summon the current head of the Alchemy Commission.


    Before long¡ª


    The secretary arrived with the head of the Alchemy Commission, but there was an extra person.


    Upon hearing that Jing Yuan wanted to see someone from the Alchemy Commission, Fu Xuan had tagged along as well.


    She said it was to check on Jing Yuan and see if he was ill.


    In truth, she just wanted a break. Ever since she had taken the position of acting general, she hadn''t had a moment''s peace¡ªalways dealing with governmental affairs.


    Fu Xuan sized up Jing Yuan, who was sipping tea. He didn''t look like someone with a problem.


    "General, why did you summon someone from the Alchemy Commission?"


    Jing Yuan took out the Qingling Pill recipe and ten sets of medicinal ingredients and handed them to the head of the Alchemy Commission.


    Fu Xuan frowned slightly as she looked at the pill recipe Jing Yuan had handed over.


    What is this? Could it be a pill formula?


    Before she could ask, Jing Yuan said to the head of the Alchemy Commission:


    "This is a recipe for the Qingling Pill, which can suppress the Long-Life Curse-body. See if it can be refined."


    Fu Xuan was immediately unsettled upon hearing the pill''s effect.


    "What?! General, this Qingling Pill can really suppress the Long-Life Curse-body?"


    Jing Yuan nodded slightly.


    "It''s true. So¡ªcan your Alchemy Commission refine it?"


    The head of the Alchemy Commission closed the pill recipe.


    "It can be done, but..."


    Jing Yuan noticed the head hesitating and asked:


    "But what?"


    The head replied:


    "Only one person in the Alchemy Commission is capable of refining this pill, and that is Lady Bailu.


    But Lady Bailu has been missing for several days."


    Jing Yuan nodded in understanding. That meant he''d have to return to the train.


    Bailu should currently be playing in the train''s laboratory.


    Jing Yuan took back the recipe and ingredients.


    "I know where she is. You may return. I''ll go find her."


    The head of the Alchemy Commission bowed and left the General''s Mansion.


    Fu Xuan was very curious¡ªhow did Jing Yuan know where Bailu had gone?


    According to intelligence, Bailu had been taken by a mysterious individual, and until now, there had been no news of her.


    "General, wasn''t Bailu taken by a mysterious person?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Come with me. Bailu is closer than you think¡ªshe''s currently aboard the Astral Express."


    Fu Xuan froze for a few seconds. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So the one who ''kidnapped'' Bailu... is actually someone from the train crew?


    No¡ªlooking at the General''s attitude, it probably wasn''t a kidnapping, or he wouldn''t be so relaxed."


    Soon after, Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan boarded a Starskiff headed for Starwatcher Port.


    At the same time¡ª


    Inside Starwatcher Avenue.


    "Ten Thousand Swords: Skyfall!"


    Yanqing controlled his flying swords to slay several Mara-Struck Soldier.


    He retracted his swords and turned to the cold, eyepatch-wearing woman behind him.


    "Big Sis, it''s all clear now. Let''s keep moving."


    Yanqing had originally come to Starwatcher Avenue to collect Stellar Jade, but unexpectedly, he had found traces of Blade here.


    Following Blade''s trail, he encountered this woman.


    She was none other than Jingliu, returning to Luofu. Jingliu replied softly:


    "Alright."


    The two continued forward, with Yanqing slaying many leftover Mara-Struck Soldier from the last major battle.


    They even found a few treasure chests along the way, harvesting several dozen pieces of Stellar Jade.


    Turns out Yanqing was right¡ªthey hadn''t really looted the treasure chests in Starwatcher Avenue.


    Mainly because the terrain here was complex, and finding treasure chests took too much time.


    So Stelle and the others had just looted a few along the main roads before moving on to areas like the Changle Palace and the Central Starskiff Haven.


    At the pier, Yanqing suddenly changed his tone and turned around with a serious face.


    "Tell me¡ªwhy have you come to Luofu?


    Your steps are steady, your breathing calm, and you remained composed in the face of danger. You''re no ordinary person.


    I suggest you come clean, or don''t blame my sword for showing no mercy!"


    Jingliu looked at Yanqing with an appreciative gaze.


    "When did I ever say I was an ordinary person?


    Young man, I told you¡ªI came to Luofu to visit an old friend."


    As she spoke, she glanced at the sword in Yanqing''s hand and shook her head.


    "You''re no match for me¡ªjust as you''re no match for Blade.


    Let''s go. With me by your side, you''ll be safe."


    Yanqing snorted coldly. He was a once-in-a-century sword prodigy of Luofu!


    "Hmph, we''ll only know who''s stronger after a match."


    Jingliu smiled at that.


    "Very well. Let''s have a match."


    Yanqing sheathed his sword.


    "Fine, follow me."


    Jingliu looked at the young but sharp-edged Yanqing and was rather pleased.


    Not bad¡ªat least he had the spirit a swordsman should possess.


    Soon after, Jingliu followed Yanqing to the Artisanship Commission.


    Yanqing pointed at a tall platform in the distance.


    "The Cloud Knights reported that a small group of survivors from the previous war, remnants of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, are holed up here. Let''s each take a route and see who gets there first."


    Jingliu agreed.


    "Alright. You go first, or else I''m afraid you''ll lose terribly."


    Yanqing, seeing how she underestimated him, made up his mind to go all out this time¡ªto show her what a true prodigy looked like!


    He summoned his flying sword and charged ahead.


    A minute later, Jingliu flicked her hand¡ªher Ice blade appeared.


    In the blink of an eye, she vanished.


    When she reappeared, she was already ahead of Yanqing. The Mara-Struck Soldier blocking the way hadn''t even realized what happened before they were all slain with one stroke.


    Jingliu kept swinging her sword, killing all in her path.


    When Yanqing arrived moments later, he saw the battlefield littered with corpses and Jingliu standing there, sword in hand.


    "No way! When did she get ahead of me?"


    Jingliu turned to look at him.


    "Young man, you need to pick up the pace."


    As she finished, she vanished again.


    Yanqing hurried to catch up.


    All along the path, he found only corpses. This made him feel a bit anxious.


    Seems like he had really encountered a master.


    Pushing himself harder, Yanqing finally reached the high platform after a few more minutes.


    There, he saw Jingliu standing calmly, still eager for more battle.


    "Young man, how about it? Ready to admit defeat?"


    Yanqing snorted.


    "Take this!"


    He launched his strongest strike, only for Jingliu to casually deflect it, shattering his sword energy.


    Jingliu looked at him with satisfaction.


    Not bad¡ªhe had potential. Jing Yuan''s judgment wasn''t wrong.


    Then¡ª


    "Young man, dare to take one from me now?"


    At the same time, she released her aura, enveloping Yanqing.


    In his heart, a voice screamed: "Run! Run!"


    But Yanqing gritted his teeth and held onto his sword.


    "Bring it on!"


    Jingliu smiled and leapt into the air.


    "Young man! Catch this!"


    With that, she slashed down with a serious strike.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56 - 56Inside the train.


    Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan boarded the train.


    Led by Pom-Pom, the two arrived at the second floor of the party car, stopping at a room labeled "Clara''s Exclusive Laboratory."


    Inside the room.


    Himeko and Clara were assembling a mech that stood about as tall as a person.


    Klee was studying a new type of bomb using tools like pliers and wrenches.


    She had just made one, but the result wasn''t ideal¡ªthere was no mushroom cloud.


    Hook was tinkering with her digging machine, trying to swap out a part.


    Was she worried she wouldn''t be able to put it back together? Not at all¡ªHimeko and Clara were here, weren''t they?


    Diona was mixing all sorts of strange ingredients into a test tube to make cocktails. After creating one, she''d ask "Shut Up" to deliver it to Venti for a taste test.


    Why not deliver it herself? She was worried Venti might die¡ªhe''s allergic to cat fur.


    Bailu was making medicine, experimenting with high-tech equipment instead of the traditional alchemy furnaces from the Alchemy Pavilion.


    Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan arrived.


    They immediately spotted Bailu working on her medicine.


    "Dragon Lady."


    Hearing someone call her, Bailu turned around.


    "General, are you looking for me?" Bailu pointed at herself.


    Jing Yuan smiled and nodded, walking over with Fu Xuan.


    "Mm, what are you working on?"


    Bailu showed her results to Jing Yuan.


    "General, look. I made this wound-healing powder using Clara''s equipment. It''s really effective at treating external injuries."


    Fu Xuan picked up a packet of the medicine to examine.


    "Bailu, have you confirmed its effects?"


    Bailu nodded and pointed to a cage with a small white mouse.


    "Confirmed. Regular knife wounds heal in just three seconds~ This recipe was given to me by Ye Yun. What was it again? From which world?"


    Bailu wracked her brain but couldn''t remember which world Ye Yun had mentioned. She turned to Diona.


    "Diona, do you remember which world Ye Yun said this medical compendium came from?" Bailu pointed to the thick book on the table.


    It was over 10 cm thick, full of various medicinal recipes.


    Diona thought for a moment, then shrugged.


    "I forgot too. Just ask Ye Yun later."


    Bailu looked a bit troubled.


    "Well~ I guess that''s all we can do."


    Fu Xuan grew curious upon hearing about the compendium.


    "Bailu, can I take a look at your book?"


    Bailu nodded.


    "Sure."


    She and Fu Xuan were close¡ªBailu often snuck off to play at the Divination Pavilion, and whenever the Alchemy Pavilion people came looking for her, Fu Xuan would cover for her.


    So they didn''t bother with formal titles.


    Fu Xuan opened the book. The first recipe was the wound-healing powder.


    After reading a bit, Fu Xuan was surprised to find that she didn''t recognize any of the ingredients.


    She was the Master Diviner, after all¡ªshe knew a fair amount about medicine.


    Seeing Fu Xuan''s confused expression, Bailu explained:


    "These ingredients don''t exist on the Xianzhou. I used the ones Ye Yun bought for me."


    Klee chimed in:


    "That''s right! Big Brother Ye Yun told me earlier that if we need materials, we can just go to the store¡ªhe left 100,000 starcoins with Sister Noelle for us to use!"


    Bailu nodded.


    "Exactly."


    Fu Xuan nodded and flipped a few more pages. Apart from the wound powder, the rest of the recipes were for curing minor illnesses.


    Bailu turned to Jing Yuan.


    "By the way, General, why were you looking for me?"


    Jing Yuan was still amazed that Ye Yun had given the kids 100,000 starcoins just for materials.


    Tsk tsk, so rich. A whole 100,000 starcoins! Just for materials? Truly enviable.


    Fu Xuan noticed Jing Yuan spacing out and said:


    "We bought a new pill recipe. Can you see if you can make it?"


    She took the recipe from Jing Yuan and handed it to Bailu.


    Bailu carefully read it over.


    "This one''s pretty simple. Did you bring the ingredients? I can make it right now."


    Fu Xuan beamed and handed her 10 portions of ingredients.


    Bailu took them and made a "shh" gesture.


    "Fu Xuan, General, please wait downstairs. I''ll have Noelle call you when it''s done."


    Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan nodded and followed v to the first floor of the party car.


    Sitting down, Fu Xuan crossed her arms.


    "General, it''s time you told me about this train crew. You were here all day yesterday, weren''t you?"


    How did she know that? Simple¡ªjust look at Noelle.


    Noelle served Jing Yuan a cup of tea.


    "General Jing Yuan, this is the tea you said you liked yesterday. Try it."


    Jing Yuan scratched his head awkwardly and chuckled.


    Crap¡ªNoelle, could you please shut up?


    If Fu Qing found out he dumped all his work on her and was just relaxing here... the consequences would be unimaginable.


    Quickly, Jing Yuan changed the subject and told Fu Xuan about Ye Yun''s shop and the otherworldly visitors like Zhongli. It wasn''t really a secret anyway.


    Fu Xuan listened.


    "I see... I didn''t expect this train crew to be hiding so many secrets. General, have you arranged for anyone to collect Stellar Jade?"


    Jing Yuan''s expression changed.


    "I''ve already ordered all the Stellar Jade to be gathered."


    Fu Xuan looked relieved.


    "Good. How many Star Coins do we have now?"


    Jing Yuan silently took out 30,000.


    "This is all that''s left."


    Fu Xuan counted it, then gave Jing Yuan a suspicious look.


    "General, that number doesn''t seem right. Luofu couldn''t possibly have only this little. I remember seeing a ton of treasure chests."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "There was more. I also bought the recipe for the Cleansing Pill¡ªit cost 150,000."


    Fu Xuan nodded. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That was worth buying. If Bailu can make it, the strength of our entire Xianzhou Alliance will improve."


    It wasn''t about numbers, but quality. Many veteran soldiers of the Xianzhou had lingering issues from years of battle.


    Normally, they weren''t deployed unless there was a major war.


    But if Bailu could make the Cleansing Pill, those veterans could return to the battlefield as regular forces.


    Fu Xuan thought about it. Still, something didn''t add up¡ªsurely there was more than just 180,000 Star Coins?


    "General, there must be more. Luofu''s Stellar Jade shouldn''t be limited to this."


    ***


    Jing Yuan dawdled for a while but eventually chose to tell the truth.


    "Fu Xuan, do you remember yesterday when we helped the train crew girls with the compensation?"


    Fu Xuan recalled for a moment.


    "Yes, I remember. I saw that document. And? There''s a connection between the two events?"


    Jing Yuan paused and said:


    "It''s because Stelle and the others disturbed the residents late at night by opening treasure chests, that''s why we had to pay compensation."


    Fu Xuan''s eyes widened ¡ª in other words, that 180,000 was basically all the star credits left in the entire Luofu?


    Fu Xuan couldn''t accept this! How could such a massive Luofu Xianzhou only have this bit of star jade left!?


    "No way! I''m going to ask Stelle and the others to return it!"


    She made a move as if to leave, but Jing Yuan stopped her.


    "Fu Xuan, treasure chests are unclaimed goods by nature."


    Hearing this, Fu Xuan stopped and sighed.


    Indeed, treasure chests are ownerless ¡ª whoever opens them gets them.


    Jing Yuan consoled her.


    "Alright, Fu Xuan, let''s think of another way to earn Stellar Jade."


    Fu Xuan could only accept this suggestion.


    The two of them then sat by the bar counter near Noelle and discussed how to make money.


    Fu Xuan suggested notifying all trading fleets to keep an eye out for Stellar Jade, and as long as the asking price was reasonable, bring it back.


    Jing Yuan thought this was a good idea and planned to notify Yukong upon returning.


    Half an hour later.


    Bailu came running down the stairs quickly ¡ª tap tap tap ¡ª very fast.


    Jing Yuan immediately got up and stood at the bottom of the stairs to catch her, afraid she might fall.


    "Be careful, take the stairs slowly."


    Bailu grinned.


    "Hehe, it''s fine, General! I''m super strong! General, I finished refining the Qingling Pills ¡ª 10 portions of ingredients made 30 pills. You can take them for testing."


    Jing Yuan received the pills, visibly pleased.


    "Thank you for your hard work, Dragon Lady."


    Bailu cheerfully shook her head.


    "No problem~ Anything else? If not, I''m going back to play upstairs~"


    Jing Yuan affectionately ruffled her little head.


    "Go ahead. We''ll head back and test the medicine."


    Seeing that the Qingling Pills were successfully made, Fu Xuan also let out a breath of relief.


    "Bailu, thank you. We''ll be going now."


    Bailu waved goodbye to them.


    "Bye-bye, General~ Bye-bye, Sister Fu Xuan~"


    Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan said farewell and left the train, taking a star skiff back to the General''s Manor.


    In the afternoon.


    Ye Yun ended his closed-door cultivation and stepped out of the room. Seeing Rios standing by the door, Ye Yun smiled.


    "Thank you, Rios."


    Rios shook his head.


    "No problem. How did it go?"


    Ye Yun gave a thumbs up.


    "Pretty good. Where are Klee and the others?"


    Rios replied:


    "They''re still in the lab. Around noon, Xiangling and Conductor Pom-Pom made them lunch."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun felt relieved.


    "Alright, I''ll go see what they''re up to."


    With that, Ye Yun entered the shop.


    Just as he reached the small bar, Venti called out to him.


    "Ye Yun, the old man is looking for you."


    Ye Yun responded:


    "Zhongli? What does he want with me?"


    Venti spread his hands.


    "No idea~ He''s chatting with Mr. Welt in the reception room."


    Ye Yun nodded in understanding.


    "Alright, you go ahead and drink. I''ll go see what''s up."


    Venti nodded and went back to drinking.


    Ever since the issue with Dvalin was resolved, Venti had basically been either at the bar in Ye Yun''s shop, at Noelle or at Diluc''s Angel''s Share every day. After that battle with Dvalin, Diluc had completely driven the Abyss Order out of Mondstadt.


    Mostly thanks to Diluc, who was ruthlessly targeting them.


    Having trained with the Wind Spirit Technique for some time now, Diluc had reached the level of a demigod.


    Ordinary Abyss Mages couldn''t last a few moves against him, let alone Abyss Heralds.


    Ye Yun entered the reception room, and as soon as he walked in, Topaz greeted him.


    She had set up a small desk in the corner by the door, with a computer on it.


    "Hi~ Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun looked over.


    "Topaz, what are you doing?"


    Topaz placed Numby on the floor and replied:


    "Working. Ugh, I don''t know why, but many treasure chests across the universe are disappearing. It''s a pain collecting Stellar Jade."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "I don''t know much about that. No rush, take your time ¡ª my shop''s right here."


    Topaz nodded with a grin.


    Ye Yun looked at the small setup Topaz had made for herself.


    "You made yourself a little office here?"


    Topaz nodded.


    "Yeah, it''s quiet here ¡ª good for work."


    Ye Yun thought about it and agreed.


    Klee and the others usually never entered the library or the reception room.


    The library required silence, and Topaz would inevitably speak while working, so the reception room really was the best choice.


    She had already discussed this with Ye Yun, and he agreed ¡ª it was just a 5-square-meter space.


    Usually, only Ye Yun, Jing Yuan, Zhongli, and Welt hung out in the reception room, so there was plenty of space.


    Ye Yun gave Numby a few pats.


    "Alright, carry on. I''ll go ahead."


    Topaz nodded and returned to her work.


    Ye Yun walked further in and found Zhongli chatting with Welt.


    Ye Yun sat down.


    "Zhongli, Venti said you were looking for me?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes, here''s the thing..."


    Zhongli then explained everything about Unknown God. After hearing it, Ye Yun thought for a moment and proposed two options.


    "I have two solutions ¡ª hear me out."


    Zhongli replied:


    "I''m all ears."


    Ye Yun slowly said:


    "First, I do have a way to patch the False Sky ¡ª just buy a magic-isolating array. It''s not expensive, 200,000 star credits.


    Second... you guys could consider immigrating. Either purchase a livable planet in this world or find an unclaimed one and terraform it."


    Zhongli''s eyes lit up ¡ª the immigration idea aligned with something he had considered before.


    Indeed, rather than stay and keep facing the Abyss, moving might be the best solution.


    If they changed worlds entirely, would the Abyss really be able to follow?


    Zhongli asked:


    "How much would it cost to buy a habitable planet?"


    Ye Yun looked toward Welt ¡ª he didn''t know the answer.


    Welt replied:


    "I''m not too sure either."


    At that moment, Ye Yun thought of something and shouted:


    "Topaz! Topaz!"


    Topaz, working in her "office," stuck her head out.


    "What is it, Ye Yun? You called?"


    Ye Yun asked:


    "Does your company sell habitable planets?"

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57 - 57Topaz perked up.


    "Oh yeah, we do! Why, Ye Yun¡ªare you thinking of buying one?"


    Ye Yun shook his head with a smile and pointed at Zhongli beside him.


    "Not me¡ªhe is. What''s the lowest price?"


    Topaz replied:


    "Hold on, let me check the internal network for you."


    One minute later, Topaz walked over with her laptop.


    "The cheapest option is a life-supporting planet named Amos III.


    Amos III has a land area of 80 million square kilometers, with oceans covering 170,000 square kilometers.


    Its geography and terrain are well-formed, the climate is pleasant, and the soil is fertile. The only downside is a lack of mineral resources.


    Mr. Zhongli, if you want to buy it, I can give you an internal price¡ª50 billion credits.


    That''s the lowest price. You can see for yourself¡ªthe internal network lists it at 60 billion, and it''s 70 billion on the public market."


    Zhongli stared at that long string of zeros and immediately gave up on the idea.


    "Uh... I don''t have enough funds."


    Topaz chuckled.


    "No worries, I have another payment method.


    With just 300,000 star credits, you can buy Amos III. Tempting, right?"


    Zhongli was tempted, but his wallet wasn''t.


    "Uh... I''ll think about it."


    Topaz nodded cheerfully.


    "Sure! Take your time. If you decide to buy it later, just let me know¡ªI''m always nearby."


    Ye Yun looked at Zhongli and smiled.


    "So? Which option do you want to go with? It''s a lot more convenient to buy directly through Topaz¡ªjust pack your bags and move in. You could even ask her to throw in extras, like building a house or something. She''ll definitely say yes."


    Zhongli pondered for a moment.


    "I''ll go talk to Unkown God about it first."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "Alright then. Up for a game?" Ye Yun pulled out a chessboard from under the table.


    Zhongli''s lips curved up slightly¡ªthis amateur was asking for another beating.


    "Let''s play."


    Zhongli wasn''t in a hurry to leave anyway¡ªUnknown God was probably still in the internet caf¨¦ gaming.


    The three of them started a game of chess.


    At the Seat of Divine Foresight.


    Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan had just returned when a Cloud Knight rushed in with a report.


    "Report! General! Someone has broken into the Shackling Prison!"


    Jing Yuan immediately headed there¡ªafter all, the prison held many dangerous criminals.


    "Fu Xuan, you stay at the Seat of Divine Foresight to oversee things. I''ll go to the Shackling Prison."


    Fu Xuan nodded. This was their usual arrangement:


    One held down the fort and managed the overall situation, while the other led the action on the ground.


    Considering the gravity of the situation, Jing Yuan was the better choice to investigate.


    Half an hour later, at the Shackling Prison.


    Jing Yuan stood with his hands behind his back.


    "Those who step into this place are either jailers or inmates. Which are you?"


    Before him, a blonde man slowly stepped forward.


    "Neither. I''m merely a traveler who''s lost his way."


    The man was none other than Luocha.


    Jing Yuan looked down at Luocha from above.


    "What an elaborate diversion¡ªthe Stellaron, the Arbor, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, and the Lord Ravagers...You almost succeeded in drawing everyone''s attention away.


    I almost forgot the seemingly unimportant question¡ªwho brought the Stellaron into the Xianzhou?


    Wasn''t it you, the spawn of the Abundance?"


    Luocha smiled calmly.


    "My power indeed comes from Abundance¡ªbut like you, I am also an enemy of the Abundance."


    With those words, Luocha turned his back to Jing Yuan and spread his arms.The lone ceiling light shone down on him, casting a brilliant glow.


    As his words fell, snowflakes began to drift down, and a woman''s voice rang out.


    "That''s right, Jing Yuan. Don''t get in our way¡ªthis time, we''ll strike the Abundance down once and for all!"


    Jing Yuan looked at the newcomer, his pupils trembling.


    "You?! How can it be you?!"


    He ordered the surrounding Cloud Knights to withdraw.


    "What are you here for this time?"


    Jingliu answered.


    "I already said¡ªwe''re here to bring down that exalted Abundance."


    Jing Yuan asked:


    "What''s your plan?"


    The two then revealed their intentions.


    After hearing them out, Jing Yuan was stunned¡ªit was an insane plan. A massive game of chess, played on the level of gods.


    "Give me some time to consider this."


    Luocha nodded slightly.


    "This is a serious matter. Take your time, General¡ªwe still have plenty."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    Then he turned to Jingliu.


    "Your Mara-struck state..."


    Luocha interjected.


    "Just a little trick of mine."


    Jing Yuan glanced at Luocha. This guy was very suspicious¡ªbetter not trust him yet.


    Then, Jing Yuan suddenly remembered¡ªhe had just received a Qingling Pill. Why not let Jingliu test it?


    He took one out and handed it to her.


    "Master Jingliu, this is a new pill we developed on the Xianzhou to suppress the effects of Mara. Would you like to try it?"


    Jingliu took the pill, examining it curiously.


    She could feel a slight coolness on its surface, and then swallowed it.


    Jing Yuan felt a bit worried¡ªwould it really work?


    If Zhongli were here, he would have reassured him.


    After all, Zhongli had already tried a finished version before.


    As soon as the Qingling Pill entered her body, it took effect.


    Jingliu felt her mind clear significantly.


    "This pill is very effective."


    Hearing this, Jing Yuan was relieved.


    "That''s good. You can only take one¡ªany more, and it won''t work.


    It was just recently refined by the Dragon Lady."


    Upon hearing "Dragon Lady," an image surfaced in Jingliu''s mind.


    "Jing Yuan, where is this Dragon Lady? May I meet her?"


    Jing Yuan agreed.


    Jingliu would never harm Bailu¡ªlet''s not get into the reasons.


    "She''s on the Astral Express. Her name is Bailu. You can find her there¡ªit''s docked at Starskiff Haven."


    Jingliu nodded and took her leave to head to the Express.


    Meanwhile, Luocha received a pair of silver bracelets and a welcome gift pack from the Shackling Prison.


    Jingliu boarded a skiff to Starskiff Haven, and soon spotted the Astral Express.


    It stood out clearly from the nearby star skiffs and battleships¡ªeasily recognizable.


    As she approached and was about to knock on the door, it suddenly slid open¡ª


    Four little ones excitedly burst out.


    "Da-da-da~ La-la-la~ Klee is going to test her new boom-boom bomb~" Klee hugged her newly crafted bomb, bouncing out of the train, running off with glee.


    Behind her, Hook, Diona, and Bailu followed closely, curious to see what would happen.


    Rios trailed behind them, silently keeping them safe.


    Jingliu instantly recognized Bailu, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.


    Rios glanced at Jingliu. She didn''t emit any hostility¡ªInstead, she seemed to show a kind of nostalgic affection toward Bailu.


    Spirit are extremely sensitive to emotions, and Rios immediately picked up on Jingliu''s feelings.


    "Who are you to Bailu?"


    ***


    Jingliu looked at Rios. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And you are?"


    Rios replied,"I''m Rios. Do you know Bailu? I saw the way you looked at her¡ªsomething seemed off."


    Jingliu smiled slightly and nodded."Yes, I know her."


    At that moment, Rios glanced at the four little ones who had run off.


    "Let''s catch up to them. Wouldn''t want those little ones getting hurt. I usually take care of protecting them."


    Hearing this, Jingliu followed Rios as they chased after the four.


    Following the kids, Jingliu and Rios arrived at a reservoir.


    This was an official Luofu reservoir, with a large number of fish being farmed inside.


    The four little ones had found this place and made it their go-to spot for "blast-fishing."


    Jingliu and Rios stood atop a high shipping container.


    Jingliu looked over at Rios.


    "You usually protect them?"


    Rios nodded."Yeah, those little ones are really adorable. They bring everyone a lot of joy. I like them a lot."


    Jingliu smiled faintly."Thank you."


    Rios shook his head."No need for thanks. By the way, we didn''t finish our earlier conversation. You really know Bailu?"


    Jingliu nodded again."Yes."


    Rios asked,"Want me to call her over?"


    Jingliu thought for a moment."No rush. Let them finish playing first."


    And so, the two chatted while keeping watch over the four little ones.


    Klee held up her newly developed Jumpty Dumpty bomb.


    "Heave-ho~" Klee shouted as she threw it with all her might. The bomb dropped into the reservoir, and a second later¡ª


    BOOM!!!!


    A mushroom cloud roared up, splashing water everywhere and sending all kinds of fish flying into the air.


    Seeing the successful explosion, the four little ones jumped for joy by the reservoir.


    "Yay! Klee did it!"


    "Awesome!"


    Liyue Harbor ¨C Wangsheng Funeral Parlor


    Hu Tao, Unknown God, and Xiangling were eating a meal.


    Xiangling had brought over food made by Ye Yun earlier. She had made a big batch and brought some back to share with Hu Tao.


    Unknown God took a bite of the smashed cucumber."Mmm~ This is delicious! So refreshing!"


    Xiangling was thrilled to hear the praise for her cooking."Eat as much as you like!"


    Hu Tao scooped up some rice with a chunk of braised beef and carrot."Hey Hey, what kind of job are you interested in?"


    Unknown God thought for a moment. "I want something with good pay, little work, and close to home. Got anything like that?"


    Hu Tao and Xiangling were speechless.


    Who doesn''t want a job like that?


    Hu Tao looked at Unknown God. "Do you know anything about funeral rites? How about working for me?"


    Unknown God considered it, then shook her head. "Nope. But I can dig holes!"


    Hu Tao blinked. "What do you mean?"


    Unknown God pointed to an empty patch of ground near the entrance and waved her hand. In an instant, a perfectly dug grave appeared¡ª1 meter wide, 2 meters long, and 1.5 meters deep.


    "Just like that. How''s that?"


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up! This was talent! She knew how tiring it was to dig those herself!


    Hu Tao grabbed Unknown God''s hand. "From today on, you''re an honored guest of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"


    Unknown God gave a thumbs up. "Deal."


    Hu Tao pondered for a moment. "Let me think about your compensation..."


    After a moment, she said, "Okay, I''ll pay you per job. One grave, one payment. How about a base salary of 100,000 Mora, plus performance pay? That''s about the average salary in Liyue."


    Unknown God considered it. "Can you give me internet time instead of a base salary? Deal?"


    She grinned mischievously.


    She had become completely hooked on Audition Online. She had won one match this morning alone. The thrill of that victory was addictive.


    Hu Tao agreed without hesitation. No big deal anyway.


    After finishing the meal, Xiangling returned to Wanmin Restaurant to help out, while Hu Tao and Unknown God headed to the internet caf¨¦.


    Not long after they started playing, Childe and La Signora walked into the caf¨¦.


    Hu Tao''s eyes widened. Oh? You dare show your face again!?


    She slammed the desk and summoned her Staff of Homa, pointing it straight at La Signora.


    "You''ve got guts coming back here! Get out! You''re not welcome here!"


    Childe quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Please, Master Hu, don''t be mad. We''re here to apologize."


    Childe and Signora had made no progress in Liyue, and now the Cryo Archon had instructed them to go directly to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to find someone named Zhongli.


    So here they were, coming to apologize.


    Childe clapped his hands, and several Fatui agents brought in a large chest of Mora.


    Seeing this, Hu Tao finally put away her staff.


    If they were here to apologize, then fine.


    Hu Tao eyed the chest of Mora with a little smirk and muttered under her breath as she looked at La Signora. "I''ll accept your apology, but I can''t accept this money. After all, Silver Wolf already taught you a lesson before."


    Hearing this, La Signora fumed. She was about to lash out when¡ª


    Unknown God, still inside the VIP room, glanced over with glowing red eyes.


    Hu Tao turned to Childe. "Anyway, you used to love coming to this place to play that Meteor... whatever game. You were the loudest in the caf¨¦."


    "I''ll use this Mora to recharge your internet account. How''s that?"


    Childe smiled. "I''ll leave it all up to you, Master Hu."


    Hu Tao nodded and turned to the receptionist. "Hey, help this customer recharge his account."


    The receptionist nodded.


    Once the money was loaded, Childe walked over to his usual spot and booted up the computer.


    La Signora came over. "You''re not going back?"


    Childe nodded without hesitation. "Why would I? Want to play for a bit too? I saw that Mr. Zhongli has shown up here before."


    As soon as he mentioned Zhongli, La Signora agreed and paid to start a session.


    She sat beside Childe.


    "How do you play this?"


    With Childe''s help, she started playing Audition Online.


    Just like Unknown God before her, she quickly got hooked.


    After the tutorial, she randomly entered a room¡ª


    As luck would have it, she landed in a room created by Unknown God, and it was just the two of them.


    Unknown God checked her profile¡ªoh ho! A brand-new rookie!Hehe, another easy win.


    Unknown God had discovered a way to rack up wins and get that sweet rush: create a two-person room, pick a song she knows by heart, and check the newbie''s stats before starting.


    Time to enjoy another "blast-fishing" round.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58 - 58The round ended, and unsurprisingly, Unknown God claimed victory.


    Unknown God glanced at the woman sitting outside in the main hall, let out a cheeky laugh, and typed in the chat box:


    Unbeatable Unknown God: Hehe, rookie~ That all you got? Just this? Just this?


    The woman saw it and was furious. He actually dared to taunt her! She had to win this back!


    She immediately hit the ready button.


    Unknown God saw that and grinned.


    "Oho~ This is getting interesting. Another easy win? I''m loving this~"


    She clicked Start Game.


    Hu Tao played for a while, then stood up to leave the internet caf¨¦. She planned to find Keqing and ask for a plot of land.


    She was planning to lease a space next to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to build a proper internet caf¨¦.


    She had bought a voucher from Stelle that could redeem up to 1,000 computers.


    Obviously, that many computers would never fit inside the funeral parlor.


    "Hey, you keep playing, I''m stepping out for a bit."


    Unknown God took off her headset. "Where you going?"


    Hu Tao replied, "Got a few things to take care of. Want me to bring you back some food?" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unknown God instantly agreed, "Of course! Bring lots!"


    Hu Tao nodded and headed out.


    She left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and made her way to Yujing Terrace.


    As she arrived, she spotted Ganyu.


    "Ganyu~!" Hu Tao waved in greeting.


    Hearing someone call her, Ganyu looked around and saw Hu Tao waving at her.


    "Hu Tao? What brings you to Yujing Terrace? Do you need something?"


    Hu Tao nodded eagerly. "Yup~ I''m looking for Keqing to buy some land. Have you seen her around?"


    Ganyu thought for a moment. "She''s probably on the Jade Chamber, talking business with Ningguang."


    Hu Tao frowned.That was tricky. She couldn''t get up to the Jade Chamber on her own.


    Ganyu saw Hu Tao''s troubled expression and offered, "I can take you up there."


    Hu Tao was surprised and delighted. "Really?"


    Ganyu smiled and nodded. "Really. Come on."


    Hu Tao instantly brightened. "Awesome! Thank you, Ganyu!" She grabbed Ganyu''s hand and gave it a playful shake.


    Ganyu wasn''t used to such close gestures and got a little flustered.


    "N-no need to thank me."


    Following Ganyu, Hu Tao stepped onto the floating platform leading to the Jade Chamber.


    Ganyu glanced at Hu Tao, surprised at how calm she looked.


    Most people would be at least a little awestruck the first time they rode this platform¡ªit was practically flying, after all.


    "Hu Tao, have you been to the Jade Chamber before?"


    Hu Tao shook her head. "Nope~ Why do you ask, Ganyu?"


    Ganyu said, "You just seem really calm. Most people are really curious the first time they ride this thing."


    Hu Tao replied, "What''s so special about it? I''ve got a flying motorcycle, flying''s no big deal to me anymore~"


    Ganyu chuckled, remembering seeing Hu Tao flying over Liyue Harbor on that very bike.


    Soon, the two reached the Jade Chamber and entered Ningguang''s office.


    "Ningguang, Keqing¡ªHu Tao''s here to see you."


    Ningguang and Keqing, who had been discussing what to buy from Ye Yun''s shop later, looked up at Hu Tao.


    "Ningguang~ Keqing~" Hu Tao waved.


    Ever since their first visit to Ye Yun''s, Ningguang and Keqing had told Hu Tao to drop the formal titles and just call them casually.


    Ningguang smiled and set down her pipe. "Hu Tao, what brings you here today?"


    Hu Tao grinned. "I''m here to see Keqing. I want to buy some land."


    Keqing looked puzzled. "Why do you want to buy land?"


    Hu Tao replied, "You''ve heard about my internet caf¨¦, right?"


    Ningguang and Keqing nodded. Of course they had. The hottest topic in Liyue lately was none other than Hu Tao''s Wangsheng Internet Caf¨¦.


    There, not only could people play incredible computer games, but even Fatui Harbingers had ended up embarrassed there.


    Ningguang thought for a moment. "You want to expand the caf¨¦?"


    Hu Tao nodded and gave her a thumbs-up. "Exactly~ I bought 1,000 computers from Xing, and I want to set them all up. There''s no way Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has enough space."


    Ningguang instantly understood Hu Tao''s plan.


    She began to consider investing.


    The internet caf¨¦ business had explosive growth potential¡ªit was practically guaranteed profit.


    Plus, being a partner of Wangsheng Parlor would give her more chances to meet Zhongli.


    "Hu Tao, would you like a little investment from your big sis? That commercial building next to the Parlor is mine, you know."


    Hu Tao''s eyes widened in shock. "Whoa! That huge building next door is yours?!"


    It was massive¡ªmore than enough space for 1,000 computers.


    "Ningguang, you serious?"


    Ningguang propped her chin on one hand and smiled. "Of course I''m serious. So? Want to accept your big sister''s investment? You just give me a 30% cut of the profits."


    Hu Tao agreed on the spot¡ªno need to think twice! "Deal! Ningguang-Sis, it''s a deal!"


    Ningguang smiled. "Pleasure doing business."


    With everything settled, Hu Tao got ready to leave¡ªshe still wanted to stop by Ye Yun''s shop.


    "Ningguang-Sis, Keqing, Ganyu¡ªI''m heading out. Gonna stop by Ye Yun''s. It''s almost mealtime, I might even mooch a meal off them."


    Ningguang raised an eyebrow. "You''re heading to Ye Yun''s? We''re going too. Keqing and I were just about to pick up a few things."


    Hu Tao grinned. "Even better! Let''s go!"


    Ningguang turned to Ganyu. "Ganyu, come with us too."


    Ganyu hadn''t expected to be invited.


    She already knew about the otherworldly store¡ªZhongli had briefed all the Adepti.


    Ganyu nodded in agreement.


    And so, the four of them walked together toward Wanmin Restaurant, chatting and laughing along the way.


    Meanwhile, near the reservoir outside the train station¡ª


    The four little ones were having a blast blowing up fish.


    Unbeknownst to them, a battle was brewing nearby.


    A group of Dragon Clan enforcers who had been dispatched to find Bailu had finally spotted her by the reservoir.


    "We finally found the dragon girl. Move quick¡ªgrab her and bring her back."


    The leader pulled out a dagger and was about to charge.


    But after waiting a moment, none of his men moved.


    "What are you all doing?! Didn''t you hear me?!" he turned around¡ª


    Only to see a cold-eyed woman in an eyepatch, standing in the middle of the bodies of his men, an ice sword in hand.


    "You said... you''re here to capture the dragon girl?"


    Before he could respond, a wave of sword energy surged straight toward him¡ª


    ***


    After Jingliu killed the last person, she sheathed her Ice Sword.


    Behind her, Rios slowly stepped forward.


    Rios glanced coldly at the several corpses on the ground and lightly stepped forward.


    A few flames suddenly appeared out of nowhere, incinerating the bodies.


    "This is already the 12th batch. The first time it happened, Ye Yun dealt with it. Since then, I''ve killed 10 more batches of people who came to capture Hu Tao. Do you know where these people come from?"


    Jingliu''s expression immediately turned cold upon hearing this.


    "12 batches?"


    Rios nodded.


    "Right. Do you know who sent them? It should be your people from the Xianzhou, right?"


    Jingliu nodded.


    "It should be. The people just now were definitely from Xianzhou."


    Miru looked towards Hu Tao in the distance.


    "It looks like I need to ask Jing Yuan properly about who exactly wants to capture Bailu."


    Rios looked up at the sky and noticed it was almost time for dinner.


    "Let''s head back first. Dinner''s about to be ready. We can talk about this later."


    Jingliu nodded in agreement and followed Rios back onto the train.


    At Ye Yun''s shop.


    Ye Yun and Xiangling were cooking.


    Stelle and March 7th walked out of the portal.


    As soon as they returned, they rushed straight to the small bar and opened the fridge. Each grabbed a can of ice-cold Cola and gulped it down.


    Stelle shivered all over, with a look of enjoyment.


    "Ah, so good! I was dying of thirst!"


    March 7th also shivered, sighing happily.


    "Exactly, there''s nothing better than a cold Cola when you''re really thirsty!"


    Himeko, who was nearby, asked curiously.


    "Didn''t you bring any water with you?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "Nope, we purposely didn''t bring any, just for the thrill of this moment!"


    March 7th nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah, yeah, we didn''t bring anything on purpose!"


    Himeko shook her head, unable to say anything in reply.


    In the kitchen, Ye Yun shouted to Stelle and March 7th.


    "Stelle, March, come help with the vegetables."


    Stelle made a face of reluctance and pouted.


    "No way¡ªdon''t we have the all-powerful Noelle here? We don''t need me, the useless one~"


    March 7th agreed.


    "Exactly, Noelle can handle it. She''s way better than us!"


    Noelle, who had been holding cleaning tools and preparing to clean the reception room, immediately blushed upon hearing this.


    "P-Please don''t say that. I still have many things I need to improve on..."


    Stelle shrugged.


    "How could you be lacking? Noelle is amazing! She cleaned the whole train by herself!"


    March 7th put down her Coke and added, "Yeah, yeah, Noelle, you''re awesome! Way better than us two useless people!"


    Noelle''s face turned even redder, and Ye Yun quickly stepped in to smooth things over.


    "Alright, alright, Noelle, you go clean the reception room. You two, hurry up and come help with the vegetables."


    Reluctantly, Stelle and March 7th took two small stools and entered the kitchen to help.


    Noelle arrived at the reception room, and as soon as she entered, she saw Topaz still working.


    Noelle softly asked.


    "Um... Topaz, do you need me to clean here?"


    Topaz looked up from her work.


    "Noelle, you''re just in time. I do need this area cleaned. Thank you for your help."


    Noelle shook her head.


    "It''s no problem, it''s my duty."


    Topaz stood up, and Noelle began to clean her workspace.


    Soon, Noelle finished cleaning.


    "All done, Topaz. I''ll go clean elsewhere now."


    After saying that, Noelle moved on to clean other areas.


    Topaz looked at Noelle and decided that she couldn''t let her work for free.


    So, after some thought, she purchased a gift for Noelle through the company''s internal network.


    Not long after.


    Hu Tao, Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu arrived at Ye Yun''s shop.


    Stelle waved and greeted them.


    "Hu Tao! Ningguang! Keqing! Ganyu!"


    Hu Tao saw Stelle, who was picking vegetables in the kitchen, and rushed over.


    "Stelle, where did you two go to play today?"


    Stelle replied.


    "We went to Belobog to check out the ice deer ranch that Bronya set up. What about you?"


    Hu Tao replied.


    "I was at the internet caf¨¦ for a bit. Now I''m busy expanding my business. I bought a computer voucher from you last time, remember?"


    Stelle recalled the event.


    "Oh, I remember now."


    "That''s right, I was actually thinking of inviting you to play tomorrow. March and I were planning to visit the Fyxestroll Garden."


    Hu Tao was a bit confused.


    "Fyxestroll Garden? Where''s that?"


    Stelle suddenly smiled mysteriously, draped her arm around Hu Tao''s shoulders, and pulled out her phone to open a live stream app.


    The phone displayed a live broadcast of Guinaifen and Sushang exploring the Fyxestroll Garden.


    "Hey, everyone! Today, we''ve come to the legendary haunted place, the Fyxestroll Garden!"


    As soon as Guinaifen finished her intro, Sushang suddenly screamed as if she had seen something terrifying.


    "Ah!!!"


    Guinaifen quickly followed with a scream.


    "Huh!!! A ghost!!!"


    The live stream ended.


    Stelle mischievously grinned at Hu Tao and raised an eyebrow.


    "So, what do you think? Want to go?"


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up with excitement.


    "Ghosts! Ha! This place has ghosts! I''m in!"


    She looked around and spotted Zhongli, who was drinking tea and listening to opera on a recorder.


    Hu Tao dashed over to him.


    "Consultant! Ningguang and I have reached an agreement with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and the building next door is going to be turned into an internet caf¨¦. You''ll go to the site tomorrow and keep an eye on things."


    Without giving Zhongli a chance to refuse, Hu Tao said decisively.


    "That''s settled then! Tomorrow, just watching the vendors move out. Bye-bye~ Fyxestroll Garden, here I come!"


    Zhongli sighed.


    "Ah, I really can''t handle dealing with the Director."


    Welt, who was nearby, spoke up.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll go with you. Let''s invite Jing Yuan. We can play chess at your place, the environment is better."


    Zhongli agreed after hearing this.


    "Alright, I''ll contact General Jing Yuan."


    Zhongli took out his phone and sent a message to Jing Yuan. Soon, Jing Yuan replied, saying it was fine.


    Ningguang and Keqing greeted everyone and then headed to the small bar to pick out some items.


    Ganyu stood still, curiously observing the surroundings.


    It''s so beautiful here... What''s this? Why is it so shiny?


    Ye Yun noticed Ganyu.


    "Hello, miss, I''m Ye Yun, the owner of this shop."


    Ganyu heard Ye Yun call her and quickly greeted him.


    "Hello, Ye Yun. My name is Ganyu."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need to be so formal. Feel free to make yourself at home. We''re all friends here."


    Xiangling, noticing Ganyu, was delighted.


    "Ah! It''s you, Ganyu! You''re here too!"


    Ganyu nodded.


    "Long time no see, Xiangling."


    Ganyu thought about how every time she went to Wanmin Hall for a meal, Xiangling always secretly gave her extra portions.


    Well, she gave extra, but the problem was, Xiangling always watched her finish eating.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59 - 59The reason Xiangling adds extra dishes for Ganyu is because she noticed that Ganyu always orders just a little bit of food.


    In Xiangling''s eyes, that amount of food was hardly enough to fill anyone up, so she secretly added more dishes for Ganyu, making sure she ate her fill.


    Xiangling said,


    "Ganyu, you sit down for a while. I''ll make you some delicious dishes soon."


    Ganyu heard "a few dishes" and forced a smile.


    "Okay, okay."


    Great! My weight... it''s going to go up again.


    Ganyu quickly ran over to Ningguang and Keqing, as she feared that if she stayed there, Xiangling would add more food for her.


    Ye Yun saw Ganyu fleeing and smiled. He thought for a moment and then decided to prepare a special dish for her.


    Ye Yun called out to Stelle, who was chatting with Hu Tao nearby.


    "Stelle, hurry up and pick some vegetables. Help me wash some cabbage."


    Stelle, being called, pouted.


    "Okay."


    Ye Yun planned to make a simple boiled cabbage dish for Ganyu, as he was sure she would love it.


    Meanwhile, Bailu was diagnosing Jingliu. Bailu looked serious.


    "Hmm, your pulse is quite strange."


    Jing Liu smiled.


    "Dragon Lady, do I have some illness?"


    Bailu shook her head.


    "It''s not an illness. Your pulse is very energetic, but it''s a bit too active. It''s fine; it should just mean you''re in good health, so don''t worry."


    Bailu patted Jingliu''s hand, signaling for her to relax.


    Jingliu smiled slightly.


    "That''s a relief. Thank you, Dragon Lady."


    Bailu shook her head.


    "It''s no problem. It''s a small matter. You just mentioned that you know the General?"


    Jing Liu nodded.


    "Yes, I know. Jing Yuan and I are old friends."


    Bai Lu was quite surprised.


    "Old friends? Can you tell me about the General''s past?"


    Jing Liu thought for a moment, and many memories came to mind.


    "About the past? Let me think... I''ll tell you the story of the five heroes from the Cloud Knights."


    Bailu immediately perked up, eagerly waiting for the story.


    Upon hearing there was a story to tell, Klee, Diona, and Hook gathered around as well.


    The four little ones sat around Jingliu, listening attentively to her recounting the tale of the five heroes from the Cloud Knights.


    On the other side, Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu had already finished their shopping. They found Himeko and asked for recommendations on some equipment suitable for a country that was just beginning its industrialization.


    Yes, Ningguang planned to bring Liyue into the industrial age and boost its technology.


    With Himeko''s expert recommendations, the three of them bought some very suitable equipment.


    Ningguang thanked Himeko.


    "Thank you, Himeko."


    Himeko shook her head.


    "It''s nothing. We''re all friends."


    At that moment, Ye Yun''s voice rang out across the shop.


    "Dinner''s ready~"


    Himeko smiled at Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu.


    "Let''s go. We can eat together."


    Ningguang agreed.


    Hearing that dinner was ready, Silver Wolf kicked open the door to the private room and walked out.


    "Time to eat!"


    Hu Tao saw Silver Wolf and immediately spoke up.


    "Silver Wolf, just the person I wanted to see. I need a favor."


    Silver Wolf grabbed a large bowl and began serving food while asking,


    "What is it?"


    Hu Tao said,


    "I''ve got 1000 computers. Can you help me assemble them when you have the time?"


    Silver Wolf froze for a moment. What? 1000 computers? Wouldn''t that be exhausting?


    "1000? That''s too much. I can''t do it alone."


    Silver Wolf thought for a moment.


    "You should ask Himeko, Clara, Dan Heng, Welt, and Ye Yun. They can help too. We''ll do it all together."


    Hu Tao agreed.


    She went around asking each person, and they all agreed to help.


    Once she had everyone''s confirmation, Silver Wolf agreed.


    "Alright, that works. When?"


    Hu Tao said,


    "The day after tomorrow. We''ll clear the site tomorrow and move in the day after."


    Silver Wolf closed the pot lid after serving her meal.


    "Got it."


    The group gathered around the dinner table.


    Ganyu looked at the colorful and aromatic dishes in front of her, her mouth watering.


    She regretted coming over now, knowing that if she ate all of this, her carefully controlled weight would definitely skyrocket!


    Ye Yun, seeing Ganyu''s conflicted expression, spoke up.


    "Ganyu, try this dish. It''s called Qianlong Cabbage."


    Ganyu looked and saw a simple cabbage dish placed in front of her.


    "Well, this should be fine."


    "Okay, I''ll try it."


    Ganyu picked up a piece of cabbage and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour cabbage was very refreshing, and after just one bite, she forgot all about her worries regarding her weight.


    "It''s delicious~"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "If it''s good, eat more."


    Ganyu nodded vigorously. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The meal went by quickly.


    Afterward, everyone left Ye Yun''s shop.


    Once the four little ones went to their room to rest, Jingliu entered Ye Yun''s small bar and sat down.


    Ye Yun poured her a cup of tea.


    "It''s so late. Aren''t you going to rest?"


    Jingliu looked down at the tea cup in her hands.


    "There''s too much on my mind, I can''t sleep."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "Didn''t Jing Yuan give you any Qingling Pills? I remember he had Bailu make some."


    Jingliu replied,


    "I''ve already taken one. It helps alleviate the Mara-Struck body, but some past memories keep resurfacing in my mind."


    Ye Yun said,


    "Sometimes, forgetting isn''t about forgiving others, it''s about letting go of yourself. Only when you let go of the past and cleanse your heart can the wounds heal."


    Jingliu smiled softly.


    "Yes, so, I came back this time to understand some things."


    Ye Yun said,


    "Well, I wish you success."


    Jingliu smiled.


    "Hmm, during this period, I want to stay here and spend more time with Bailu. Do you have any extra rooms?"


    Ye Yun said,


    "For that, you''d need to ask Pom-Pom or Himeko. They''re in charge of that kind of thing."


    Jingliu nodded slightly.


    At this point, she suddenly remembered something.


    "Oh, I wanted to ask you something."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "What is it?"


    Jingliu asked,


    "How did you find out about the Qingling Pill?"


    Ye Yun smiled and thought it was no big deal.


    "Jing Yuan bought the recipe from me."


    He then introduced himself.


    "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ye Yun, and I''m the owner of this shop. You can buy anything you need from here."


    Jingliu replied,


    "Then what do I need to pay?"


    Ye Yun took out a star coin worth 100 units.


    "We use Stellar Jade for transactions here. You can exchange Stellar Jade for star coin."


    Jing Liu took the Stellar Jade, examined it. This paper note could buy anything she wanted? star coin? She vaguely remembered this being something you could obtain from treasure chests.


    She returned the Stellar Jade to Ye Yun.


    "Do you have a way to completely cure the Mara-Struck body?"


    Ye Yun said,


    "Of course. Let me find it for you."


    Soon, Ye Yun found a product that could completely cure the Mara-Struck body.


    **[Product: Heart of Purification]


    Description: Can completely purify the inner demon. Each person can use it only once in their lifetime.


    Price: 100,000 star coins]**


    ***


    Zhongli returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and went straight to the internet cafe to find Unknown God.


    At this moment, Unknown God was eating with Hu Tao in a private room at the internet cafe.


    Hu Tao had packed some food for Unknown God to take back, and Unknown God was enjoying it thoroughly.


    "Director Hu Tao, the food you packed is really delicious."


    Hutao smiled and replied, "As long as it''s tasty."


    "By the way, can you come with me to tomorrow? I''ve got a big job to do."


    Unknown God readily agreed, helping Hutao dig a pit and letting herself eat, drink, and play for free at the internet cafe.


    "Sure, just call me tomorrow."


    Unknown God noticed Zhongli at the door and reluctantly glanced at the Dance Dance Revolution game on the computer.


    In the end, Unknown God decided to get up and walk out of the private room.


    "Let''s go, we''ll talk somewhere else."


    Hu Tao, seeing that Unknown God was about to leave, took off her headphones.


    "Unknown God, where are you going? Aren''t you going to play the game?"


    Unknown God turned around and replied, "Hu Tao, you go ahead and play, I need to talk to Zhongli."


    Hu Tao looked suspiciously at the two of them. When did they start getting so close? No way! She absolutely couldn''t let the guest bring Unknown God down! Otherwise, it would mean even more expenses for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    The Unknown God led Zhongli outside and snapped her fingers, teleporting them both to Tianheng Mountain.


    The Unknown God turned around.


    "So, did you find a solution?"


    Zhongli nodded and said,


    "Two options.


    First, directly purchase a life planet from Ye Yun''s side, or we can find an unclaimed planet to terraform.


    Second, spend 200,000 and buy a barrier formation from Ye Yun."


    The Unknown God asked, "How much does it cost to buy a life planet directly?"


    Zhongli calmly replied,


    "300,000 star coins."


    Zhongli suggested,


    "I think we should terraform an unclaimed planet instead. Star coins are very important. As long as we have star coins, we can buy items from Ye Yun''s side, which are from all the worlds."


    Unknown God, hearing this, wasn''t very clear on the value of star coins and their purchasing power.


    So, she asked,


    "How valuable are star coins?"


    Zhongli wasn''t sure how to explain, but after thinking for a moment, he changed his approach and said,


    "Director and Ningguang collaborated and will be transforming the building next door to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor into an internet cafe.


    When that happens, Director will place 1,000 computers in there, and it will only cost him 1,000 star coins, which is equivalent to 100 original stones."


    After hearing this, Unknown God understood.


    So, that''s a computer! Something that could make her happy! Only 1 star coin per computer?


    No way! This star coin is too valuable! Absolutely can''t be used recklessly!


    "Then we''ll terraform an unclaimed planet. Tomorrow morning, the Celestia will hold a meeting."


    After saying this, Unknown God teleported away from Tianheng Mountain and returned to the internet cafe to continue playing Dance Dance Revolution.


    The next day.


    The Unknown God returned to Celestia and carefully observed the Teyvat continent below.


    Especially the Seven Gods.


    It was fine not to look, but now there were so many issues! The Dendro Archon is imprisoned? The Hydro Archon is just an ordinary person?


    This Electro Archon is isolating herself?


    The Pyro Archon hasn''t resurrected yet? The Cryo Archon is holding a meeting to discuss stealing the Gnosis? The Unknown God felt exhausted.


    Forget it, forget it, just grab them all!


    With a wave of her hand, terrifying spatial authority burst forth.


    In Inazuma, at the Tenshukaku.


    Raiden Ei suddenly woke up, and consciousness instantly returned to her body.


    As soon as Raiden Ei''s consciousness returned, a wave of spatial energy enveloped her, and she disappeared from Tenshukaku.


    In Sumeru, at the Sanctuary of Surasthana.


    Nahida had just woken up and was connecting with Katheryne to observe the world.


    Suddenly, Nahida felt the connection was cut off. It was as if she was flying?


    "What''s happening?"


    In Fontaine, at the Palais Mermonia.


    Furina was eating small cakes in her room when, in the next moment, she felt the ground beneath her feet vanish and fell into a spatial passage.


    "Ah!!!! Help! Neuvillette, save me!"


    In Snezhnaya, the Cryo Archon, who was in a meeting with the Harbingers, was grabbed right in front of them.


    On Celestia.


    Venti and Zhongli were the first to appear at the entrance of Celestia.


    Venti felt a bit guilty. He had already sent his Gnosis away, and if things went wrong, he would have to face the consequences.


    "Old man, why did you suddenly call us over?"


    Zhongli glanced at the guilty Venti.


    "No need to panic."


    The Unknown God called this meeting to discuss the development of a new planet.


    In short, The Unknown God needed the Seven Gods to work for her to terraform an unclaimed planet.


    Zhongli said,


    "Let''s go, we should enter. The others will coming soon."


    Although Venti didn''t want to go in, she had no choice but to follow Zhongli''s footsteps into the interior of Calestia


    Zhongli and Venti arrived at a beautiful garden. In the center of the garden was a round table, and The Unknown God was sitting at the head seat.


    Beside her were Raiden Ei, Nahida, Furina, and the Cryo Archon, all sitting quietly in their respective seats.


    Raiden Ei looked as if she were facing an enemy, sitting upright.


    Nahida curiously looked around, thinking that this was Calestia, which she had never seen before. The Irminsul didn''t have information on Calestia.


    Furina was sweating profusely.


    "I''m doomed! I''m a fake Hydro Archon! Neuvillette, save me! Save me!"


    The Cryo Archon, bound to her chair, was desperately struggling to break free.


    At the head seat, the unknown god looked at Zhongli and Venti as they arrived and gestured to the seats beside her.


    "You''re here? Sit down."


    Zhongli and Venti were the least troublesome of the gods. At least they didn''t cause problems and were focused on developing their own countries.


    After they sat down, the unknown god looked around, took out a bag of chips, and opened it, beginning to eat.


    "Now that everyone''s here, let''s begin the meeting.


    First, tell me what''s going on with you guys.


    Do you even remember your duties? Huh? Guiding humanity''s development! Is that how you''re doing it?


    You! Raiden Ei! Your people in Inazuma are practically dying off, and you''re not doing anything about it? If you don''t care, I''ll find someone else to replace you!


    And you, Nahida, right? You''re a god! You were actually captured by humans! Show some dignity as a god!


    As for you, Furina, forget it. You''re a pitiful one, but your nation of Fontaine is doing okay, and you''re obedient, not causing trouble."


    After speaking,


    The unknown god coldly looked at the Cryo Archon.


    "Finally, you¡ªtrying to seize power? This is your last chance. Go back and manage your nation properly, or I won''t hesitate to destroy you all!"


    Hearing Asmod''s words, the Cryo Archon was horrified, especially the last sentence: "I won''t hesitate to destroy you all!" made her feel the full force of The unknown god''s murderous intent.


    After scolding all the gods, Asmod finally sat back in her seat, satisfied.


    "Alright, now explain yourselves one by one."

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60 - 60The Unknown God looked at Raiden Ei.


    "You go first."


    After speaking, the Unknown God grabbed a chip and threw it into her mouth.


    Raiden Ei thought for a moment.


    "I will handle this once I return."


    The Unknown God glanced at Raiden Ei.


    "Alright, let''s see how you perform."


    Then, the Unknown God looked at Nahida.


    "What about you? The second-generation Dendro Archon, tell me, how did you get captured by humans?"


    Nahida blinked her large eyes and said:


    "I''m not worthy of being a god."


    The Unknown God, hearing this, stared at Nahida in disbelief.


    "Hah? Not worthy? Who told you that? You''re the successor personally chosen by Buer, and I highly respect her judgment.


    How about this, you stay by my side for a while, and I''ll teach you how to be a proper god."


    Zhongli, who had been listening, suddenly thought back to the Unknown God''s behavior in the internet cafe.


    Uh... She wouldn''t teach her in the wrong way, right?


    Nahida, hearing such an offer, was excited. This person was the ruler of the Calestia, and following her, she could definitely learn how to become a worthy god.


    After arranging things with Nahida, the Unknown God turned to Furina.


    "Furina."


    Furina quickly looked up when she heard the Unknown God call her name.


    "Y-Yes!"


    The Unknown God thought for a moment, then decided to stick with Focalor''s plan.


    "You will continue as usual. Understood?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furina met the Unknown God''s knowing gaze and quickly understood.


    "Y-Yes, I understand."


    The Unknown God nodded in satisfaction.


    Finally, she looked at the Cryo Archon.


    "As for you, tell your Fatui underlings to settle down."


    The Cryo Archon could only agree.


    The high-ranking officials of Teyvat all knew one saying:


    "Only the heavenly principles cannot be opposed."


    This wasn''t just a casual remark, but something learned from countless blood and tears.


    After finishing, the Unknown God glanced at the Cryo Archon, then turned to Zhongli.


    "Morax, the past issues have been resolved, so tell us about our plans."


    Zhongli stood up slowly and began explaining the immigration plan.


    Everyone in the room was shocked by the idea. Immigration? Moving to another world directly? This was something new!


    Soon, the meeting ended, and the Unknown God dismissed the gods to go back.


    Except for Nahida, the Unknown God took her directly to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Zhongli was numb. The contract was binding!


    But, he couldn''t defeat the Unknown God. Even with the power from the glance of the Preservation, he was still slightly lacking.


    The Unknown God handed Nahida to Zhongli to study under him for the time being.


    After arranging Nahida, the Unknown God returned to the internet cafe.


    As she entered the private room, the Unknown God instantly transformed into an addicted gamer, her face filled with excitement as she played Dance Dance Revolution.


    "Hehe, finally finished with all the work. Let''s play some more~"


    Her gaze moved to the entrance of the garden.


    Mean while, on the Fyxestroll Garden~


    Hu Tao, Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, and Paimon snuck in with playful expressions.


    Not long after they entered, they suddenly heard some noise behind them and quickly hid in the nearby bushes.


    As footsteps grew louder, Guinaifen and Sushang appeared in their view.


    Both of them looked terrified as they entered the garden, obviously not very skilled but eager to have fun.


    Stelle saw that Guinaifen and Sushang didn''t notice them and suddenly grinned mischievously.


    Stelle poked Hu Tao, who was crouching nearby.


    "Hu Tao, I have an idea."


    Hu Tao listened to Stelle''s suggestion and a mischievous smile spread across her face.


    "Stelle, you''re the best! This will definitely be fun, hehe, I''m in!"


    At the entrance, Guinaifen nervously took out her phone and started a livestream.


    "Guys, Little Gui is here to explore the garden again today! Yesterday, Sushang and I had a little accident, but today nothing will go wrong!"


    Suddenly!


    A white figure flashed behind Guinaifen and Sushang, sending a chill down the viewers'' spines.


    [Lazy Fish King: Look behind you!]


    [Little Dish: Look behind you!]


    [Ah Wei: Ah! I''m dead!]


    Seeing all the "look behind you" comments flooding the screen, Guinaifen and Sushang shivered in fear.


    Guinaifen called out to Sushang.


    "Sushang, should we turn around and take a look?"


    Sushang stiffly nodded, and the two slowly turned around.


    They looked around, but saw nothing, and sighed in relief.


    Sushang stomped her foot angrily.


    "Ugh, these viewers are so mean, just scaring us like that."


    Guinaifen agreed.


    "Yeah, yeah, Guys, you really scared us!"


    [Little Dish: I wasn''t lying! There''s something behind you!]


    [Flower Dance: I''m not lying! If I''m lying, I''m a dog!]


    [Ah Wei: Ah! I''m alive again!]


    Guinaifen and Sushang now completely didn''t trust the livestream viewers.


    "I don''t believe you!" Guinaifen said sternly.


    Just then, Gunaifen felt a hand on her shoulder.


    Guinaifen slapped her hand away.


    "Sushang, stop messing around."


    Sushang shrugged.


    "What? What''s wrong?"


    Guinaifen said.


    "Of course it''s your hand on my shoulder. Don''t do that."


    "Hand? Your shoulder... It''s not my hand."


    Both Guinaifen and Sushang suddenly realized what was happening, their faces filled with horror as they gasped.


    "I''m going to die horribly~ I''m going to die horribly~ Come accompany me~"


    A mournful female voice echoed from behind Guinaifen.


    At the same time, Guinaifen saw a white shadow appear behind Sushang.


    The two of them simultaneously screamed.


    "Guinaifen! Behind you!"


    "Sushang! Behind you!"


    Hu Tao and the big pyro spirit suddenly yelled out.


    "I''m coming to find you!"


    Guinaifen and Sushang immediately screamed in terror.


    "Ghosts!!!"


    The two of them turned and fled.


    Hu Tao, dressed as a ghost, saw Guinaifen and Sushang running away, and quickly followed with the big pyro spirit.


    "Don''t run~ Stay and play with me~"


    Thus, the scene turned into a chaotic chase, with Hu Tao and the big pyro spirit chasing after Guinaifen and Sushang.


    Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, and Paimon joined in the fun and chased after them as well.


    Stelle ran fast and directly joined Hu Tao''s team, "hunting" Guinaifen and Sushang.


    The chase continued deeper into the garden.


    Guinaifen and Sushang were running for their lives, wishing they could grow two more legs.


    Suddenly, a few figures appeared ahead.


    Guinaifen and Sushang saw the figures and felt hope.


    "Help us!"


    The figures ahead were Hanya, Huo Huo, and Xueyi.


    Xueyi frowned when she saw who was chasing Guinaifen and Sushang.


    These people are playing around in the garden now? And these two, weren''t they the ones who got scared unconscious yesterday? They dare to come back?


    Xueyi blocked their path.


    "Stop right there! This is the Forbidden Ground of the Ten-Lords Commission. Outsiders are not allowed in!"


    ***


    Guinaifen and Sushang rushed to hide behind Xueyi, like frightened rabbits running into their burrows, trembling inside.


    "Judge, please save me! There''s a ghost!" Guinaifen clung to Xueyi''s leg, tears pouring out.


    Xueyi forcefully shook her leg, but surprisingly, she couldn''t shake off Guinaifen.


    Hu Tao and Stelle, who were chasing them, saw Xueyi and the others from a distance.


    Hu Tao cupped her hands like a pair of binoculars and looked ahead.


    "These people are dressed so creepy~ Tsk tsk."


    Stelle agreed with Hu Tao''s statement. The little fox girl looked okay, fragile and cute.


    But those two women, who were about the same height as herself, had makeup that was definitely a bit spooky.


    "I agree with you on that."


    As the two discussed the attire of the three from the Judge''s, Xueyi finally shook off Guinaifen, realizing that the two were approaching.


    "Stop right there, the two in front! This is the Forbidden Land of the Ten-Lords Commission! Surrender immediately!"


    Stelle heard it.


    "Not good! Hu Tao, we need to retreat! She must be from the Luofu Ten-Lords Commission! Run!"


    With that, Stelle pulled Hu Tao, and they quickly fled.


    In a flash, they bumped into the group of Lumine, March 7th, and Paimon who were chasing behind them.


    March 7th looked bewildered as she watched the two running.


    "What are you two doing? Why are you back?"


    Stelle didn''t have time to explain.


    "March! Run first! I''ll explain later!"


    March 7th, Lumine, and Paimon, seeing the two running off, thought for a moment and then chased after them.


    A few minutes later.


    Stelle, Hu Tao, Lumine, March 7th, and Paimon managed to escape the Fyxestroll Garden and entered the bustling street.


    Xueyi, who had followed to the entrance, saw that and had to give up the chase, returning to deal with the two who had trespassed into the Fyxestroll Garden for the second time.


    Back at the location.


    Guinaifen and Sushang still hadn''t recovered.


    Xueyi glanced at the two.


    "The ones chasing you weren''t ghosts, they were people."


    Guinaifen and Sushang didn''t believe it.


    "Impossible! I saw a white ghost with my own eyes!" Gunaifen recalled the scene when a white ghost had appeared behind Sushang.


    The judge took out her phone, opened the surveillance system, and played the footage from just now for Guinaifen and Sushang to watch.


    In the footage.


    Hu Tao, Stelle, and pyro spirit were clearly visible. Once Guinaifen saw this, she understood: she had been tricked!


    The jugde saw that the two had figured out the situation and said,


    "You two should leave quickly. This is a forbidden area, don''t trespass again."


    After speaking, Xueyi led them out of the Fyxestroll Garden.


    At the entrance of the Fyxestroll Garden.


    Guinaifen and Sushang realized the atmosphere around them and were shocked that the ones chasing them weren''t ghosts, but humans!


    "No way! I need to find them!" Sushang swore to find the two who had just tricked them.


    Guinaifen, however, was a bit frustrated. Luofu was so vast, finding two people was going to be difficult.


    "But how do we find them? Luofu is so big."


    Sushang thought for a while and realized she had no good idea. Since she didn''t have access to the surveillance footage, the only way left was to wander around and hope to bump into them.


    "We''ll wander around and see if we can run into them."


    Guinaifen, hearing this, could only agree, so the two began to wander nearby.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, Hutao, and the others were at a snack shop, eating.


    Today, Stelle and Hu Tao had a blast playing pranks, and scaring people was quite enjoyable.


    Hu Tao took a bite of stinky tofu.


    "Hehe, today''s really a good day. Not only did we have fun, but the food''s also great."


    Stelle wholeheartedly agreed.


    "Exactly! By the way, this stinky tofu''s actually pretty good."


    March 7th, however, was a bit disgusted by the smell of the stinky tofu.


    "You guys better brush your teeth after eating this. Your breath''s going to stink."


    Stelle gave a mischievous grin and opened her mouth to blow her breath toward March 7th.


    "How can it stink? It smells amazing!"


    March 7th pinched her nose, and with the other hand, she quickly fanned air toward her face.


    "Ugh~ Stelle! Shut up!"


    Stelle laughed mischievously and picked up a piece of stinky tofu to put in March 7th''s bowl.


    "Come on, try it, it''s really tasty!"


    March 7th shook her head repeatedly.


    As the group ate and chatted, suddenly a voice rang out.


    "Gotcha! Finally found you two!"


    Stelle, hearing the voice, turned to look and realized it was Guinaifen and Sushang. She thought to herself, "This is bad," and stood up to run.


    Sushang was quick, grabbing Stelle before she could escape.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    On the other side, Guinaifen grabbed Hu Tao.


    Sushang looked at Lumine and March 7th, who were standing there, unbothered.


    "Are you two with them?"


    Lumine quickly responded,


    "We''re with them, but we didn''t know anything about this. Scaring you was their idea!"


    Guinaifen decided to trust Lumine and March 7th because, in the footage the jugde showed her, Lumine and March 7th weren''t present.


    Guinaifen angrily grabbed Hu Tao.


    "You two are too bad! Scaring us by dressing up as ghosts!"


    Hu Tao scratched the back of her head and gave a sheepish smile.


    "Ah, sorry, I apologize, okay? I''m actually a fan of yours! I even watched your stream yesterday!"


    Hu Tao, seeing Guinaifen was mad, quickly used the excuse of being her fan to try to win Guinaifen''s forgiveness.


    It turned out that this tactic was very effective. Once Guinaifen heard that Hu Tao was her fan, she calmed down considerably.


    "You''re my fan, so why''d you scare me?"


    Hu Tao explained.


    "Well, it was just so funny watching your stream yesterday when you got scared. And then, when we bumped into you today... hehe."


    Guinaifen, hearing this, was convinced by Hu Tao''s explanation.


    The scene from yesterday, where she and Sushang explored the Fyxestroll Garden and got scared, had indeed gained a lot of popularity, and the audience found it hilarious.


    That''s why Guinaifen had thought of taking advantage of the heat to do it again.


    Sushang was also speechless.


    "Little Gui, you''re really lucky to have fans like this, who go all the way to the Fyxestroll Garden just to scare you."


    Stelle raised her hand upon hearing this.


    "We didn''t specifically scare you. We just arrived at Fyxestroll Garden first; we also wanted to go explore."


    Hu Tao agreed.


    "Exactly. We didn''t come to scare you. We were just exploring.


    Think about it. We didn''t even know you''d be at the Fyxestroll Garden today, right?"


    Guinaifen and Sushang thought for a moment and realized they had never told anyone about their plans to explore Fyxestroll Garden today.


    "Ah, so that''s how it is. You also wanted to explore Fyxestroll Garden?" Guinaifen said, looking as if she understood.


    Hu Tao and Stelle nodded.


    "Yep."


    At that moment, Guinaifen came up with an idea. The two in front of her were skilled, so if they could join her team, wouldn''t the chances of success be higher?


    Guinaifen looked around, then pulled Stelle and Hu Tao closer and whispered mysteriously.


    "Do you still want to find some excitement?"

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61 - 61Stelle and Hu Tao smiled upon hearing this.


    "Hehe, we all hear."


    Lumine and March 7th also leaned over when they saw this.


    The group was secretly plotting to sneak into the Fyxestroll Garden again at a snack shop.


    On the other side...


    In a secret room of the Alchemy Commission division.


    Jing Yuan was chatting with several projections.


    After confirming the effects of the Qingling Pill, Jing Yuan reported the matter to Marshal Hua.


    Upon hearing the news, Hua immediately called for a meeting with the seven Arbiter-Generals.


    At the head seat, Hua asked seriously:


    "General Jing Yuan, are you sure this pill can really treat the Mara-Struck body?"


    Jing Yuan nodded slightly.


    "Yes, it''s been tested, and the effects are very good."


    Hua nodded thoughtfully.


    "Who concocted this pill?"


    Jing Yuan answered.


    "It was concocted by the Dragon Lady of the Vidyadhara Clan, Bailu."


    Upon hearing Bailu''s name, the people present pictured her in their minds.


    Bailu was very famous within the High Elders of Vidyadhara . Previously, she had even created a potion that could slightly suppress the demonic body.


    This ability was unique within the entire High Elders.


    Hua smiled faintly as she remembered her first meeting with Bailu, when she had appeared like a little adult.


    Though she looked like a little girl, she had acted very mature for her age.


    While taking Hua''s pulse, Bailu had said:


    "Mm, your pulse is a bit chaotic, and your energy is weak. You should rest more, no more staying up late, understood?"


    Hua smiled.


    "Looks like it''s that little Bailu. Well, only she in the entire High Elders could make such a pill."


    Fei Xiao, standing to the side, said:


    "Marshal, I request to bring the Yaoqing High Elders closer to Luofu. Bailu''s Qingling Pill is very important for our High Elders. Having Yaoqing nearby would help ensure its safety."


    Hua immediately agreed.


    "Very well, Yaoqing can set off immediately!"


    Fei Xiao''s heart was filled with joy.


    Since Bailu''s Qingling Pill had been confirmed to suppress the demonic body, Hua would likely strengthen protection around her.


    Therefore, Fei Xiao had taken the initiative to take this task, bringing her Yaoqing vessel nearby.


    The Qingling Pill could suppress the Mara-Struck body, but could it also suppress her Moon Madness?


    The other generals secretly thought to themselves that Fei Xiao was quicker than them. They had wanted to take this task, but unfortunately, they were a step too late.


    Hua swept his gaze around.


    "Does anyone else have anything to report? It''s rare for us to gather, so if there''s anything, feel free to speak up."


    Jing Yuan spoke:


    "Luofu is requesting material support."


    Hua, hearing this, lowered his head in thought.


    Luofu had just experienced a battle and likely needed materials for rapid reconstruction.


    "Mm, granted. Other Xianzhou ships, send supplies to support Luofu and help them rebuild quickly."


    Fei Xiao, Huaiyan, and the other generals agreed.


    At this point, Jing Yuan shook his head.


    "Luofu doesn''t lack building materials. What they''re requesting is Stellar Jade."


    Hua was confused.


    "Stellar Jade?"


    Jing Yuan slowly explained:


    "Recently, the Astral Express Train visited our Luofu Immortal Vessel. On the train, there was a mysterious shop.


    Inside the shop, items from all realms were sold, and in order to purchase, one needed a currency called Star Coins.


    These Star Coins can only be exchanged with Stellar Jade.


    The formula for the Qingling Pill was purchased in that shop."


    Upon hearing this, everyone present was astonished.


    They all knew that the Astral Express Train had visited Luofu.


    Jing Yuan had mentioned it in the battle report a few days ago, noting that the train crew''s help had allowed them to pass through the crisis without much loss.


    Huaiyan laughed a few times, stroking his beard.


    "I didn''t expect the train crew had so many mysteries hidden in it.


    I was curious about the people mentioned in the battle report who helped Luofu.


    The girl with the big flame sword who is fighting the Lord Ravager that uses the Ambrosial Arbor to mold her body¡ªsuch a mighty hero.


    I''d like to go to Luofu and see for myself!"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Old Yan, if you plan to visit, do inform me in advance. I''ll be sure to welcome you."


    Huaiyan laughed heartily.


    "Good, I''d like to go, but I''m not sure if the Marshal will allow it?"


    Huaiyan turned to Hua.


    Hua thought for a moment before agreeing.


    "If Old Yan wants to go, then go. How about helping to escort the Xingqiong to Luofu on the way?"


    Huaiyan grinned.


    "Didn''t expect I''d be doing work even when I go on vacation. Life''s hard!"


    Though Huaiyan was old, even Hua respectfully called him "Old Yan."


    This was a tradition passed down in the Xianzhou Alliance¡ªrespecting the elderly and loving the young.


    Jing Yuan thought for a moment.


    "Three generals gathering at Luofu might attract unwanted attention. How about I set up an arena and have the younger generation spar under the pretext of martial arts?"


    Upon hearing this, Huaiyan thought of his obedient granddaughter.


    "That works. I can take my little granddaughter out and show her some of the world."


    Hua nodded.


    "Then it''s decided. Jing Yuan, once you return, get me a list of the shop''s items.


    Meeting adjourned!"


    With Hua''s command, the meeting came to an end.


    The first batch of Qingling Pills, twenty in total, were sent to various Xianzhou Ships.


    Jing Yuan left the secret room and arrived at the Seat of Divine Foresight Hall.


    At that moment, a Cloud Knight came to report.


    "Report! General, someone is asking for you at the door."


    Jing Yuan went to the door and saw Jingliu waiting for him.


    Jingliu spoke as soon as she saw Jing Yuan.


    "Come with me. I need to ask you something."


    The two of them went to a secluded place, and Jingliu asked:


    "Who is capturing Bailu?"


    Jingliu''s tone was very calm, but Jing Yuan, familiar with her, could tell that she was about to explode.


    Jing Yuan thought that since Jingliu had gone to check on Bailu, it was likely that the Vidyadhara Master had sent people to capture her, and Jingliu had caught them in the act.


    "It''s a few old people from the Vidyadhara Clan."


    Jingliu, upon hearing this, turned and left.


    Jing Yuan, as the general of Luofu, couldn''t easily take action against those old men, but Jingliu wasn''t bound by the same rules¡ªshe didn''t belong to the Xianzhou Alliance.


    He would just put on a show, implement martial law for two days, and that would be it.


    Jing Yuan called a trusted subordinate.


    "The surveillance near the Alchemy Commission needs maintenance. What do you think?"


    The reason this subordinate was a trusted one was clear: one sentence from Jing Yuan, and the subordinate understood the meaning immediately.


    "I agree it needs proper maintenance. I''ll arrange for people to handle it right away."


    After the subordinate left, Jing Yuan returned to the Seat of Divine Foresight Hall, where he saw Qingque preparing to sneak off after work.


    Since Fu Xuan had been working in the Seat of Divine Foresight Hall, Qingque had naturally been called in to help.


    Lately, Qingque had been struggling¡ªever since she came to the Seat of Divine Foresight Hall, she hadn''t touched the Imperial Yuan Jade.


    Jing Yuan, seeing Qingque glancing at the time, clearly eager to leave, smiled faintly.


    "Qingque, come here. I need you to do something for me."


    Upon hearing her name, Qingque felt like the sky was falling!


    The Imperial Bow and Command were up high! After finally getting an early shift, she had hoped to handle a bit of the Celestial Jade... but now it was all over!


    ***


    Qingque tearfully came before Jing Yuan.


    "General... what are your orders?"


    Seeing Qingque''s expression, Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "Come with me somewhere."


    With that, he turned and walked out of the Divination Commission.


    Qingque nearly passed out on the spot.


    It''s over, totally over¡ªfarewell, Celestial Jade!


    She followed Jing Yuan onto the Starskiff, and the two headed for the Astral Express.


    Not long after, in Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Qingque was full of curiosity. Why did the General bring her to this place?


    At the moment, only Welt and Dan Heng were inside. Noelle had something to do today and wouldn''t be coming so soon.


    Jing Yuan greeted the two.


    "Mr. Welt, Dan Heng, good morning."


    The two responded upon seeing Jing Yuan.


    Jing Yuan glanced around.


    "Have you seen Bailu?"


    Dan Heng replied, "In the lab."


    Jing Yuan nodded slightly and turned to Qingque.


    "Qingque, you don''t need to report to the Divination Commission anymore. I''ve arranged a new job for you¡ªa very important one."


    As soon as Qingque heard the word "important," she didn''t want the job at all.


    All she wanted was to slack off¡ªdon''t assign something important to her!


    The more important it is, the less slacking off she can do!


    Jing Yuan brought Qingque to the small bar.


    "These two monitors display lots of product information. Your task is to record them. Understood?"


    Qingque heard this and thought¡ªthis is it? She was expecting something worse. This was simple!


    "Got it~ General."


    She pulled out her laptop and began recording. It was still early¡ªjust noon.


    If she finished quickly, maybe she could squeeze in a game of Celestial Jade today.


    Jing Yuan, seeing her get to work, felt assured¡ªMarshal Hua''s task was settled. Now it was time to meet Bailu and discuss refining the Qingling pill.


    While transcribing, Qingque suddenly started scanning the screen up and down, something felt off.


    What was off? The products? No, not that.


    Until she noticed the infinity symbol¡ªrepresenting an endless list of pages.


    She gasped sharply and burst into tears.


    "General! You have no heart!"


    Miserably, Qingque began copying the endless product data. Life felt hopeless.


    For some reason, she started missing Fu Xuan. At least the tasks Fu Xuan gave always had an end.


    Time passed quickly¡ªtwo hours later.


    Jing Yuan returned after his discussion with Bailu to check Qingque''s progress.


    Seeing Jing Yuan, Qingque couldn''t hold it in anymore.


    "General! I can''t finish it! It''s impossible!"


    Jing Yuan glanced at the infinity symbol she pointed to.


    "All right, no need to overdo it. Just submit 100 product entries a day." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qingque nearly cried with joy. Finally, hope!


    Later¡ª


    Jing Yuan and Welt went to the lounge to drink tea and play chess.


    While Qingque continued copying, a noise came from the entrance.


    She looked over and saw Stelle and the others entering from the train door. Guinaifen and Sushang were also with them.


    Stelle said, "Let''s rest first, then go to the Fyxestroll Garden tonight for some excitement, hehe~"


    They had discussed earlier and decided it was better to go at night¡ªmore thrilling.


    So Stelle suggested heading back to rest first, and going later.


    As soon as Stelle entered Yeyun''s shop, she saw Qingque at the bar copying product data.


    "Yo, isn''t that Qingque? What are you doing here?"


    Qingque wasn''t surprised, given Stelle''s identity. She was a Nameless, and this was the Astral Express. It was natural for her to be here.


    "The General assigned me a task."


    Stelle remembered that Qingque had promised to teach her Calestial Jade.


    "Qingque, didn''t you say you''d teach me Calestial Jade? Got time now?"


    Qingque made a miserable face.


    "Still working... sigh~"


    Guinaifen chimed in.


    "Calestial Jade? I know how to play. I''ll show you."


    Stelle got excited and went to buy a set of Calestial Jade from Ye Yun''s shop.


    Hu Tao and Lumine brought over a square table, and Stelle placed the game set on it.


    Lumine, Hu Tao, Guinaifen, and Stelle each took a seat, and the game began.


    Sushang and March 7th sat nearby to spectate.


    Guinaifen explained as they played, "So, this Calestial Jade..."


    Soon, Stelle, March 7th, and Lumine learned the rules and were confidently drawing and playing tiles.


    Stelle: "Three characters."


    Lumine: "Here, seven bamboo."


    Guinaifen: "Three bamboo."


    March 7: "Wait, I looking for that!"


    The sounds of gameplay echoed in Qingque''s ears like devilish whispers, making her twitchy.


    In her mind, two little Qingques appeared.


    One said, "No! Finish your task first!"


    The other said, "Relax~ just 100 items. Finish after one game."


    Qingque wavered.


    Until Stelle said¡ª


    "This is kinda boring. Wanna play with stakes? How about a one-star-coin base?"


    Qingque snapped.


    "Hold it! Count me in! Loser rotates out!"


    Stelle agreed. "Sure, whoever deals the winning tile swaps out."


    Qingque''s eyes sparkled. She happily grabbed a stool and sat beside Guinaifen, waiting for her turn.


    Once Qingque got on the table, she rarely got off.


    The others even postponed their Fyxestroll Garden trip¡ªCalestial Jade was too addicting!


    They even came up with an excuse¡ªsince they''d been caught earlier in the day, the Ten-Lords Commission would likely tighten security tonight.


    So they played all the way until midnight.


    Halfway through, they changed locations since Ye Yun''s group needed the shop for dinner.


    They moved to the party car.


    Qingque sat at the table happily counting her winnings, when her phone buzzed.


    She checked¡ªand froze.


    It was a reminder from Jing Yuan, asking for the product data.


    Qingque glanced at her progress¡ªnot even halfway done!


    She dashed back to the shop and frantically started copying again at the bar.


    Back in the party car, the girls stared, baffled, as Qingque ran off in a panic.


    Hu Tao asked, "What''s up with Qingque?"


    Stelle shrugged. "No idea~ Who cares. Let''s keep playing! Someone fill her spot!"


    March 7th slid into Qingque''s seat. "I''m in! I''ve been watching¡ªI want to try too!"


    Midway through the game, Hu Tao remembered¡ª


    "I''ve got to go too. I need to check on the new internet caf¨¦ setup tomorrow."


    She looked at the others. "Wanna drop by and check it out?"


    The group agreed, postponing the Fyxestroll Garden trip for two more days.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62 - 62In Teyvat.


    At Hu Tao''s invitation, Silver Wolf, Ye Yun, Himeko, Clara, and Welt were helping her assemble machines.


    Meanwhile, Jing Yuan and Zhongli had set up a tea stall at the entrance, blocking others from entering.


    Nahida stood quietly to the side. She had learned about computers yesterday.


    She felt that computers were somewhat similar to the virtual "Void."


    At that moment, a voice interrupted Nahida''s thoughts.


    "Nahida, watch closely and learn. When we move to a new planet, you''ll be in charge of everything network-related."


    The Unknown God patted Nahida on the shoulder, speaking with a serious tone.


    After saying that, the Unknown God walked upstairs.


    Bored, she had come to check out the building and found a perfect room.


    It was on the top floor, not very large¡ªabout 30 square meters.


    The Unknown God planned to turn it into her personal suite, with a computer and a bed.


    When tired of playing, she''d sleep¡ªwhat bliss~


    Nahida had been watching Ye Yun and the others assemble the computers, eager to try it herself.


    When she saw Dan Heng about to use a screwdriver, she even wanted to help by grabbing it. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before she could move, Welt handed it over to Dan Heng.


    Nahida sighed softly, a little disappointed.


    Ye Yun noticed this moment.


    "Your name is Nahida, right?"


    Nahida looked up at Ye Yun and smiled.


    "Hello, I''m Nahida. And you?" she asked, tilting her head with wide curious eyes.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "I''m Ye Yun. I saw you''ve been watching for a while. Want to try it yourself?"


    Nahida was delighted.


    "Can I really try?"


    Ye Yun brought over an unassembled computer.


    "Come on, I''ll walk you through it."


    Nahida happily followed Ye Yun.


    They reached an empty table, and Ye Yun began teaching her how to assemble the computer.


    Nahida listened intently, asking questions whenever she didn''t understand. Ye Yun patiently explained everything.


    After one demo, Ye Yun brought over another unit for Nahida to assemble herself.


    She beamed with joy and began working right there on the spot.


    Watching from the sidelines, Cloud Retainer (Xianyun) was incredibly envious!


    She also wanted to try this contraption¡ªafter all, it was otherworldly technology!


    Poor Cloud Retainer had been forbidden by Hu Tao from touching any of the computers.


    At the time, she''d protested and asked why she wasn''t allowed.


    In response, Hu Tao had pulled out her flying motorcycle.


    "You! Cloud Retainer, you have a record."


    Speechless upon seeing the bike, Cloud Retainer could only watch from the side.


    Seeing Nahida get hands-on with the computer made her even more jealous.


    Right next to the building was a branch of the Northland Bank.


    Tartaglia (Childe) and La Signora stood on a pedestrian bridge, observing the busy construction site.


    They weren''t the only ones there¡ªHu Tao had even gone to Mondstadt to invite Eula and Amber to join the fun.


    Mondstadt was at peace now, so taking a day off wasn''t a problem.


    La Signora noticed Tartaglia staring at a certain group and asked with confusion,


    "Why do you keep staring at those little girls?"


    Tartaglia gave a wry smile and pointed at Stelle.


    "See that gray-haired one? She''s the one who insta-killed me with a single strike."


    Just as he pointed at Stelle, she seemed to sense it and looked up at him.


    Upon recognizing Tartaglia, she waved in greeting.


    He nodded back in acknowledgment.


    La Signora looked at Tartaglia in disbelief.


    "You''re kidding. That little girl? So young?"


    "It''s true," Tartaglia replied. "A few days ago, there was a big battle at sea. I''m pretty sure it was her¡ªthe moves were identical."


    La Signora glanced at Stelle again¡ªwas she really that powerful?


    Then she recalled how the one who had casually defeated her before was also a young girl.


    La Signora shook her head. What''s with all these monsters in Liyue?


    Thankfully, they had received new orders from the Tsaritsa¡ªno more collecting Gnosis.


    The Cryo Archon, sensing something unusual in Liyue, had assigned Tartaglia and La Signora to stay there.


    Liyue would be the first nation to relocate.


    The Cryo Archon needed their eyes on how Liyue was handling the transition.


    Tartaglia looked at the busy scene below.


    "Let''s go down and take a look."


    La Signora looked at him like he was crazy.


    "You''re a Fatui Harbinger. You think people will welcome you? Don''t go looking for trouble."


    Tartaglia chuckled.


    "Sure, I''m Fatui¡ªbut I''m also a VIP at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦."


    With that, he headed down.


    La Signora rolled her eyes and returned to the Northland Bank.


    At the construction site, Stelle quickly spotted Tartaglia.


    "Well, well, long time no see¡ªmy defeated opponent," she teased.


    The nickname irked Tartaglia, but he had to admit¡ªhe wasn''t her match.


    "Long time no see. I heard the Wangsheng Net Caf¨¦ is expanding?"


    Stelle nodded and pointed at the building behind her.


    "Yeah, this whole place will be turned into the new caf¨¦. By the way, have you been here before?"


    Tartaglia smiled.


    "Of course. I''m a VIP, remember? Though it''s my first time seeing you here."


    "I''m not from this world," Stelle explained. "So it''s normal for me not to be here often. Plus, back home, computers are everywhere."


    Tartaglia raised an eyebrow. So they''d already encountered someone from another world.


    No wonder she was so strong.


    Just then, Hu Tao called Stelle inside to play a few rounds of Calestial Jade.


    Stelle waved Tartaglia goodbye.


    "Alright, gotta go play some Calestial Jade. Catch you later!"


    With a dash, she entered the room and sat at the table.


    "How much are we playing for today?" she asked.


    While shuffling tiles, Lumine replied, "Same as yesterday? One star coin base, five-star cap."


    March 7th suggested lowering it.


    "How about less? Qingque took over 1300 star coins from us yesterday..."


    Stelle shrugged. "One star coin is the lowest denomination¡ªwe can''t go any lower."


    March 7th blinked. "Oh... right."


    Once the betting rules were set, March 7th, Stelle, Lumine, and Hu Tao started their game.


    Amber and Eula sat nearby to observe and learn before joining in later.


    Seeing that the place was still under renovation and clearly not ready for visitors, Tartaglia returned to the Northland Bank.


    At that moment, the Unknown God, who had come down from upstairs, noticed the group playing mahjong.


    She walked closer.


    "Hu Tao, what game are you playing?"


    Lumine, focused on her tiles, looked up¡ªand instantly drew her sword.


    "It''s you!"


    ***


    Lumine drew her sword and slashed at the Unknown God.


    The Unknown God casually waved her hand, and a dark red energy block appeared, blocking Lumine''s slash.


    Hu Tao and the others were momentarily confused¡ªwhat was going on? Why did Lumine suddenly draw her sword to attack someone?


    They quickly rushed forward to pull the two apart.


    Stelle and March 7th held tightly onto Lumine as she gripped her Traveler''s Sword and cursed out loud.


    "You old hag! Today, I''m getting my revenge! 500 years! Do you even know what I''ve been through these 500 years?!"


    Paimon, off to the side, suddenly said,


    "Didn''t you say you slept through most of it?"


    Lumine was momentarily speechless. Uh... well, that was true.


    "Then why did you seal my powers?! I had to spend so many star coins to unlock them again! I''m settling this score with you today!"


    Suddenly, Lumine burst forth with strength and broke free from Stelle and March 7th.


    Fortunately, the two quickly reacted and held her back again.


    Blocked by Hu Tao and Eula, the Unknown God was getting increasingly annoyed after hearing all this.


    She pushed Hu Tao and Eula aside.


    "Fine! Let''s settle this! And you still have the nerve to blame me?! I haven''t even brought up the damage you and your brother did to the False Sky!


    Back then, you two literally broke through the False Sky to enter Teyvat! I had to patch up those holes myself!


    And you didn''t just enter quietly¡ªyour brother even helped that damned Khaenri''ah drag the Abyss into the world!


    What was I supposed to do¡ªjust let you run loose?! Sealing your power was the only way to prevent another disaster like your brother!"


    The Unknown God looked utterly aggrieved.


    Since Celestia turned into the False Sky to protect Teyvat, she has worked tirelessly to maintain peace.


    Patching your messes, cleaning up Khaenri''ah''s damage¡ªhasn''t been easy for me!


    Lumine, seeing the Unknown God look so pitiful, began to calm down. Thinking it over... it really was her brother''s fault.


    Damn it, Aether! What have you done?!


    And to think, back then I asked you why you were in such a rush to leave¡ªit was because you''d caused a mess and wanted to run away?!


    At that moment, Zhongli stepped forward.


    "What Lady Calestia said is all true history.


    The war 500 years ago began when Khaenri''ah drew in the Abyss.


    Lady Calestia led us Seven Archons to resist them.


    In that battle, Barbatos was gravely injured and only recently recovered.


    Many Liyue Adepti and Millelith died in The Chasm.


    The Raiden Shogun of Inazuma fell. The Hydro Archon of Fontaine fell. The Pyro Archon was gravely injured. The Cryo Archon''s temperament changed completely."


    Hearing Zhongli''s words, Lumine finally understood just how big of a mistake her brother had made.


    And just how dangerous the Abyss Order he now led had become to Teyvat.


    Lumine swung her sword.


    "Alright, Aether! I am going to deal with you! Hey¡ªCalestia, was it? Do you know where my brother is?"


    Calestia responded,


    "I do. What, you''re going after him now? You can''t beat him."


    Lumine waved her hand.


    "That''s fine¡ªI don''t have to. I''ve got the Galaxy Flame Justice Hero¡ªStelle can take him down! Calestia, open the portal!"


    Stelle, holding her Judgment of Shamash, raised an eyebrow and put one hand on her hip.


    "Lumine¡ªwho''s getting smacked?"


    Calestia sensed Stelle''s power and was instantly stunned.


    Holy moly¡ªthat''s strong!


    She immediately opened a portal to the Abyss.


    Lumine led everyone through.


    She didn''t believe it¡ªwith this many strong people¡ªthey couldn''t take down one Aether?


    Meanwhile, deep within the Abyss¡ª


    Aether was discussing their next move with several Abyssal envoys.


    "Gather the hilichurls. We need to build up our strength to take revenge on Celestia!"


    The envoys nodded and were about to leave¡ª


    When suddenly, a portal opened above them.


    Stelle dropped from it with her Flaming Judgment raised high.


    "Judgment of Shamash! Annihilation!"


    The envoys saw she was targeting their Prince and quickly tried to defend him.


    But another voice came through:


    "Rain of Arrows!"


    Dozens of glowing arrows shot from the portal, piercing the envoys before they could react. They cried out and vanished into black smoke.


    The other Abyss Order members finally reacted and launched attacks toward Stelle in the air.


    Zhongli appeared beside the portal.


    "As solid as rock!"


    All attacks aimed at Stelle were blocked by a shield.


    Jing Yuan floated in the sky, holding his sword and summoning his Lightning-Lord. With one mighty strike, he shouted¡ª


    "Radiant spirit, heed my word. Show no mercy!"


    Aether tried to dodge, but Stelle mirrored his every move.


    Realizing he couldn''t escape, Aether summoned the Descender''s Sword to fight back.


    Last time you sucker-punched me to win!This time¡ªit''s anyone''s game!


    They clashed midair. And following the ancient rule of anime-style battles¡ª"the one on the left always loses"¡ªAether was knocked down hard, crashing to the ground.


    Celestia, watching this scene, shouted the internet slang she just learned: "Holy crap, that was awesome!"


    Seeing Aether get pummeled made her feel so good¡ªshe clapped furiously in delight.


    She even started yelling about giving Stelle a seat among the gods.


    Zhongli looked at the unconscious Aether and the dark aura of the Abyss.


    "Stelle¡ªbring him back. This place is not safe."


    Stelle hoisted Aether onto her shoulder, and they followed Lumine back through the portal.


    Shortly after they left, a figure shrouded in black mist appeared in the Abyss.


    "What the hell happened here?! Where''s my flag?!"


    Sensing Celestia''s aura, the figure growled:


    "Damn it! Her again?! When we break through the False Sky¡ªyou''re dead, Celestia!"


    Back at the new Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Internet Caf¨¦ building¡ª


    Lumine tied Aether to a chair, even stepping on it to tighten the ropes so he couldn''t escape.


    After finishing, she dumped a bucket of water on his face.


    Aether woke up coughing from water getting into his nose.


    He blinked groggily¡ªwhere am I? Wasn''t I just fighting in the Abyss?


    That question disappeared the moment Lumine shoved a can of surstr?mming (fermented herring) in his face.


    Aether, already familiar with it, didn''t react.


    Come on, this stinky fish stuff? I''ve already suffered through it once. I''m immune now!


    Seeing him unfazed, Lumine sighed and shook her head.


    "Brother... you brought this on yourself. Don''t blame your sister for not helping you."


    She walked away helplessly.


    The next second, Celestia approached with a creepy grin, pried open Aether''s mouth, and pulled out her secret weapon:


    A bowl of stinky cow organ soup.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63 - 63Celestia snapped her fingers, and a force pried Aether''s mouth open.


    With a wicked grin, Celestia approached Aether, holding a bowl of stinky cow organ soup.


    Seeing that Aether didn''t recognize what she was holding, Celestia said,


    "O Esteemed Prince, this soup was specially prepared for you¡ªstinky cow organ soup. The main ingredient is grass eaten by a cow that hasn''t yet been digested. I''m sure you''ll absolutely love it, heehee~"


    As soon as Aether heard the explanation, he felt nauseous and began gagging uncontrollably.


    He struggled desperately, trying to break free from the ropes.


    Celesti casually waved her hand, and several dark red chains of energy bound him even tighter to the chair.


    She scooped up a spoonful of niubie soup and brought it to his mouth.


    "Come now, Your Highness~ Time for your soup~"


    The moment the soup went down his throat, Aether passed out cold.


    March 7th watched the whole thing, finding it way too brutal. When Xiangling heated that stuff earlier, the smell alone was enough to make her shudder.


    Let''s just say, after cooking it, Xiangling threw the pot out on the spot.


    Ye Yun, seeing how miserable Aether was, clicked his tongue in sympathy. "Bro Aether... Rest In Peace!"


    Afterward, everyone dispersed¡ªthose who were playing Calestial Jade went back to their game, and those assembling PCs kept on working.


    Xianyun glanced at Hu Tao, who was deeply into her mahjong game. Her eyes sparkled, and an idea popped into her mind.


    She suddenly transformed into her human form, mischievously picked up a computer, and ran upstairs.


    Once on the second floor, she dropped the computer on the ground and grinned.


    "Hehehe... Let''s see what secrets this otherworldly machine holds!"


    Just as she was about to disassemble it, a divine power wrapped around the computer and returned it to the first floor.


    Sensing it came from the Geo Archon, Xianyun instantly wilted.


    Sigh... caught again.


    All she could do was trudge back downstairs, watching the others assemble computers with longing.


    As a tech enthusiast, being able to look but not touch was absolute torture!


    Finally¡ª


    By late evening, Ye Yun and the others had successfully assembled all 1,000 PCs.


    Silver Wolf even used the Ether Editing to redecorate the internet caf¨¦¡ªadding a front desk, drink machines, and more.


    The first floor was a general hall, still priced at 998 coins per hour.


    The second floor had five-person private rooms, 1,998 coins per hour.


    The third floor featured eSports suites for two people to game and rest, priced at 69,998 coins per day.


    Hu Tao led everyone on a tour, then clapped her hands and said,


    "Thanks to everyone''s help, I''ve asked Xiangling to prepare a feast¡ªthis meal''s on me!"


    Upon hearing that, the group burst into applause.


    Led by Hu Tao, everyone headed cheerfully toward Wanmin Hall.


    Along the way, laughter and chatter filled the air. Stelle suddenly said,


    "Should we skip going to Fyxestroll Garden tonight? How about an all-night gaming session?"


    March 7th immediately shook her head.


    "No way! Every time you guys charge in without protecting the marksman¡ªit''s such a terrible experience for me!"


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Don''t worry¡ªthis time, I''ll protect you!"


    March 7th thought for a moment.


    "Hmm... alright then. All-nighter? What do you think, Hu Tao?"


    Hu Tao, the queen of staying up late, was all in.


    "No problem! Let''s dive into the canyon together tonight~"


    Lumine and Amber chimed in, saying they wanted to join too.


    Eula, however, preferred other games¡ªshe wasn''t that into the canyon.


    Klee, Hook, Diona, and Bailu were running around with little windmills, trying to make them spin.


    These windmills were gifts from Xianyun, and the kids loved them.


    Ye Yun looked at Hook and suddenly remembered¡ªshe hadn''t gone home in a while. Would her dad be worried?


    He decided: after attending the grand opening of Hu Tao''s new internet caf¨¦ tomorrow, he''d take Hook back for a visit.


    As for Diona, Venti had already visited her father in full Archon regalia, saying she''d be training with him.


    Naturally, Diona had resigned from her tavern job.


    From Jean and the others'' perspective, Diona had way more room to grow by staying with Ye Yun.


    At the very least, her worldview would expand greatly.


    Plus, with Ye Yun''s full support for the kids'' hobbies, Diona had access to abundant learning resources.


    She even got hands-on guidance from the likes of Himeko and Welt.


    Diona genuinely enjoyed it here¡ªnot only did she have friends to play with, but she also got to experiment with terrible-tasting drinks in the train lab every day.


    With his mind made up, Ye Yun planned to take the four little ones to Belobog the next day.


    Nearby, Jing Yuan, Welt, and Zhongli were quietly munching on skewered candied fruit.


    Ye Yun asked, and it turned out Jing Yuan bought them¡ªcurious to try sweets from another world.


    After tasting it, his verdict: not bad. Made from sunsettia fruit¡ªsweet and tangy.


    Before long, the group arrived at Wanmin Hall.


    In the first-floor kitchen, Xiangling and Master Mao were busy cooking.


    Since upgrading to a modern kitchen, the father-daughter duo could cook much faster¡ªno more chopping wood or fetching water.


    Even Guoba had switched roles¡ªfrom fire-stoker to vegetable chopper.


    Stelle lifted the kitchen curtain.


    "Xiangling, we''re here~"


    Seeing everyone arrive, Xiangling said,


    "Wow, you''re early! I just started cooking. Head upstairs and relax for now."


    Stelle walked into the kitchen and saw Xiangling frying pork strips¡ªplanning to make Guo Bao Rou (crispy sweet-and-sour pork).


    It was a new dish she learned from a cookbook and added to the Wanmin Hall menu right away.


    Everyone who tried it loved it¡ªthe feedback was amazing.


    Xiangling thought for a moment, coated a big bowl of fried pork in sauce, and handed it over.


    "Stelle, take this up first. The other dishes will be ready soon."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up. Fresh out of the pan¡ªthis had to be good!


    So¡ª


    She carried the big bowl upstairs.


    On the second floor, everyone was already seated and chatting.


    It''s worth mentioning that Ningguang, Keqing, Ganyu, and Yelan were also present.


    According to Ningguang, she was a shareholder in the new internet caf¨¦ too, so while Hu Tao handled the front end, she had to manage the support side.


    Tonight''s dinner? Her treat.


    Stelle placed the bowl on the table.


    "Come on, everyone~ Xiangling made Guo Bao Rou! Try it!"


    Everyone eagerly grabbed a piece.


    "Mmm~ this is delicious!"


    "Hu Tao, does the chef at Wangsheng know how to make this?"


    "Nope."


    "Then fire him¡ªwhat good is he if he can''t even make Guo Bao Rou?"


    "Alright, alright, Celestia¡ªdon''t blame our chefs. Honestly, only Xiangling in all of Teyvat can pull this off."


    ***


    Soon, the table was filled with dishes, and everyone sat around together to eat.


    Xianyun was enthusiastically recounting stories from when Ganyu was little.


    "Back then~ Ganyu was chubby and round, really cute.


    This one remember once, the first time she saw a human, she thought it was a monster and hid in a corner crying loudly.


    Oh, and once she rolled down a mountain and was swallowed by a monster. Guess what? The monster choked to death on her."


    Everyone listened with great interest¡ªno one expected Ganyu to have such an embarrassing past.


    Ganyu instantly felt mortified and wanted to find a hole to crawl into.


    "M-Master!"


    Seeing Ganyu puffing her cheeks in anger, Xianyun finally stopped.


    "Alright, alright~ This one won''t say more. This one just don''t get why little Ganyu wanted to lose weight so badly. Round and chubby is cute!"


    Jing Yuan, sipping his wine, looked at Stelle, Hu Tao, and the other girls, suddenly remembering the upcoming Martial Arts Ceremony.


    Jing Yuan turned to March 7th and the others and asked:


    "Luofu will soon host a Martial Arts Ceremony, aimed at encouraging friendly sparring and exchange among the younger generation. Are you interested in participating?"


    Ye Yun, who was drinking nearby, immediately choked on hearing that.


    "Jing Yuan, are you sure about letting Stelle and March take part? The two of them combined could probably beat a whole squad of generals."


    Jing Yuan smiled at Ye Yun''s expression.


    "Yes, it''s just a friendly match. Aren''t Stelle and March part of the younger generation too?"


    Ye Yun didn''t quite understand what Jing Yuan was thinking. Oh well, there was no doubt¡ªStelle would be the final champion.


    Stelle''s strength was far beyond her peers. Yanqing and Yunli were talented too, but...


    March 7th and the others immediately got excited about the Martial Arts Ceremony and clamored to participate.


    Xianyun suddenly remembered her disciple on the mountain¡ªShenhe.


    "General Jing Yuan, This one has a disciple one''s like to have join as well."


    Jing Yuan looked over at Xianyun. This was, after all, a long-lived old monster from Liyue and an immortal; her disciples shouldn''t be weak.


    "Sure. Just have her come along with Stelle and the others."


    Xianyun nodded and used immortal magic to send a message to Shenhe in Jueyun Karst, telling her to come down the mountain.


    After the meal, everyone returned to the new internet caf¨¦ set up by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Ningguang, Keqing, Ganyu, and Yelan came along too.


    Everyone would stay in Teyvat for the night and attend the grand opening of the new internet caf¨¦ in the morning.


    Hu Tao, Lumine, March 7th, Stelle, and Silver Wolf immediately ran upstairs to a private room to play games together.


    Amber, who wanted to play a MOBA, was dragged by Eula to try other games instead.


    Xiangling launched Overcooked and dragged Keqing to play with her.


    The two of them were chattering chaotically in the private room.


    "Keqing! Tomatoes! Give me the tomatoes!"


    "Aren''t the tomatoes over by you?"


    "No, they''re on your side! Look for yourself!"


    "Oh, oh! Okay, okay, I''ll grab them now!"


    The night passed uneventfully.


    The next morning.


    Early in the morning, everyone gathered at the entrance of the new internet caf¨¦ owned by Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Hu Tao and Ningguang, the two bosses, stood in the middle, ready to cut the ribbon.


    Crowds of people packed the entrance¡ªcompletely packed. Ningguang had even called in a squad of Millelith to maintain order.


    Childe and La Signora also showed up with a squad of Fatui soldiers to observe the opening ceremony from the crowd.


    After alternating speeches from Ningguang and Hu Tao, the two of them held the scissors together and cut the ribbon.


    Hu Tao shouted loudly:


    "Dear customers! The Wangsheng Internet Caf¨¦''s new branch is now open! Come on in, everyone! Please line up to register for a membership!"


    The crowd poured into the internet caf¨¦, lining up on the first floor to register.


    To speed things up, Silver Wolf had built a membership card system for Hu Tao. Players just had to input their card and password to log in.


    People like Childe and La Signora, who already had cards, went straight upstairs.


    The two of them each picked a private room on the third floor and went in.


    Without a word, La Signora started up Audition Online.


    Once online, she found a contact named "Invincible Celestia" in her friend list and sent a message:


    La Signora: "Trash! Come fight me!"


    A reply came quickly.


    Invincible Celestia: "Who are you calling trash?"


    The two created a room and chose a song with a "moderate" difficulty level that was hard for both of them and began their duel!


    Invincible Celestia: "You''re going down! I''ve practiced this song to where I only miss three keys!"


    La Signora: "Heh."


    Childe, meanwhile, launched Meteor, Butterfly, Sword and continued his freewheeling duels.


    Business at the new internet caf¨¦ was surprisingly good. In just half an hour, all the seats were filled.


    Ningguang and Ganyu stepped in to help, both of them working the front desk to register membership cards.


    In Belobog


    Ye Yun took the four little ones to the Administrative District.


    They first visited Hook''s father at his home. Hook''s dad had a new job now¡ªworking at the Icefield Deer Ranch.


    This job was considered a cushy one in Belobog: relaxed, high-paying, and secure.


    When Hook saw her dad, she ran over joyfully.


    "Daddy!!! Hook is back!"


    Her father, Feisman, was overjoyed to see her too.


    "Hook!!!"


    Fersman crouched down to catch the rushing Hook.


    Hook was adopted by Fersman; her biological parents had long since vanished.


    Hook happily clung to his neck.


    "Daddy, how have you been lately?"


    Fersman smiled.


    "I''ve been great. My illness is cured, and I''m working at the deer ranch now. Life''s really good."


    Hook was thrilled to hear her dad was doing well.


    "That''s great! Daddy, what about Julian and the others?"


    Fersman replied:


    "They''re all living in the orphanage established by former Guardian Cocolia. They''re doing well¡ªhave food and clothes." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hook nodded.


    "That''s good to hear."


    At this point, Fersman noticed Ye Yun and quickly stood up.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, I didn''t expect you to return as well."


    Everyone in Belobog knew the Astral Express crew well. Thanks to Bronya''s efforts in spreading their story, most people could recognize them.


    They were, after all, heroes of Belobog.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Fersman, long time no see. The last time we met was right before the Express departed."


    Fersman nodded with a smile.


    "Yes, yes. Back then, you asked if I''d let Hook travel with the Express. I agreed right away.


    Hook is still young. Letting her see the world is a good thing. Only by leaving this small place can she find a better future.


    Unlike me¡ªI''m old now. I''m content just having a job, food, and clothes."


    Ye Yun said:


    "Hook is lucky to have a father like you."

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64 - 64Hook, standing nearby, smiled and chimed in.


    "Having a Daddy is Hook''s greatest fortune!"


    Fersman burst into hearty laughter at her words, clearly delighted.


    Ye Yun spent some time playing with the four little ones. At Fersman''s insistence, Ye Yun, along with Klee, Bailu, and Diona, stayed to have lunch at his home.


    Fersman was in a good mood today. He''d gone to the supermarket Bronya had established and bought a piece of pork, which he used to cook a dish of pickled cabbage stew with meat.


    Though his cooking skills were average, everyone ate happily. The atmosphere was warm and cozy.


    After lunch, Ye Yun took the four little ones to visit the orphanage established by Cocolia.


    Knowing the weight of her past sins, Cocolia had founded the orphanage to care for homeless children.


    She taught them knowledge and life lessons, helping them grow into capable individuals.


    Under her care, the children were living far better lives than they''d ever imagined.


    They had clean, bright rooms to live in, beautiful clothes to wear, and tasty meat to eat.


    Supplies for the orphanage were provided by Bronya, who highly valued nurturing the next generation and gave generous support.


    Upon arriving at the orphanage¡ª


    As soon as Hook stepped inside, she spotted Julian playing on a slide in the distance.


    "Julian! The great and dark Hook has returned!"


    Julian jumped with joy at the sound of Hook''s voice.


    "Everyone, look! The boss is back!"


    The other members of the Moles Party were thrilled to see Hook and came running toward her.


    A group of children surrounded Hook, chirping and chattering cheerfully.


    Ye Yun clapped his hands and took out two large bags of candy, handing them to Hook.


    "Hook, share these candies with your little buddies."


    Hook beamed and, hugging the candy bags, led the group of kids along with Bailu, Diona, and Klee to an open space nearby to distribute the treats.


    Ye Yun, meanwhile, walked over to the corridor of the courtyard, where Cocolia stood holding a baby.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, long time no see."


    Ye Yun noticed that Cocolia seemed in better shape than before.


    Nowadays, she poured her heart into running the orphanage and taking care of the children diligently.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Long time no see. I didn''t expect you to open an orphanage here."


    Cocolia gave a soft smile.


    "These children are all orphans with no one to care for them. I have the time and energy, so I decided to take care of them.


    In a way, it''s how I atone for the sins I once committed."


    Ye Yun nodded thoughtfully.


    "How many children are here in the orphanage?"


    Cocolia replied:


    "There are 1,369 children and 67 staff members.


    Speaking of which, I really have to thank you, Ye Yun. It''s because of the goods Bronya bought from you that Belobog is enjoying its current peace and prosperity.


    Last time, during the debt crisis, it was also thanks to your connections that we managed to resolve it."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "No worries. Bronya and I are friends¡ªmutual support is only natural. Besides, when they buy stuff, I make money too, don''t I?"


    Cocolia laughed gently.


    "That''s true."


    The two of them continued chatting in the courtyard.


    Meanwhile, the four little ones played games with the children in the yard.


    The children''s laughter and cheer filled the whole space, and Cocolia found joy in scenes like this.


    A child''s smile is hope.


    After the visit to the orphanage, Ye Yun took the little ones to tour the Icefield Deer Ranch.


    The Icefield Deer were lively and bounded across the tundra.


    The caretakers were preparing food for them, all natural plants from the icy region.


    These plants made the venison taste even better.


    After the visit, Ye Yun and the little ones returned to rest at the shop.


    They had played all day and were exhausted. After washing up, they collapsed into bed and fell fast asleep.


    Incidentally, the room they were staying in used to belong to March 7th.


    Now, March and Stelle were forced to sleep on the floor in Himeko''s room.


    Originally, Himeko planned to clear out another train car to give them a proper room, but the two found it too much trouble.


    Eventually, they got used to crashing on the floor in Himeko''s room¡ªand surprisingly, they slept quite well.


    At dinner time, Ye Yun and Xiangling casually made some food.


    There weren''t many people eating tonight¡ªStelle and the others had stayed up all night gaming and were still sleeping.


    The dinner table was only occupied by Ye Yun, Dan Heng, Topaz, Welt, Zhongli, Venti, Noelle, Xiangling, Clara, and Himeko.


    Himeko looked at the table, which was full despite many being absent, and felt deeply gratified.


    Ever since Ye Yun boarded the train, it had become so lively.


    In the past, it was just herself, March 7th, Welt, Dan Heng, and Pom-Pom¡ªso quiet and lonely.


    Now, the train was filled with laughter and cheer.


    Stelle and the other girls would occasionally go wild, chasing each other through the train.


    Welt, Zhongli, Ye Yun, and Jing Yuan would gather for tea and chats.


    Clara often worked with Himeko in the lab. In the past, Himeko had always worked alone, but now she had a partner to help and talk with.


    Himeko said:


    "The train is so lively now¡ªit''s starting to feel like the golden age of exploration again."


    Just then, a masked figure suddenly appeared at the dinner table.


    That''s right¡ªAha had returned to the train.


    "Hahaha~ Indeed, this is the fun kind of train! Hahahaha!"


    Everyone turned to look at Aha. When Himeko and Welt recognized him, their expressions instantly tensed.


    The Aeon of Elation! Why is he here?!


    Aha plopped down into a seat, shouting for Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun! Aha is hungry! Aha wants food!"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes.


    "Go get your own bowl from the kitchen."


    Aha burst into laughter.


    "Hahaha! Aha has no dignity!"


    If it were any other Aeon, Ye Yun might''ve been more polite. But with Aha? No need.


    The more polite you were, the more likely Aha would mess with you.


    So Aha happily scampered off to the kitchen to get tableware.


    Suddenly, a scream rang out from the kitchen.


    "Oww! Aha''s is hurt!"


    Everyone looked over and saw Pom-Pom headbutting Aha right in the stomach.


    Pom-Pom pointed angrily at him.


    "You horrible Nameless! Pom! How dare you come back?! Pom! Get out! Pom!"


    Aha fled in a panic.


    Himeko and Welt were dumbfounded by the scene. Pom-Pom... knew Aha?


    Ye Yun chuckled and explained:


    "Don''t be surprised¡ªthey''ve known each other for a while.


    To be precise, Aha is actually your senior. He was once a member of the Nameless too.


    Relax. Aha won''t do anything to you. He''s already visited once before."


    ***


    Himeko and Welt hearing that Aha was their senior felt like listening to nonsense¡ªhow do those words even fit together?


    Aha, the Aeon of Elation.


    Nameless, a pathwalker of the Trailblaze.


    These aren''t even on the same level, right?


    How could that possibly connect?


    Pom-Pom stomped angrily.


    "Although this guy is really annoying, he is a Nameless! The worst Nameless!"


    Aha cheerfully got up from the floor and hugged Pom-Pom.


    "Conductor, long time no see. Aha missed you."


    Pom-Pom''s earlier headbutt had pretty much dispelled all his anger.


    "You actually remember to come back?"


    Aha stuck out their tongue playfully.


    "Aha was off looking for fun~ But now Aha is back, right?"


    Pom-Pom asked:


    "Did you come back for something this time?"


    Aha nodded.


    "The Stellar Jade Aha bought last time are all used up! Came back to buy some more¡ªAha loves Stellar Jade, they bring so much joy~"


    Hearing this, Pom-Pom was shocked. What! You were back last time and didn''t even say hi?


    "Aha! Eat another headbutt from me!"


    Aha screamed and was sent flying.


    Welt and Himeko watched the scene in disbelief.


    What they didn''t expect was that Aha really was a Nameless, and their senior.


    Ye Yun smiled at the sight and sat back down at the table.


    "Alright, stop staring and get back to eating."


    Everyone returned to their seats, though they kept sneaking glances to the side.


    Pom-Pom was still grabbing Aha by the collar, scolding them while Aha just listened obediently.


    The scene looked just like it did years ago¡ªAha and Akivili being scolded by Pom-Pom, both too scared to fight back, only able to hang their heads and listen.


    Before long, Pom-Pom brought Aha back to the table for dinner.


    After eating, Aha bought another 20 Stellar Jade, and before leaving the train, left behind 10,000 star credits for Pom-Pom.


    Pom-Pom looked at the credits and said:


    "These 10,000 star credits will go toward train maintenance. Himeko, let''s check out the freight car behind Ye Yun''s shop¡ªwe''ll convert a few more rooms."


    Himeko agreed and followed Pom-Pom toward the car behind Ye Yun''s shop.


    Topaz, having finished her meal, returned to her post and reported everything she saw to Jade.


    The next day on the train¡ª


    Everyone who knew about Ye Yun''s shop gathered inside.


    Today was a special day¡ªthe second lottery drawing was about to begin. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, the grand prize was Ye Yun''s personal "Sword Control Technique."


    There were 43 people in total, each having bought a few tickets.


    Since witnessing Ye Yun use the technique in front of Stelle, Stelle went all-in and bought ten numbers at once.


    Who could blame her? The swordplay was just too cool!


    Stelle was already fantasizing¡ªif she won, she''d start every battle with Judgment of Shamash, then finish with Ten Thousand Swords Return, effortlessly stylish!


    Yanqing clutched his ticket nervously.


    A sword technique! And from a powerful world! He really wanted it.


    But General Jing Yuan didn''t have many credits left, so each person only got one ticket.


    Qingque walked over from the little bar, having just finished copying today''s list of 100 product entries.


    Fu Xuan handed her the ticket.


    "Qingque, this is the one the General bought for you."


    Qingque was delighted.


    "Oh? Even I get one? The General is the best~ Now I have two!"


    Fu Xuan looked puzzled.


    "Qingque, where did you get the credits for the first ticket?"


    Qingque flipped her two tickets.


    "I won it playing Calestial Jade game with Stelle and the others."


    Fu Xuan crossed her arms.


    "Qingque! You had time to play Calestial Jade game? Looks like I haven''t given you enough work. From now on, double the daily transcription tasks. Decision made."


    Qingque instantly turned to stone.


    What? She had just gotten an easy gig!


    She wanted to slap her past self¡ªwhy mention the game?! Now look what happened! Ugh, double the workload!


    Meanwhile, Zhongli was asking Jing Yuan about unclaimed planets.


    "General Jing Yuan, do you know of any unowned planets?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "There are many, but most are uninhabitable."


    Zhongli replied,


    "That''s fine. We''ll modify them."


    Jing Yuan nodded thoughtfully.


    "Then it''s simple. Just ask Miss Topaz to check which ones are unowned."


    Zhongli did just that.


    Topaz quickly found one¡ªonly 34 million square kilometers, but close to Belobog, just one star system away.


    After pondering a bit, Zhongli decided on behalf of Celestia to claim this planet.


    Topaz, taking the opportunity to earn favor, registered the planet under Zhongli''s name.


    Registered planets won''t be bothered by the company''s expansion team, and will be acknowledged as legal by major cosmic powers.


    Back with Ye Yun¡ª


    He looked at the room full of people and checked his system interface.


    [Mission: Serve 50 unique customers.]Current Progress: 43/50Reward: Dungeon Portal


    [Mission: Reach 10 million in sales.]Current Progress: 218,000/10,000,000. Reward: Peak Emanator-level strength


    His shop was about to unlock something new¡ªa dungeon portal. He wondered if it would be like the ones from online games in his past life.


    No point overthinking¡ªhe''d see when it happens.


    Just six more people. Should be done tomorrow.


    Tomorrow, teams from Yaoqing and Zhuming ships would arrive for the Luofu Martial Arts Ceremony.


    More customers!


    This time, the event came earlier than in the original timeline. Ye Yun suspected it was a cover.


    Most likely, the upper echelons of the Xianzhou Alliance already knew about the Qingling Pill Bai Lu made.


    Officially it was for the competition, but unofficially they were sending people to protect Bailu.


    Ye Yun was confident: nothing would happen to Bailu under his protection.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65 - 65Time ticked by, and soon, the countdown on the big screen ended as cheerful music began to play.


    "Ding ding dang~ ding ding dang~ It''s lottery time~"


    Ye Yun, hearing the music, walked to the counter and took out the winning number for this round.


    Everyone present locked their eyes on Ye Yun''s hand.


    Ye Yun opened the slip of paper and read out the number.


    "The winning number for this round is No. 37. Who has No. 37?"


    Everyone immediately lowered their heads to check their own numbers.


    Stelle flipped through her 10 lottery tickets as fast as she could, her expression growing darker with each one.


    No way! I don''t think I won again!


    After checking all 10 tickets, sure enough, Stelle hadn''t won.


    Devastated, she cried out in anguish¡ªher 10,000 credits, all gone again!


    "If I play the lottery again, I''m a dog!" Stelle stood up and angrily flung her tickets.


    Hu Tao, who had also bought 10 tickets, didn''t win either.


    "Me too! If I play again, I''m a dog!"


    Everyone looked around at each other to see who the lucky winner was.


    Qingque glanced at her ticket.


    "Ohhh! It''s me! I won! Hahahaha!"


    Fu Xuan, hearing Qingque won, was elated. She slapped Qingque on the shoulder.


    "Well done, Qingque! I knew you had a good luck!"


    Jing Yuan was also pleased. Qingque winning was a win for the entire Luofu.


    The Sword Control Technique was a sword art¡ªit could be taught to others, unlike abilities, which were exclusive to the user.


    "Qingque, go claim your sword technique."


    Qingque nodded happily and ran over to Ye Yun to claim her prize.


    Ye Yun placed Qingque''s ticket into the counter. In the next second, a bundle of scrolls appeared in his hand.


    "Take it carefully. No refunds after you leave the counter."


    Qingque carefully took the Sword Control scroll and returned to the others.


    Fu Xuan eagerly urged her.


    "Open it, Qingque, take a look!"


    Just as Qingque was about to open it, she paused, as if realizing something, and then closed it again.


    She handed the scroll to Jing Yuan.


    "General, you should be the one to use this. I''m not really interested in this kind of thing, and I have no talent for sword arts either.It''d be a waste in my hands. You should find someone better suited to learn it."


    Fu Xuan was deeply moved by Qingque''s words. She''s finally maturing. Now she could confidently entrust the Divination Commission to Qingque once she succeeded Jing Yuan as general.


    As for Qingque herself? Her real thoughts were:


    Learning that technique would be a hassle, and once I learn it, they''ll probably make me teach others too. What a pain!Besides, I don''t even like this stuff. Better to give it away.


    Jing Yuan patted Qingque on the shoulder, moved.


    "Qingque, I''ll make the decision¡ªgoing forward, you only need to copy down 50 item entries for the Alliance each day."


    Qingque was overjoyed. What a deal! Now I''ll have time to drag Stelle and the others into more Calestial Jade Game matches!


    Jing Yuan looked at the scroll in his hands and thought about it. He decided to discuss it with Jingliu.


    Without a doubt, Jingliu was the most suitable person on Luofu to learn the sword technique. Once she mastered it, she could teach others, like Yanqing.


    Jing Yuan glanced at Yanqing, who was practically drooling at the scroll.


    "Yanqing, don''t worry. When the time comes, you''ll definitely get to learn it."


    Yanqing lit up with joy.


    "Thank you, General!"


    Jing Yuan gave a small nod.


    "Alright, let''s see what the prize for the next round is. Everyone gets one ticket, we''ll deduct the cost from public funds."


    Nobody left the shop¡ªsome stayed to chat, while others waited to see the next prize.


    Stelle and Hu Tao kept swearing they''d never play the lottery again.


    "Lottery? What''s that? Never buying again!"


    "Exactly! I, the great Hall Master, am a practical person! I''d rather spend my money on something at the snack bar!"


    Two minutes later¡ª


    The big screen in the lottery shop flickered, and the next prize appeared.


    **[Third Lottery Prize: Emperor Armor Summoner]


    Description: The supreme armor from a certain armored world, possessing terrifying power.


    Price: 200,000 star credits. Countdown: 6d, 23h, 59m, 59s**


    Everyone stared at the prize announcement. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Woof! Woof! Woof!" Stelle barked three times, then dashed to the counter to buy 10 numbers.


    Hu Tao followed suit, barking three times before rushing to buy her tickets.


    After seeing the Emperor Armor Summoner, Welt looked like a different person. He queued behind Hu Tao, gripping a massive handful of credits.


    March 7 was baffled. Why is this thing so attractive? Armor? Is it really that amazing?


    She looked at Welt and muttered:


    "I''ve never seen Uncle Yang like this before."


    Himeko chuckled when she heard March''s confusion and explained:


    "Everyone has something they''re passionate about.For example, little March, don''t you really love cameras?Imagine if the next prize was a rare, high-end camera. What would your reaction be?"


    March thought for a moment and then nodded in realization.


    "If it were a camera, I''d probably act just like Uncle Yang."


    At that moment, a loud voice rang out.


    "Hahaha! Aha is back again! Let''s see what''s going on~!"


    Aha swaggered into the lottery shop but immediately stepped on Pom-Pom''s trash shovel, knocking over the trash.


    "Aha! Trouble follows you everywhere!"


    Pom-Pom slammed the broom to the ground and scolded Aha furiously.


    Aha gulped, cold sweat pouring down.


    "Wait! Pom-Pom! Let me¡ªuh¡ªexplain! Yeah, explain!"


    Pom-Pom''s response: a massive headbutt.


    Aha was sent flying.


    "Owwww!"


    Jing Yuan, hearing the name "Aha," looked closely at the figure and then exchanged a glance with Fu Xuan.


    They saw the same shock in each other''s eyes.


    "Aeon of Elation!"


    March 7th was equally stunned. She tugged hard on Himeko''s sleeve.


    "Himeko! Himeko! Isn''t that the Aeon of Elation?! That''s the Aeon of Elation, right?!"


    Himeko nodded slightly.


    "That''s right, that''s the Aeon of Elation. But don''t worry, they mean us no harm. Aha is also a former Nameless."


    March 7th clutched her head in disbelief.


    "What?! He was a Nameless too?!"


    Himeko nodded again.


    "Yep. Pom-Pom confirmed it personally."


    March 7th''s brain short-circuited. She sat down, trying to process it all.


    Nearby, Stelle stroked her chin in thought. After a moment, she slapped the table.


    "Holy moly! I have serious backing, huh?!"


    ***


    Himeko shook her head.


    "Stelle, you can''t think of it that way. What if you need help and call Aha, but Aha thinks it''d be more fun to watch you get beaten up instead?"


    Stelle instantly calmed down upon hearing that.


    Emmm... she really hadn''t considered that possibility.


    Come to think of it, Aha was full of uncertainty¡ªwhether he''d come to help or not was a complete gamble.


    After that, Aha got up, returned to the lottery shop, bought 100 numbers, and left again.


    Once Aha was gone, everyone chatted for a while before returning to their own tasks.


    Those who had work went to work, those who had to study studied, and those conducting research returned to their research.


    Seeing that Fu Xuan, Jing Yuan, and the others had left, Qingque waved her hand.


    "Anyone up for a game of Celestial Jade?"


    Stelle immediately raised her hand and was the first to sign up.


    "Me!"


    Hu Tao followed right behind her. With someone watching over the internet caf¨¦, nothing major would go wrong¡ªafter all, Ningguang was involved in the business.


    People from Liyue would never dare stir up trouble in the caf¨¦, and as for foreign forces? The two Fatui Harbingers stationed in Liyue had already been taught a lesson.


    Hu Tao was confident that Childe and Signora wouldn''t be stupid enough to cause trouble in her place.


    And she was absolutely right.


    Because at that very moment, Childe and Signora were both sitting in the caf¨¦ with a group of Fatui soldiers surfing the web.


    "Count me in too!" she added.


    Yelan, seeing the Celestial Jade set on the table, became interested as well.


    "Count me in."


    Qingque, seeing how she had easily gathered a group just by calling out, felt that the Astral Express really was a great place.


    Since she came here, not only did she land an easy, secure job, but she could also play Celestial Jade anytime, anywhere.


    Even back in Luofu, it took effort and planning to gather people for a game.


    But here, just shout and a group forms.


    ***


    Behind Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, near Lumine''s camper van.


    Lumine and Paimon had just returned from Ye Yun''s shop when they saw Aether sitting at the door of her camper, waiting for her.


    There was a chain made from spatial authority wrapped around Aether''s ankle¡ªplaced there by Calestia.


    This chain was invisible to anyone without elemental vision, and its sole purpose was to seal Aether''s powers and prevent him from using portals to return to the Abyss.


    Aether was essentially under house arrest around the funeral parlor. If he moved more than 3,000 meters away, Calestia would immediately sense it.


    Calestia had said: finally catching this guy, no way I''m letting him run off again.


    Lumine crossed her arms and glared at Aether.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Aether was completely speechless at his sister. What kind of sister helps people catch her own brother?


    "Nothing, just strolling."


    Lumine rolled her eyes.


    "Don''t lie to me. Just say what you''re here for."


    Aether gave up and went straight to the point.


    "How did your powers recover so fast? Back then, I had to gather all seven elemental powers to do it."


    Lumine didn''t hide anything.


    "I bought a pill that breaks seals from Ye Yun."


    Aether frowned.


    "Ye Yun? A friend of yours?"


    Paimon chimed in.


    "Yeah, Ye Yun''s a good friend of ours! He runs a shop full of amazing stuff!"


    Aether said, "Lumine, I need one of those pills."


    Lumine immediately refused.


    "No way. You want to go back to the Abyss? What exactly is in the Abyss that has you obsessed like this?"


    Aether replied, "The Abyss Order members were once citizens of Khaenri''ah. I can''t just abandon them."


    But Lumine still shook her head.


    "Nope. Unless Calestia agrees, you''re not getting one."


    Aether said, "Lumine, I want to lead them in rebuilding our homeland."


    Lumine shook her head again.


    "I already heard the truth about the Abyss from Zhongli and the others. That thing has no place in Teyvat.


    You know how terrifying the Abyss is."


    Aether fell silent, memories of the war in Khaenri''ah flashing through his mind.


    The Seven Archons had destroyed their homeland and turned the citizens into monsters.


    "The Abyss is the only way to save Teyvat. It was Calestia who led the Seven Gods to destroy Khaenri''ah back then."


    Lumine was about to explain the truth to him when Calestia suddenly appeared.


    She coldly looked at Aether and thought aloud.


    "I see... that explains it."


    Calestia reached out and grabbed at Aether''s chest, pulling out a ball of dark mist.


    "So this is why this little blonde suddenly joined the Abyss. You''ve been whispering in his ear all along¡ªsinner!"


    The dark mist let out an eerie, chilling laugh.


    "Hahaha! Calestia! The Abyss will consume all!"


    Calestia snorted and crushed it.


    Paimon looked confused, glancing at the collapsed Aether, then at Lumine and Asmodeus.


    "What... what just happened?"


    Calestia said,"I knew something was off after we caught him yesterday. Turns out he was under someone''s influence.


    Lumine, your brother is fine now. Once he wakes up, bring him to me. I have some things I need to ask him."


    Lumine nodded and helped Aether into the camper to rest.


    Meanwhile, on Jing Yuan''s side.


    After parting ways with Fu Xuan and the others, he brought the swordsmanship scroll to Jingliu.


    Jingliu was currently at Sea of Clouds with Rios, watching over the kids.


    The four little ones were joyfully blasting fish at the riverbank.


    Seeing Jing Yuan approach, Jingliu spoke directly.


    "Give me the scroll. Have your disciple come find me the day after tomorrow."


    Jing Yuan smiled and handed it over.


    "Thank you."


    Jingliu shook her head slightly.


    "No need for thanks¡ªit''s my duty."


    Jing Yuan asked,"I heard from Yanqing that he sparred with you once?"


    Jingliu nodded.


    "Yes. He''s promising¡ªyou have a good eye."


    Jing Yuan was just about to boast a little, when Jingliu followed up with:


    "It''s just... the one teaching him isn''t very good. Taught him all wrong."


    Jing Yuan immediately broke into a cold sweat.


    Ugh. This was his own master. He couldn''t argue.


    If someone else had said that, he''d be ready to throw hands.


    Jing Yuan looked around and suddenly remembered Jingliu had been here yesterday.


    Seeing the sword marks on the cliff face nearby, he shook his head.


    Not long after she left the Divine Foresight Pavilion yesterday, he had received a report.


    Several dragon guards had been attacked by a mysterious swordswoman¡ªleaving the group of guards turned into a pile of... dragon meat. The scene had been brutal.


    Seriously, of all people to mess with, why would they choose her?


    If it had been him or Dan Heng, they''d have only gotten a beating at most.


    But getting caught by Jingliu? Even being caught by Blade would''ve been better¡ªyou''d be a mess, but at least you wouldn''t be paste.


    After that, Jing Yuan, Jingliu, and Rios chatted while keeping an eye on the kids.


    On the train¡ª


    Kafka brought Blade aboard.


    After he and Dan Heng had fought outside the train, they both returned silently, each covered in wounds of various sizes.


    But judging by the fact that they could now sit in the same room without fighting again... maybe that was progress?

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66 - 66Fortunately, at that moment, Jingliu and Rios returned with the four little ones.


    As soon as March 7th saw Bailu, she called her over to treat the two injured.


    Bailu rolled her eyes at the two of them in annoyance.


    "How old are you already? Still fighting? Childish!"


    After bandaging their wounds, Bailu pointed at the two and scolded:


    "You two are not allowed to fight again, got it? If you fight again, this lady won''t treat your injuries anymore!"


    Her words pulled both Blade and Dan Heng into a wave of nostalgia.


    Bai Heng: "Yingxing, Danfeng, can you two be more careful when sparring? If it happens again, I''m not patching you up anymore!"


    The two nodded in unison.


    "Yeah, it won''t happen again."


    Bailu nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good. Be careful ¡ª don''t get the wounds wet for a day, and remove the bandages in three days."


    Dan Heng and Blade agreed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blade''s wounds were actually almost healed, but he still chose to follow Bailu''s medical advice.


    Kafka, standing nearby, smiled thoughtfully at the scene.


    "Blade, sit here and rest a bit. I''m going to find Silver Wolf."


    Blade nodded, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the sofa with his arms folded to rest.


    Kafka opened the door to Silver Wolf''s booth but didn''t see her inside.


    She noticed Stelle at the side, playing Celestial Jade.


    "Stelle, have you seen Silver Wolf?"


    Without looking up, Stelle replied while drawing tiles:


    "Silver Wolf is at Hu Tao''s internet caf¨¦. Calestia invited her to play games."


    Another unfamiliar name to Kafka.


    Stelle added:


    "Why don''t you wait a bit? She''ll come back for dinner later."


    Kafka nodded and went to sit at the small bar nearby.


    Behind the counter, Ye Yun was mixing drinks.


    Ye Yun looked up and saw Kafka.


    "Yo, if it isn''t Kafka. Long time no see."


    Kafka smiled slightly.


    "Yeah, it''s been a while. This place has changed a lot since I last came. I remember it being smaller before."


    Ye Yun replied:


    "Business has been okay. Made a little money and renovated the place.


    How long are you staying this time? You left in such a hurry last time."


    Kafka said:


    "This time I can stay longer. It''ll be a while before my next assignment."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Then take your time and enjoy. It''s lively here now, lots of people."


    Kafka glanced over at the group playing mahjong, then at Welt and Zhongli playing chess, and finally at the drunken Venti nearby.


    "It''s true¡ªway livelier than our base.


    When Silver Wolf and Sam were around, it was lively. Without them, it''s been so dull."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "I''ll give you a portal later. You can set it up at your base.


    That way, you can come to my shop anytime."


    Kafka''s eyes lit up.


    "You had something this useful? Why didn''t you give it to me before? I''ve been stuck at the base all cold and lonely, ugh."


    Ye Yun shrugged.


    "Didn''t think of it at the time."


    Kafka smiled.


    "I''ll let you off this time. What''s for dinner tonight? I heard from Silver Wolf that you''re the cook on the train."


    Ye Yun replied:


    "Tonight we''re having dumplings. And I''m not the only one cooking.


    Pom-Pom and Xiangling are helping out too.


    There''s no way I could handle cooking for so many people alone."


    Kafka said:


    "Then I''ll try your cooking tonight.


    By the way, do you sell coats at your shop?"


    Ye Yun poured her a cocktail.


    "Of course. Come take a look over here."


    Kafka took a sip of the cocktail and walked over to the touchscreen to browse.


    Soon, it was time to eat.


    Stelle sat at the table with a look of utter defeat, staring blankly at the ceiling.


    "It''s gone. All of it''s gone... hahaha..."


    In stark contrast, Qingque sat across from her happily counting a thick stack of star coins.


    After a whole day of Celestial Jade, Stelle had lost the worst. She only had a pitiful 100 star coins left.


    March 7th shook her head and sighed.


    "Now look at you, only 100 coins left."


    Hu Tao, sitting next to Stelle, said:


    "Losing badly is normal. Sister Yelan''s gambling skills are top-tier.


    You can''t even beat Qingque, let alone Yelan.


    Even I lost over 1,000 coins today. If I hadn''t gotten lucky with a couple self-draws, I''d be in your shoes too."


    Ye Yun brought over a big bowl of dumplings.


    "Alright, time to eat. Weren''t you all going exploring in Fyxestroll Garden later tonight?"


    That reminded Stelle.


    "Oh right! We''re heading to Fyxestroll Garden tonight. March, message Guinaifen and Sushang, see where they''re meeting us."


    March 7th chomped down on a dumpling and pulled out her phone to message them.


    Soon, she got a reply.


    "They said to meet at Aurum Alley. Guinaifen found a hidden passage that leads deep into Fyxestroll Garden."


    Stelle perked up.


    "Nice! Hurry, hurry, eat up¡ªthen we go adventuring!"


    Hu Tao also filled a big bowl with dumplings, happily digging in¡ªtonight was ghost-hunting time!


    Once everyone had eaten their fill, they wiped their mouths and dashed off the train.


    Himeko didn''t even have time to stop them.


    She had originally planned to hold a train meeting to confirm their departure time for Penacony.


    No choice now¡ªshe''d have to wait until tomorrow morning.


    Stelle and the group reached the open area beside the train where several starskiffs were parked. These were specially dispatched by Jing Yuan for travel in Luofu.


    They boarded the starskiffs and headed straight for Aurum Alley.


    Upon arrival, they found Aurum Alley eerily deserted.


    It used to be a commercial street, but now only a few scattered shops were still open.


    Fortunately, that wasn''t their destination.


    They followed the directions and soon found Guinaifen and Sushang waiting for them.


    Seeing them, Guinaifen waved excitedly.


    "Hey! You''re finally here! Quick, quick¡ªcome with me. I, the great Guigui, found a secret path!"


    After saying hello, the group followed her toward Fyxestroll Garden.


    Deep inside Fyxestroll Garden¡ª


    Guinaifen, Stelle, Sushang, and March 7th tiptoed forward.


    Hu Tao looked at the ghostly flames floating around with excitement¡ªthis was her kind of place!


    Seizing the moment, Hu Tao leapt up and grabbed one of the ghost flames.


    Contrary to her expectations, it didn''t extinguish¡ªinstead, it blazed even more fiercely in her hand.


    Curious, Hu Tao leaned in for a closer look¡ª


    Suddenly! The ghost flame turned, revealing a human-like face.


    Startled, Hu Tao immediately threw it to the ground, formed a hand seal, and used a soul-pacifying technique to pin the ghost flame in place.


    The girls gathered around the immobilized flame, intrigued.


    ***


    Stelle squatted next to the ghostly flame and poked it with a finger.


    She had thought the flame would be hot, but to her surprise, it was icy cold, which made her quite curious.


    "March, try it out. This ghost fire is cold!"


    March 7th heard that and reached out to touch the flame with a finger.


    "It really is! The ghost fire is cold¡ªhow weird."


    Just then, the ghost fire suddenly spoke.


    "You''re the ghost fire! Your whole family are ghost fires! How could I be something as lowly as a ghost fire? I''m a Heliobus!"


    Star was even more intrigued upon hearing the ghost fire speak.


    "Yo! It can talk! How fun!"


    Stelle turned to Hu Tao.


    "Hu Tao, how about we take it home and keep it as a pet? Raising a ghost fire sounds fun."


    Hu Tao replied,


    "No can do. People are people, ghosts are ghosts. The living dwell among the living, the dead go to the underworld.


    I''ll just exorcise it."


    Saying that, Hu Tao summoned a large Hilichurl, who swallowed the ghost fire in one gulp.


    "Done!"


    March 7th watched Hu Tao clap her hands.


    "That''s your exorcism? Physical exorcism?"


    Hu Tao replied matter-of-factly,


    "What else would it be?"


    March 7 shook her head.


    "That''s odd. In the movies, it''s always about setting up altars and rituals, and jumping around and stuff."


    Hu Tao explained,


    "It doesn''t need to be that complicated. My Big Hilichurl eats evil spirits. If I can handle it simply, why go through all that?"


    March 7th thought about it and felt Hu Tao had a point.


    Still, this was her first time learning what Hu Tao''s big Hilichurl was used for.


    Just then, Guinaifen suddenly cut in.


    "Hu Tao! You can catch ghosts?!"


    Star responded,


    "What''s so weird about that? Hu Tao''s been learning this since she was little. She even has a company that handles funerals."


    Guinaifen looked at Hu Tao like she''d found a treasure.


    "Hu Tao! My shot at fame depends on you! Can I livestream you catching ghosts? Please? Pretty please?"


    Hu Tao thought for a moment.


    "Sure. Then let''s go find another one of those Heliobus."


    Just as the group was about to go looking for another Heliobus, a cold voice rang out.


    "You''re not going anywhere. Surrender now!"


    As the voice fell, a squad of Ten-Lords Commission soldiers surrounded them.


    Leading them were Xueyi, Hanya, and Huo Huo.


    Hanya sighed upon seeing the group.


    "You guys again?"


    Stelle scratched her head awkwardly.


    "Hehe~ What if I said we got lost? Would you believe me?"


    Xueyi snorted coldly.


    "Do you believe that? You''ve trespassed in the Fyxestroll Garden multiple times. Do you really want to end up in jail?"


    The group shrank back¡ªjail? No way!


    Luckily, Hanya spoke up.


    "This is your last warning. Fyxestroll Garden is an important location of the Xianzhou. Outsiders are not allowed.


    Huo Huo, escort them out."


    Huo Huo nodded and said to the group,


    "This way, please. HuoHuo will escort you out."


    The group quickly followed, afraid Hanya might change her mind and actually throw them into jail.


    That would be so embarrassing.


    They didn''t want Jing Yuan dragging Ye Yun, Zhongli, and Himeko to bail them out of Luofu Prison first thing tomorrow morning.


    Once they were far away, Stelle let out a long sigh.


    "Phew~ That was close. My Galactic Flame Hero almost got a criminal record."


    March 7th chuckled.


    "Heh, as if you don''t already have enough stains on your record."


    Stelle exclaimed,


    "Excuse me?! I want to see my lawyer!"


    Just then, Huo Huo spoke from ahead.


    "Please remain quiet. This is the Fyxestroll Garden¡ªno loud noises allowed."


    Stelle immediately apologized.


    Then she noticed Huo Huo''s tail.


    It was burning!


    Cool!


    Star patted Huo Huo on the shoulder.


    "Um... Huo Huo, right?"


    Huo Huo turned around.


    "Yes? What is it?"


    Stelle pointed at her tail.


    "Huo Huo, where did you get that tail? I want to buy one too."


    No sooner had Stelle said that than March 7th gave her a flick on the forehead.


    "What nonsense are you thinking? Huo Huo is a foxian, of course she has a tail."


    Just then, a haughty voice rang out.


    "This lord is one of a kind. Even if you wanted to buy me, you couldn''t!"


    March 7th and Guinaifen were startled.


    "Who?! Who just spoke?"


    HuoHuo quickly reassured them.


    "Don''t worry. That was Mr. Tail."


    Hu Tao looked closely at Huo Huo''s tail.


    "Is it that thing on your tail? It looks just like the ghost fire from earlier."


    Huo Huo was surprised that Hu Tao had noticed the peculiarity of her tail.


    "Yes. Don''t worry, Mr. Tail is sealed on Huo Huo''s tail and won''t hurt anyone."


    March 7th and Guinaifen both let out a sigh of relief.


    Hu Tao was curious.


    "Huo Huo, can you let Mr. Tail come out for a bit? I want to see."


    Huo Huo thought for a moment, then stroked her tail¡ªMr. Tail appeared before them.


    March 7th, Star, Guinaifen, and Sushang looked at Mr. Tail with wide eyes.


    Mr. Tail, seeing the girls look at him like a monkey in a zoo, was annoyed.


    "Shoo shoo! Where did all you little girls come from? What, can''t look away from my dashing looks?"


    March 7th was speechless.


    "Not really. You''re full of yourself."


    Mr. Tail snapped,


    "Hey! You little brat, no taste at all! With this lord''s striking charisma, how could you lie through your teeth like that?"


    Hu Tao sided with March 7th.


    "Striking? Not so much. Annoying? Definitely."


    Mr. Tail rolled his eyes and stopped responding.


    Meanwhile, Guinaifen whipped out her phone and started snapping pictures of Mr. Tail like crazy¡ªthis was perfect content for her big streamer break!


    Huo Huo checked the time.


    "Everyone, let''s continue. Please follow Huo Huo closely."


    The group followed Huo Huo down the path.


    But after walking a bit, Hu Tao suddenly frowned.


    "Something''s not right!"


    She stopped and pulled out her Staff of Homa, scanning the surroundings warily.


    The group stopped too. Seeing Hu Tao on high alert, they all drew their weapons.


    "Hu Tao, what''s wrong? What did you sense?" March 7th asked.


    Hu Tao replied,


    "There''s heavy evil energy nearby. Be careful¡ªsomething foul is close."


    The group stood back-to-back.


    Sushang, holding her sword, told Guinaifen,


    "Little Gui, stick close to me."


    But there was no reply.


    Sushang looked around¡ªGuinaifen was gone.


    "Oh no! Little Gui''s missing!"


    Everyone was shocked. Huo Huo trembled and hid behind Hu Tao.


    "Waaah! Don''t take Huo Huo! Huo Huo doesn''t taste good!"


    Mr. Tail, seeing Huo Huo so scared, sighed in disappointment.


    "Alright, alright, it''s no big deal. Just a little Heliobus."

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67 - 67Hu Tao shielded Huohuo with one hand and held her Staff of Homa in the other, scanning the surroundings.


    Soon enough, Hu Tao locked onto her target.


    "Found you! Everyone, follow me!"


    With that, Hu Tao ignited her Staff of Homa and charged into a small courtyard.


    Seeing this, Stelle and the others grabbed their weapons and followed her.


    Huohuo, noticing everyone rush into the courtyard, quickly followed behind.


    "Wait for Huohuo!"


    She hurriedly trotted in with her short little legs.


    Inside the courtyard, Hu Tao raised her Staff of Homa and struck a large mirror by the entrance.


    Everyone expected the mirror to shatter¡ªbut it didn''t.


    Just as the staff was about to hit the surface, a Hu Tao from within the mirror suddenly reached out, grabbed the staff, and yanked Hu Tao into the mirror.


    The others immediately lunged forward to grab her.


    As a result, they all got pulled into the mirror as well.


    Within the Mirror World.


    The Heliobus called Cirrus sensed Hu Tao and the others entering the mirror realm and tried to possess Guinaifen.


    Just then, a few fire butterflies fluttered over¡ªHu Tao arrived and swung her Staff of Homa straight at Fuyan.


    Cirrus was terrified, immediately abandoning Guinaifen and fleeing.


    It had only just escaped its prison and hadn''t had time to absorb more Heliobus to grow stronger¡ªthere was no way it could fight Hu Tao right now.


    Hu Tao caught Guinaifen and shook her shoulders.


    "Guinaifen, wake up!"


    Under Hu Tao''s shaking, Guinaifen groggily opened her eyes.


    "Where am I...?"


    Hu Tao breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing she made it in time. If Cirrus had successfully possessed Guinaifen, things would''ve been way harder to handle.


    "You were just grabbed by something that looked a lot like Mr. Tail. Luckily I arrived just in time. How are you feeling?"


    Guinaifen rubbed her temples.


    "A little dizzy... but I''ll be fine after a bit of rest."


    Hu Tao nodded.


    After letting her rest a moment, Hu Tao sensed the surroundings, found Cirrus''s trail, and took Guinaifen along to chase after it.


    At that moment, Cirrus had arrived near March 7th.


    March 7th was aimlessly wandering through a small alley.


    "Where did everyone go? I''ve been walking for ages and haven''t seen a single person."


    Behind her, Cirrus quietly emerged from a wall.


    Seeing how defenseless March 7th was, Cirrus sneered.


    "Little girl, no vigilance at all. Perfect vessel for me!"


    It lunged toward March 7th and dove into her body.


    Less than a second later, Cirrus was forcefully ejected by a powerful energy.


    March 7th merely felt an itch on her back, scratched it, and kept walking.


    Once she was far away, Cirrus flew up from the ground, bruised and battered.


    The moment it entered her body, it had been struck by overwhelming power and immediately expelled.


    Scanning the area, Cirrus sensed the presence of Stelle and Sushang.


    "Hmph! Don''t tell me everyone here is this strong! No way! In a group, there''s always a weakling!"


    It ran off to ambush Stelle and Sushang.


    Moments later...


    "AAAHH!! DAMN!! IT''S SO HOT! I''M BURNING!!"


    Cirrus, engulfed in flames, fled from Stelle and Sushang in a panic.


    It had tried to possess Stelle, only to be attacked by searing heat. Luckily it escaped in time¡ªany slower and it would''ve been incinerated on the spot.


    It dove into a nearby pond to douse the flames.


    "Are all of you freakishly powerful?! What kind of hellish luck is this? What kind of monsters did I drag myself into!?"


    Just as Cirrus was about to give up, it suddenly heard crying.


    "Waaahhh~ Huohuo can''t do anything... Waaahhh~"


    Cirrus perked up¡ªwas that a little girl nearby?


    No way she''s strong too, right?


    Following the sound, Cirrus saw Huohuo crying in a corner.


    Just as it was about to possess her, it sensed another Cirrus presence nearby.


    Cirrus froze and carefully analyzed it... It felt oddly familiar.


    The next second, Mr. Tail appeared beside it.


    "Well, if it isn''t Cirrus. Hasn''t been long, but look at you¡ªbeaten black and blue, and even scorched. Tsk tsk."


    Cirrus instantly recognized the presence.


    "Tail! Watch your mouth!"


    Tail snorted coldly.


    "Hah. I''m just speaking the truth."


    Cirrus was briefly speechless. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then it noticed something strange about Tail''s state.


    Looking around, it saw the seal on Huohuo''s tail¡ªand smirked.


    "Tail, you better worry about yourself. You''re still sealed. At least I''m free, ha ha ha!"


    Tail let out a chilling laugh.


    "Not for long."


    Cirrus blinked.


    "Not for long? What do you mean?"


    Tail pointed behind Cirrus.


    "Turn around and see for yourself."


    Cirrus suddenly had a bad feeling¡ªlike something terrible was about to happen.


    It slowly turned its head...


    Only to see Hu Tao charging at it, swinging the Staff of Homa.


    BOOM! The strike hit Fuyan square in the chest, slamming it into the ground.


    It tried to tunnel underground to escape, but Tail grabbed it and yanked it back up.


    "Tail! You traitor!"


    Those were Cirrus''s last words.


    Hu Tao summoned Big Hilichurl, who swallowed Cirrus in one bite.


    From then on, there was no more Heliobus named Cirrus in this world.


    Big Hilichurl burped, then hid back inside Hu Tao''s sleeve to digest.


    "All done." Hu Tao clapped her hands and put away the Staff of Homa.


    Behind her, Guinaifen looked at Hu Tao with admiration.


    "Hu Tao, you''re amazing! Can you teach me? I want to learn how to catch ghosts too!"


    Hu Tao replied,


    "Can''t do~ That''s part of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s secrets. Only direct disciples can learn."


    Guinaifen looked a little disappointed.


    "Oh... okay then~"


    But then Hu Tao changed her tone.


    "Actually, if you want to learn ghost hunting, you don''t have to learn from me. Ye Yun probably has techniques for sale¡ªyou can just buy one."


    Guinaifen lit up. She remembered Hu Tao mentioning Ye Yun before.


    "Alright! I''ll go with you after we get out. Oh, and I need star jades to buy from Ye Yun, right?


    I sold a few online, but not sure if it''s enough. Star jades are crazy expensive these days..."


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "Let''s check on HuoHuo first¡ªshe looks really shaken up."


    Guinaifen nodded, and they went to find HuoHuo.


    Hu Tao knelt beside her and gently asked,


    "Huo Huo, what''s wrong? Tell big sis¡ªmaybe I can help."


    ***


    Huohuo pulled her hand back, sobbing as she spoke.


    "Huohuo can''t do anything~ I got everyone dragged into this..."


    Seeing this, Hu Tao hugged Huohuo and patted her on the shoulder.


    "Hey now, that''s not true! Huohuo did great¡ªif you hadn''t distracted that thing just now, I wouldn''t have been able to catch it at all~


    You''re the real MVP here. Come on, high five!"


    Hu Tao grabbed one of Huohuo''s hands and gave her a high five.


    Huohuo''s mood improved a lot after hearing Hu Tao''s comforting words.


    "Really?"


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "Of course! You were amazing, Huohuo. Alright, alright, no more tears.


    Big sis will show you a magic trick."


    Huohuo focused all her attention on Hu Tao. Hu Tao stood up straight, clasped her hands together and rubbed them, smiling at Huohuo.


    "Huohuo, come open big sis''s hands."


    Hearing that, Huohuo reached out cautiously toward Hu Tao.


    Her eyes were full of curiosity, with just a hint of nervousness.


    The moment she opened Hu Tao''s hands¡ª


    A few fire butterflies fluttered out.


    "Flutter, butterfly~" Hu Tao raised her hands and spun around a few times, with tiny sparks falling from her hands, burning brilliantly in the air.


    Huohuo''s eyes lit up instantly.


    "Wow! So pretty!"


    She clapped her hands quickly, happily watching the fire butterflies dancing around her.


    Seeing Huohuo had cheered up, Hu Tao gave her another hug.


    "Come on, Huohuo, let''s go find the other girls."


    Huohuo nodded and obediently followed behind Hu Tao.


    Later on¡ª


    With the guidance of Hu Tao''s secret arts from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, they successfully found Xing, Sushang, and March 7th.


    The group reunited.


    March 7th was very curious how Hu Tao had managed to find them so accurately.


    "Hu Tao, this place is such a maze. How did you manage to find us?"


    Hu Tao conjured a fire butterfly and displayed it in her palm for everyone to see.


    Huohuo''s eyes lit up again at the sight of the fire butterfly.


    "It''s a fire butterfly!"


    Hu Tao chuckled and patted Huohuo''s head.


    "Huohuo, this isn''t a fire butterfly¡ªit''s a Guiding Butterfly, which leads the dead to the afterlife.


    And it can also guide the lost back to the world of the living.


    That''s how I found you all just now."


    Hearing this, Huohuo stared at the butterfly in Hu Tao''s hand in awe¡ªshe didn''t expect it to be so powerful.


    Nearby, Mr. Tails was staring at Hu Tao like she was a monster¡ªthis little girl''s methods were more impressive than those of the Ten Lords Commission! The only thing she might lack is strength; Hanya and Xueyi from the Ten Lords Commission are still stronger than Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao released the butterfly in her hand and said to it:


    "Guiding Butterfly, lead us out of here."


    Receiving the command, the butterfly flew off in a certain direction.


    Hu Tao called out to everyone:


    "Come on, if we follow the butterfly, we''ll be out in no time~"


    The group followed the butterfly and quickly found the exit. After passing through, they returned to the little courtyard from before.


    Hu Tao looked at the mirror behind her and smashed it with her Staff of Homa.


    "All done¡ªlet''s go!"


    Along the way, they encountered a few more Heliobus.


    These ones were much weaker. Hu Tao let Huohuo try sealing them to build her courage.


    Huohuo clearly had talent¡ªjust lacked confidence.


    With Hu Tao supervising nearby, Huohuo was able to seal the Heliobus successfully.


    And this scene was witnessed by Hanya and Xueyi, who had already taken notice of the commotion.


    Hanya watched Huohuo bravely sealing the Heliobus under Hu Tao''s encouragement, deep in thought.


    Maybe... Huohuo could spend some time learning from this woman.


    Hu Tao''s exorcism techniques were quite unique¡ªunlike anything Hanya had seen before.


    And so, without delay¡ª


    Hanya and Xueyi went to the exit ahead of time to wait for them.


    Seeing them waiting, Stelle suddenly felt nervous. We''re doomed!


    Just as she was about to turn and run, Hanya spoke.


    "We''re not here to arrest you."


    Hearing that, Stelle slowly put her foot back down.


    Hanya looked at Hu Tao.


    "Hello, I''d like to talk to you about something. Can we speak privately?"


    Hu Tao was puzzled¡ªwhat did they want with her? Was it because she fed that Heliobus to the big hilichurl?


    She followed Hanagasa to the side.


    Hanya spoke.


    "Hello, I''m Hanya, from the Ten Lords Commission."


    Hu Tao introduced herself.


    "Hi, I''m Hu Tao. What do you want to talk about?"


    Hanya got straight to the point.


    "I''d like Huohuo to learn under you for a while."


    Hu Tao immediately shook her head.


    "No can do¡ªmy ghost-hunting and exorcism arts are passed down through generations."


    Hanya clarified quickly:


    "No, no, not to learn your arts. We at the Ten Lords Commission have our own methods. I just want you to mentor Huohuo for a while.


    She''s young and still immature. Before, when we took her exorcising, she''d always hide far away, too scared to get close.


    But just now, I saw that when she''s with you, she can calmly seal those Heliobus."


    Hu Tao considered this¡ªit might be doable.


    She glanced at Huohuo, who was chatting with Xueyi in the distance.


    Huohuo really was the type she had a soft spot for. Taking care of her didn''t sound too bad.


    "Alright then, that''s fine.


    So can I take her with me now?"


    Hanya looked troubled.


    "I''m afraid not. What I had in mind was for you to stay in Fyxestroll Garden for a while and look after her there."


    Hu Tao understood. They barely knew each other, and Hanya wasn''t comfortable letting Huohuo leave with her just like that.


    Hence, asking her to stay in Fyxestroll Garden made sense.


    Seeing Hu Tao hesitate, Hanya added:


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''ll give you generous compensation."


    Hu Tao shook her head.


    "It''s not about the money. I just don''t have that much time."


    She paused, then suddenly thought of Jing Yuan.


    "Wait¡ªhow about this: you still let me take Huohuo with me. I know your General and Tai Bu. I''ll ask them to send you a message."


    Saying that, she pulled out her phone and dialed Jing Yuan.


    At that moment, Jing Yuan had just returned from Ye Yun''s shop. He was enjoying an evening of tea and opera with Welt and Zhongli.


    He picked up the call.


    "Hello? Hall Master Hu, what''s the matter?"


    Hu Tao replied:


    "Well, here''s the thing..."


    She told Jing Yuan the whole story.


    Jing Yuan recalled Huohuo''s image in his mind.


    He knew her¡ªa little fox girl working at the Ten Lords Commission. She was talented, but a bit timid.


    Thinking about Hu Tao''s profession, Jing Yuan agreed right away.


    Letting Hu Tao guide Huohuo might be just the thing. Hu Tao had a great personality¡ªdespite working in such a serious field, she remained cheerful and full of life, which was rare.


    Most of the judges in Luofu''s Ten Lords Commission¡ªJing Yuan had never seen them smile.


    "Sure, hand the phone to the people from the Commission¡ªI''ll explain."

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68 - 68Hu Tao handed her phone to Hanya, who didn''t speak right away. Instead, she switched it to video mode.


    Soon, Jing Yuan''s image appeared on the screen.


    Seeing it was Jing Yuan himself, Hanya finally spoke to confirm Hu Tao''s identity.


    "General, do you know this young lady?"


    Jing Yuan smiled and replied, "Yes, I know her. It''s fine to let Huohuo go with her. I often meet with Master Hu."


    Hanya responded, "Understood. Then I''ll let Huohuo go with her."


    Jing Yuan said, "Go ahead. Don''t worry."


    With that, Jing Yuan ended the video call.


    Hanya looked at Hu Tao. "I''ll be counting on you to look after Huohuo for the time being, Master Hu."


    Hu Tao chuckled as she put her phone away. "No problem at all. So, I''ll take Huohuo with me now?"


    Hanya nodded in agreement.


    The two then returned to the group with Stelle and the others. Hanya called Huohuo over.


    Huohuo stood at attention.


    Hanya said, "Huohuo, I''ve discussed things with Master Hu. For a while, you''ll be practicing exorcism techniques with her."


    Huohuo''s eyes lit up with joy. "Really?"


    Hanya nodded slightly. "Really. Make sure to listen to Master Hu and learn as much as you can."


    Hu Tao walked over and patted Huohuo on the shoulder. "Go pack a few clothes and come with me. I''ve got bedding and everything ready."


    Huohuo happily ran off to pack.


    Stelle and the others chatted with Hanya and Xueyi for a while.


    From their conversation, Stelle learned that Jing Yuan had ordered the Cloud Knights to search for treasure chests¡ªsomething Stelle deeply regretted missing out on, having come to Fyxestroll Garden too late.


    Soon, Huohuo came running back with a small suitcase adorned with fox paw prints.


    "Sister Hu Tao, Lord Hanya, I''ve finished packing!"


    Stelle took the suitcase from her. "Let''s go. Time to head back."


    Hu Tao, Stelle, and the others bid farewell to Hanya and Xueyi, then left Fyxestroll Garden and boarded the Star Rail train for their return.


    The whole way back, Huohuo was in high spirits¡ªfinally leaving Fyxestroll Garden.


    Beside her, Mr. Tail looked on, his mouth curling up into a smile.


    It had been so long since he''d seen the girl this happy. Maybe not since her last birthday?


    Back on the train, Hu Tao and the others returned.


    Stelle and March 7th tiptoed into Himeko''s room to rest.


    Everyone else went their separate ways.


    Outside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor¡ª


    Unlike before, the entrance was now lively with many small vendors.


    They had targeted the overnight net caf¨¦ customers, setting up food stalls near the entrance.


    Late at night, hungry gamers would come out to buy food.


    Surprisingly, business was pretty good.


    Seeing this, Hu Tao turned to Huohuo. "Huohuo, are you hungry?"


    Just as Huohuo was about to say no, her stomach let out a loud rumble.


    Hu Tao chuckled and pulled Huohuo over to a grilled fish stall.


    The vendor immediately recognized her. "Hey, isn''t this Master Hu? Still up so late?"


    Hu Tao was pleasantly surprised to see the vendor. "Old Liu? You''re selling fish now? Weren''t you working down at the docks before?"


    Old Liu grinned. "Yeah, made a bit of money and thought I''d try my hand at business."


    He noticed Huohuo standing behind Hu Tao¡ªbeastfolk?


    "Master Hu, this is?"


    "She''s like a little sister of mine. Huohuo, this is Uncle Liu. Call him Uncle."


    Huohuo obediently greeted him. "Uncle Liu~"


    Hearing her call him that brought a smile to his face.


    "Master Hu, looking for something to eat? Eat here! I''ll grill you two fish. If it weren''t for you saving me last year at Wangshu Inn, who knows where I''d be now."


    Hu Tao smiled. "Alright, we''ll eat here. Two grilled Thorn-Tiger Fish. Spicy for me, not spicy for Huohuo."


    Old Liu seated them. "Coming right up. Just wait a bit."


    To his credit, Old Liu had business sense. The location was great¡ªoverlooking the harbor and sea.


    Huohuo sat on a small stool, staring at the lit-up streets in awe.


    She couldn''t believe it¡ªSister Hu Tao was from another world, and now she had followed her into that world.


    Just then, a familiar voice called out¡ª


    "Hu Tao! You''re here too?"


    Hu Tao looked toward the voice and saw Lumine and Paimon approaching with Aether.


    A little over an hour ago, Aether had regained consciousness.


    Lumine had taken him to see Calestia, who asked if he remembered when he first encountered the "Sinner."


    Aether told her about meeting Alberich, founder of the Abyss Order, in Sumeru.


    Calestia understood then¡ªhe must''ve been marked by the "Sinner" at that time.


    After questioning him, Calestia let Aether go, but still kept an eye on him, worried the black mist might possess him again.


    Not wanting a hard-won enemy to return, she kept him nearby.


    Right after they left Calestia, Paimon said she was hungry, so the trio came looking for food.


    That''s how they bumped into Hu Tao.


    Lumine, Paimon, and Aether joined Hu Tao.


    Paimon waved. "Hu Tao, you''re eating here too?"


    Hu Tao nodded. "Yeah, just got back from Ye Yun''s place. I brought Huohuo to grab a bite.


    Let me introduce you¡ªthis is Huohuo, an intern judge from the Ten Lords Commission in Luofu. She''ll be training in exorcism with me for a while."


    Huohuo greeted them sweetly. "Hello~ I''m Huohuo."


    Lumine and Paimon waved back.


    At that moment, Old Liu brought over two hefty grilled Thorn-Tiger Fish.


    "Here you go, Master Hu¡ªyours and your sister''s fish."


    Hu Tao quickly took them. "Thanks, Old Liu. How much?"


    Old Liu waved her off. "Forget the money! You saved my life, and my business is thriving thanks to your internet caf¨¦.


    Eat here anytime¡ªit''s on the house."


    Seeing how earnest he was, Hu Tao had no choice but to accept.


    Lumine, Paimon, and Aether ordered three more fish and sat down to chat with Hu Tao.


    Aether sat on a stool, looking gloomy.


    Hu Tao asked Lumine, "What''s up with your brother?"


    Lumine replied, "He was under a spell before. He''s back to normal now, just sulking. Don''t worry, he just needs time. Come on, let''s eat¡ªI''m starving. I haven''t had dinner yet."


    Hu Tao didn''t press further. She picked out a large piece of fish for Huo Huo and began eating.


    She had to admit¡ªOld Liu''s cooking was top-notch. Crispy on the outside, tender inside. Delicious.


    ***


    After dinner.


    Hu Tao brought Huohuo back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and arranged for her to stay in the room that used to belong to Asmode.


    Ever since the new internet caf¨¦ opened, Calestia had moved directly into the esports room on the third floor of the new caf¨¦.


    Hu Tao led Huo Huo into the room.


    "You''ll be staying here from now on. I''m right next door. It''s getting late, so rest up first. Tomorrow I''ll take you around Liyue and introduce you to a few people."


    Huohuo obediently agreed.


    Hu Tao said goodnight and left Huohuo''s room.


    Huohuo looked around the spacious room; many of the furnishings were modern.


    Back when Calestia lived here, Hu Tao had mentioned wanting to renovate it a bit, and just as it was finished, Calestia moved out.


    Huohuo opened her suitcase and began hanging her clothes in the wardrobe.


    Mr. Tail was flying around the room.


    "Holy moly, I actually got blasted into another world? Damn, that''s wild! I never imagined this would happen!"


    After hanging her clothes, Huohuo went to the bathroom to wash up.


    Every time she freshened up, she would let Mr. Tail out.


    Mr. Tail flew out the window and looked over the traditionally styled courtyard.


    "This other world doesn''t feel too different from Luofu... the architecture style''s pretty similar."


    After sighing, he didn''t think more of it and flew back inside, flopped on the sofa¡ªtime to sleep!


    The next day arrived.


    Hu Tao and Huohuo had a simple breakfast at home.


    The food culture in Liyue wasn''t much different from that in Luofu, so Huohuo found it easy to get used to.


    After eating, Hu Tao took Huohuo toward Chihu Rock.


    Along the way, Huohuo was full of curiosity, looking around here and there.


    Eventually, they arrived at Wanmin Restaurant.


    At the door, Master Mao was cleaning. Seeing Hu Tao, he greeted her.


    "Hey there, Hu Tao! Here to see Xiangling?"


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "Yup yup! Is she home?"


    Master Mao pointed to the kitchen.


    "She''s in there working on a new dish. Go on in."


    Hu Tao nodded and introduced him to Huo Huo.


    "Huohuo, this is Uncle Mao, the owner of this place. If you ever want something tasty, come here."


    Huohuo nodded in a daze. Hu Tao then spoke to Master Mao:


    "Uncle Mao, this is my little sister, Huo Huo. Remember her face. If she comes to eat, put it on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s tab."


    Master Mao laughed heartily.


    "Sure thing, Hu Tao. Didn''t know you had a fox girl for a sister."


    Hu Tao waved her hand.


    "Someone asked me to take care of her. Please look after her for me."


    Master Mao wiped his hands on a towel.


    "No problem."


    He looked at Huohuo.


    "Huohuo, if you ever get hungry, come eat here. Don''t be shy. When your Hu Tao sister was little, she used to come here all the time.


    I remember once, during her teething period, I made a pot of braised lamb leg. Your sister bit into it so hard, one of her baby teeth fell out¡ªshe couldn''t even speak properly afterward, haha!"


    Hu Tao puffed up her cheeks.


    "Uncle Mao! Stop digging up my black history!"


    Master Mao laughed heartily.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll get back to cleaning. Customers will be arriving soon. Go find Xiangling inside."


    Hu Tao nodded and led Huo Huo into the kitchen.


    As they passed by, Huohuo waved shyly at Master Mao. She felt that this uncle was very kind and easy to get along with.


    Master Mao waved back and smiled warmly.


    Inside the kitchen¡ª


    As soon as they entered, they saw Xiangling working on a new dish at the stove.


    "Xiangling, working on another new recipe?" Hu Tao walked up and asked.


    Xiangling replied,


    "I''m making a marinated dish called ''Hundred-Flavored Chicken.'' I''ll call you to taste it once it''s ready." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing "taste-test," Hu Tao''s face twitched a little.


    "Uh... I''m busy! I have plans with Stelle later!"


    Xiangling rolled her eyes.


    "I didn''t even say when, and you''re already dodging. Fine, don''t eat then, humph!"


    Hu Tao quickly apologized and started massaging Xiangling''s shoulders.


    "Aw, don''t be mad, Xiangling~ Just call me when it''s ready, I promise I''ll come!


    Oh right, let me introduce someone to you."


    She pulled Huo Huo forward.


    "Xiangling, this is Huohuo. She''ll be staying with me at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and helping out."


    Xiangling looked at Huohuo and greeted her with a smile.


    "Nice to meet you, Huohuo. I''m Xiangling. I love cooking¡ªif you ever want something delicious, come find me."


    Huo Huo smiled gently and nodded.


    Then Xiangling asked,


    "Huohuo, are you from Luofu?"


    Hu Tao looked confused.


    "Wait, Xiangling, how did you know?"


    Xiangling answered matter-of-factly,


    "Do we even have fox people in Liyue? I''ve only seen them in Luofu."


    Hu Tao thought about it¡ªtrue enough.


    "Alright then, you keep busy. I''ll take Huohuo to explore."


    Xiangling nodded.


    "Sure. Tonight, remember to bring Huohuo to Ye Yun''s place for dinner. We''re having a seafood feast."


    Hu Tao was a little surprised.


    "What''s the occasion? Why the big meal?"


    Xiangling smiled mysteriously.


    "Nothing special. Klee and the others went fishing¡ªwith bombs¡ªin the Chasm and brought back a bunch."


    Hu Tao suddenly remembered¡ªright, Klee and the others had gone to the Chasm yesterday.


    "See you tonight then~"


    Then Hu Tao took Huohuo out to stroll around Liyue Harbor.


    Along the way, she introduced the nearby shops and buildings to Huohuo, helping her get familiar with the city.


    As they were walking, they ran into Ningguang, who was inspecting the harbor.


    Hu Tao excitedly waved and called out from a distance.


    "Ningguang! Ningguang!"


    Ningguang vaguely heard someone calling her. She turned around.


    There on a sloped walkway stood Hu Tao, leaning on the railing and waving.


    Ningguang turned to Baimao beside her.


    "You handle the inspection. I''ve got something to take care of."


    Baimao nodded.


    Ningguang walked toward Hu Tao.


    As she approached, she smiled and asked,


    "Hu Tao, aren''t you usually hanging out at Ye Yun''s?"


    Hu Tao pointed at Huo Huo beside her.


    "I''m showing Huohuo around Liyue, helping her get familiar with work at the parlor."


    Ningguang looked at Huohuo and noticed her fox ears and tail, which piqued her interest.


    Is she a disciple of some adeptus?


    Ningguang had never been to Luofu, so she hadn''t seen any fox people before.


    To her, Huohuo''s appearance resembled that of an adeptus'' follower.


    After all, many adepti in Liyue had beastly forms¡ªor were half-beast, half-human.


    Ganyu and Yanfei were two such examples.


    Ningguang smiled and said to Huohuo,


    "Nice to meet you, Huohuo. I''m Ningguang, the Tianquan Star of Liyue. May I ask which adeptus you serve under?"

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69 - 69Huohuo scratched the back of her head in confusion when she heard Ningguang''s question.


    "Adepti?"


    Ningguang noticed the puzzled look on Huohuo''s face and sensed something was off.


    Could it be that Huohuo isn''t an Adepti? But if not, why does she look like this?


    Fortunately, Hu Tao quickly offered an explanation.


    "Ningguang, Huohuo came from Luofu. You haven''t been to Luofu, but over there, there are Foxian."


    Upon hearing that, Ningguang understood¡ªso Huohuo came from Luofu.


    "I see. Huohuo, welcome to Liyue."


    Huohuo smiled happily.


    "Thank you."


    Ningguang asked again.


    "Huohuo, what brings you to Liyue?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huohuo replied,


    "Well, I came to help Sister Hu Tao catch ghosts and drive away evil spirits."


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "That''s right."


    Ningguang smiled.


    "Huohuo, if you ever need anything in Liyue, feel free to come to me.


    Alright then, I have some matters to attend to. See you later."


    Ningguang bid farewell and went on to inspect affairs at the harbor.


    Hu Tao led Huohuo back the way they came. Along the way, she quizzed Huohuo on how many places and routes in Liyue she remembered.


    Huohuo answered them all correctly but remained puzzled¡ªwhy did Sister Hu Tao want her to memorize all these?


    What did this have to do with catching ghosts?


    Still full of questions, Huohuo asked,


    "Sister Hu Tao, what does catching ghosts have to do with knowing the streets and alleys?"


    Hu Tao gave a mysterious smile.


    "Oh, it''s very much related¡ªsuper important, actually."


    She glanced at the sky. The sun hadn''t set yet, and dinner hadn''t started at Ye Yun''s place.


    Hu Tao pulled out a stack of flyers and handed half to Huohuo.


    "These are promotional flyers for our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I had you memorize the streets so we can hand these out efficiently."


    Huohuo took the flyers, still a bit confused.


    "Sister Hu Tao, why are we handing out flyers?"


    Hu Tao tapped the ones in her hand.


    "To attract clients, of course! Huohuo, when it comes to ghost-hunting and exorcisms, one, we need techniques, and two, we need equipment, right?


    Think about it¡ªdon''t magical tools cost money? Don''t we need money for food and daily needs?


    Exactly, all of that costs money."


    Huohuo suddenly understood.


    So that''s how it was. It made sense¡ªafter all, Lord Hanya said the little flags she used for exorcisms were expensive.


    "I get it now! Huohuo will work hard to hand out the flyers!"


    Hu Tao looked pleased.


    "Very good! Since we still have time, let''s get to it!"


    With a cheer, Huohuo raised her flyers along with Hu Tao.


    "Alright! Let''s go!"


    Then Hu Tao took Huohuo from door to door handing out flyers.


    Huohuo found it very novel. At first, she was a bit scared and hesitant, but after a few houses, she got used to it and was handing them out even faster than Hu Tao.


    The people of Liyue were long used to this. They''d often had Hu Tao hand flyers to them at their own homes.


    In fact, getting a flyer was already fortunate¡ªat least she wasn''t barging in to pitch her services.


    Luofu, inside the Divination Commission.


    Jing Yuan was entertaining several distinguished guests.


    "Long time no see, General Jing Yuan." Huaiyan entered with Yunli by his side.


    Jing Yuan clasped his hands in greeting.


    "It''s been a while, Elder Yan. How have you been?"


    Huaiyan laughed heartily.


    "Hahaha, what else could this old man be? Getting older, body weaker every year."


    Jing Yuan smiled and said,


    "Come now, Elder Yan, you''re as vigorous as ever. You''re still a pillar of the Xianzhou."


    Huaiyan replied,


    "Alright, alright, let''s not flatter each other.


    By the way, where''s General Feixiao? Hasn''t she arrived yet?"


    Just as he finished speaking, Feixiao entered with Jiaoqiu and Moze.


    "Oh? I arrive and already hear someone talking about me?"


    Huaiyan chuckled.


    "Can''t say her name or she''ll appear! General Feixiao, long time no see."


    Feixiao gave a respectful salute.


    "Feixiao greets Elder Yan and General Jing Yuan."


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan returned the salute. Then Feixiao asked,


    "When do we go find Miss Bailu?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Let''s head out now. Everyone''s here."


    With that, Jing Yuan led them aboard a Star Skiff toward the Astral Express location.


    At Huixing Port.


    Jingliu stood quietly on a high platform, watching two youngsters sparring below.


    That''s right¡ª


    One was Yanqing, who had eagerly come early to learn swordsmanship from Jingliu.


    The other was Yunli, Huaiyan''s granddaughter.


    On their way here, they''d encountered a squad of demons. During the fight, one of Yanqing''s flying swords had been knocked away and picked up by Yunli.


    The two happened to meet again here, and after some bickering when Yunli refused to return the sword, they began to fight.


    Just as they were about to determine the winner, Jingliu intervened.


    She summoned her Lunar Ice sword, instantly appeared before them, and slashed once toward each.


    Yanqing and Yunli had to change their attacks to defend.


    Jingliu put her sword away.


    "Sparring is sparring¡ªno need to go too far. A sword is for enemies, not friends."


    She looked at Yanqing.


    "If you want to learn the sword, come."


    Yanqing followed Jingliu upon hearing that.


    Yunli, curious about Jingliu, also followed.


    Though Jingliu had only used one sword strike, Yunli could already tell¡ª


    She was strong. Extremely strong. A true master of the sword.


    Jingliu brought Yanqing to a reservoir.


    Seeing Yunli follow, Yanqing frowned.


    "Why are you tagging along?"


    Yunli snorted.


    "I''ll go where I please¡ªnone of your business."


    Yanqing said seriously,


    "I''m here to learn swordsmanship. Are you trying to steal the techniques?"


    Yunli was about to retort but paused.


    If Yanqing was really going to learn from this master, it might be inappropriate for her to stay.


    Just then, Jingliu spoke.


    "No matter. My sword techniques¡ªif you wish to learn, I will teach."


    Yunli beamed.


    "Really? I can learn from you too?"


    Jingliu gave a small nod.


    "Mm."


    With Jingliu''s confirmation, Yunli was overjoyed.


    "Hmph, hear that? She doesn''t mind teaching me¡ªwhy should you mind learning with me?"


    Yanqing snorted but said nothing more.


    With both students quiet, Jingliu began the lesson.


    "This swordsmanship surpasses even that of our Xianzhou."


    She began to teach them.


    From a passing Star Skiff, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Feixiao saw the scene.


    Upon spotting Jingliu, Huaiyan''s eyes widened.


    "General Jing Yuan, isn''t that her? That woman¡ª"


    Jing Yuan smiled faintly.


    "Don''t worry, Elder Yan. Though she once fell to the Mara, she retained her mind.


    She has even taken the Cleansing Pill¡ªshe''s the test subject for it."


    Huaiyan was deeply relieved.


    "That''s wonderful. Truly wonderful."


    ***


    Feixiao couldn''t understand what Huaiyan and Jing Yuan were talking about for a moment.


    "General Jing Yuan, Elder Yan, what are you two talking about? Why can''t I understand?"


    Huaiyan smiled and said:


    "We''re talking about Jingliu. That woman just now was none other than Jingliu, the former Sword Champion of the Luofu."


    Feixiao was surprised to hear this.


    "Jingliu? I remember she fell into Mara, didn''t she?"


    At this moment, the squint-eyed Jiaoqiu explained slowly:


    "General, General Jing Yuan just mentioned the reason. Although Miss Jingliu has succumbed to Mara, she hasn''t lost her sanity.


    And she has already taken the Clarity Pill, which suppresses the effects of the Mara."


    Feixiao slapped her forehead.


    "Oh, right."


    Suddenly, Feixiao was filled with a fighting spirit¡ªshe wanted to spar with this legendary swordswoman.


    The Astral Express descended.


    Jing Yuan led everyone inside the train.


    In the observation car, Pom-Pom was cleaning.


    Just after Pom-Pom finished sweeping an area, Aha would mischievously poke his head out from a small teleportation portal and spit out sunflower seed shells.


    By the time Pom-Pom turned around, Aha had already disappeared back into the portal.


    Pom-Pom felt something was wrong¡ªwhy did the cleaning never seem to end?


    At that moment, Jing Yuan brought Feixiao and the others aboard the train.


    Jing Yuan greeted Pom-Pom.


    "Train conductor Pom-Pom."


    Pom-Pom turned and saw Jing Yuan bringing a large group aboard.


    "General Jing Yuan, who are these people?"


    Jing Yuan replied:


    "These are General Huaiyan from the Xianzhou Zhuming, and General Feixiao from the Xianzhou Yaoqing, along with her aides."


    Pom-Pom looked at them blandly.


    "Oh, hello. Welcome to the Astral Express."


    Jing Yuan asked:


    "Conductor Pom-Pom, do you know where Bailu and the others are?"


    Pom-Pom pointed to the door of the party car.


    "Bailu is upstairs in the lab. Those kids have been up there all day, saying they''re making medicine or something."


    Jing Yuan nodded and led the group to the second-floor lab in the party car.


    In the lab¡ª


    The four little ones were gathered around an alchemy table.


    Diona was in charge of transporting ingredients and placing them into the alchemy furnace.


    Klee used her Pyro Vision to provide the fire.


    Bailu controlled the alchemy process.


    Hook was responsible for placing the finished pills into a refrigerator for preservation.


    On the other side¡ª


    Clara and Nahida, who had just arrived, were assembling a Gundam model together.


    Nahida had been brought over by Zhongli today.


    As soon as she arrived, she showed great interest in the library and met Clara there.


    Under Clara''s guidance, she came to the lab, and the two began working on the Gundam together.


    The arrival of Jing Yuan and his group quickly caught the attention of the little ones.


    Standing on a stepping stool, Bailu turned around and saw Jing Yuan.


    "General! You''re here? Perfect timing¡ªI just finished a batch of pills. Take them away. I''m running out of space."


    Jing Yuan nodded with a smile.


    "Alright, I''ll take them in a bit."


    Feixiao then walked up to Bailu.


    "Dragon Lady, do you remember me?"


    Bailu looked at Feixiao carefully and shrugged.


    "Nope. Who are you?"


    Feixiao laughed helplessly. She didn''t expect Bailu to forget her.


    Bailu saw her expression and explained:


    "I treat to many people. How could I remember everyone?"


    Feixiao responded:


    "A few years ago, I came to you for a consultation."


    Bailu replied:


    "Oh, I see."


    At that moment, Jing Yuan introduced them.


    "Bailu, let me introduce you. This is General Feixiao, General Huaiyan, Jiaoqiu, and Moze."


    After hearing this, Bailu froze for a moment.


    "General Feixiao? General Huaiyan? Oh my! Why are the generals from other Xianzhou coming here?!"


    Feixiao smiled.


    "We''ve been ordered to station at the Luofu, so we''ll be working together from now on, Dragon Lady."


    Bailu nodded.


    "Alright, if you''re ever not feeling well, just come find me. I''m usually on the train."


    Feixiao suddenly said:


    "Speaking of which, I do have something bothering me. Dragon Lady, can the Clarity Pill treat Lunar Madness?"


    Bailu thought for a moment.


    "Hmm, hard to say. But you can try."


    As she spoke, Bailu picked up a freshly made pill and handed it to Feixiao.


    Feixiao examined it, feeling the residual warmth from the alchemy. Finally, she swallowed it in one gulp.


    The moment the pill entered her stomach, she felt it begin to work¡ªthe symptoms of Lunar Madness were easing.


    Feixiao lit up with joy.


    "It works!"


    Bailu was happy to hear that.


    "That''s great! The Clarity Pill really is a treasure."


    Feixiao wholeheartedly agreed¡ªthe Clarity Pill was indeed a treasure.


    But the one who could craft such a pill, Bailu, was even more of a treasure.


    Feixiao decided that from now on, she would stick close to Bailu and protect her.


    That was also part of her mission on the Xianzhou Yaoqing.


    Klee curiously stared at Feixiao''s fox ears, which were twitching. She wanted to touch them.


    Feixiao noticed Klee and looked down at the little girl by her feet.


    Klee stood there, hands behind her back, tilting her head and staring at her curiously.


    Feixiao was instantly charmed. Where did this adorable little cutie come from? How could she be so cute?


    "Little one, what''s your name?"


    Klee responded cheerfully:


    "I''m Klee! Big sister, are you General Feixiao?"


    Hearing Klee''s innocent tone, Feixiao couldn''t help but smile.


    "Big sis is called Feixiao. General is my job."


    Klee replied:


    "Oh~ Klee gets it! Just like Captain Jean~"


    Feixiao didn''t know who Jean was, but she nodded anyway.


    "That''s right. Klee, why are you staring at me like that?"


    Klee said:


    "Big sis, your ears are so cute. Klee wants to touch them~"


    Feixiao''s ears twitched again at that. Klee''s eyes sparkled.


    Feixiao thought for a moment, then picked Klee up.


    "Go ahead."


    Klee gently touched Feixiao''s ears.


    "Wow~ So soft! Klee feels so comfy~"


    Feixiao laughed heartily at that.


    At that moment, Hook, Diona, and Bailu all started clamoring that they wanted to touch them too.


    Feixiao crouched down and played with the little ones.


    Jing Yuan, seeing this scene, went to the fridge and stored Bailu''s pills in his spatial ring.


    Huaiyan, watching from the side, was intrigued by Jing Yuan''s ring.


    "General Jing Yuan, that ring of yours?"


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "It''s called a spatial ring. It''s sold in Ye Yun''s shop¡ªnot expensive. I''ll get one for you later, Elder Yan."


    Huaiyan looked forward to it.


    That ring was interesting¡ªhe''d definitely study it carefully later. Maybe he could even make one himself.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70 - 70A few minutes later, inside Ye Yun''s shop on the train.


    Everyone had gathered here for a meal.


    Huohuo was surprised to see Jing Yuan¡ªshe never imagined she would be dining with General Jing Yuan.That was something she wouldn''t have dared to dream of before¡ªthe gap between a general and a trainee judge was just too great.


    Tonight, many people came for dinner. Yesterday, Klee and the other three little ones had fried way too much fish.Ye Yun and Xiangling had spent over an hour preparing a huge seafood feast.


    Paimon was hugging a king crab bigger than herself, happily devouring it. She couldn''t believe such enormous crabs existed in this world¡ªit was outrageous!


    After getting familiar with everyone, Feixiao, Huaiyan, and the others gradually blended in. Just like Ye Yun had said¡ªhere, everyone was a friend.


    Right now, Feixiao had her arm around Venti''s shoulders, drinking together.


    "Awesome! Come on, Venti, one more chug!"


    Venti popped open a bottle.


    "Let''s do it! Chug!"


    The two of them put one foot on their stools and downed an entire bottle of alcohol in one go.


    Feixiao slammed the empty bottle onto the table.


    The force made the dishes on the table jump slightly.


    "SO GOOD!!!!"


    Jiaoqiu, watching this, quickly tried to intervene. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "General, you should take it easy on the booze."


    Feixiao looked displeased.


    "Take it easy? No way! I used to have Lunar Madness, but it''s almost completely gone now. Don''t tell me I can''t enjoy a proper drink anymore?"


    She waved him off.


    "Go, go, go, eat your food and leave me alone."


    Jiaoqiu was speechless. Uh... well, fair enough. Since the Lunar Madness was under control, a drink or two should be fine.


    He gave up persuading and turned back to chat with Jing Yuan, Welt, and the others.


    Nearby, Yunli''s eyes sparkled as she stared at the feast on the table.


    Oh my god, is this how the Nameless eat every day?


    She picked up a mantis shrimp as long as her arm, peeled off the shell, revealing a massive chunk of meat.


    Eyes shining and drooling, she stared at the meat in her hands.


    Dipping it in some sauce, she opened her mouth wide and slurped it down like a noodle.


    "So good!!!"


    Right then, Yunli had a sudden thought¡ªshe wanted to join the train crew as a Nameless.


    That way, she could eat this kind of delicious food every single day.


    Next to her, Yanqing gave her a side glance, watching her devour the food like a hungry beast.He just quietly sipped the fish soup in his bowl.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun sat at the table, communicating with the system.


    "System, the task should be completed by now, right?"


    [Notification! Task: Host 50 unique guests has been completed.] [Congratulations, Host. Reward received: Instance Portal.] [New task issued: Clear one instance dungeon (completion not limited to host). Reward: Interdimensional Guest Invitation x1.]


    As the system finished speaking, a stone door wrapped in bubbles appeared in Ye Yun''s hand.


    This scene was spotted by Kafka, who was sitting nearby.


    She reached out and poked the bubble¡ªher finger went right through it.


    "Ye Yun, what''s that thing in your hand this time?"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "This is a good one. You''ll see in a bit. For now, let''s eat."


    Kafka was now thoroughly intrigued.


    "Can''t you just tell me now? Why keep me in suspense?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "I''m not trying to tease you¡ªI just want to tell everyone together.This thing... concerns your benefits."


    Kafka raised an eyebrow but didn''t press further, continuing her meal.


    The feast ended quickly.


    Everyone leaned back, full and content, finding a comfy place to relax.


    Ye Yun glanced around¡ªsome people still hadn''t arrived.


    He called out to Stelle, who was lying on a garbage bin sofa, digesting her meal.


    "Stelle! Come here, I''ve got a task for you."


    Stelle didn''t want to move. She''d just eaten three king crabs and her belly was bulging.


    "Not taking it, not taking it. Busy digesting. Do not disturb."


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes and pulled out a 100-Star coin bill, slapping it onto the bar counter.


    "100 Starcoins. Go to Belobog and call Bronya, Seele, and the others over."


    The moment Stelle heard the word "money," she struggled up from the sofa.


    "You should''ve said there was money earlier~ If there''s money, of course I''ll go!"


    She snatched up the Star coin and disappeared into the portal to Belobog without looking back.


    Paimon, seeing that helping Ye Yun earned money, instantly lit up and floated over.


    "Ye Yun! Anything I can help with?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "Actually, yes. Go fetch Jean and the others, and Ningguang and the rest too."


    Paimon nodded cheerfully.


    "Okay!"


    But she didn''t move¡ªjust stared expectantly at Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun could tell what she wanted¡ªof course she was hoping for a reward too.


    He decided to tease her.


    "You''re not leaving?"


    Paimon stretched out her hand.


    "Where''s the Star coin?"


    Ye Yun grinned mischievously.


    "Stelle only got paid because I needed her help. You''re different¡ªyou volunteered.You''re so kind¡ªwould you really ask me for money?"


    Paimon hesitated.


    "Y-you... actually make a good point."


    Seeing her droop in disappointment, Ye Yun laughed.


    "Alright, alright, I was messing with you. Here, take it¡ªnow go and come back quickly."


    He handed her 100 Starcoins.


    Paimon grabbed the money and spun joyfully in the air.


    "Yay! Paimon''s making money now!"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Go fetch them."


    Paimon saluted like a loyal henchman.


    "Yes, Boss Ye Yun! I''ll be right back!"


    She zoomed through the portal.


    Very soon¡ª


    Everyone who had ever visited Ye Yun''s shop arrived.


    Fifty people in total, packing the store to the brim.


    Everyone gathered in the sofa lounge area, forming a semicircle around Ye Yun.


    The place was buzzing with chatter.


    In the very front, Klee, Hook, Bailu, and Diona were playing with LEGO blocks.


    Behind them, Stelle, March 7th, Seele, Hu Tao, Eula, Amber, and Xiangling were sitting on the floor, discussing tomorrow''s martial arts ceremony.


    Diluc, Jing Yuan, Welt, Zhongli, Huaiyan, and Jiaoqiu¡ªthe "old-timers"¡ªgathered together to chat about recent interstellar gossip.


    Astha, Jean, Bronya, Ningguang, Keqing, and Yelan¡ªthe government leaders¡ªwere discussing political affairs.


    Surprisingly, the two cold-faced guys, Moze and Dan Heng, had actually hit it off and were chatting away.


    Feixiao and her newly-met best friend Venti were still drinking.


    Himeko was with Clara and Nahida, asking Herta some questions.


    Herta, in exchange for 500 Starcoins, was patiently answering.


    As usual, it was one of Herta''s dolls.


    ***


    Ye Yun looked around at everyone present and clapped his hands.


    "Everyone, look over here. I have an announcement."


    Upon hearing this, everyone turned their eyes toward Ye Yun.


    Herta urged him impatiently.


    "If you''ve got something to say, hurry up. I still have experiments to run."


    Ye Yun took out the stone gate and threw it against the wall.


    The bubble wrapping the stone gate burst the moment it touched the ground, revealing a stone gate five meters tall and three meters wide.


    The gate looked desolate, like the entrance to a cave.


    Vines were growing all over it.


    On the stone gate hung a wooden plaque with several lines of text:


    [Today''s Dungeon: CFGO (Elemental Version)] Countdown to Start: 10 minutes. Description: This dungeon is a 25 vs 25 team match. The map is a transport ship. The first team to reach 1000 kills wins.


    Reward for Victory: 1000 star coins per person. The top killer will become MVP and receive an additional 1000 star coins.


    Everyone looked and went "Ohoho! Now this looks fun! And there are rewards!"


    Silver Wolf, hands on her hips, burst out laughing.


    "Hahahaha! Finally, a game I excel at! Victory is mine! Silver Wolf team now recruiting ¡ª K/D above 2, apply now!"


    Several girls around Star quickly raised their hands.


    "Pick me! Pick me! Silver Wolf, carry me!"


    Ye Yun suddenly interrupted.


    "Don''t even think about it ¡ª you''ll be matched randomly once you enter. Hurry up and register, just a few minutes left!"


    Everyone rushed to register.


    Ye Yun sighed helplessly ¡ª as the system host, he couldn''t participate. A pity.


    However, Ye Yun could spectate the match.


    After registering, Stelle stood at the door, pointing at the ceiling.


    "Today, I will be MVP!"


    Silver Wolf scoffed.


    "Stelle, not to be rude, but with your aim, I suggest you take back that statement."


    March 7th nodded in agreement.


    "Exactly. MVP should be me ¡ª after all, I''m an archer!"


    Hearing that, Seele protested.


    "Sure, you''re an archer, but you''re just using bows. Bronya''s the real MVP ¡ª she uses guns! Bronya''s the best in this kind of game!"


    Bronya blushed a little at Seele''s praise.


    March 7th was fired up.


    "Alright then, let''s compete! Let our final scores speak for themselves!"


    Bronya was about to say she''d rather not, but Seele chimed in.


    "Bring it on! Bronya, show them your skills today!"


    Meanwhile, Zhongli gathered Ningguang and others to boost morale.


    "Let''s do our best. No matter who wins, let it be someone from Liyue who earns the reward."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Jing Yuan also called Yanqing, Fu Xuan, and Qingque over.


    "Good luck. Try to win ¡ª our Luofu is running low on star coins."


    Yanqing cupped his fists.


    "I will do my best to win."


    Jade and Topaz also joined the match.


    Jade looked at the nervous Topaz and smiled.


    "Jelena, no need to be nervous. Just relax. Win or lose, it''s fine ¡ª looks like there''ll be a match every day."


    Topaz nodded, though she still looked uneasy. Around them, everyone was hyped up and cheering ¡ª especially Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Seele, and Silver Wolf, who were all yelling pre-match trash talk like they were on energy drinks.


    Soon¡ª


    A voice echoed from the stone gate.


    "The game is about to begin. All participants, prepare yourselves! Countdown!


    10!


    9!


    8!


    7!


    6!


    5!


    4!


    3!


    2!


    1!


    Teleportation beginning!!! Good luck to all!"


    In the train, everyone was enveloped in beams of light and vanished. Ye Yun, seeing this, asked the system to open spectator mode.


    At the match site, everyone had been distributed to their respective battlefields.


    Stelle looked around and saw March 7th and Hu Tao.


    She waved and was about to walk over, only to find her feet wouldn''t move.


    "Why can''t I move?"


    March 7th and Hu Tao tried as well and discovered the same.


    "I can''t move either. What''s going on?" asked Hu Tao.


    A voice soon answered their confusion.


    "Now, let us explain the game rules.


    This game is: CFGO (Elemental Power Version) Victory Condition: First team to reach 1000 kills. Game Mode: 25-player teams¡ªBlue Team (Defenders) vs Red Team (Infiltrators)


    Map: Enhanced Transport Ship¡ª2000 meters long, 500 meters wide, filled with containers


    Note: Each player can only choose one type of elemental bullet and one weapon. These cannot be changed once selected.


    Movement lock will be lifted in 3 seconds. Game start!"


    Three seconds later, Stelle could move again.


    The three gathered. They were in a small room, next to other teammates.


    Stelle had chosen a Negev machine gun with Wind Element bullets. March 7th chose a Maglan sniper rifle with Ice Element bullets. Hu Tao picked dual UZIs with Fire Element bullets.


    March 7th looked at Stelle.


    "Why did you pick a machine gun? That voice said the terrain is complex¡ªyou won''t be able to use it well."


    Stelle rubbed her nose and slung the Negev over her shoulder.


    "Who cares? Firepower rules! I''ll just go ''brrrt'' all the way through! Let''s go, go, go!"


    March 7th and Hu Tao followed her out.


    Not far ahead, Stelle spotted Xiangling hiding sneakily in a corner, marked with a red team icon.


    "Hehehe¡ªXiangling! You''re done for! DADADADADA!"


    Stelle held down the trigger, sending bullets flying. Xiangling jumped up, terrified.


    "Yikes!!!"


    Luckily for her, Stelle''s aim wasn''t great, and Xiangling escaped with a sliver of health.


    Hu Tao sprinted after her, UZI in hand, adrenaline pumping from all the surrounding gunfire.


    "Hehe! Xiangling! You can''t run from me!"


    Hu Tao chased her into a corner.


    Suddenly¡ªHu Tao was flung backward.


    She lay on the ground.


    "Ah! This Hall Master is dead!"


    A notification echoed across the battlefield:


    Infiltrator Bronya eliminated Defender Hu Tao


    Xiangling looked gratefully toward Bronya, who was perched on a container reloading her sniper.


    "Bronya! Thank you! You saved me!"


    Just as Bronya was about to reply, a bullet struck her head, and her body vanished in a shimmer of light.


    Defender March 7th eliminated Infiltrator Bronya


    Xiangling barely had time to mourn before Stelle came charging from behind.


    "Hehehe! Nowhere to run, Xiangling!"


    Stelle, still holding the Negev, kept spraying bullets as she turned the corner¡ª


    But then, the gun stopped rattling.


    She and Xiangling looked at each other¡ªawkward silence.


    Stelle glanced at her weapon.Out of ammo.


    "Oops... out of bullets. Not good."


    Xiangling gave a sinister grin, pulled the bolt on her AK, and aimed at Stelle.


    "Hehehe~"


    She fired a full burst.


    Infiltrator Xiangling eliminated Defender Stelle


    Scenes like this played out all across the transport ship¡ªeveryone was going wild.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71 - 71Gunfire echoed across the battlefield as elemental bullets flew in every direction. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fu Xuan, holding an M4 rifle, fired a Dendro-elemental bullet and hit Kaeya.


    Just as Kaeya was about to counterattack, Fu Xuan''s teammate Jing Yuan immediately fired an Electro-elemental bullet.


    Sparks of electricity flickered around Kaeya, and a small text appeared above his head:


    [Supercharged]


    Kaeya''s health, which had been at two-thirds, instantly dropped to zero.


    Jing Yuan claimed the kill.


    [Infiltrator Jing Yuan eliminated Defender Kaeya]


    Seeing the additional kill on his stats panel, Jing Yuan looked quite satisfied.


    "Fu Xuan, let''s keep it up!"


    Fu Xuan glanced at her own panel, which still showed zero kills.


    "General, you always snatch the kills. Aren''t you at least a little embarrassed?"


    Jing Yuan smiled slightly.


    "You can''t say that. Fu Xuan, your marksmanship is better than mine. Only because you landed the first shot did the enemy panic, giving me the opportunity to finish them off.


    If we focus the kills between us, we have a better chance of getting MVP and earning the extra 1,000 star coins."


    Hearing this, Fu Xuan reluctantly gave in.


    "Alright, you have a point. For Luofu, I guess I can make a little sacrifice."


    Seeing that his PUA strategy worked, Jing Yuan said:


    "Then let''s continue the hunt."


    Just as he finished speaking, a Pyro grenade suddenly landed at their feet.


    The two looked down¡ªright as the fuse finished burning¡ªand were instantly terrified.


    Boom!


    [Defender Klee eliminated Infiltrator Jing Yuan]


    [Defender Klee eliminated Infiltrator Fu Xuan]


    Not far away, behind a cargo container, Klee sat on the ground, rubbing her forehead with her little hands.


    "Owie~ That hurt~"


    She had run too fast and crashed into the container.


    After rubbing her head, Klee looked around for her bomb.


    "Eh? Where''s Klee''s bomb?"


    Nearby, her teammate Diona replied:


    "I think you threw it when you fell... and it might''ve actually hit someone."


    Upon hearing that, Klee nearly burst into tears.


    "Wha¡ªKlee hit someone?! Oh no~ Reckless Bomb-Burner Klee is doomed! If someone''s hurt, Jean''s gonna come looking for me! Waaa~"


    Diona comforted her:


    "It''s okay, Klee. This is just a game. No one really gets hurt."


    Only then did Klee remember it was a game.


    "Oh yeah~"


    She checked her stats panel.


    "Yay! Klee got two more kills~ Wonder who got blown up?"


    Diona looked around, AK in hand.


    "Who knows. Let''s move before someone shows up¡ªwe''ll be toast if they do."


    Klee pulled out another grenade.


    "Okay~"


    This version of CFGO had been modified: each player could only choose one weapon, and grenades counted as one.


    Each life came with 10 grenades. Except for the melee knife, no other weapons could be used.


    The two little ones dashed off to a corner in search of more enemies.


    Meanwhile...


    Gepard and Diluc were back-to-back, each carefully moving with a shotgun in hand.


    Suddenly, an Electro-elemental bullet zipped toward them.


    Gepard was hit and immediately warned Diluc.


    "Watch out! Enemy nearby!"


    The two quickly took cover behind a wooden crate.


    Diluc peeked out and spotted Lisa sniping from a high platform.


    He frowned slightly.


    Why was Lisa attacking a teammate?


    Before he could keep complaining, Lisa fired a second shot.


    Fortunately, Diluc reacted in time and pulled back.


    He readied his weapon.


    "Gepard, you draw her fire. I''ll finish her off."


    Gepard nodded without hesitation.


    After a 3-second countdown, Gepard charged out from the crate and rushed toward a nearby cargo container.


    Lisa promptly turned her scope on him and fired¡ªbut missed.


    Seeing Lisa fire, Diluc sprang up and peppered her position with suppressive fire.


    Gepard turned back and also started firing his M4 in bursts.


    Lisa ducked behind a crate. Some of the bullets pierced the wood and hit her, dropping a lot of her health.


    Still, Lisa remained calm¡ªJean was about to arrive!


    Focused on Lisa, Diluc and Gepard didn''t notice that Jean was sneaking up from the side with an M4.


    Rat-a-tat-tat


    A few bursts later, both Diluc and Gepard were down.


    Afterward, Jean stepped out from the corner.


    "Sorry, Senior Diluc."


    The battle raged on, mostly concentrated around the center of the cargo ship.


    Bullets flew everywhere, and both sides'' kill counts climbed rapidly.


    Though the total kill count goal was 1000, each team had 25 players¡ªjust 40 kills each to win.


    In a large-scale battle like this, 40 kills per person was actually quite doable with enemies everywhere.


    Once the combined kill count hit 500, a voice echoed across the battlefield:


    [Attention! The game has entered Phase Two! Every minute, an airdrop will land in the center of the battlefield. These drops contain powerful weapons, body armor, helmets, etc.]


    [Attention! The first airdrop has been deployed!]


    Everyone looked up.


    A red crate descended slowly under a parachute.


    Without hesitation, everyone rushed toward the landing site.


    Whoever got the crate would gain a huge advantage.


    Eula was making her way toward the drop zone.


    Suddenly, a Pyro-elemental bullet struck her head¡ªinstantly disintegrating her into particles of light.


    Back at the respawn point, Eula stomped her foot in frustration.


    "Ugh! Who was it?!" She checked her distance to the drop site¡ªno chance now.


    Then the kill notification popped up:


    [Defender Amber eliminated Infiltrator Eula]


    Eula saw who it was and nearly fainted from rage.


    "Amber!!! I''ll remember this!!!"


    Kafka was sprinting through an alley, dual-wielding UZIs.


    Suddenly, Hu Tao popped out ahead.


    "Hehe! Kafka, prepare to die!"


    Quick on the draw, Kafka opened fire, raining Electro bullets on Hu Tao before she could even shoot.


    Stelle saw Hu Tao go down and quickly stepped out to avenge her.


    "Hu Tao!"


    But the moment Stelle emerged, a gun barrel was already pointed at her forehead.


    She froze¡ªKafka was smiling at her.


    "Stelle, you''re being a little naughty~"


    Stelle swallowed hard.


    "Umm... Kafka... could you maybe... spare me?"


    Kafka smiled sweetly.


    "Oh? Not gonna avenge your teammate?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "No no, K/D ratio is more important."


    Kafka pulled the trigger.


    "You wanna know if I''ll let you go? Nope~"


    [Infiltrator Kafka eliminated Defender Stelle]


    March 7th had just taken down the recently respawned Diluc and was turning her gun to avenge Stelle and Hu Tao¡ª


    But then, a wind-element bullet hit her square in the head.


    ***


    [Infiltrator Ganyu kills Defender March 7th]


    Kafka turned around and glanced at Ganyu, who was not far behind and reloading her rifle. She smiled and gave thanks.


    "Thanks."


    Ganyu nodded slightly.


    "Let''s keep moving and try to grab the airdrop."


    The two of them then continued forward.


    Meanwhile, Zhongli and Welt ran into each other.


    Zhongli sighed lightly.


    "Mr. Welt, I never thought we''d one day become enemies."


    Welt adjusted his glasses.


    "Indeed, I didn''t expect it either."


    Zhongli said,"Let''s both fire at the same time, leave it up to luck."


    Welt nodded.


    The two aimed at each other, counted down from three, and fired simultaneously.


    Welt watched as Zhongli vanished from where he stood and sighed.


    Suddenly, a grenade landed at Welt''s feet.


    Boom!


    [Defender Klee kills Infiltrator Welt]


    Elsewhere¡ª


    Seele and Bronya encountered each other.


    Seele never expected Bronya to be on the opposing team.


    "Damn this matchmaking system! Can''t they just let us team up?"


    Watching from the spectator booth, Aha laughed after hearing Seele''s complaint.


    "Hahaha~ Aha spent 100,000 Starcoins to bribe Ye Yun into rigging the match~ hehe."


    Ye Yun just smiled.


    Aha had found Ye Yun earlier, asking for some chaos. Ye Yun checked with the system.


    The system said 100,000 Starcoins would grant him permission to interfere with matchmaking.


    Without hesitation, Ye Yun had Aha cough up the money.


    So, situations like Seele vs. Bronya were happening all across the battlefield.


    Seele fighting Bronya.


    Zhongli fighting Welt.


    Silver Wolf fighting Kafka.


    Ningguang fighting Keqing.


    Everyone was fighting their own allies.


    Who knows if the participants were enjoying it, but spectators Aha and Ye Yun were certainly having a blast¡ªit was chaos galore.


    The airdrop landed, and the ones who fought their way there were Silver Wolf and Kafka.


    Kafka saw Silver Wolf and was about to speak.


    "Dar¡ª"


    Silver Wolf suddenly opened fire, her M4 wildly blasting at Kafka.


    "Hehehe!! Kafka! Time to die! I''ve wanted to take you down for ages! Today''s the day!! Rattatat!"


    Kafka reacted quickly, dodging behind the airdrop crate to avoid Silver Wolf''s barrage.


    Silver Wolf, seeing she''d missed, quickly ducked behind a container to reload.


    Kafka seized the moment, rushed up, and kicked Silver Wolf''s M4 away with a sideways kick.


    Silver Wolf froze instantly, cold sweat dripping from her forehead.


    "Ka-Kafka..."


    Kafka smiled down at her.


    "You''re as naughty as Stelle, Darling~ goodbye."


    She fired a full burst.


    Silver Wolf¡ªeliminated!


    After taking care of Silver Wolf, Kafka walked up to the airdrop. Just as she was about to open it, a grenade landed at her feet.


    Kafka''s smile froze.


    "Klee!"


    Boom!


    From around the corner, Klee peeked out with Diona.


    "Yay! Klee got the airdrop~!"


    Klee and Diona approached the crate. Diona said:


    "Klee, open it and see what''s inside."


    Klee nodded, opened the airdrop, and saw a grenade launcher inside. Instantly, she knew how to use it.


    "Wow! It''s the Chain Bomb Gun-Gun~!"


    Klee grabbed the grenade launcher and fired three grenades toward the Infiltrators'' base.


    [Defender Klee kills Infiltrator Seele]


    [Defender Klee kills Infiltrator Welt]


    [Defender Klee kills Infiltrator Keqing]


    [Defender Klee...]


    A series of kill notifications rang out across the battlefield. Klee''s kill count instantly shot up by more than ten.


    The recently revived players who had just left spawn were left speechless¡ªthey hadn''t even fired a shot before getting sent back!


    As the game entered Phase Two, things escalated further. Elemental weapons were now in play, and the battlefield went absolutely insane.


    Calestia pulled out a fire-element breath scattergun and blasted a nearby crate into dust.


    "Come on, keep hiding, Nahida. You''re not getting away."


    Unfazed, Nahida tossed a Dendro-element grenade under Lumine''s feet. Several thick vines shot up and restrained her.


    With a calm smile, Nahida approached Calestia holding a Dendro-element Desert Eagle.


    "Sorry, Lord Calestia~"


    She fired a shot at Calestia''s head.


    [Defender Nahida kills Infiltrator Calestia]


    Zhongli, being chased by Yanqing, ducked into a narrow alley and dropped a Geo grenade at the entrance.


    Instantly, a wall of solidified Geo appeared, blocking the way.


    Yanqing opened fire with his M16, finally breaking through after an entire magazine.


    As he reloaded, a stream of Geo-element bullets came from the alley and eliminated him.


    Back at spawn, Yanqing looked at his 1:19 kill/death ratio and completely lost the will to keep playing.


    "This is ridiculous¡ªeither they team up and gank people, or they''re camping like rats. Come out and fight fair if you dare! So frustrating!"


    As time passed, the game soon came to an end. All players were transported to a field with a podium at the center.


    Ye Yun and Aha stood beside it with microphones.


    Aha held the mic:


    "Ahahahaha! Everyone! Game over! Did you all have fun? Oh, by the way, I did mess with the matchmaking system. Pretty great, right? You''re welcome!"


    The crowd instantly shot Aha a barrage of angry glares.


    Especially Seele¡ªshe pulled out her scythe and shouted that she was going to slice Aha in half.


    Luckily, Lumine and Bronya held her back.


    Aha burst into laughter under everyone''s fury. That reaction was exactly what he wanted¡ªhaha.


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes at Aha and quickly got things back on track.


    "Alright everyone, time to announce the results."


    The players looked at Ye Yun with anticipation. During the match, participants couldn''t see the total kill counts¡ªonly Ye Yun knew the final results.


    Ye Yun cleared his throat and said:


    "Let''s congratulate the Defenders for their victory!"


    The Defender team erupted into cheers.


    Stelle jumped three feet in the air.


    "Awesome! I won! 1,000 Starcoins, baby! So worth it~"


    March 7th also smiled brightly.


    "This dungeon was amazing¡ªsuper fun and profitable too."


    Hu Tao agreed.


    "Exactly! I wonder what tomorrow''s game will be. I heard they change it every day."


    Ye Yun said to the Defender players:


    "Everyone, please come up in line to collect your rewards."


    Stelle rushed up first, hands outstretched.


    Ye Yun placed ten 100-Starcoin bills in her hands.


    Stelle held them joyfully, her face full of glee.


    On the other side, the losing team was all gloom and doom.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72 - 72Silver Wolf, holding 1000 Starcoins, deliberately walked past Kafka and even slowed her pace when she got close.


    "Oh my~ oh my~ this fresh Starcoin smells so sweet~ the fragrance of money~ delightful~"


    Kafka''s forehead twitched with an angry vein¡ªher fist clenched!


    Seeing she was about to get smacked, Silver Wolf quickly bolted.


    Hu Tao saw this and copied Silver Wolf''s exaggerated strut, swaggering up to Xiangling.


    "Sigh~ I didn''t even want these 1000 Starcoins. But alas, my teammates were just too good, right, Xiangling?"


    Xiangling didn''t say a word¡ªshe directly whipped out her polearm.


    "Hu Tao! You''re dead meat!"


    Hu Tao immediately fled.


    "Hehe, you''ll never catch me, Xiangling~ nyeh nyeh!"


    As she ran, Hu Tao turned back and made a silly face at her.


    Meanwhile, Paimon, who''d won effortlessly, held her 1000 Starcoins with a blissed-out expression, muttering a list of snacks to herself.


    "Chips~ hehe~ dried fishies~ hehe~ cookies~ hehe~ Spicy Prince sticks~ slurp~"


    Yunli stood beside Paimon, holding her own 1000 Starcoins and mimicking Paimon''s face exactly.


    "Hehe~ skewers~ one skewer, two skewers, three skewers~"


    These two foodies were completely beyond saving.


    Jing Yuan, Fu Xuan, and Qingque were consoling Yanqing¡ªpoor guy had rotten luck and kept running into skilled players the whole match.


    Just then, Feixiao, Huaiyan, Jiaoqiu, and Moze walked over.


    Huaiyan and Feixiao didn''t seem the least bit upset about losing the match.


    Feixiao stretched his arms.


    "Awesome! This game is so fun!"


    Huaiyan let out a hearty laugh.


    "Agreed! I feel like I''ve regained some of the heroic spirit from my days on the battlefield."


    Jing Yuan smiled slightly.


    "If we''ve got time in the future, we should all join in again. Even though the games rotate daily..."


    "...judging by today''s match, the others must be just as exciting."


    Feixiao nodded.


    "Then it''s settled. I''ll check in every day. If one looks fun, I''m joining."


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "No need to trouble yourself¡ªQingque."


    Qingque, who was counting money, instantly put her Star coins away and ran over at the sound of her general''s voice.


    "General, did you need something?"


    Jing Yuan said:


    "Create a group chat and add all of us. I''ve already spoken to Miss Himeko and Mr. Welt. Once the new train car is done, they''ll assign a room to you."


    "From then on, besides posting product info daily, also share the day''s game content."


    Qingque''s eyes lit up. She was thrilled! Wasn''t this like a business trip?


    The Express crew ran all over the galaxy¡ªthis meant she''d get far away from Master Diviner but still be on duty!


    Her dream had come true!


    A room on the train, close to home! A steady government job, great pay!


    Far from the Xianzhou, no bosses breathing down her neck, and minimal responsibilities!


    This job! This job!! High pay, low stress, close to home! Perfect life achieved!


    "Got it~ General, I''ll create the group chat right away!"


    Qingque was already planning to go ask Himeko how much longer the new car would take¡ªshe couldn''t wait to move in.


    Once she made the group, she added everyone.


    After Ye Yun finished handing out the winning team''s rewards, he moved on to the MVP award.


    "Everyone! Now it''s time for the MVP award. Any guesses who it might be?"


    Stelle immediately raised her hand.


    "That''s right! It''s me!"


    Silver Wolf stood with her hands on her hips.


    "Sit down, Stelle. If nothing goes wrong, it''s obviously me."


    Ye Yun looked at the two of them.


    "You both sit down.


    The MVP of this game... is Klee!! Let''s welcome our little cutie Klee to the stage!"


    Klee jumped up with joy at hearing her name.


    "Yay! It''s Klee! Klee''s the MVP!"


    Diona, Hook, and Bailu all cheered for her.


    Bailu encouraged her.


    "Klee, go get your prize! After that we''re buying spicy snacks, hehe~"


    Klee beamed and ran off toward Ye Yun.


    She stood upright before him.


    "Big bro Ye Yun~ Klee''s here to get her prize~!"


    Ye Yun smiled fondly and patted her on the head.


    "Great job, Klee. Here''s your MVP reward."


    He handed her 1000 Starcoins.


    Klee raised it high and bounced up and down, overjoyed.


    Her smile warmed everyone in the room.


    March 7th suddenly remembered how many players Klee had taken out.


    "Y''know what? Now that I think of it, Klee really did blow up a ton of people."


    Once the rewards were distributed, everyone was teleported back to Ye Yun''s shop.


    They were still buzzing from the game, chatting in small groups about all the funny moments they''d experienced.


    The four little ones scampered over to the snack bar with their Star Coins to buy treats.


    Ye Yun called out:


    "No overbuying! One bag per person, got it?"


    The four of them answered in unison: "Okay!"


    Satisfied, Ye Yun turned to Xiangling and led her into the kitchen to cook for everyone.


    Tonight, they were all staying for dinner.


    Looking at the table, Ye Yun realized there were way too many people to sit normally.


    So he decided to make it a buffet-style gathering¡ªlaying all the food out on the table for everyone to help themselves.


    Once you had your plate, you''d find your own spot to eat.


    In the kitchen¡ª


    Ye Yun bought a massive load of ingredients in one go. With over 50 people eating tonight, it was going to take a lot of food.


    Seeing the mountain of ingredients before him, Ye Yun was overwhelmed¡ªit would take ages just to wash everything.


    Just then, Himeko, Kafka, Natasha, Jean, Lisa, Bronya, Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu came over.


    "We''ll help prep the ingredients," Himeko said with a gentle smile.


    Ye Yun didn''t hesitate¡ªof course he said yes.


    The women each found a little stool and sat in the kitchen area, cleaning the food while chatting.


    Next to them, Guoba helped fetch water¡ªeveryone was in high spirits.


    Ye Yun and Xiangling exchanged a glance, tied on their aprons, lit the fire, and got to cooking!


    Meanwhile¡ª S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle, Silver Wolf, Lumine, Calestia, Amber, Eula, March 7th, Seele, Huohuo, and Hu Tao were all sitting on the carpet in the lounge area, each holding a game controller.


    They were playing a friendship-ending party game called "Chubby Cats Park."


    Each person controlled a little cat. All the cats were tied together by a string, and they had to cooperate to pass each level.


    "Calestia! Don''t move! Go forward!"


    "Huh? Forward? Like this?"


    "No! That''s backwards! We''re doomed!!"


    On another sofa, Paimon and Yunli were surrounded by a mountain of snacks, munching away and passionately comparing flavors to find the best one.


    Feixiao and Venti were continuing their drinking contest, going bottle for bottle.


    ***


    Zhongli, Welt, and Jing Yuan brought Huaiyan and Jiaoqiu to the reception room for tea and chatting. This kind of slow-paced life was more suitable for these "elderly" people.


    Beside them¡ª


    Topaz and Jade were also chatting next to Topaz''s little office space. The two had a lot of fun today.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Jade still had to assist Aventurine with matters in Penacony, she would''ve considered staying permanently on the train like Topaz.


    Topaz was thrilled when she heard Jade say that.


    "That''s great, Jade. Himeko''s new carriage design is already done¡ªit has a total of eight rooms. Although a bit smaller than March''s room, it''s totally fine for one person.


    Plus, I''ve made a deal with Himeko. I''ll take care of all the renovation materials needed for the new carriage, and in return, I get one of the rooms.


    If you''re thinking about coming, I can talk to her and probably help you get a room too."


    Jade smiled at that.


    "No rush. Let''s talk about it later, Little Jelena.


    By the way, where have you been staying recently? There aren''t any spare rooms on the train."


    Topaz replied:


    "I''ve been staying with Clara. You know there''s a portal on the train, right? I go back with Clara every day."


    Jade responded:


    "I see. Then I''ll stay with you for the next few days. I''ve still got time, no need to rush to Penacony¡ªit''s not my turn to step in yet."


    Topaz nodded.


    "Sure! I''ll go tell Clara."


    Jade smiled and said:


    "Let''s go together. Do you know where Clara is?"


    Topaz replied:


    "Of course. After we teleported back just now, Clara went to the lab."


    Jade looked confused.


    "The lab? Where is that?"


    Topaz explained:


    "Ye Yun built a lab for Clara on the train. The equipment inside¡ªyou wouldn''t believe it¡ªthey''re all top-tier stuff. Come on, I''ll show you."


    Then the two headed toward the lab.


    Meanwhile, inside the lab¡ª


    Clara was consulting Herta.


    Herta had returned and remembered that Clara''s previous question hadn''t been fully answered, so she brought Clara to the lab.


    After all, she had taken Ye Yun''s 500 star coin tutoring fee, so she had to fulfill her duties.


    While Herta explained, Clara assembled. Whenever Clara made a mistake, Herta would correct her and explain the correct method and principles.


    Under Herta''s guidance, Clara finally completed the main body of the Gundam.


    Herta was quite pleased¡ªClara had real talent, far surpassing those idiots in the space station.


    "Not bad. You''ve got more talent than all those idiots in my space station."


    Clara nodded happily at the praise.


    She didn''t know that Topaz and Jade had already arrived and were silently watching without interrupting her work.


    They were completely stunned by what they heard.


    The renowned genius from the Genius Society, Herta the Erudition Emanator, actually praised Clara?


    After casually complimenting Clara, Herta turned coldly toward Topaz and Jade.


    "Alright, you two. What are you here for?"


    Topaz then explained that Jade would be staying with Clara for a few days.


    Clara happily agreed¡ªshe was delighted Jade would be staying with her.


    "Big Sis Jade~ After dinner, let''s go back together!"


    Jade smiled and agreed.


    Herta, seeing this, said:


    "Clara, I''m heading back now."


    As she reached the lab''s door, Herta suddenly remembered something.


    "Oh right, tell Ye Yun that if he wants more tutoring sessions, let me know. Same price."


    Clara nodded in reply.


    Satisfied, Herta left the lab for a stroll on the first floor.


    Around 8 PM.


    Himeko and Kafka brought out bowl after bowl of delicious dishes and placed them on the table.


    Since there were a lot of people, Ye Yun used big iron bowls for serving. After all, it was a meal among close friends¡ªno one cared about formality.


    Everyone was hungry but no one touched the food yet¡ªthey were all waiting for the two main chefs.


    Yunli held her tray, drooling uncontrollably, trying her best to suppress her appetite.


    At that moment, Paimon flew over holding a large iron bowl and placed it beside Yunli.


    "Yunli, this is the proper way to eat!"


    Yunli stared at it in awe and gave Paimon a big thumbs-up.


    "Got it! Where did you get this? I want one too!"


    Paimon pointed toward the kitchen.


    "Over there. Go ask Xiangling¡ªshe''ll give you one. Ye Yun won''t."


    Yunli nodded and ran into the kitchen to get a big bowl from Xiangling.


    Ye Yun and Xiangling brought out the final dish and placed it on the table.


    Ye Yun gave Xiangling a nod.


    Xiangling waved her spatula and shouted:


    "Dinner time!"


    Everyone clapped and cheered.


    Especially Yunli and Paimon¡ªthey were the loudest.


    Everyone took their trays and began lining up for food.


    The cheerful atmosphere made everyone feel warm and happy.


    Jing Yuan held his tray, wondering what to take first.


    A voice came from behind.


    "Try the shrimp dumplings. It''s one of Xiangling''s specialties¡ªI had it before, really tasty."


    Jing Yuan turned to see Dan Heng behind him, also holding a tray.


    Jing Yuan smiled faintly.


    "Alright, I''ll give it a try."


    Dan Heng then recommended a few more dishes, and Jing Yuan took all of them¡ªwhatever Dan Heng said, he took without question.


    After Dan Heng and Jing Yuan finished getting their food, Blade also came over with his tray. He tried to remember the dishes Dan Heng had recommended and picked them out one by one.


    But he forgot two dishes.


    Then¡ª


    Silver Wolf walked over with a plate.


    "Hey Blade, don''t forget the vine pepper fish and the radish beef stew."


    Blade nodded and added the two dishes to his tray, then sat alone in a corner to eat.


    Silver Wolf sighed, grabbed two bottles of cola, and sat beside him.


    "Here, brought this for you."


    Blade stared at the cola for a moment, then smiled and took a sip.


    Kafka then sat down with them.


    "Darling, you brought cola for Blade but not for me?"


    Silver Wolf made a face.


    "Nyeh~ Nope! You stole my airdrop today!"


    Kafka chuckled.


    "I didn''t even get it in the end¡ªKlee outplayed me."


    Silver Wolf thought of Klee.


    "Klee''s luck is insane. Just with her bombs, she got that many kills."


    Blade nodded.


    "I heard that her Constellation is a four-leaf clover symbolizing luck."


    Silver Wolf blinked.


    "Huh? Really?"


    Then, the three Stellaron Hunters sat together, eating and chatting.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73 - 73Zhongli served himself a plate of food and sat in a window seat, enjoying the night view outside while eating his delicious meal.


    At that moment, Hu Tao entered with Huohuo, both carrying their own food.


    The two of them sat directly across from Zhongli.


    "Guest Consultant, let me introduce you. This is Huohuo, our new member at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "I''ve heard about this from General Jing Yuan. Welcome, Huohuo."


    Huohuo smiled and greeted Zhongli.


    "Hello, Mr. Zhongli."


    Hu Tao took a bite of her food and said, "Huohuo, if you ever have any questions about ghost hunting or exorcism, feel free to ask our Guest Consultant. He''s an expert in that field."


    Huohuo looked at Zhongli with admiration.


    Zhongli said calmly, "The Hall Master is right. If you ever need help, don''t hesitate to ask me."


    Huohuo nodded happily in agreement.


    These past couple of days had made Huo Huo feel really happy¡ªeveryone on the train was so warm and friendly.


    At that moment, a firework bloomed outside the window.


    Seeing it, Hu Tao suddenly remembered that the Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue was coming up.


    "Guest Consultant, the Lantern Rite in Liyue is almost here!"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes, I was just planning to invite everyone to Liyue for the celebration."


    Hu Tao replied, "Same here! I was thinking of taking Stelle and the others to explore Dihua Marsh. There''s this ruin I couldn''t get into last time¡ªcouldn''t find the mechanism. Maybe they''ll figure something out."


    Zhongli nodded. "Let''s eat first. After dinner, we''ll go talk to everyone about it."


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun came out of his room.


    He had just heard a system notification telling him that his mission was complete.


    So he found an excuse to return to his room and claim the reward.


    Notification! Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission: Clear one dungeon. Reward: Interdimensional Guest Invitation ¡Á1


    Notification! New mission issued: Complete 10 dungeons. Reward: Special large dungeon unlock ¡Á1


    Ye Yun looked at the Interdimensional Guest Invitation in his hand.


    The last time he got one of these, it opened the link to Teyvat.


    This time, who knew which world it would connect to?


    But Ye Yun didn''t use it right away.


    He decided to wait a couple of days. No rush.


    He returned to the dining area.


    Kafka and Himeko were each dining with two little ones.


    Klee and Bailu sat beside Himeko.


    Diona and Hook were with Kafka.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Thanks for your hard work."


    Himeko shook her head. "It''s nothing. I''m used to this¡ªwhen do I ever not eat with the little ones?"


    Kafka also waved it off. "Diona and Hook are really sweet and well-behaved."


    Ye Yun smiled and sat down to help feed the little ones.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, March 7th, Amber, Eula, and Lumine had arranged a table in the lounge area. Each dish was placed in large servings on the table, and they sat around it, eating together.


    They were discussing where to go tomorrow.


    March 7th looked a little troubled. "We have to attend the martial arts ceremony tomorrow... doesn''t that mean we''ll miss the dungeon event?"


    Stelle also looked a bit distressed. "How about we skip the martial arts thing?"


    Amber shook her head. "We already signed up¡ªit wouldn''t be right not to go."


    Lumine thought for a moment and said, "How about this¡ªwe wait to see what kind of dungeon shows up tomorrow. If it''s boring, we go to the ceremony. If it''s fun, we do the dungeon."


    Eula considered it. "No, no, let''s just go to the martial arts ceremony. We signed up already, so skipping it would look bad.


    Besides, didn''t you all want to show off a little there?"


    Stelle, Lumine, and March 7th perked up.


    Right! We were planning to show off at the ceremony!


    Calestia, who was stuffing his face nearby, overheard and chimed in:


    "Show off? Count me in!"


    Lumine glanced at him and hesitated. "Um... maybe not? You''re kinda overpowered."


    Calestia protested, "Overpowered? Stelle is going too, so why can''t I?"


    Lumine thought about it and realized he had a point.


    "Fine. Just go talk to General Jing Yuan and see if he''ll let you in."


    Calestia gave a thumbs-up.


    Ever since she left her island, she discovered that life could be so colorful and fun.


    Back in her island, she was bored out of her mind¡ªjust wandering in gardens or inspecting the fake sky.


    Meanwhile, Paimon and Yunli were at the little bar counter, eating like long-lost friends reunited at last. Heads buried in their food bowls, they were devouring everything in sight.


    Paimon finished one bowl, wiped her mouth, and glanced at Yunli, who was still going strong.


    "Yunli, want to go get more?"


    Yunli lifted her head. "Yes! Let''s go!"


    With just those few words, she stood up and followed Paimon for seconds.


    In her first bowl, Yunli had mostly stir-fried dishes and rice.


    For the second, she aimed for skewers. Xiangling had grilled tons of skewers and left them on a warming rack. Yunli walked up and took half of them.


    "Skewers~ Skewers~ The tastiest skewers~"


    Seeing this, Paimon took the rest.


    Nearby, Noelle responsibly refilled the warming rack with freshly grilled skewers.


    Feixiao and Venti each had a plate of meat to pair with their drinks.


    Venti downed a whole beer in one gulp and sighed in satisfaction.


    "Ah~ So good!"


    Feixiao had just finished his own beer too.


    "This stuff''s great. Where''d you get it?"


    Venti replied, "From Ye Yun. Ten bottles for one star coin."


    Feixiao raised his brows. "That cheap?"


    Venti nodded. "Yeah! Why else do you think I hang out here drinking every day? Come on, eat up!"


    Feixiao smiled. "You treated me today¡ªI''ll treat you tomorrow!"


    Venti grinned. "Deal! Let''s drink to that!"


    They clinked bottles and downed another in unison.


    Everyone chatted and laughed as they ate, the atmosphere warm and joyful.


    Here, there was good food, good drink, good friends, and good music.


    They ate, drank, bragged, and messed around together¡ªthis kind of life made everyone truly happy.


    Over two hours later, everyone had finished eating.


    Hu Tao somehow found a megaphone.


    "Testing, testing! Can everyone hear me? Hey guys, our Guest Consultant has an announcement! Gather round!"


    Everyone came over.


    Stelle asked curiously, "What is it, Hu Tao?"


    Hu Tao handed the megaphone to Zhongli.


    Zhongli took it and spoke slowly:


    "Some of you already know¡ªtwo days from now is Liyue''s Lantern Rite. I sincerely invite all of you to come and celebrate with us."


    ***


    Zhongli continued speaking.


    "The Lantern Rite is the most important festival of the year in Liyue. It''s very lively then. If you have time, you should come and have some fun."


    As soon as Zhongli finished speaking, Hu Tao waved her hand enthusiastically.


    "I''m telling you, the Lantern Rite is super fun~ There are lots of mini-games~"


    Upon hearing "games," the young girls¡ªStelle, March 7th, Amber, Seele, and others¡ªimmediately showed interest and said they wanted to go.


    Hu Tao continued introducing the activities.


    "There are also sky lanterns, fireworks, poetry gatherings, and boat rides."


    Upon hearing these activities, Jing Yuan, Welt, Jiaoqiu, and Huaiyan''s eyes lit up.


    Welt looked at Jing Yuan and the others.


    "Everyone, how about we join in and take part in these activities?"


    Huaiyan stroked his beard.


    "This is a fine idea. It suits an old man like me."


    Jing Yuan smiled and said,


    "A boat ride sounds pleasant. By then, we can prepare a pot of tea and a chessboard, and enjoy the scenery while having a chess match."


    Jiaoqiu fanned himself.


    "With Mr. Zhongli''s kind invitation, how could I refuse?"


    At this point, Welt and the others had already started discussing which activity to try first.


    Seeing that most people had decided to join the festivities, Ningguang, as Liyue''s Tianquan, naturally had to do her part.


    "Everyone, listen to me. All your expenses in Liyue Harbor will be covered by me, Ningguang."


    Stelle was stunned¡ªhow generous! Ningguang was being incredibly bold.


    Stelle stood up and applauded excitedly.


    "Awesome!"


    March 7th, Lumine, Amber, and the others also stood up and applauded at the scene.


    At this time, Feixiao approached Jing Yuan and Huaiyan.


    "General Jing Yuan, Elder Yan, look¡ªthere are more dungeons appearing in Ye Yun''s shop, and now there''s the Lantern Rite in Liyue.


    Why don''t we postpone the martial arts ceremony a bit?"


    Jing Yuan looked troubled upon hearing this.


    "Many of the participants have already arrived at Luofu and are raring to go. Changing the time might not be appropriate."


    Feixiao, however, didn''t mind.


    "So what? At most, we just reimburse their daily expenses in Luofu."


    Huaiyan also chimed in in agreement.


    "We can also offer them some compensation, like giving them free access to training halls and such."


    Jing Yuan lowered his head in thought. That could work.


    So he called Fu Xuan over and had her issue a public notice.


    Fu Xuan quickly arranged for the notice to be released, and most of the participants accepted the time change.


    Luka, who had come to compete with Svarog, was very happy when he received the news.


    "This is great! I was worried I wouldn''t find a place to train."


    Svarog said,


    "According to calculations, with the postponed schedule, Luka can gain free access to the training halls, which increases his chances of winning."


    Since Svarog and Luka could only afford the cheapest inn for the competition¡ªafter all, Belobog was poor.


    The entire credit reserve of Belobog was small. The first batch of ice antlers hadn''t matured yet. For now, Belobog could only rely on selling rare ores to earn credit points.


    Even then, it was thanks to Topaz and Sushang, who pulled some strings and did Bronya a favor.


    Belobog''s ores weren''t considered rare in the universe. Many mining companies didn''t even bother accepting them.


    Now it was great¡ªfree food and lodging, and a training facility provided. It solved Luka''s urgent needs.


    Back at Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Basically, everyone had agreed to go, and they planned to head out the next day.


    Even the time before the festival was full of excitement.


    Having made the decision, everyone stayed a bit longer at Ye Yun''s shop before going home to rest.


    The next day arrived.


    In Himeko''s room¡ª


    She was asleep in bed, while Stelle and March 7th were sleeping on floor mats.


    The alarm rang, and Stelle jumped up like a carp.


    "Fully revived!"


    Stelle turned off the alarm and looked outside¡ªthe morning sun was rising, and red clouds drifted across the sky with the breeze.


    She stretched and looked at the still-sleeping March 7th beside her, gently shaking her shoulder.


    "March, March, time to get up."


    March 7th sleepily opened her eyes and brushed Stelle''s hand away.


    "Let me sleep a bit longer... so tired~"


    Himeko, who was already tidying up her bedding, chuckled at the scene.


    "Stelle, give her another shake. Once we wash up, we''ll head to Liyue Harbor. Didn''t you all say you wanted to eat breakfast there?"


    Stelle, upon hearing this, immediately pulled March 7th up and helped her stand.


    March 7th felt numb all over¡ªshe was so sleepy and wanted to go back to bed. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But since she was already standing, there was no going back to sleep.


    Seeing this, Himeko said,


    "You two tidy up your bedding. I''ll go wash up first."


    She then stepped out into the hallway.


    Right outside, she ran into Jing Yuan and his group who had just boarded the train.


    "Good morning, Ms. Himeko."


    Himeko smiled in response.


    "Good morning, everyone. You''re up so early?"


    Jing Yuan shrugged and joked,


    "Wasn''t my choice. Elder Yan woke me up early."


    Hearing his name, Huaiyan laughed heartily.


    "Old men like me sleep little. Couldn''t sleep in the inn, so I had to resort to this trick, haha."


    Feixiao, seeing everyone chatting, urged them.


    "Let''s hurry up. I have an appointment with Venti to drink at a Liyue tavern."


    Himeko replied,


    "You all go ahead. I''ll freshen up first."


    Jing Yuan and his group then said their goodbyes and headed to Ye Yun''s shop.


    Inside the shop, Jing Yuan saw Ye Yun helping the four little ones wash up.


    The four were brushing their teeth with small cups and toothbrushes by the sink in the little bar.


    Ye Yun was warming water for them so they could wash their faces after brushing.


    Jing Yuan turned to Feixiao and said,


    "General Feixiao, you go on ahead. Elder Yan and I will wait for Ye Yun."


    Feixiao dashed off without hesitation.


    "Alright, I''m outta here."


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan waited for Ye Yun, since they had agreed to check out the poetry gathering together.


    After the little ones finished washing, they lined up in front of Ye Yun to receive his instructions.


    "What''s the number one rule when going out to play?"


    The four chimed in together,


    "Safety first!"


    Ye Yun nodded in satisfaction and turned to Rios.


    "Rios, please watch over them today."


    Rios nodded.


    "Got it."


    Ye Yun gave the four one more reminder.


    "Remember, don''t stray too far from Rios, okay?"


    The four all promised in unison.


    Ye Yun then waved his hand.


    "Alright, go have fun!"


    The little ones cheered and ran through the teleportation portal to Liyue Harbor.


    "Charge! Let''s go, girls!"


    "Klee can go play now~"


    "Hook is so happy!"


    "Slow down, wait for me!"


    Then, Ye Yun, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Jiaoqiu waited for Welt.


    Once everyone was ready, they stepped through the teleportation portal to find Zhongli.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74 - 74In Liyue Harbor.


    The four little ones were chasing each other and playing in the streets, having a great time.


    Today was the day before the Lantern Rite Festival, and the festive atmosphere was strong in the air. Every household was adorned with lanterns and decorations, and happy smiles lit up everyone''s faces.


    This year, Ningguang had spent a fortune decorating the streets with Lantern Rite ornaments, making the entire area feel incredibly festive.


    While running around, the four little ones arrived at a morning market. The market was packed with people, many of whom were enjoying breakfast.


    The delicious aroma of food in the air made the four little ones dash into the market to buy some breakfast.


    In the morning market.


    Tartaglia and La Signora were also there, enjoying breakfast. They had their subordinates bring over a whole table full of delicious dishes.


    Tartaglia took a bite of a meat bun.


    "Not gonna lie, these buns in Liyue are really good¡ªway better than the bread we have in Snezhnaya."


    La Signora shot him a look. You''re from Snezhnaya! How can you praise another country over your own?


    "The breakfast here in Liyue is... alright, I guess."


    Tartaglia chuckled in response.


    "Maybe check how much you''ve eaten before saying that."


    La Signora glanced at the empty plates stacked beside her and the untouched Snezhnayan bread nearby.


    "Fine, eating doesn''t mean I have to agree with you. Hurry up and eat¡ªwe still have work to do."


    Tartaglia was puzzled.


    "Work? What work?"


    La Signora replied:


    "Her Majesty the Tsaritsa is coming to Liyue Harbor today. We''re going to welcome her."


    Tartaglia stared at her in disbelief.


    "Seriously? How come I didn''t know about this?"


    La Signora said:


    "Of course you didn''t know. She contacted me. Now eat up¡ªwe''re heading to the harbor after this."


    Tartaglia stopped bickering and focused on his food.


    Meanwhile, the four little ones each bought two big meat buns and a cup of soy milk before walking out of the market.


    They munched on their buns while strolling through the streets.


    Suddenly, Klee spotted Qiqi standing still in the distance, seemingly zoning out.


    Klee stared curiously at Qiqi, thinking her outfit looked a bit strange.


    Curious, Klee walked up.


    "Hi! I''m Klee. What''s your name?"


    After a few seconds, Qiqi slowly turned her head and replied dully:


    "Qiqi. Qiqi''s name is... Qiqi."


    Klee looked enlightened.


    "Nice to meet you, Qiqi! What are you doing here?"


    Qiqi looked up at the sky and thought for a moment before speaking slowly:


    "Qiqi is... waiting for... Yaoyao... to make... sky lanterns."


    Klee perked up.


    "Sky lanterns? That sounds fun!"


    Qiqi paused for a moment, then answered:


    "Fun... I think?"


    Klee beamed.


    "Qiqi, can I come with you?"


    Qiqi thought for a bit.


    "Ask Yaoyao."


    Klee tilted her head, curious.


    "Yaoyao? Who''s that?"


    As soon as she finished her question, a girl with a bun hairstyle and a bamboo basket on her back came walking over.


    "Qiqi, I''m here~"


    Qiqi looked at her and pointed.


    "That''s Yaoyao."


    Yaoyao jogged up and smiled at Klee.


    "Hi there! I''m Yaoyao. Nice to meet you~ What''s your name?"


    Klee replied cheerfully:


    "I''m Klee! So you''re Yaoyao! Can I come with you to make sky lanterns?"


    Yaoyao agreed right away.


    "Sure~ Come on! I''ll take you to find the materials we need."


    Klee nodded but held up a finger.


    "Wait a sec, Yaoyao¡ªKlee has a few more friends~"


    She then shouted to Hook, Bailu, and Diona, who were watching a ring-toss game at a nearby stall:


    "Bailu~ Hook~ Dioooona! Come here! We''re gonna make sky lanterns!"


    The three of them ran over to Klee.


    After the six little ones introduced themselves, Hook curiously asked:


    "Yaoyao, what''s a sky lantern?"


    Yaoyao explained:


    "A sky lantern is a kind of lantern that can fly up into the sky. Every year during the Lantern Rite, we release them and make wishes for peace and safety."


    Hook''s eyes lit up.


    "Ohhh~ Hook wants to release one!"


    Yaoyao nodded with a smile.


    "Alright, let''s go. First, we need to gather materials to make the lanterns.


    To make a lantern fly high, we need good bamboo. Let''s head outside the city to find some!"


    Klee grabbed Qiqi''s hand and shouted joyfully:


    "Yay! Klee gets to make sky lanterns with new friends~"


    Then she took off running with Qiqi in tow.


    Bailu raised a hand and shouted:


    "Quick! Let''s go after them¡ªcharge!"


    She and Hook dashed off behind Klee.


    Diona and Yaoyao followed close behind, with Yaoyao calling out:


    "Slow down! Be careful not to fall~"


    The six little ones ran off toward the outskirts of the city, with Rios following at a steady pace to keep them safe.


    Meanwhile, with Stelle, Hu Tao, March 7th, Lumine, Amber, and Seele¡ª


    They were having breakfast at a teahouse near the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, led by Hu Tao.


    Stelle took a bite of steamed egg and asked:


    "Hu Tao, where are we going after this?"


    Hu Tao replied:


    "I''ll take you to Wangshu Inn to hang out for a bit."


    Lumine asked:


    "Wangshu Inn? What''s fun there? Last time I came from Mondstadt, you were waiting for me there, but it didn''t seem like there was much to do."


    Hu Tao smiled mysteriously.


    "Ah, but you don''t know~ I found a ruin nearby recently. Let''s go check it out¡ªthere are usually lots of treasure chests in those!"


    Everyone''s eyes lit up at the word "treasure chests."


    March 7th said excitedly:


    "Now I''m awake! Let''s eat quickly and go explore!"


    Hu Tao nodded and added:


    "After we''re done exploring the ruin, it should be about evening.


    Ningguang prepared a treasure ship and said she''s inviting us to come aboard and have fun. I''ll take you all there tonight."


    Amber looked intrigued.


    "What kind of treasure ship?"


    Hu Tao thought for a moment.


    "It''s a big, fancy ship made for entertainment. The guest advisor said it''s really fun. You''ll see tonight."


    Eula said:


    "Then let''s eat up and go!"


    They all started eating faster, eager to begin their adventure.


    Meanwhile, on a cruise ship¡ª


    Jing Yuan, Welt, Ye Yun, Zhongli, and Huaiyan were sitting on a ship, sipping tea, playing chess, and chatting.


    Jing Yuan lounged by the railing, admiring the beautiful ocean view.


    "The last time I came here, the weather wasn''t nearly this good."


    Zhongli thought of Osial upon hearing this.


    "Last time, there was a god wreaking havoc. Naturally, the scenery wasn''t pleasant."


    Honestly, Zhongli suddenly felt a bit curious about how Osial was doing in the Luofu prison.


    Meanwhile, in Luofu Prison¡ª sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osial lay in his cell like a salted fish. Compared to being sealed by Zhongli, this was much better¡ªno worries about food or drink, and he even got an hour of outdoor time every day.


    ***


    Third floor of the Wangsheng Hall Internet Caf¨¦ Building, Calestia''s exclusive e-sports room.


    Calestia was happily finishing a round of Audition Online¡ªshe had just won another match.


    She took off her headset, stretched lazily, and lay back in her gaming chair, gazing at the bustling street below.


    The street was lively, and it was Calestia''s first time seeing such a festive scene.


    "This Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue is really something," she murmured.


    Nahida, who was nearby, overheard and said:


    "The Lantern Rite is the most important festival of the year in Liyue. Almost everyone returns home to reunite with their families and celebrate the new year together."


    Calestia nodded, then suddenly remembered something and asked:


    "Oh right, Nahida, can you check where those guys are?"


    Nahida responded:


    "You mean the other gods?"


    Calestia nodded.


    "Yeah, didn''t I tell them yesterday to come to Liyue for the festival? Have they arrived yet?"


    Nahida used her divine power to sense their presence.


    "The Cryo Archon and Electro Archon are about to reach Liyue Harbor. Lady Furina and a companion have arrived at Qingce Village and should reach Liyue Harbor tonight."


    Calestia nodded in satisfaction.


    "That''s good. Nahida, shall we all have dinner together tonight?"


    Nahida shook her head.


    "I''m afraid that''s not possible. Didn''t you promise Ningguang this morning that you''d have dinner on the Jade Chamber?"


    Calestia paused, then remembered.


    "Oh right, I almost forgot. Then let the others have fun for now¡ªwe''ll all meet at the Jade Chamber tonight."


    Nahida agreed and contacted the Cryo Archon, Ei, and Furina through divine communication.


    Just then, the door opened, and Silver Wolf walked in.


    "I''m here, Calestia."


    Calestia was delighted to see her.


    "Silver Wolf! You''re finally here! Come on, log in, log in!"


    Liyue Harbor Port.


    Coincidentally, Ei and Yae Miko had just disembarked when they spotted the Cryo Archon and her companions nearby.


    The Cryo Archon approached Ei.


    "Long time no see, Baal."


    Ei looked confused.


    "Didn''t we just meet at Celestia?"


    The Cryo Archon was momentarily speechless.


    "Baal, you haven''t changed at all¡ªstill so good at conversation."


    Ei nodded.


    "I think so too."


    Yae Miko couldn''t stand it anymore¡ªEi really didn''t know how to chat. Just a few lines and the conversation was dead.


    "Long time no see, Lady Tsaritsa," Yae Miko greeted the Cryo Archon.


    Tsaritsa nodded.


    "Yes, it''s been a while. The little fox has grown up so much."


    Yae Miko smiled.


    "Lady Tsaritsa, you''re still as beautiful as ever~"


    Tsaritsa smiled at the compliment.


    "You''ve become quite the sweet talker."


    Yae Miko waved her hand.


    "Oh please, I''m just telling the truth."


    Tsaritsa looked around.


    "You''ve received the message, right? We''re supposed to explore a bit¡ªwant to join?"


    Yae Miko shook her head.


    "I think we''ll pass. I want to visit some old friends here in Liyue. See you tonight~"


    She took Ei and headed toward Yujing Terrace.


    Yae Miko was planning to visit Ganyu¡ªit had been years, and she missed her dearly.


    As they walked, Yae Miko suddenly sensed something was off. She looked back¡ªand froze.


    "Where''s Ei?"


    She quickly turned around and found Ei standing by a sugar-coated hawthorn stand.


    Ei was holding a skewer of candied hawthorn, eating with deep focus.


    Yae Miko facepalmed¡ªwho would''ve thought the usually dignified and cold Electro Archon had such a sweet tooth!


    She rushed over and tried to pull Ei away.


    "Ei, let''s go find Ganyu."


    Ei nodded¡ªbut didn''t move.


    Yae Miko frowned.


    "What are you standing there for?"


    Ei said calmly:


    "I haven''t paid for the candy yet."


    Yae Miko was speechless.


    "Can''t you pay?"


    Ei took another bite.


    "I don''t have any money. You pay."


    Yae Miko rolled her eyes hard.


    You''re a god and you don''t carry money?


    She paid for the snack and promptly grabbed Ei''s arm to keep her from running off to buy more treats.


    Along the way¡ª


    Yae Miko was exhausted. There were too many snack stalls, and Ei wanted to try every single one.


    Sugar figurines, sugarcane juice, osmanthus cakes, flower pastries...


    Yae Miko had no doubt¡ªif she wasn''t holding on to her, Ei could probably eat from one end of the street to the other.


    At Qingce Village.


    Furina and Clorinde disembarked from their boat.


    Furina was in an excellent mood. It was the first time in years she''d gone out to travel beyond Fontaine.


    Everything around her felt fresh and new.


    She spotted a stall selling flower pastries, run by an elderly woman.


    The old lady noticed Furina looking and called out:


    "Missy, want to try some flower pastries I made myself?"


    Furina''s eyes lit up. Oh¡ªfree samples? Yes please!


    "Yes!"


    The old woman handed her one.


    "Here you go, be careful¡ªit''s hot. I just made them. My house is right nearby."


    Furina took it and indeed found it a bit hot to the touch.


    She blew on it and carefully took a bite. Her eyes lit up.


    "Mmm~ This is delicious! It''s even better than the ones I''ve had before! How much are they? I want to buy some."


    The old lady smiled.


    "Cheap¡ª300 Mora each. How many do you want? I''ll pack them for you."


    Furina waved grandly.


    "I''ll take them all!"


    But the old lady refused.


    "You won''t be able to finish that many. They don''t keep long¡ªthey''ll spoil."


    Furina replied:


    "It''s okay¡ªI have a lot of friends. I''ll share them."


    Hearing this, the old lady agreed to sell her the whole batch.


    After paying, Furina sat on a bench with a big bag of pastries.


    Not long after¡ª


    Clorinde arrived, driving a horse-drawn carriage.


    "Lady Furina, I''ve rented a carriage."


    Furina jumped up from the bench.


    "Great job! Come try these flower pastries I just bought!"


    Clorinde noticed the big bag.


    "Lady Furina, why did you buy so many?"


    Furina took another bite.


    "Because they''re yummy! Come on, help me load these onto the carriage¡ªwe''re heading to Liyue Harbor."


    Clorinde easily lifted the bag that had taken Furina both hands to carry.


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    Furina climbed into the carriage, Clorinde loaded the pastries, and then drove off toward Liyue Harbor.


    Along the way, Furina happily nibbled on the flower pastries while admiring the scenic views.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75 - 75Inside the Northland Bank.


    Tsaritsa was listening as Childe and La Signora reported their work.


    La Signora spoke first:


    "Lord Tsaritsa, as per your orders, we''ve been strictly managing our subordinates and making sure they haven''t caused any trouble."


    Tsaritsa smiled slightly.


    "Thank you for your hard work, Rosalyne."


    La Signora shook her head.


    "It''s my duty, Your Majesty."


    Childe curiously asked:


    "Your Majesty, may I ask what brings you to Liyue in person? If there''s anything that needs to be done, we''ll take care of it. You didn''t need to come all this way yourself."


    Tsaritsa looked at Childe, feeling gratified.


    Among the Fatui, the ones most loyal to her were La Signora and Childe.


    "There are some matters I must handle personally. Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"


    Childe replied:


    "Yes, there''s been a large influx of visitors from other worlds in Liyue recently."


    Tsaritsa was surprised.


    "Visitors from other worlds?"


    Childe nodded.


    "That''s right. The Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao, has recently started a new business called an ''internet caf¨¦,'' and the equipment used there comes from another world."


    Hearing this, Tsaritsa grew curious about the internet caf¨¦.


    "Where is this internet caf¨¦ located? Take me to see it."


    La Signora answered:


    "Right next door."


    Under the guidance of La Signora and Childe, Barnabas arrived at the Wangsheng Hall Internet Caf¨¦ building next door.


    With the Lantern Rite Festival approaching, many people were on holiday, and the internet caf¨¦ was packed with business. The lobby on the first floor was crowded wall-to-wall with people.


    Some couldn''t get a seat, so they just stood behind others watching and even offering game tips while spectating.


    As Tsaritsa, Childe, and La Signora entered, the receptionist girl immediately recognized Childe and La Signora¡ªtwo of the caf¨¦''s VIP customers.


    The two quickly booked two e-sports rooms on the third floor for the entire month.


    "Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Wangsheng Hall Internet Caf¨¦."


    Childe nodded at the receptionist.


    "No need to bother with us¡ªwe know the way."


    He dismissed her to avoid any disturbance to Her Majesty.


    Meanwhile, La Signora was explaining to Tsaritsa what a computer was.


    Tsaritsa found it fascinating and wanted to try it.


    "Sounds interesting. I''d like to try, but it seems there are no free spots."


    La Signora smiled and said: sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No worries, Your Majesty. I have a private e-sports room on the third floor. I''ll take you there."


    Tsaritsa was pleasantly surprised.


    "Then let''s go have a look."


    Led by La Signora, Tsaritsa went up to the third floor.


    Compared to the noisy first floor, the third floor was much quieter.


    At the stairwell, there was a staff member¡ªonly those who had reserved a room were allowed to enter.


    With La Signora''s guidance, Tsaritsa was smoothly admitted.


    As Tsaritsa walked down the corridor, the door to a room at the far end on the right suddenly opened, and Nahida stepped out.


    Tsaritsa vaguely heard Nahida call into the room:


    "Lady Calestia, I''m going to get lunch."


    From inside, a familiar voice responded:


    "Get me something too. I want grilled Tigris fish from Old Liu''s, a roast chicken from Old Li''s, and fried rice from Old Zhao''s."


    Nahida nodded and agreed.


    As the internet caf¨¦ business grew, more and more food stalls popped up nearby.


    Calestia was quite pleased with this¡ªthese vendors made surprisingly good food.


    Most importantly, it was convenient¡ªjust downstairs.


    Nahida turned and noticed Tsaritsa.


    "Lady Tsaritsa?"


    Tsaritsa nodded and replied:


    "Lady Buer, where are you off to?"


    Nahida explained:


    "It''s almost lunchtime¡ªI''m going to buy some food."


    Tsaritsa nodded in understanding, then asked:


    "That one... is she here?"


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "Yes, Lady Calestia is a guest consultant of Wangsheng Hall. She said she''s currently in charge of digging foundations and managing the caf¨¦''s security."


    Tsaritsa twitched at the corners of her mouth. She hadn''t expected that the exalted Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, the ruler of the Void, would be working at an internet caf¨¦?


    This was truly beyond anything Tsaritsa could have imagined.


    Nahida glanced at La Signora and Childe behind Tsaritsa and understood why she was here.


    "I''ll go get food first¡ªenjoy yourselves."


    Tsaritsa stiffly nodded and stepped aside to let her pass.


    La Signora was a little puzzled¡ªwhy did Her Majesty become so awkward after seeing that young girl?


    "Your Majesty, who was that girl?"


    Tsaritsa replied:


    "She''s the Archon of Sumeru¡ªBuer."


    The Lady and Childe were instantly stunned.


    "What?!"


    Childe suddenly caught a detail.


    "For the Dendro Archon to be taking a food order... that can only mean¡ª"


    Tsaritsa looked at him, surprised by how sharp he was today.


    "That''s right."


    Both La Signora and Childe sucked in a breath.


    "Then, Your Majesty... should we still play games?"


    Tsaritsa looked toward the end of the corridor and thought for a moment.


    "No problem. We''ll just do our own thing."


    Then, she walked into La Signira''s private room.


    La Signira and Childe exchanged glances and quickly followed, carefully closing the door behind them as if afraid to disturb that one.


    Tsaritsa looked at the two anxious ones and said:


    "No need to be nervous. The past is water under the bridge. From now on, we just follow the rules. Understand?"


    La Signora and Childe nodded.


    No wonder Her Majesty had ordered a halt on collecting Gnosis and told them to keep their people in check.


    So she had returned.


    Nahida left the caf¨¦ and made her way through the crowd to Old Liu''s grilled fish stall across the street.


    "Boss, I''ll take two grilled Tigris fish¡ªone spicy, one not."


    Old Liu responded cheerfully:


    "Got it! Just a moment."


    Seeing the long queue, Nahida figured it would take a while, so she found a seat to wait.


    As soon as she sat down, she noticed two girls performing nearby¡ªGuinaifen and Sushang.


    Sushang was lying on a table with a stone slab on her chest.


    Guinaifen stood beside her, banging a gong and shouting:


    "Don''t miss it, don''t miss it! Chest-smashing stone show starting soon!"


    The crowd gathered, intrigued.


    They had seen chest-breaking performances before¡ªbut never by a little girl.


    Nahida, curious, walked over to watch.


    Sushang lay nervously on the table.


    "Little Gui... are you sure this is safe?"


    Guinaifen gave her a thumbs-up.


    "Totally safe!"


    Then she raised a big hammer and swung it down at the stone on Sushang''s chest.


    Nahida quickly used her power to create a cushion between the stone and Sushang without anyone noticing.


    The hammer came down, and the stone shattered.


    "Whoa!" someone in the crowd cheered, and the whole crowd burst into applause.


    Guinaifen''s donation bucket was instantly filled to the brim with Mora.


    ***


    After a performance ended, the two of them walked to a quiet corner.


    Sushang was still feeling lingering fear¡ªwhen Guinaifen slammed down earlier, her soul nearly flew out of her body.


    Luckily, she was unharmed, and surprisingly, she didn''t feel anything at all during the whole thing.


    Just then, a voice came.


    "Don''t do such dangerous things again next time, okay?"


    Guinaifen and Sushang looked up to see Nahida walking over slowly.


    Sushang was a bit surprised to see her.


    "Nahida? What are you doing here?"


    Nahida smiled and replied.


    "I just came down to buy food and saw you doing a very dangerous performance. Next time, it''s better to have some safety precautions."


    Only then did Sushang realize what had happened.


    No wonder she didn''t feel anything¡ªNahida must have helped her out.


    "Nahida, was it you who helped me just now?"


    Nahida smiled gently.


    "Yes. Why were you doing something so dangerous? I don''t understand."


    Guinaifen took out her phone.


    "I was recording the whole time. I was planning to upload the video online to get some followers."


    Nahida looked puzzled.


    "Online?"


    So Guinaifen explained the concept of live streaming to her.


    After listening, Nahida said:


    "I see. But still, it''s best not to do such dangerous things. Getting hurt can be very unpleasant."


    Guinaifen and Sushang nodded.


    "Okay!"


    Seeing this, Nahida nodded in satisfaction.


    "Then I''ll be going now. I still need to get my food."


    Guinaifen and Sushang watched her leave.


    Guinaifen looked at the video on her phone and felt quite pleased.


    "Come on, Shang Shang, let''s go get something to eat."


    After buying her food, Nahida returned to the Calestia eSports room.


    As she pushed open the door, she heard Calestia''s unrestrained laughter.


    "Heh heh! Another newbie dares to challenge the invincible Lord Calestia! Watch how I crush you!"


    Nahida glanced at the computer screen. Calestia had set up another 1v1 room, and the other player''s name was:


    [The Queen Who Loves Again]


    Nahida immediately guessed the person''s true identity¡ªit could only be Lord Tsaritsa.


    In the bamboo forest near Qingce Village...


    The six little ones were working together to gather high-quality bamboo.


    Hook and Bailu each held an axe.


    Bailu wiped her nose.


    "Yaoyao, which one should we chop? Say the word!"


    Yaoyao carefully examined each stalk and quickly pointed one out.


    "This one! And this one!"


    Upon hearing that, Bailu and Hook rushed over with their axes, taking turns chopping at the bamboo.


    "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"


    Both of them were quite strong, and soon the bamboo was felled.


    As it fell, Yaoyao quickly called out to Klee and the others to move aside.


    "The bamboo''s falling¡ªwatch out!"


    Klee quickly dodged and even pulled the dazed Qiqi out of the way.


    The bamboo hit the ground with a loud thud, stirring up a cloud of dust.


    Yaoyao took out a small knife and trimmed off the branches, then called Klee, Bailu, Hook, Diona, and Qiqi to help carry it.


    The six of them lined up, and under Yaoyao''s command, they lifted the bamboo¡ªover ten meters long¡ªtogether.


    With their little short legs, they carried it back toward Liyue Harbor.


    "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"


    The bamboo was too long, and the six of them were spaced far apart. As they ran while carrying it, the bamboo swayed up and down.


    Finally, after over an hour, they brought it back to Liyue Harbor and found Grandma Ping.


    Seeing so many adorable children chattering in front of her, Grandma Ping was overjoyed.


    "Come, childrens, gather around. Grandma will teach you how to make Xiao Lanterns."


    The six little ones obediently sat around her, each on a small stool, ready to learn.


    Seeing that they were about to start barehanded, Yaoyao quickly took out several pairs of gloves.


    "Hold on, everyone. Put on gloves first so you don''t hurt your hands."


    Klee and the others took the gloves and put them on.


    Each glove had a laurel design embroidered by Yaoyao herself.


    Once they were gloved up, they officially began learning how to make lanterns.


    In the southeastern part of Dihua Marsh, Stelle, Hu Tao, March 7th, and Lumine arrived at a dilapidated village.


    March 7th looked at the abandoned village below and was speechless.


    "This is the ruin? It''s just a pile of rubble!"


    Hu Tao said,


    "Don''t worry, our final destination is not here, it''s on the other side of the mountain.


    Hehe, let me tell you, don''t underestimate this place. I found lots of treasure chests here. Let''s do some treasure hunting first."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up.


    "Treasure chests! Primogems! Star coins! Let''s go!"


    Hu Tao pulled Stelle back and took out a bunch of pickaxes from her spatial ring.


    "Hold up, everyone gets a pickaxe. A lot of treasure chests are buried under the ruins."


    Stelle took a pickaxe and nodded.


    Then, the group rushed down into the ruins.


    Once inside, they split up to search.


    Before long, Amber cried out in excitement.


    "I found a chest! Wow! It has two primogems in it!"


    Hearing this, Stelle picked up the pace with his digging.


    "Dig dig dig dig dig!"


    Stelle swung his pickaxe faster and faster, quickly carving out a tunnel.


    Suddenly, with one swing, a bright light shone from ahead.


    Overjoyed, Stelle shouted:


    "Ohohoho! A secret chamber!"


    One more swing, and a cave appeared before him.


    Inside the cave sat three luxurious chests.


    Stelle rushed over and opened them all¡ªhe found 30 primogems in total.


    She stuffed the primogems into her bag with satisfaction.


    "Hehe~ I got rich! I got rich! I don''t even know how to spend it!"


    After storing the primogems, Stelle picked up his pickaxe and kept digging.


    Soon, March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others joined her.


    Stelle asked,


    "Why are you guys here? Finished searching up top?"


    Hu Tao nodded with a grin.


    "Pretty much done. Found quite a few primogems. How''s it going here?"


    Stelle replied,


    "I just found 30 primogems. I''m going to keep digging¡ªmaybe there''s another secret spot!"


    Everyone got excited and joined in.


    Stelle, Lumine, Hu Tao, Eula, and Seele kept digging.


    Amber and Huo Huo handled moving dirt out with their storage rings.


    Since none of them were ordinary people, they dug very fast.


    They dug deeper and deeper.


    Suddenly, with one strike, Seele felt a powerful rebound and was knocked back.


    She fell to the ground.


    Everyone rushed over.


    Stelle helped her up.


    "Seele, are you okay?"


    Seele shook her head¡ªshe was fine.


    Just then, Hu Tao exclaimed:


    "Whoa! Did we just dig into a ruin?!"

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76 - 76Hu Tao''s words piqued everyone''s curiosity, and they all gathered at the entrance of the cave.


    Before their eyes appeared an underground ruin.


    The ruin was extremely dilapidated and overgrown with weeds. The only light source in the entire structure came from a large opening at the top, allowing a beam of light to shine through.


    At the entrance, the ripples of flowing water were clearly visible¡ªthere was no doubt that this ruin lay underwater.


    Stelle looked around and found a small path.


    "Look over there. Let''s go down from that side."


    With that, Stelle took the lead, descending from the entrance along the narrow path toward the main body of the ruin.


    The core of the ruin was an ancient city made entirely of massive stones.


    Stelle, Hu Tao, and the others followed the path to the gate of the ancient city.


    Hu Tao looked around the city, feeling puzzled.


    "That doesn''t make sense. A ruin this big shouldn''t have gone undiscovered for so many years."


    March 7th shrugged.


    "Maybe it''s just too well hidden? Think about how deep we had to dig to get here."


    Hu Tao thought over March 7th''s words¡ªit wasn''t impossible.


    The ruin was deeply buried underground. It was indeed possible that it had gone unnoticed for so long.


    Stelle hoisted a pickaxe.


    "Whatever, let''s go take a look first."


    With that, Stelle walked swaggeringly toward the main gate of the city and pushed it open.


    The wooden door had clearly aged for who knows how long. With a gentle push from Stelle, the entire door collapsed with a crash.


    The sight before them sent a chill down Stelle''s spine, and he froze in place.


    When Hu Tao and the others came closer, they were speechless.


    All they saw were countless salt figures standing on the street¡ªhumanoid shapes made entirely of salt, all with the same expression.


    Terror, as if trying to flee the city.


    March 7th looked at the scene and couldn''t help but voice a chilling thought.


    "Could these people have once been real, living humans?"


    Paimon jumped in fright.


    "Yikes! March, could you not say something so scary?"


    Lumine examined the salt statues closely and noticed that each one was unique. With Teyvat''s level of craftsmanship, there was no way they could be this lifelike.


    "I''m afraid March might be right."


    Stelle looked along the street¡ªevery salt figure had its back turned toward a distant fortress, as if trying to escape from it.


    "That must be the source. Let''s go check it out."


    Hearing this, everyone cautiously moved through the streets, heading toward the distant fortress.


    Along the way, it was eerily quiet. As they went deeper into the ruins, the light grew dimmer.


    Eventually, they arrived at the gates of the ancient fortress.


    Eula knocked on the door and heard a noise from behind it.


    "Let''s look around nearby. There must be some mechanism to open this door."


    Stelle pulled out the Judgment of Shamash.


    "No need for that. Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    With a swing, Stelle sliced the stone door in half.


    The door crumbled with a loud crash, revealing a hidden chamber.


    The chamber was packed with salt figures trying to flee.


    At the very center of the room lay an altar with a broken sword enshrined on it.


    March 7th took out her camera and snapped a photo. This was her first time exploring such an ancient ruin.


    Stelle stepped up and picked up the sword. It was rusted and clearly very old.


    "Hu Tao, take a look¡ªthink this is worth anything?"


    Hu Tao examined it.


    "It''s just an ordinary sword. But you could try bringing it to a jewelry shop¡ªmaybe you can sell it as an antique."


    Hearing this, Stelle stored the iron sword in his storage ring, planning to sell it later in Liyue Harbor.


    After storing the sword, Stelle looked around and found three passageways. He thought for a moment.


    "Let''s split up. If you run into danger, send a signal."


    Hu Tao and Lumine agreed.


    Then, the group split into three teams and headed into different tunnels.


    Seele took the right passage.


    Suddenly, strange sounds came from ahead. Seele looked closely and saw a group of hilichurls dancing and singing around a campfire.


    She quietly pulled out her scythe and crept forward.


    "Disappear among the sea of butterflies¡ªillusions of the past!"


    With one strike, she wiped out the hilichurls.


    After dealing with them, Seele had time to inspect the chamber.


    Inside were two offering platforms¡ªone holding a ruler and the other a bronze cauldron.


    She picked them up. The cauldron still had half its salt inside.


    "What the heck are these? Whatever, I''ll just take them and ask someone later."


    Seele stored both the ruler and the cauldron in her ring and continued exploring.


    About three hours later¡ª


    The three teams regrouped in a large chamber.


    At its center was a small pile of salt.


    March 7th took another photo.


    Stelle looked a bit disappointed.


    "I thought we''d find some Primogems here. Turns out it''s all just junk... sigh~"


    Hu Tao checked the time.


    "Let''s go. We should head back. It''ll be dark by the time we reach Liyue Harbor."


    So, they retraced their steps, exited the mine they had dug, and boarded their RV parked by the road, heading back to Liyue Harbor.


    Meanwhile, on the Treasure Boat¡ª S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ningguang was making preparations for tonight''s banquet.


    "Get all this food to the kitchen quickly¡ªXiangling will be here soon to cook.


    And these flowers¡ªwhat house sent them? I paid a fortune and they send me this subpar mess? Baiwen, take someone and go. Some people aren''t cut out for business.


    Also, the fireworks¡ªhandle them carefully. Don''t let them get wet. Got it?"


    Ningguang personally oversaw everything on the Treasure Boat, leaving nothing to chance¡ªshe didn''t want anything to go wrong tonight.


    This year''s Lantern Rite was different from previous years. Many important guests were attending.


    Ningguang issued orders one by one as crew members bustled about the ship.


    She stood by the railing, looking at the sun halfway set over the sea, and sighed softly.


    Preparations for the banquet were nearly complete¡ªnow it was just a matter of waiting for the guests.


    Soon¡ª


    Ye Yun, Welt, Zhongli, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Jiaoqiu¡ªmembers of the elder group¡ªwere the first to board the ship.


    Ningguang quickly went to greet them.


    "Welcome to the Lantern Rite banquet, everyone. Please, come in."


    Under Ningguang''s guidance, Ye Yun and the others went up to the second floor to enjoy tea in a tea room.


    They thanked her warmly.


    Just as Ningguang finished receiving them, Topaz and Jade arrived with gifts in hand.


    "Ningguang! We''re here!" Topaz waved and greeted her cheerfully.


    Recognizing them, Ningguang went up to welcome them.


    "Topaz, Jade¡ªhow was your day?"


    Jade smiled.


    "Today was wonderful. It''s my first time exploring a city with so much historical charm."


    ***


    Ningguang smiled upon hearing that.


    "Good. Tomorrow is the main day of the Lantern Rite. You two should walk around more then¡ªthere will be many more interesting things to see."


    Jade smiled and agreed.


    At this moment, Topaz suddenly asked.


    "Ningguang, Jade and I plan to set up a small stall to sell some things tomorrow. We asked around and heard we need a permit from you. Could you issue us one?"


    Ningguang replied,


    "That''s not a problem. But you mustn''t sell anything dangerous."


    Topaz flipped her hair.


    "Of course not! Jade and I are planning to set up a pitch-pot game stall. See if we can earn some Primogems."


    Ningguang thought for a moment and then nodded. Most of the Primogems within Liyue had already been collected by the Geo Archon.


    As for those in private hands, she had already spent money to reclaim most of them.


    Letting the two set up a small stall wouldn''t hurt. They probably wouldn''t earn much.


    "Alright¡ªno problem at all. I''ll issue you a permit shortly."


    Topaz beamed with joy.


    "Thanks, Ningguang~"


    Ningguang smiled and gestured invitingly.


    "Please, both of you come in and take a seat. There are still many guests yet to arrive."


    Topaz and Jade entered the floating pavilion and found seats to rest in the first-floor hall.


    Topaz sat down and took out some snacks she had bought today, placing them on the table to eat.


    Not long after¡ª


    Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, and Xiao arrived with Shenhe.


    Seeing the arriving Adeptis, Ningguang went up to greet them.


    "Welcome, honored Adeptis."


    Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper politely exchanged pleasantries with Ningguang, since she was the host.


    As for Cloud Retainer¡ªshe went straight into the ship, found a corner, and pulled out a pile of computer parts to continue her research.


    She had convinced Hu Tao, after much persuasion, to sell her a computer, from which she had taken these parts.


    Just like with Hu Tao''s flying motorcycle, Cloud Retainer could take things apart but not put them back together.


    Looking troubled, she sat in a corner pondering how to reassemble it.


    Xiao went straight to the second floor to greet Zhongli.


    "My Lord."


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "The Lantern Rite is here¡ªrelax and enjoy yourself a little."


    Xiao nodded.


    "Yes."


    Next to arrive was Madam Ping.


    She brought the six little ones and Yanfei aboard.


    Each of the little ones held a sky lantern they had made themselves that day.


    Instead of entering the cabin, they stayed on the deck, chattering and comparing their lanterns.


    Klee hugged her lantern.


    "Yaoyao~ when can we release the lanterns?"


    Yaoyao placed her lantern on the ground and clapped her hands.


    "That''ll be at night. When you see fireworks, that means it''s time!"


    Klee replied,


    "Klee understands! Fireworks, fireworks, when will you come out?"


    Qiqi hugged her lantern, blankly staring at the sky.


    "Fireworks... what are... fireworks? Qiqi doesn''t remember."


    Bailu happily said,


    "Fireworks are very pretty things! You''ll see soon."


    Then Bailu suddenly remembered¡ªQiqi has a poor memory.


    She thought for a moment, then asked Yaoyao,


    "Yaoyao, does Qiqi really have such a bad memory?"


    Yaoyao nodded.


    "Yep! Qiqi is a zombie. Her memory is really bad and she often forgets things."


    Bailu was intrigued.


    A zombie! She had only seen those in movies¡ªshe had to study this properly.


    Bailu grabbed Qiqi''s hand to feel her pulse.


    Qiqi blankly watched her.


    Suddenly, Bailu frowned¡ªthere was no pulse at all. Qiqi''s heartbeat wasn''t even active.


    That was a problem.


    "Qiqi, come with me tomorrow¡ªI''ll take you for a check-up."


    Qiqi asked,


    "Where to?"


    Bailu replied,


    "A nice place. You''ll see when we get there."


    Qiqi nodded in agreement.


    At this point, Klee jumped in.


    "Klee will go find Brother Ye Yun for help~ Brother Ye Yun can do anything¡ªhe''ll definitely cure Qiqi!"


    Bailu smacked her forehead.


    "Right! Let''s go find Yeyun, then we won''t need to run around."


    She put down her lantern and pulled Qiqi toward the ship interior.


    The other little ones followed along.


    Madam Ping and Yanfei went to find Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper.


    The six little ones came to the tea room on the second floor.


    As Bailu opened the door, they were greeted by a teasing voice from Jing Yuan.


    "Oh my, look who''s here! Aren''t these our adorable little ones?"


    Bailu rushed over to Yeyun with Qiqi.


    "Ye Yun, do you have any medicine that can treat zombies?"


    Ye Yun looked at Qiqi.


    Qiqi? How did she get here?


    He guessed the little ones must''ve brought her.


    He examined Qiqi¡ªher internal energy was extremely chaotic, which explained her poor memory.


    As for her zombie body, that was easy to fix.


    Ye Yun searched through his system''s shop and finally found a suitable item.


    [Item: Water of Life]Description: Essence condensed from the Tree of Life in a certain fantasy world. Harmonizes internal energy and restores bodily vitality.Price: 30,000 Star Coins


    Ye Yun didn''t even blink at the price and bought it immediately.


    In the next second, a small glass bottle filled with green liquid appeared in his hand.


    Ye Yun smiled at Qiqi.


    "Qiqi, open your mouth."


    Qiqi stared blankly at him.


    Bailu patted her chest.


    "Don''t worry, Qiqi¡ªYe Yun is a good person. He''s treating you so you won''t forget things anymore."


    Qiqi wasn''t focused on that part¡ªwhat caught her attention was "won''t forget things anymore."


    She opened her mouth, and Ye Yun poured in the Water of Life.


    It was just a small bottle, and Qiqi drank it quickly.


    Bailu, Klee, and the others stared at Qiqi, full of anticipation.


    "Well? How do you feel, Qiqi?" Klee asked excitedly.


    Qiqi looked at her body and pinched her hand.


    "Qiqi... feels warm..."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Good. The Water of Life is working to restore your vitality and harmonize your energy."


    Klee tilted her head.


    "But Klee still hears Qiqi talking funny..."


    Ye Yun explained,


    "Don''t worry. It''ll take a little time. You guys go play for now¡ªshe might be completely better soon."


    The six little ones left the tea room with Qiqi.


    Huo Yan glanced in their direction.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, you really care about children."


    Ye Yun didn''t deny it.


    "Of course. Anyone who knows me knows I love raising daughters the most."

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77 - 77Ye Yun raised his teacup.


    "Come, let''s enjoy more tea. A fine moment, a beautiful view, and a joyous festival¡ªone should savor the present."


    Jiaoqiu smiled and raised his wine cup.


    "Indeed, indeed. Once again, my thanks to Mr. Zhongli for the invitation, allowing us to partake in such a grand and lively celebration."


    Zhongli raised his own cup.


    "You are all my dear friends. There''s no need for many words¡ªdrink, everyone."


    Ye Yun and the others continued chatting over tea.


    None of them felt bored with this kind of life.


    Just a few days ago, Stelle had questioned it¡ªsaying Ye Yun and the others did nothing but play chess and drink tea all day. What was the fun in that?


    Zhongli could only reply:


    "You''re not at our age yet. You wouldn''t understand."


    On the deck.


    Stelle, Hu Tao, and the others had already boarded the treasure ship.


    Seele had found a Salt Ruler and a Salt Chalice and was now showing them to Zhongli, hoping to learn their value.


    "Mr. Zhongli, could you take a look at these for me?"


    As she spoke, Seele handed him the items.


    Zhongli took them and frowned.


    "Where did you find these two items?"


    Seele told him about the ruins where she had found them.


    After hearing her story, Zhongli recalled an old memory.


    "Congratulations. These two items are priceless treasures."


    Seele lit up with joy.


    "Really? I struck gold?"


    Zhongli gave a slight nod.


    "One is the Salt Ruler¡ªwhen inserted into soil, it can turn dirt into salt.


    The other is the Salt Chalice¡ªit always contains half a basin of salt."


    Seele seemed to understand.


    "So that means... I''ll never run out of salt again?"


    Zhongli shook his head.


    "These once belonged to a god whose authority was salt.


    After all these years, their power has diminished greatly.


    Still, extracting a few hundred tons of salt shouldn''t be a problem."


    Hearing "hundreds of tons," Seele''s eyes sparkled.


    "That''s more than enough! Not long ago, I saw Bronya placing salt orders with Topaz.


    Now we can save that money!"


    Nearby, Stelle quickly took out a broken sword she had found and handed it to Zhongli.


    "Zhongli, Zhongli, what about this sword? I found it in the same place!"


    Stelle looked at him expectantly.


    Zhongli glanced at the iron sword she handed him.


    "This is just an ordinary sword. However, it was the weapon that killed the Salt God.


    If you use that story to sell it, someone might buy it.


    But don''t get your hopes up¡ªyou can''t prove that this sword is the one that killed the Salt God. That part of history has long been buried."


    Stelle was immediately disappointed. She had thought she found something valuable.


    The weapon had even been enshrined¡ªit had to be important.


    Well, it was, but not useful.


    Seele put away the Salt Ruler and Salt Chalice, planning to give them to Bronya later.


    Bronya and the others were busy with affairs in Belobog and hadn''t attended the Lantern Rite in Liyue.


    Stelle, Seele, and the others went to the main hall on the first floor.


    Hu Tao peeked into the kitchen, where Xiangling was busy cooking with several helpers.


    Hu Tao leaned in through the window.


    "Xiangling, how long until the food is ready?"


    Xiangling turned her head.


    "A little while longer. You all go play for now."


    Hu Tao delivered the news to the group.


    Stelle thought for a moment.


    "How about we play Emperor''s Jade? Sound good?"


    Just as she spoke, Qingque walked in from the door.


    "Emperor''s Jade? Perfect! Let''s set up the tables!"


    Qingque rubbed her hands together, clearly excited.


    March 7th was surprised to see her.


    "Qingque? You came after all? I thought you said you wouldn''t!"


    Qingque rubbed her hands again.


    "Well, I finished my work. I noticed none of you were on the train, so I came looking.


    If it weren''t for Yelan from Wanmin Hall telling me, I wouldn''t have known you were here!


    Anyway, enough chit-chat! Where''s the game?"


    Stelle took out two sets of Emperor''s Jade. They set up two tables and started playing.


    On the deck.


    Tsaritsa arrived with La Signora and Childe aboard the treasure ship.


    Ningguang was puzzled¡ªshe hadn''t invited anyone from the Fatui.


    "What are you doing here? I don''t recall inviting La Signora and Childe." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Calestia landed on the deck with Silver Wolf and Nahida.


    "Ningguang, I invited them. Let them in."


    Ningguang looked at Calestia. She knew who she was¡ªTeyvat''s Heavenly Principles, even more powerful than her own Geo Archon.


    Calestia took out a controller.


    "Silver Wolf, let''s find a spot inside and keep playing!"


    Calestia and Silver Wolf walked off, arms slung around each other.


    Nahida glanced around and spotted six kids waiting beside their sky lanterns.


    Curious, she decided to examine the structure of the lanterns.


    Ningguang turned to Tsaritsa, La Signora, and Childe.


    "If you''re guests of Lady Calestia, then please, come in."


    Tsaritsa nodded with a smile.


    "Thank you."


    He led Childe and La Signora into the cabin.


    They found a spot and sat down casually.


    Tsaritsa glanced at Childe, who couldn''t sit still for a second and kept fidgeting. He chuckled.


    "Go on, you don''t need to stay here with me."


    Childe immediately stood, gave a respectful bow, and ran off to see Stelle play Emperor''s Jade¡ªit looked fun.


    La Signora was speechless. Childe''s workplace EQ really was hopeless.


    The boss says go, and you actually go?


    Then again, it''s usually coworkers like that who won''t stab you in the back.


    Childe arrived near Stelle, only to step on something.


    He lifted his foot.


    "Where''d this broken sword come from?"


    Stelle noticed him and saw he had stepped on the sword she brought back.


    Suddenly, her eyes lit up. A devious idea popped into her head.


    She slapped the table and stood up!


    "Hey! You broke my treasure! Pay up!"


    She quickly snapped a photo of the "evidence" on her phone.


    Childe looked down at the sword with disdain.


    That rusty thing? Worth anything? Fine¡ªhe''d pay.


    "How much Mora? I''ll give it to you right now."


    Stelle, satisfied with her trap, held up three fingers.


    "Three million Mora~"


    Childe was stunned.


    "How much?!"


    Stelle replied,


    "This isn''t just any sword¡ªit''s the one that killed... that one god..."


    Amber helpfully added,


    "The Salt God. Havria."


    Stelle snapped her fingers.


    "Right! This sword killed the Salt God, Havria!


    Don''t believe me? I asked Zhongli himself¡ªyour Geo Archon!


    He confirmed it personally, guaranteed!"


    Childe was dumbfounded.


    Seriously? This piece of junk killed the Salt God?


    But Stelle invoked the Geo Archon himself¡ªprobably true.


    With a sigh, Childe pulled out a silver banknote.


    "Here, it''s a 5-million Mora note from the Northland Bank. I don''t carry that much cash.


    The extra two million... consider it a gift of friendship."


    Stelle snatched it up and took a deep whiff, looking absolutely delighted.


    "Mmm~ the sweet scent of money is irresistible~"


    She tucked the note away, very pleased with Childe.


    "Nice, nice. You really know how to get along.


    But don''t say we''re just making friends¡ªwe are friends! This just deepens our bond.


    Buddy, did you come looking for me? What''s up?"


    She grinned at him like he was her personal piggy bank.


    Childe replied,


    "I wanted to see what you were playing."


    Hearing that, Stelle exchanged glances with Lumine, Qingque, and March 7th.


    March 7th immediately offered,


    "Why don''t you take my spot for a bit? I''ll take a break."


    Childe clasped his hands together in thanks.


    "Much appreciated."


    ***


    Childe sat down in March 7th''s seat, listening to her explain how to play Emperor''s Jade of the Imperial Capital.


    Stelle, Lumine, and Qingque exchanged glances.


    "Rich and dumb! Let''s scam him!"


    The three confirmed with a look and enthusiastically began teaching Childe how to play.


    Not far off, La Signora looked on, a bit displeased.


    "Is this guy really dumb, or just pretending? Can''t he tell they''re scamming him?"


    Tsaritsa chuckled and said, "Whether he''s truly dumb or just pretending, at least he''s gotten close with them. His goal is achieved."


    La Signora thought for a moment and nodded. "True. His goal has indeed been achieved."


    Tsaritsa sighed, "Sometimes, being too clear-headed isn''t a good thing."


    She glanced at Calestia, who was happily playing games beside Silver Wolf.


    Was this really the cold and ruthless Sovereign of the Heavenly Principles?


    At the Liyue Harbor¡ª


    Yae Miko stood at the port, looking utterly drained.


    Only the gods knew how exhausting today had been. The moment she looked away, Ei would wander off to some random stall.


    Ganyu was nowhere to be found either. Staff nearby said Ganyu had gone back to Cloud Retainer''s place.


    Miko glanced at Ei, who was munching on a box of glutinous rice cakes, and sighed.


    "Sigh... your little fox here is just destined for a life of toil~"


    She looked out over the sea and saw a treasure ship drifting in the distance.


    "It''s late, no ships are going out now. Ei, shall we fly over?"


    She called out, but Ei didn''t respond.


    Miko turned around¡ª


    Only to see Ei sharing snacks with a heterochromatic-eyed girl in a blue outfit and top hat.


    That girl was none other than Furina.


    Furina and Clorinde had just arrived. Clorinde went to find a boat, and Furina, waiting by herself, spotted Ei.


    They had met briefly in Celestia, and Furina knew who Ei was.


    Figuring they must be here by the same person''s invitation, she brought over some flower cakes to say hello.


    Ei took a bite and her eyes lit up.


    "Focalors, where did you get these flower cakes?"


    Furina smiled proudly. "That place... uh, Qingce Village! Delicious, right?"


    Ei nodded and turned to Miko. "Miko, I want to go to Qingce Village to buy flower cakes."


    Miko covered her face, exasperated. "Enough, Ei! We still have to attend Lady Calestia''s banquet!"


    Ei nodded dumbly. "Oh, right."


    Furina chimed in, "Why don''t we go together? Clorinde''s looking for a boat."


    Miko finally realized¡ªwait, what did Ei just call this girl?


    Focalors? That name sounded familiar... where had she heard it before?


    Hmm... hiss! Fontaine''s Hydro Archon¡ªFocalors!


    "Ei, this lady is...?" Miko still wasn''t sure and wanted to confirm.


    Ei, still chewing, casually pulled another cake from Furina''s bag. "Focalors, the Hydro Archon."


    Miko gasped ."My respects, Lady Focalors!"


    Furina was secretly delighted. Mwahaha! Didn''t think I was this famous!


    Just then, a small fishing boat docked, and Clorinde stepped out.


    "Lady Furina, most boatmen have gone home for the festival. I only found this fishing boat."


    Furina tossed another cake into her mouth happily. "No worries. Oh right, Raiden Shogun and her friend are coming with us."


    Clorinde bowed slightly to Ei. "Clorinde greets Lady Raiden Shogun."


    Ei gave a small nod.


    Soon, they boarded the boat.


    Ei sat next to Furina and reached into her bag for another flower cake.


    Miko had completely given up trying to stop her. After staying sealed in Tenshukaku for so long, Ei was probably starved.


    The boat took them to the treasure ship.


    Ningguang saw them and was curious¡ªwho were these new arrivals?


    Furina and Ei were the first to board.


    Ningguang was puzzled. Their attire didn''t match Liyue or Ye Yun''s group.


    "Hello, and you are...?"


    Furina quickly swallowed her cake. "Oh, we''re here by Lady Calestia''s invitation."


    Just then, Miko and Clorinde also boarded.


    At the same time, Ganyu came to the deck for some air.


    Miko spotted her right away, excited. "Ganyu~!"


    Ganyu turned and saw the joyful Miko. "Miko!"


    She ran over. "What brings you here?"


    Miko pointed at Ei. "I came with Ei to attend Lady Calestia''s banquet.Oh, let me introduce¡ªthis is Lady Focalors, here for the same purpose. The other is her retainer."


    Ganyu greeted them. "Secretary of the Liyue Qixing, Ganyu, greets both Lords."


    Ei gave a nod¡ªshe had met Ganyu a long time ago.


    Furina responded, "Hello, hello. Has Lady Calestia arrived?"


    Ganyu nodded. "Yes, she''s playing games with Silver Wolf.Come inside, let''s talk there."


    She led them into the ship.


    Once inside, Furina put away her flower cakes immediately. No way she was going to meet that person with crumbs on her face.


    The main hall was bustling.


    Ei and Furina approached Clalestia. "Lady Clalestia, we''re here," Furina said nervously.


    Clalestia, playing on a PS5, looked up. "Oh~ it''s you two. Make yourselves comfortable, food''s not ready yet."


    Ei glanced around and suddenly brightened.


    She spotted a snack table nearby, loaded with treats.


    Her feet moved on their own toward it.


    Furina looked around and sat in a booth with Clorinde.


    The hall was full of life.


    Stelle and the others were playing Emperor''s Jade. Childe had only played six rounds and already lost 300,000 Mora, scratching his head in frustration.


    The six little ones ran around with sky lanterns, laughing.


    Silver Wolf and Calestia were yelling at their game.


    Tsaritsa and La Signora sipped tea and chatted.


    Soon, Ye Yun and the others came down from upstairs.


    Xiangling arrived with a few assistants, bringing out the dishes.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78 - 78Xiangling cheerfully pushed a small cart out from the kitchen.


    "Dinner time~ Dinner time~ Everyone come eat~"


    There were three tables set up for tonight.


    Ye Yun took out a jar of fine liquor he had bought from the system store.


    "Those who can drink, sit over here. If you can''t, sit at the other tables."


    Hearing this, Venti and Feixiao immediately ran over to Ye Yun''s table.


    Venti couldn''t wait and looked eagerly at the jar in Ye Yun''s hand.


    "Quick, quick, quick, Ye Yun! Pour me a cup first!"


    Ye Yun replied, "What''s the rush? Not everyone''s here yet."


    Then he called out again, "Anyone who wants to drink, come sit over here!"


    Hearing that, Kaeya and Diluc also came over and sat down near Ye Yun.


    "Drinking? Count me in, of course!" Kaeya said proudly, sitting beside Venti.


    People in the hall began to settle into their seats.


    Kafka and Himeko, along with Ningguang, the six little ones, Nahida, and Paimon sat at one table.


    Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, Amber, Eula, Seele, Lumine, Qingque, and Xiangling shared another.


    Once everyone had arrived, Ye Yun opened the lid of the liquor jar.


    In an instant, a strong aroma of alcohol filled the room.


    Feixiao and Venti both looked delighted, relishing the scent.


    Ye Yun warned, "This liquor is really strong, so take it slow."


    Feixiao perked up, "Strong? That''s just how I like it! The stronger the better¡ªgotta drink it in big gulps!"


    Venti chimed in, "Exactly, what fun is drinking if you sip it like tea?"


    Ye Yun chuckled. "If you drink like that, you''ll probably be down after one cup."


    Venti confidently propped his foot on the bench and grabbed a bowl. "Come on! Let me see how strong this is!"


    Ye Yun, seeing someone so bold, poured a full bowl for Venti.


    Venti raised his head and downed it in one go. "That''s it? That''s it? This wine is nothi¡ª"


    Before he could finish, his body suddenly went limp, and he slid under the table.


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk tsk... So this is the Anemo Archon''s limit? Too weak!"


    Seeing Venti knocked out after one cup, Feixiao got interested. "Ye Yun, pour me one too!"


    Ye Yun, seeing another daredevil, poured a bowl for Feixiao as well.


    Feixiao downed it in one gulp, wiped her mouth, "Nice! This wine hits hard! Gimme another!"


    Ye Yun was surprised¡ªstill standing after one bowl? This was a super potent spirit he bought from the system store.


    Just this one jar had cost Ye Yun 10,000 Star Coins.


    He poured a second bowl for Feixiao, who once again drained it in one go.


    Feixiao slammed the bowl down on the table. Hic! "Why''s everyone swaying? Wait... why is the floor swaying...?"


    A few seconds later, she too collapsed under the table like Venti.


    Zhongli had someone carry them to the side to rest.


    Ye Yun looked around at the table. "So? Any other brave souls up for the challenge?"


    Kaeya slammed the table. Three seconds later, Kaeya was down!


    Huaiyan chuckled, stroking his beard and shaking his head. "We''ll drink slowly. Us old folks can''t keep up with the young."


    Then, each person poured themselves a bowl and slowly drank while enjoying the dishes.


    At the kids'' table¡ª


    Nahida pouted unhappily.


    She was the Dendro Archon, yet she had to sit with Klee and the other kids!


    At first, Nahida had wanted to sit at Ye Yun''s table.


    But Ye Yun had picked her up and plopped her down with Klee''s group, saying¡ª


    "No alcohol for kids!"


    Klee handed Nahida a chicken leg. "Nahida~ have a drumstick~"


    Nahida''s sulky mood instantly lifted. "Okay, thank you, Klee!"


    She took the drumstick and took a big bite.


    Calestia and Silver Wolf sat at Star''s table.


    The two were still glued to their PS5, not even glancing at the food.


    Furina sat beside Star.


    Stelle asked curiously, "Hi, what''s your name? Who invited you?"


    Furina, enjoying the food, raised her head. "Ahem~ Listen well! I am the embodiment of justice, the god of Fontaine, the Archon¡ªFocalors!"


    Stelle was stunned. "You''re a god too?"


    Furina nodded. "Of course. Why?"


    Stelle looked at her, "Does your land still have treasure chests?"


    Furina thought for a moment, "Yeah, why?"


    Stelle, March 7th, Lumine and the others all lit up. "Treasure chests!"


    Furina was confused. Treasure chests weren''t that rare, were they?


    "Aren''t treasure chests everywhere?"


    Lumine immediately realized¡ªFurina didn''t know Primogems could be exchanged for Star Coins!


    So she picked up a sweet and sour fish and placed it in Furina''s bowl.


    "Focalors? Can we visit your land?"


    Furina replied, "Just call me Furina normally. ''Focalors'' is for formal occasions."


    Lumine nodded. "Okay, Furina, can we come play in your country?"


    Furina was curious, "What do you want to do there? Isn''t Liyue fun enough?"


    Lumine grinned. "We all have a shared hobby¡ªopening treasure chests. We''ve got a disease called ''if we don''t open chests for too long, we die''."


    Furina rubbed her chin. "There''s such a disease? First I''ve heard of it."


    Lumine patted her on the shoulder. "So, Furina, what do you say? Can we go to Fontaine?"


    Furina thought for a moment. "If you want to go, then go! It''s not like Fontaine is closed off from the world."


    Hearing this, Miko was speechless. Why did Inazuma get dissed like that for no reason?


    Well, at least Ei was finally stepping up and improving the country.


    After the Lantern Rite, Miko would return to handle affairs with the three clans.


    After all, Inazuma''s mess was largely thanks to two of those clans¡ªexcluding the Kamisato family.


    Still¡ª


    Miko had noticed something. This group seemed very obsessed with "treasure chests."


    There had to be something going on there.


    As for that "chest withdrawal disease" Lumine mentioned, that was way too ridiculous to be real.


    Everyone chatted and ate, and time passed quickly.


    After everyone was full, they sat back to digest.


    Ye Yun looked at everyone and pulled out several dozen red envelopes.


    "Everyone, come on over! Time to hand out red envelopes.


    In my hometown, there''s a tradition of giving red envelopes during the New Year.


    Come, come, one per person."


    Hearing the words "free stuff," Paimon zoomed to Ye Yun''s side.


    "Ye Yun! Happy New Year!"


    Ye Yun smiled and handed her one.


    Paimon, curious as ever, shook the envelope and pressed her ear against it to listen.


    ***


    Ye Yun introduced:


    "This red envelope is kind of like the scratch cards Star once opened from trash cans. What you get all depends on luck."


    Paimon suddenly understood.


    "Oh, I see! Then let me see what good stuff I can get!"


    Everyone turned their attention to Paimon.


    Paimon opened the red envelope. A golden light flashed, and the envelope disappeared.


    In its place was a roasted chicken.


    Paimon''s eyes lit up instantly.


    "Wow! It''s roast chicken!"


    Paimon flew over to Lumine with the roast chicken.


    "Lumine, quick, put the roast chicken in your storage ring. I want it for a midnight snack~"


    Stelle ran over to Ye Yun and mimicked Paimon''s tone, saying:


    "Ye Yun! Happy New Year!"


    Ye Yun handed her a red envelope.


    Soon after, March 7th, Hu Tao, Lumine, Amber, Eula, Seele, Qingque¡ª


    As well as Zhongli, Welt, and Huo Huo all received their own red envelopes.


    Unexpectedly, Furina got one too.


    Furina looked at the red envelope in her hand, uncertain what kind of surprise it held.


    So¡ª


    She opened it. In an instant, a red light burst forth.


    Stelle was dumbfounded the moment she saw the red light.


    No way! A jackpot on the first try? Seriously?


    Stelle looked at the can of surstr?mming in her hand with disbelief.


    When the red light faded, 32 fully armored knights appeared before Furina, each wielding a rapier and a small round shield.


    The leading knight knelt on one knee before Furina and saluted.


    "Lancelot, at your service, my liege."


    Xiao frowned at the sight of these knights.


    "Their strength..."


    In Xiao''s perception, these knights were almost on par with him. The leader was even more terrifying, radiating an aura not much weaker than Osial.


    Furina was completely stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    "You''re talking to me?"


    Lancelot gave a small nod.


    "Yes, my liege. The Lancelot Knights await your command."


    Ye Yun smiled and congratulated her.


    "Congratulations, Furina. The weakest among these knights is on par with a divine familiar. As for Lancelot himself, he''s at the level of a god."


    Furina was completely shocked.


    What? They''re that strong?


    Then she suddenly remembered Fontaine''s prophecy. With such a powerful force under her command, what was there to worry about anymore?


    March 7th asked curiously:


    "Ye Yun, where did these guys come from? Your red envelopes can even summon people?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "My red envelopes give random rewards.


    These people belong to the Lancelot Knights. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They come from a game world called Conqueror''s Blade."


    Calestia perked up upon hearing "game world."


    "Game world? Do they have skills?"


    Ye Yun nodded and explained with information from the system:


    "Yes, they have two skills.


    First skill: Guard ¡ª they immediately appear beside the one they serve when that person is in danger.


    Second skill: Lancelot Sword Technique ¡ª it forces a 1v1 duel with the enemy, and each time a knight attacks, they gain one second of invincibility.


    Of course, the second skill only works against enemies of equal or lower strength."


    Everyone was amazed.


    Those skills were broken. These bodyguards were seriously overpowered!


    Stelle listened to the explanation, drooling with envy.


    My goodness! If only such a group of underlings belonged to me...


    Then I could charge into battle with the Lancelot Knights and unleash some righteous beatdowns.


    Most importantly¡ª


    Those knight armors looked so cool!


    Furina was so thrilled she could almost fly.


    Long live Lady Calestia! If she hadn''t brought her here, she wouldn''t have gotten a red envelope¡ªlet alone drawn the Lancelot Knights.


    Furina silently vowed to support Lady Calestia forevermore.


    Ye Yun looked at the overjoyed Furina.


    "You should have them wait outside for now¡ªthe cabin''s getting cramped."


    Furina came to her senses and ordered the knights to wait on the deck.


    "Thank you, Ye Yun," she said sincerely.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need to thank me. It was all your good luck."


    He turned to the others.


    "What are you all standing around for? Keep opening your red envelopes! Let''s see if there are any more lucky ones today."


    Stelle eagerly watched everyone else.


    Then she tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, are these red envelopes for sale?"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "They''re just like those trash can scratch cards¡ª1,000 star coins each."


    Stelle''s hand immediately moved toward her storage ring.


    In the end¡ª


    She spent all her Primogems, star coins, and Stellar Jades, buying seven red envelopes.


    Stelle took the envelopes, grinning as she prepared to open them.


    At that moment, Furina noticed Stelle had seven red envelopes and was puzzled.


    "Stelle, where did you get those seven red envelopes? Didn''t you already open yours?"


    Stelle responded:


    "Bought them. Ye Yun is selling extras."


    Furina turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, do you have more red envelopes for sale?"


    Ye Yun said:


    "Yes, but you probably don''t have any star coins, right?"


    Furina scratched her head.


    "Star coins? What''s that?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "I sell all sorts of things from countless worlds.


    But here, I only accept star coins. You can exchange Primogems for them at a rate of 1:10."


    Furina blinked. Primogems? That sounded familiar.


    Clorinde whispered:


    "Lady Furina, Primogems are those crystals you get from treasure chests."


    Furina suddenly understood.


    "So that''s why Stelle and the others are so keen on treasure hunting!"


    Now that she knew how valuable Primogems were, Furina made up her mind to have every Primogem in Fontaine collected.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "If you want to buy from me later, you can go through Calestia or Zhongli. They know where my shop is."


    Furina nodded in understanding.


    Soon, everyone had opened their red envelopes.


    Most of them contained ordinary items, but everyone was still happy.


    After all, it was all about having fun and good luck.


    Klee didn''t get anything too special this time¡ªjust a pack of candy.


    It wasn''t because Klee was unlucky. The system had intervened.


    When Ye Yun gave Klee the envelope, the system forcibly assigned a specific one.


    No matter which one Ye Yun chose, it would secretly swap for the designated envelope.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79 - 79After everyone finished opening their red envelopes, Stelle finally began to open the seven she had just bought.


    She laid them out in a line on a chair.


    March 7th noticed and asked, "Are you doing some kind of ritual again?"


    Previously, every time Stelle played the scratch cards from trash cans, she''d always perform some weird ritual first¡ªthings like bathing with incense or dancing like a shaman.March 7th never understood where Stelle learned those things.


    Stelle scratched her head. "Huh? Ritual? Not today."


    Just as she finished speaking, she suddenly grabbed all the red envelopes and opened them in one go. "I''m just gonna open them all! Catch ''em off guard!"


    A flash of golden light¡ªand then Stelle slumped into the chair with a defeated look.


    Before her were seven apples.


    March 7th shook her head with a sigh. "See? That''s what gambling gets you. Stelle, maybe cool it with this stuff next time."


    Stelle numbly nodded, staring up at the ceiling like all hope had left her body.


    Just then¡ª


    A loud boom came from outside the cabin.


    Klee, who had been playing near the window, looked out at the sky.


    The moon hung high, and stars scattered across the dark night, lighting it up.


    A firework bloomed in the sky, brilliant and colorful.


    Then more and more fireworks shot into the sky¡ª


    "Boom!"


    "Bang!"


    "Whoosh¡ªBoom!"


    Klee jumped up and down with joy. "Fireworks! It''s fireworks!"


    The six little ones quickly grabbed their sky lanterns and rushed to the deck. "Klee wants to release lanterns~!"


    Zhongli looked up at the fireworks exploding above, then turned to everyone in the room. "Everyone, let''s go watch the fireworks on the deck."


    With that, he took the lead and walked out.


    Nahida arrived on the deck and looked up at the fireworks bursting one after another, her little face full of joy.


    She had seen fireworks before¡ªbut only in dreams.This was the first time she saw them for real.


    Calestia and Silver Wolf, the two gaming addicts, even put away their PS5s and quietly enjoyed the firework show.


    Hu Tao was chatting with Stelle, excitedly debating which firework was the prettiest.


    "Stelle, look at that one! It''s huge!"


    "This one''s even bigger! Look!"


    March 7th was using her phone to capture the rare and beautiful moment.


    Ningguang watched the fireworks in the sky and had her prepared stash brought out. "Everyone! Let''s light our own fireworks!"


    The six little ones bounced over excitedly when they saw the fireworks.


    Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others were just as thrilled, gathering around to pick their favorite ones.


    Ye Yun picked up Klee and taught her how to use the fireworks. "Klee, point this end at the sky. Ready?"


    Klee shouted with glee, "Klee''s ready~!"


    Ye Yun lit the fuse, and a few seconds later, the firework shot into the sky from Klee''s launcher.


    It soared up and exploded with a bang. "Wow~ so pretty~"


    Klee''s little launcher continued shooting out fireworks one after another.


    Her bright smile never faded¡ªshe was so, so happy.


    Stelle hoisted a 50-shot, 25-tube firework set onto her shoulder, aiming at the sky. "March, help me light it!"


    March 7th quickly pulled out a lighter and lit the fuse.


    A few seconds later¡ª


    Fireworks shot wildly from the launcher Stelle carried on her shoulder like a Gatling gun.


    All 50 fireworks exploded in the sky at once, pushing the fireworks show to its climax.


    Calestia thought Stelle''s method looked fun too. She grabbed an identical launcher and slung it over her shoulder. "Silver Wolf, I wanna try this! Light it for me!"


    But when she turned, Silver Wolf was already far off, playing with her own firework launcher.


    Calestia glanced around and saw Tsaritsa quietly enjoying the scene nearby. "Tsaritsa, come light this for me!"


    The Tsaritsa took the fuse offered to him, blew on it, and a flame flared to life.


    "Lady Calestia, I''m lighting it now¡ªplease be careful."


    Calestia waved it off."It''s fine, it''s fine¡ªgo!"


    The Tsaritsa lit the firework, and the launcher on Calestia''s shoulder roared to life.


    "Awesome! This is so fun! Tsaritsa, you try! Don''t just stand there¡ªI called you to have fun!"


    A smile spread across Tsaritsa''s face. "Alright, I''ll give it a go."


    He picked up a firework tube and lit it.


    Zhongli, holding a cup of tea, quietly watched everything unfold.


    Just then, Hu Tao ran over. "Consultant! Consultant! Come light fireworks! I got a super big one for you! I''ll help you light it!"


    Zhongli looked at the firework tube Hu Tao was handing him, and a rare smile appeared on his calm face. "Alright, Hall Master."


    Everyone on the ship was joyfully lighting fireworks.


    Inside the cabin, Feixiao, Venti, and Kaeya were still fast asleep.Even with all the noise outside, none of them stirred.


    As the fireworks began to fade, sky lanterns started rising into the air from every street and alley of Liyue Harbor.


    Zhongli gazed at the glowing lanterns and spoke with deep emotion: "The rising sky lanterns represent the people of Liyue''s hope for peace and harmony."


    Xiao added, "To protect every light and ensure Liyue''s peace¡ªthat is our duty. Lord Rex Lapis, I shall go ahead."


    Zhongli looked at Xiao, understanding his intent.


    The Lantern Rite was Liyue''s most important festival¡ªand also the time when monsters and demons were most active.


    "Be careful."


    Xiao nodded and vanished into the night like a gust of evil-banishing wind.


    Ye Yun called over Rios. "Rios, go assist Xiao."


    Rios nodded and chased after Xiao''s direction.


    Zhongli turned to Jing Yuan. "General Jing Yuan, would you be willing to sell me a Cleansing Pill?"


    Jing Yuan replied, "A single Cleansing Pill? I''ll bring one to you tomorrow."


    Zhongli gave a slight bow. "Thank you."


    Jing Yuan shook his head lightly, signaling there was no need for thanks.


    Just then, Klee hugged her sky lantern and ran over to Ye Yun. "Brother Ye Yun~ can Klee release her lantern now?"


    Ye Yun crouched down and patted Klee''s head. "Of course. Come on, I''ll show you how."


    Ningguang brought out the prepared sky lanterns and handed them to everyone present. "Everyone, releasing sky lanterns is one of Liyue''s traditional customs. You can write your wishes on them before letting them go."


    Stelle took a pen and wrote on her lantern: "I wish I''ll always win the lottery when pulling gacha."


    She looked over her writing, extremely satisfied.


    Lumine read what Stelle wrote and gave her some advice. "Stelle... maybe choose something a little more realistic? That one''s not happening. No amount of money can fix bad luck, you know?"


    ***


    As the lanterns slowly rose into the night sky, everyone returned to the cabin to enjoy themselves.


    Some went to play Celestial Jade, some drank tea, and some watched cartoons.


    The Elixir of Life that Qiqi took had already started to take effect.


    Although Qiqi still spoke with a bit of a stutter, it was far less severe than before, and her responsiveness had improved significantly.


    Furina brought Clorinde up to the deck, where they were watching the Lancelot Knights sparring with swords.


    Slowly, as time passed, midnight struck.


    Zhongli raised his wine glass.


    "Everyone, happy Lantern Rite Festival!"


    Everyone raised their cups.


    "Happy Lantern Rite!"


    Early the next morning.


    Furina was sound asleep in bed, while two Lancelot knights stood guard attentively at her door.


    Sunlight streamed in through the window, filling the entire room with brightness.


    Furina, feeling the sting of the sunlight, frowned slightly and slowly opened her eyes.


    She sat up and looked out at the vast blue sea.


    "Slept so well~"


    She stretched deeply and got out of bed, walking over to the window.


    The refreshing sea breeze brushed against her face as she closed her eyes to enjoy it.


    Last night, after ringing in the New Year with everyone, she followed Ningguang''s arrangements and went to the second floor of the treasure ship to rest. Ningguang had arranged a room for everyone.


    Furina stretched her body a bit and looked toward the two tall figures guarding the door, feeling quite pleased.


    This time, she had recruited such a strong team.


    Now it would be even easier to put on a show when she got back.


    In Fontaine, there had been some who questioned her identity.


    Because Furina had never demonstrated her strength in front of the people of Fontaine.


    This led some to doubt whether she truly was who she claimed to be.


    This time, she was planning to go big upon returning.


    Local Haters! Just you wait! I''ll wipe you out the moment I get back!


    Furina planned to return with the Lancelot Knights in a high-profile way to take down those Local Haters.


    That way, no one would dare question her power again.


    After all, if her subordinates¡ªthe Lancelot Knights¡ªwere this powerful, then how strong must their master be?


    Furina got dressed and stepped outside. The two Lancelot knights bowed with their swords.


    "My Lady, good morning."


    Furina nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good morning, my loyal knights. Have Stelle and the others gotten up yet?"


    Last night, she''d stayed up all night having fun and had gotten along well with Stelle and March 7th. Today, they planned to explore Liyue Harbor together.


    One of the Lancelot knights responded,


    "My Lady, Miss Stelle and Miss March 7th are currently having breakfast on the first floor."


    Furina replied,


    "Alright, got it."


    She then headed toward the first floor.


    Downstairs, the entire area was decorated festively, with couplets and "Fu" characters on the walls, windows, and door.


    As soon as Furina walked into the main hall, the six little ones came toward her, each holding a bowl of congee.


    Klee waved enthusiastically.


    "Good morning, Sister Furina~"


    Furina smiled and greeted them.


    "Good morning. Where are you all headed?"


    Klee giggled and said,


    "Klee wants to eat outside."


    Furina stepped aside to let the little ones out onto the deck.


    Then,


    Furina walked into the cabin and found Stelle and the others, taking a seat beside them.


    Stelle was busy downing a big bowl of plain congee.


    After finishing, she wiped her mouth and got up to get another bowl.


    Just then, she noticed Furina.


    "Furina, finally you''re up. We tried to wake you earlier, but those two little bodyguards of yours wouldn''t let us in."


    Furina scratched her head.


    "I told them to guard the door."


    March 7th helped scoop a bowl of congee and handed it to Furina.


    "Furina, have some breakfast first. After that, we''ll head to Liyue Harbor. I heard there''s a lot of fun stuff today."


    Furina took the bowl and sat down, sipping the congee slowly.


    "Where are we going today?" Furina asked curiously.


    Hu Tao answered,


    "We''re just going to stroll around Liyue Harbor. There''ll be lots of fun little stalls. I''ll take you to check them out."


    At that moment, Xiangling suddenly spoke up.


    "By the way, I checked today''s dungeon. It''s a little game called ''Mario.'' Should we go play it first?"


    Stelle asked,


    "Mario? How much is the reward?"


    Xiangling thought for a moment.


    "Not much¡ªonly 100 star coins for completing it."


    Hearing that, Stelle instantly lost interest.


    "Only 100~ Forget it, let''s just hang around Liyue Harbor.


    Himeko already went back earlier. She''s working with Pom-Pom to renovate a new train car. They should be done by the end of the day.


    Once that''s done, we''ll get ready to head to our next stop."


    Amber asked curiously,


    "Aren''t we participating in the Martial Arts Ceremony?"


    March 7th explained, S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course we are, but we don''t need to join the preliminary rounds. We''re entering straight into the knockout round.


    According to General Jing Yuan, the preliminaries will take about a month since there are so many participants this time."


    Amber nodded in realization.


    "I see. Okay then~"


    Furina listened to their talk about the Martial Arts Ceremony, completely puzzled.


    "What is this Martial Arts Ceremony you''re talking about?"


    March 7th looked at Furina and explained,


    "It''s a martial arts competition hosted by a faction in our world."


    Furina stared at her wide-eyed.


    "Your world?"


    March 7th nodded.


    "Yeah, we forgot to tell you. Stelle, Seele, Qingque, and I aren''t from your world."


    Furina was stunned.


    "Not from our world?"


    Stelle then explained everything to her, how they came to Teyvat and so on.


    After hearing Stelle''s story, Furina became deeply intrigued by the Nameless.


    Being one of the Nameless sounded so cool! Riding a train through the galaxy and casually saving some worlds along the way.


    Oh my! Furina made up her mind¡ªonce the prophecy in Fontaine was resolved, she''d run away and become one of the Nameless!


    "Stelle, how can I join the Nameless?"


    Stelle and March 7th were stunned for a moment upon hearing her question.


    "What? Furina, you want to be one of the Nameless?"


    Furina nodded.


    "Yeah, why not?"


    Stelle replied,


    "Sure, you can. According to Pom-Pom, the train doesn''t reject anyone who wants to join the Nameless.


    But... you''re the Hydro Archon of Fontaine. You''re just going to abandon your whole nation?"


    Furina clarified,


    "I don''t mean right now. I mean in the future."


    Stelle said,


    "Then you should talk to Himeko later. She''s our navigator.


    ''Navigator'' might not make sense to you¡ªit basically means our boss."

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80 - 80Furina nodded.


    "Alright, I''ll go talk to Himeko. Let''s eat¡ªonce we''re done, we''ll go have fun."


    Stelle and the others continued their breakfast, which they quickly finished.


    After the meal, the group boarded a ferry bound for Liyue Harbor.


    Cloud Retainer summoned her two well-behaved disciples, Ganyu and Shenhe.


    "Ganyu, take Shenhe for a walk around Liyue Harbor. She''s had little contact with human society over the years¡ªhelp her get familiar with it.


    During this time, keep Shenhe with you, let her live with you, and once she finishes participating in the Martial Arts Ceremony, she can return to Mt. Aocang."


    Ganyu agreed, taking Shenhe''s hand.


    "Yes, Master. I''ll take good care of my junior sister."


    Cloud Retainer nodded in satisfaction and turned to head back into the treasure ship to continue assembling her computer.


    Ganyu looked at Shenhe.


    "Junior sister, I''ll take you to explore Liyue Harbor. And let''s get you some new clothes¡ªit''s the New Year, after all."


    Shenhe nodded slightly.


    "I''ll do as you say, senior sister."


    Ganyu smiled and held Shenhe''s hand as they boarded a ferry to Liyue Harbor.


    Ningguang had arranged ten ferries on the treasure ship side just for everyone''s transport.


    Today was the actual day of the Lantern Rite, and everyone would stay one more day in Liyue Harbor.


    Just as Ganyu was about to signal the ferryman to set off, a voice called out:


    "Ganyu! Wait for me¡ªlet me come along!"


    Ganyu turned around.


    It was Calestia and Silver Wolf, escorting Nahida onto the ferry.


    Ganyu was curious.


    "Your Eminence Calestia, can''t you fly? Why take a ferry? Isn''t flying faster?"


    Calestia plopped down in a chair, pulled out a PS5, and hit "Continue" to resume the game she hadn''t finished.


    "Flying is such a hassle. You can''t play games while flying! Ferries are the best¡ªyou get to travel and play games. Right, Silver Wolf?"


    Silver Wolf, holding her own PS5, nodded.


    "Exactly~!"


    Ganyu smiled awkwardly.


    So that''s the reason? That''s very much like Her Eminence Calestia.


    Meanwhile, Xing, Hu Tao, and Furina''s group had already arrived at the harbor.


    As soon as they got off the ferry, they were amazed by the lively scene before them.


    All around the harbor plaza were countless stalls selling food, drinks, toys, clothes¡ªeverything imaginable!


    Paimon sniffed the air deeply.


    "Mmm~ Smells so good! Lumine, let''s go get something to eat?"


    Lumine gave her a look.


    "You just ate. More food?"


    Paimon shrugged.


    "I can''t help it. The smell is just too good!"


    March 7th chimed in.


    "Let''s grab some snacks¡ªwe''ll eat while we walk. Wandering around empty-handed feels kind of boring."


    Everyone agreed and decided to get snacks as they strolled.


    While they were walking, March 7th suddenly saw two familiar faces.


    At first, she thought she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes and looked again.


    "Isn''t that Topaz and Jade? Why are they running a stall here?"


    Xing and Hu Tao looked over¡ªsure enough, it was them.


    The group walked over to Topaz and Jade''s stall. They had set up a big prize wheel, with a variety of prizes displayed around it.


    Topaz stood next to the wheel holding a sign.


    Stelle, eating a popsicle, glanced at the sign.


    "1 Primogem per spin, 9 Primogems for ten spins... Huh, Primogem lottery?"


    Topaz noticed Stelle and smiled.


    "Hey, Stelle, March, Hu Tao¡ªfancy seeing you here! Want to try your luck at my prize wheel? The prizes are great~"


    Stelle shrugged.


    "I''ve got over six million Mora on me, but not a single other currency."


    Topaz replied,


    "Then how about this¡ªI''ll take 100,000 Mora for one spin. Deal?"


    Stelle blinked. That''s a steal! She was in.


    She handed over the 100,000 Mora, and Topaz let her spin the wheel.


    Stelle looked over the prize list:


    [100 catties of premium rice, 10 bolts of silk, 3,000 tissues, a full calligraphy set, a box of bread, a basket of fruit, one iron sword, one donkey, one fine steed]


    Stelle stared at the list, feeling a little scammed.


    She''d just handed over 100,000 Mora¡ªmore than enough to support a family of three for a month!


    "Topaz, these prizes seem kinda lame."


    Topaz smiled.


    "Ah, don''t say that. Think about it¡ªif you win that steed, you''ve struck gold!


    Here, take a look at the horse I brought¡ªit''s beautiful, right?"


    Topaz pointed to a majestic white horse nearby. Stelle nodded¡ªit was beautiful.


    Completely snow-white, with bright eyes and a strong frame. Clearly a top-tier horse.


    "Alrighty then~ Let''s spin!"


    Stelle gave the wheel a good spin.


    As the wheel whirled, Topaz pulled out a gong from who-knows-where and started banging it.


    "Step right up, folks! Try your luck at the Big Spin! Whatever the wheel lands on, you win it!


    Special Lantern Rite promotion¡ªonly 1 Primogem per spin!"


    Her cries drew the attention of the crowd nearby.


    "What is this thing? Looks fun!"


    "Hey, look at that horse! Whoa¡ªit''s stunning!"


    "Boss, is that horse one of the prizes?"


    Topaz responded cheerily,


    "Of course! That''s our grand prize! Look at this young lady here¡ªshe''s already playing. Want to try your luck?"


    Stelle glared as Topaz used her as advertisement.


    Jade chuckled and slyly slipped 100 star coins into Stelle''s hand.


    Stelle glanced down, then flashed a knowing smile.


    She looked at the still-spinning wheel and gave it another strong push.


    "This is really fun! Wonder what I''ll get?"


    March 7th and Hu Tao exchanged deadpan looks at the bribe going down in broad daylight.


    Hu Tao sighed.


    "Stelle just got bought off with 100 star coins. If it were me, I''d need at least 200!"


    March 7th raised an eyebrow.


    "200? I''d say 300."


    Lumine waved dismissively.


    "1000!"


    Thanks to the antics of Stelle and Topaz, more and more people gathered around out of curiosity.


    Many locals regretted having sold their Primogems to Ningguang earlier.


    But there were also travelers from afar¡ªsome still had Primogems and decided to give it a try.


    Little by little, people started spinning the wheel.


    Jade handled the prize distribution while Topaz worked the crowd.


    With their teamwork, business was booming and more and more people joined in.


    Stelle, having finished her spin, picked up her prize¡ªa basket of fruit¡ªand rejoined March 7th and the others to continue shopping.


    Jade, seeing that Stelle''s group was large, threw in an extra basket of fruit.


    Each of them now held a piece of fruit in hand, munching happily as they strolled through the lively harbor.


    ***


    Stelle and her companions strolled through the streets while munching on fruit, looking here and there as they walked.


    At that moment, Stelle noticed Childe sneaking suspiciously behind a bush.


    Stelle slipped into the bushes next to Childe.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Childe made a shushing gesture.


    "Shhh~ Look over there."


    Stelle followed Childe''s finger and immediately widened her eyes.


    March 7th crawled into the bushes beside Stelle and saw the gossip-hungry expression on her face.


    "What are you two looking at?"


    Stelle pointed into the distance.


    March 7th looked over and immediately widened her eyes.


    Then Hu Tao popped in.


    "What are the three of you looking at?"


    Amber: "You four."


    Eula: "You five."


    Lumine: "..."


    They all stared in the same direction.


    There, two Fatui members were being lovey-dovey with each other.


    Stelle and the others, along with Childe, were watching the scene with great interest.


    March 7th watched as the two kissed.


    "Eww~ That''s way too cheesy!"


    Stelle''s eyes were wide open, wishing she could get even closer to enjoy the show.


    The couple was completely lost in their own world, unaware that a group was squatting in the bushes watching them.


    Just then¡ª


    La Signora passed by, having just bought something for Tsaritsa, and noticed the group sneaking in the bushes.


    "What are you all doing?"


    Her voice was loud enough to startle not only the group of spectators but also the lovebirds.


    When the two Fatui members saw a bunch of people suddenly pop out from the nearby bushes, they were petrified on the spot.


    La Signora immediately understood what had happened.


    She rolled her eyes at Childe.


    "Childish."


    With that, she walked off toward the internet caf¨¦, carrying the juice she bought for Tsaritsa.


    The Tsaritsa had already started up a machine at the caf¨¦, logged into the game, and created a room¡ªjust waiting for Calestia to join and spar.


    After being beaten all day yesterday, Tsaritsa swore to win at least once today!


    After La Signora left¡ª


    Stelle and the group parted ways with Childe and continued shopping.


    As they walked, Stelle spotted another familiar face.


    "Keqing!"


    Sure enough, it was Keqing.


    She was selling fireworks with a few others.


    These fireworks were bought online from the Interstellar Peace Corporation. They were all very cheap.


    Keqing brought them here to sell in hopes of making some Mora, so she wouldn''t have to keep applying for funds from Ningguang every time she organized something.


    Stelle walked up and picked up a box of "snap pops" to examine it.


    "Keqing, how much are these?"


    Seeing it was Stelle and her friends, Keqing replied:


    "That one''s cheap¡ª588 Mora a box."


    Stelle looked at March 7 and the others.


    "Wanna buy some to play with?"


    March 7th was totally on board.


    "Sure! I saw online that it''s not New Year''s if you don''t play with firecrackers!"


    So Stelle and her friends each bought a bunch of firecrackers.


    Stelle took out a box of snap pops¡ªthese didn''t require lighting, just throw them and they''d pop.


    She glanced at an unsuspecting Amber and grinned.


    "Boom!"


    She threw one hard at Amber''s feet.


    The sudden noise startled Amber so much she jumped.


    "Gah!"


    Stelle burst out laughing at Amber''s reaction.


    "Haha, Amber, you''re such a scaredy-cat!"


    Once Amber realized what had happened, she pulled out a box of firecrackers, lit one, and threw it at Stelle.


    Stelle laughed mischievously and dodged sideways.


    "Hehe~ You missed me~ Hehe~"


    She dashed off, and Amber chased her with firecrackers in hand.


    March 7th and the others got interested too and joined Amber in the chase.


    Stelle ran like mad, while occasionally turning back to toss more snap pops at them.


    Seeing this, the others switched to snap pops as well and started throwing them back.


    Stelle ran like crazy and finally managed to hide in a stack of empty cargo crates.


    She peeked out at the group disappearing into the distance.


    "Heh, is that all you''ve got?"


    Stelle climbed out of the crates and looked around.


    She noticed a few dogs lounging near the bridge leading to Sumeru after having just finished their meal.


    As the dogs got up to stretch and walk around, Star snuck over and placed a lit firecracker under one of their bowls.


    Then she ran away.


    Bang! With a muffled explosion, the dog bowl launched into the air. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle''s eyes sparkled as she watched it soar.


    "That was fun! Hehe, again, again!"


    She picked up the bowl, this time putting five firecrackers under it.


    Another explosion¡ªanother flying bowl.


    Stelle looked like she had found her favorite toy and kept launching bowls, drawing amusement from passersby.


    Just as she was about to launch another¡ª


    She suddenly felt a shadow fall over her.


    She looked up, instantly breaking into a cold sweat.


    It was the owners of the dog bowls, glaring at her with deadly expressions.


    Stelle gulped hard, then turned and bolted.


    The dogs barked wildly and chased after her through the streets.


    The commotion was so loud that even March 7th and the others who had been chasing her earlier noticed.


    "Look! There''s Stelle! Girls, charge! Revenge!"


    March 7th and her crew joined the chase.


    Nahida stood at a window, watching the chaos.


    "So full of energy," she said.


    Meanwhile, Ganyu brought Shenhe to a tailor shop.


    "Excuse me, are you still open today?"


    Ganyu called into the shop.


    A voice quickly responded from inside.


    "Of course! Oh my, isn''t that Secretary Ganyu? Come right in!"


    The owner, a woman with excellent skills, came out and recognized Ganyu, then welcomed both her and Shenhe inside.


    Most of Liyue''s officials got their clothes custom-made here.


    Ganyu pointed to Shenhe.


    "This is my junior sister. Could you make her some outfits?"


    The owner measured Shenhe.


    "Wow, miss, you''ve got a great figure. Come, pick some fabric and styles you like."


    Shenhe looked at Ganyu.


    "Senior sister, you choose for me. I''m not good at this."


    Ganyu smiled.


    "What color do you like?"


    Shenhe thought for a moment.


    "White. Something plain."


    Ganyu nodded and turned to discuss details with the shopkeeper, while Shenhe stood by, quietly watching.


    Having grown up in the mountains with Cloud Retainer and only coming down once, Shenhe didn''t know how to interact with people due to her past.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81 - 81Luofu, Aurum Alley, Train Docking Area.


    Himeko was taking inventory of the renovation materials delivered by the company, with Pom-Pom assisting.


    Nearby, Blade and Dan Heng were waiting to help move the items.


    The two still ignored each other, each finding a spot to sit in complete indifference, acting as if they''d rather die than interact.


    Himeko checked the materials one by one. After finishing the inventory, she called out to them:


    "Move these inside first, they''ve all been counted."


    Dan Heng and Blade stepped forward and began carrying the materials into the train. While bending over to pick them up, they accidentally made eye contact.


    They both snorted coldly at the same time and turned away.


    After finishing the inventory, Himeko walked into an empty train car.


    She looked over the materials scattered on the floor, then pulled out a blueprint for reference.


    In this train car, Himeko planned to create six rooms¡ªnot too big, about half the size of her own.


    After carefully comparing the blueprint and organizing her thoughts, Himeko called Dan Heng and Blade to start the renovation.


    The work was relatively simple; the materials were high-end products from the company. For example, the soundproof walls were delivered in the form of glowing rods.


    Once activated, the rods would unfold automatically into full walls.


    They set up the walls first, then applied wallpaper, installed sockets, and laid down carpets and other furnishings.


    Thanks to the trio''s effort, the basic renovation was quickly completed.


    Himeko clapped her hands in satisfaction, brushing off dust.


    "As expected of high-end products from the company¡ªreally saves time and effort."


    She looked at Dan Heng and Blade.


    "Let''s take a break first. After lunch, we''ll continue in the afternoon."


    Dan Heng and Blade both nodded in agreement.


    Each of them found a place to rest.


    Pom-Pom went off to prepare lunch.


    Himeko washed her hands and went to the small bar to operate the spirit energy coffee machine.


    Just halfway through making the first cup, the machine suddenly lost power and stopped working.


    Opening the energy compartment, Himeko saw the spirit stone inside had completely lost its luster.


    She opened a nearby box, took out a new spirit stone, and replaced it.


    With the new one installed, the coffee machine resumed operation.


    Before long, Himeko had finished three cups of her signature coffee.


    Carrying the cups, she walked over to Dan Heng.


    "Dan Heng, have a cup of coffee and take a break. You''ve worked hard."


    Hearing "coffee," Dan Heng froze on the spot.


    Himeko''s coffee!


    He turned his head and quickly put on headphones, pretending he didn''t hear her.


    Blade, seeing this, said:


    "If he doesn''t want it, I''ll take it. I happen to be thirsty."


    Hearing this, Himeko suddenly found Blade much more pleasing to the eye.


    Look at that¡ªsomeone who appreciates quality.


    Himeko placed two cups of coffee in front of Blade.


    Blade nodded slightly.


    "Thank you."


    Himeko smiled.


    "You''re welcome. Let me know if you want more."


    With that, she took her own cup and sat aside to rest.


    Dan Heng sneaked a glance at Blade¡ªfarewell on your journey.


    Blade picked up a cup and drank it all in one go. The moment he swallowed, he froze, sitting stiffly in place. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dan Heng immediately felt something was wrong and walked over to check on him.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    Blade looked up, revealing a twisted expression.


    Even so, he forced a smile.


    "I-I''m fine! Just... a cup of coffee¡ª"


    Before he could finish the sentence, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.


    Dan Heng hurried forward to check, shaking Blade.


    "Hey! Wake up! Come on, wake up!"


    Himeko saw this and was puzzled. She walked over to the coffee machine with her own cup to investigate.


    ¡ªSome time later¡ª


    Blade sat on the couch, arms limp over the backrest, looking like someone who had survived a great ordeal.


    "This is the first time I''ve felt the Blessing of Abundance was actually helpful."


    Dan Heng stood beside him, stunned, and nodded.


    Blade had nearly died just now¡ªluckily, his immortal body kicked in at the last second and saved him.


    Though Blade longed for death, he silently thought: This is not how I want to go!


    To die from drinking terrible coffee? I, Blade the Stellaron Hunter, refuse to do that!


    After a short rest and a lunch prepared by Pom-Pom, they continued renovating the new car.


    Blade came to help primarily to secure a room for Kafka.


    There were a total of six rooms. Topaz had reserved one, and Qingque had another¡ªleaving four.


    Stelle had one, and March 7th another¡ªnow just two remained.


    Kafka wanted one, so she sent Blade to do the work.


    Blade didn''t mind. He had nothing else to do anyway, and it was good to move his body.


    By the end of the afternoon, Himeko was pleased. She took out her phone and snapped a photo of the newly renovated car.


    Upon entering, the right side had a row of rooms, while the left had a corridor and a row of windows.


    The overall style was similar to Himeko''s own carriage, just without a few sofas for resting.


    Each room was equipped with only the basics:


    A refrigerator, a two-meter bed, a desk, a wardrobe, air conditioner, and a washing machine.


    If anyone wanted more furniture, they''d have to buy it themselves.


    Checking the time, Himeko told Dan Heng to fetch Topaz, Qingque, Stelle, and March 7th.


    Dan Heng entered the teleportation gate left behind by Ye Yun and arrived in Liyue Harbor.


    Looking at the busy streets, he felt troubled¡ªtoo many people, hard to find anyone.


    At that moment, Yelan, stationed at Wanmin Hall, walked over and noticed his concern.


    "Dan Heng, are you looking for someone?"


    Dan Heng nodded slightly.


    "Yes, I''m looking for Stelle, March, Topaz, and Qingque."


    Yelan took out a phone and operated it for a moment.


    Soon, she said:


    "Stelle, March, and Qingque are playing near the Lotus Pool at Yujing Terrace. Topaz is doing business at the port."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Thank you."


    With that, he headed toward Yujing Terrace.


    Over there¡ª


    Hu Tao was chasing Qiqi.


    "Hehe, Qiqi, don''t run! Last night Ye Yun protected you, but let''s see who can save you now! Hehe!"


    Qiqi ran for her life.


    She had just been playing hide-and-seek with Klee and the others and came this way to hide.


    But the moment she arrived, she saw Hu Tao.


    Naturally, Hu Tao saw Qiqi too and immediately pulled out a sack and gave chase.


    Stelle and March 7th ran behind, trying to stop Hu Tao.


    As Qiqi ran, she spotted Klee, who was in charge of catching people.


    "Klee... s-save meee¡ª"


    Klee saw Hu Tao charging in and shouted:


    "Big Sis Hu Tao is trying to catch Qiqi! Everyone come help!"


    The hidden little ones¡ªBailu and the rest¡ªsaw this and rushed out to help.


    Bailu grabbed Hu Tao around the waist to slow her down.


    Diona and Hook jumped on as well¡ªone clung to Hu Tao''s hand, the other to her leg.


    Just as Hu Tao tried to free herself with her empty hand, Klee pounced too.


    Hu Tao was completely restrained, unable to move.


    Seeing this, Qiqi stopped running, walked up to Hu Tao, and glanced at the rope she''d brought.


    ***


    More than ten minutes later.


    Jade Chamber, Liyue.


    Hu Tao was tied up like a zongzi and lay on a patch of grass.


    A Sunsettia was stuffed in her mouth.


    Qiqi was holding a chicken feather, tickling Hu Tao, making her squirm non-stop from the itch.


    Grandma Ping, watching nearby, walked over and pulled Qiqi up.


    "Alright, alright, children. Let Hu Tao go. She should know she was wrong."


    Hu Tao quickly nodded in agreement with Grandma Ping.


    Qiqi, still holding the chicken feather, said:


    "Hu Tao... Devil... Qiqi punished her."


    Grandma Ping smiled and patted Qiqi''s head.


    "Qiqi, Hu Tao already knows she was wrong. Let''s forgive her, okay? She won''t try to bury you again."


    Hearing this, Qiqi looked at Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao nodded repeatedly.


    Seeing this, Qiqi said:


    "Alright... Qiqi forgives Hu Tao."


    Only then did Stelle untie Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao stood up and rubbed her sore waist.


    "Ow, being tied up is really uncomfortable."


    Lumine shrugged helplessly.


    "There''s no helping it. You buried Qiqi so many times before. By the way, Hu Tao, why are you so obsessed with burying Qiqi anyway?"


    Hu Tao replied:


    "Qiqi is a zombie. The dead should go to the underworld."


    Everyone nodded¡ªso that''s the reason.


    At that moment, Grandma Ping spoke up.


    "Qiqi is no longer a zombie. Thanks to Mr. Ye Yun''s treatment, Qiqi can now be considered an immortal."


    Everyone looked at Qiqi in surprise.


    "An immortal?"


    Grandma Ping explained:


    "Yes, an immortal. The reason Qiqi became a zombie in the first place was because she couldn''t bear the chaotic immortal energy within her. Now that the energy has harmonized inside her, her body has been transformed into that of an immortal."


    Everyone nodded in understanding.


    Just then, Dan Heng arrived.


    "There you are."


    Stelle turned to him.


    "Dan Heng, why are you here? Weren''t you helping Himeko renovate the train car?"


    Dan Heng replied:


    "The renovation is done. Himeko asked you, March, and Qingque to go back and pick your rooms."


    March 7th was confused and pointed to herself.


    "I already have a room. Why do I need to pick another?"


    Dan Heng explained:


    "The new rooms aren''t as spacious as before. Since Klee and the other five will be staying, your old room now belongs to them."


    March 7th nodded in realization.


    "I see, got it. Let''s go pick new rooms."


    Stelle looked at Hu Tao and the others.


    "Hey, do you want to come with us?"


    Hu Tao replied:


    "Sure, we''ve got nothing else to do right now anyway."


    Then they all followed Dan Heng to the port, found Topaz, and returned to the train.


    Himeko welcomed them.


    "Welcome back. Did you have fun today?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "It was fun! But I think we''ve had enough fun. Himeko, we''re leaving the day after tomorrow, right?"


    Himeko nodded.


    "Yes, we''ll depart the day after tomorrow. We''re going to attend the family gathering."


    March got excited when she heard that.


    "A family gathering? You mean Penacony? That''s awesome!"


    Stelle was puzzled.


    "Penacony? Is it fun?"


    March nodded happily.


    "Of course! Penacony is also known as the Star of the Festival and the Land of Dreams. It''s super famous across the galaxy!"


    Stelle said:


    "Ohhh? Really? How about we leave tomorrow instead?"


    Himeko shook her head.


    "We still need to restock supplies."


    Stelle replied:


    "Alright then~ let''s go do a dungeon tomorrow instead."


    Himeko stood up and looked at Stelle, March 7th, Topaz, and Qingque.


    "Okay, go pick your rooms first."


    The group cheered and ran off to choose.


    Stelle asked March 7th, Topaz, and Qingque:


    "Which one are you picking?"


    Topaz shrugged.


    "I don''t mind. The six rooms are about the same size. Any is fine with me."


    Qingque said:


    "I''ll take the last one. I''m planning to set up an Celestial Jade table in there. Don''t want to disturb you all."


    March 7th said:


    "I''ll take the first one. I''m a light sleeper."


    Stelle said:


    "Then I''ll take the one next to yours."


    Once the rooms were picked, the four entered their rooms to check them out.


    Stelle''s room was empty¡ªno bedding or mattress.


    Seeing this, Stelle checked his pockets. All he had was Mora. Looks like a trip to Liyue is in order.


    Time passed quickly.


    The next day came in the blink of an eye.


    The train crew, the Luofu crew, and Topaz''s group all ended their Lantern Rite trip and returned to the Honkai: Star Rail world.


    Asmode stood at the door of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Internet Caf¨¦, seeing off Ei, Yae Miko, Tsaritsa, Furina, and Clorinde.


    "When you go back, govern your nations properly. Don''t hold up the relocation later, understood?"


    They all nodded.


    Calestia, seeing their response, nodded with satisfaction.


    "I''m serious. I''ve already talked with Lumine. She''ll be doing surprise inspections. If anything goes wrong, you''re in trouble~ Alright, off you go."


    With that, Calestia returned to the caf¨¦ to continue gaming.


    Miko and Ei boarded a merchant ship back to Inazuma.


    Miko originally wanted to return quickly to handle political matters, but Ei had bought a ton of snacks and desserts¡ªenough to fill an entire ship. Miko had no choice but to travel back with her.


    Ei sat in the cabin happily eating flower cakes while reading the manga March 7th gave her.


    Miko sat beside her.


    "Ei, what do you plan to do once we return?"


    Ei replied bluntly:


    "Just hold a meeting, right?"


    Miko shook her head slightly.


    "Ei, just holding a meeting isn''t enough. I told you before, the real problem lies with the officials.


    Just now, Lady Calestia made it clear¡ªwe need to govern well, and Lumine will be doing surprise inspections. If¡ª"


    Ei thought for a moment, then made a decision.


    "Once we''re back, we''ll go with your plan. I don''t know how to govern."


    Miko pretended to be troubled as she agreed.


    "Sigh~ How pitiful I am... Just a little fox, yet I have to worry about so much."


    Ei, thinking Miko was genuinely upset, handed her a flower cake.


    "Here, eat a flower cake. You''ll feel better after eating it."


    Miko looked at Ei seriously offering her the cake and couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Alright, I''ll eat."


    Then the two sailed back to Inazuma. Throughout the journey, Ei stayed in the cabin reading manga.


    Meanwhile¡ª


    Furina and Clorinde arrived at Liyue''s entrance, where the Lancelot Knights had been waiting.


    "My Lady, please board the carriage."


    A knight offered his hand to help Furina up. Then, with a wave of his sword, he led the knights to escort her carriage toward Qingce Village.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82 - 82Furina sat in the carriage, happily humming a tune while counting the gifts she had brought back for Neuvillette and the others.


    "This water is for Neuvillette. I wonder if he''ll like water from another world."


    Next to her, Clorinde looked at the inactive teleportation gate resting nearby.


    "Lady Furina, where should we place this teleportation gate?"


    Furina rubbed her chin thoughtfully at Clorinde''s question.


    "Let''s put it in my living room. Didn''t they say we should place it somewhere regular people can''t access? My house is perfect for that."


    Furina figured that by keeping it at her home, she could visit Ye Yun and the others whenever she wanted.


    Clorinde nodded in response.


    "Understood."


    Furina looked at the flower cakes she had bought earlier¡ªonly a few were left.


    "Clorinde, let''s stop by that old lady''s place later to buy some more flower cakes."


    Clorinde nodded.


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    Then Furina laid leisurely by the carriage window, enjoying the scenery along the way.


    Any monsters encountered were instantly dealt with by the Lancelot Knights.


    They arrived safely at Qingce Village. After clearing out the old lady''s stock of flower cakes again, Furina boarded the ship back to Fontaine with Clorinde and the Lancelot Knights.


    On the train, inside Ye Yun''s shop:


    Everyone from the train crew gathered inside Ye Yun''s shop.


    Ye Yun held out an invitation card from another world.


    "We''ve got a new friend arriving soon."


    Star tilted her head curiously.


    "A new friend? From where¡ªLuofu?"


    Ye Yun shook the invitation card in his hand.


    "Nope, from another world entirely. You''ll see in a moment."


    With that, Ye Yun tore up the invitation.


    A second later, a teleportation gate opened nearby.


    Soon after, a white-haired girl with a ponytail and dressed in a tight-fitting combat outfit stepped out.


    "Whoa~ So this is the place that voice told me about? It really is something else!"


    The newcomer was none other than the main character of the Honkai Impact 3rd world¡ªKiana!


    Kiana looked around and quickly spotted Ye Yun and the others.


    Standing up straight, she introduced herself with energy and confidence.


    "Hi there! I''m Kiana Kaslana! Nice to meet you all!"


    At the sight of her, Welt was completely stunned.


    "Kiana?! How is it you?"


    Kiana noticed Welt.


    "Mr. Welt! You''re here too? Didn''t that voice say this was another world? Don''t tell me it was lying!"


    She looked around carefully.


    "Aunt Himeko?! You''re here too? And dressed so... um, what''s the word?"


    Welt immediately facepalmed.


    "Elegant."


    Kiana clapped her hands at the reminder.


    "Oh, right! Elegant!"


    March 7th and Star glanced over at Welt.


    "Uncle Yang, you know her?"


    Welt nodded.


    "Yes, we''re from the same place."


    Stelle lit up.


    "Oooh? So Kiana''s your hometown buddy, huh?"


    Welt nodded vaguely, but after a closer look at Kiana, he added:


    "Sort of. We''re from two different parallel timelines.


    The Kiana I knew was a powerful Valkyrie."


    Kiana beamed at the praise.


    "Mr. Welt, are you saying I become super strong in the future?"


    Welt gave her a small nod.


    "Yes."


    Hearing that, Kiana''s eyes sparkled with joy.


    "Yay~ I knew it! I''m totally going to become the strongest Valkyrie in Destiny!"


    Ye Yun smiled and turned to Welt.


    "Welt, since she''s from your world, I''ll leave it to you to show Kiana around the shop."


    Welt agreed and started showing Kiana around.


    After a full tour, Kiana got a grasp of her situation.


    She realized that the "Aunt Himeko" here wasn''t the one she knew¡ªjust someone who looked similar.


    Same with "Mr. Welt." He was a future version.


    Kiana scratched her head, a bit dazed and overwhelmed by it all.


    Welt watched her flustered expression and smiled¡ªshe really was still the same old airheaded Kiana.


    He handed her 200 Star Coins.


    "Here, Kiana. These are Star Coins. Take these 200 and go try out the shopping system here."


    Kiana''s eyes lit up as she accepted the coins.


    "Awesome!"


    She dashed off to the little bar area, remembering how Welt had explained it all just now.


    A few minutes later¡ª


    Welt looked at her with a deadpan expression.


    Just as expected, Kiana had happily bought a huge bucket of "Super Ultra Deluxe Delicious Instant Noodles" from the system.


    "Noodles~ Noodles~ I love noodles~"


    The bucket cost 20 Star Coins.


    She originally wanted to buy 10 buckets, but thankfully Welt stopped her so she''d have money left for other things.


    Nearby, Xiangling noticed her preparing the noodles.


    "Kiana, right? I''m Xiangling, the chef here."


    Kiana nodded cheerfully.


    "Yup yup, nice to meet you!"


    Xiangling pointed to the noodles in her hands.


    "Want me to cook those for you? It tastes better that way¡ªand I''ll add some ingredients too."


    Kiana quickly agreed.


    "Yes, please! Thank you, Xiangling!"


    Xiangling smiled and shook her head.


    "No need to thank me. Just wait a bit, I''ll cook it for you."


    She took the bucket and went into the kitchen.


    While waiting, Kiana chatted with everyone.


    During that time, she got to know the rest of the crew.


    They also learned from her what kind of world she came from.


    Kiana quickly bonded with Stelle, March 7th, and Lumine¡ªthey were all about the same age and vibe, making it easy to click.


    She was amazed listening to Stelle''s stories.


    "Wow~ your adventures sound amazing!"


    Stelle patted her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry¡ªwe''re heading to our next destination tomorrow. You can come along!"


    Kiana gave an enthusiastic nod.


    "Sure!"


    Soon, Xiangling returned with a steaming bowl of noodles and placed it in front of her.


    "Here, give it a try, Kiana."


    Kiana sniffed the aroma and her face lit up with joy.


    "It smells so good~ Oh my gosh~ I can''t resist!"


    She picked up the chopsticks and slurped a mouthful.


    The moment the noodles hit her tongue, she froze.


    Then¡ª


    "These noodles are incredible! The best I''ve ever had! Xiangling, you''re amazing!"


    Xiangling scratched the back of her head.


    "I''m glad you like it. Eat it quick¡ªwon''t taste as good if it gets cold." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiana nodded eagerly and happily slurped up her noodles, making satisfied little "mmm" sounds with every bite.


    ***


    Kiana was wolfing down a big bowl of noodles, eating with such gusto that even Stelle, who had already had breakfast, felt a little hungry just watching her.


    Kiana finished the bowl, not even leaving a drop of soup behind.


    Wiping her mouth, she placed the bowl heavily on the table, looking completely satisfied.


    "Ah~ That was so good! I need to bring some back for Mei and the others¡ªthis is seriously the best instant noodles I''ve ever had~"


    Himeko handed her a wet wipe.


    "Kiana, don''t wipe your mouth with your hands after eating. You''ll get them all dirty. Remember to use a napkin next time. Here, wipe your hands."


    Kiana scratched the back of her head with a silly smile as she took the wipe.


    "I got it, Auntie Himeko!"


    Kiana casually blurted out "Auntie Himeko."


    Himeko flicked Kiana''s forehead with her finger.


    "Call me sister."


    Kiana laughed awkwardly and rubbed her forehead.


    "Sister Himeko."


    Only then did Himeko nod in satisfaction.


    "Let''s go check out what today''s dungeon is."


    The group arrived at the dungeon teleportation gate.


    Kiana leaned in and read the title slowly.


    "To-day''s-dun-geon... CFGO Biohazard Mode?


    What does that mean?"


    Stelle looked a little surprised.


    "CFGO again? But what''s ''Biohazard Mode'' supposed to mean?"


    Ye Yun said, "We''ll find out once we get in. This mode is actually kind of fun, just a little scary."


    March 7th started imagining horror movie scenes the moment she heard the word "scary."


    "Yikes~ This is how all horror stories start... a group of people enter a deep, pitch-black cave...


    And then... then..."


    Stelle mischievously patted Kiana''s shoulder and whispered something in her ear.


    Kiana looked confused.


    "Why are you patting March''s shoulder?"


    Stelle nudged Kiana. "Just go do it. Trust me."


    Still puzzled, Kiana patted March 7th on the shoulder.


    March 7th was already a little scared, and the sudden touch made her jump up on the spot.


    "Eeek!!! A ghost! Himeko! Save me!"


    March 7th clung to Himeko, hiding behind her.


    Kiana, seeing her reaction, felt proud and giggled with Stelle.


    Hearing them laugh, March 7th quickly realized what had happened.


    She stomped her foot angrily.


    "Kiana! Why''d you scare me?"


    Kiana pointed innocently at Stelle.


    "It was Stelle''s idea!"


    March 7th immediately turned her wrath toward Stelle.


    "Stelle! You''re gonna pay!"


    She drew her bow and fired an arrow.


    Stelle tried to dodge but was grabbed by Lumine.


    Stelle struggled desperately to escape.


    Lumine just giggled.


    "Stelle, prepare to face justice!"


    March 7th''s arrow hit Stelle, who yelped in pain.


    She had used just enough force for it to sting before the arrow dropped to the ground.


    Ye Yun clapped his hands.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough. Let''s go clear today''s dungeon."


    Everyone quieted down.


    Ye Yun checked the dungeon info.


    CFGO Biohazard Mode. A total of 32 players can participate. The top three scorers receive 3000, 2000, and 1000 star coins respectively. The rest get nothing.


    Everyone, including Stelle, signed up and waited on the side. The game couldn''t begin until all 32 players were gathered.


    As time passed, more people arrived on the train.


    Ningguang, Yelan...


    Jean, Lisa...


    Jing Yuan, Huaiyan...


    Calestia, Nahida...


    Soon, the full 32-player roster was complete, and they were all teleported into the game map.


    Kiana looked around after landing. She was with Stelle, March 7th, Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and Nahida.


    She tried to move but found her feet wouldn''t budge.


    Stelle said, "Kiana, the game hasn''t officially started yet. We have to wait for the rules to be announced. Once it starts, we''ll be able to move."


    Kiana nodded and waited patiently.


    She took the time to look around. They were in an abandoned street, the flickering lights casting an eerie atmosphere.


    Soon, the system voice rang out.


    [This Dungeon: CFGO Biohazard ModeMap: District 13


    Game Mode: Two factions¡ªBio-Zombies and Human Mercenaries. There are 17 rounds, each lasting 20 minutes.


    Victory Condition: If time runs out and not all humans are infected, the humans win. Otherwise, the zombies win.


    Scoring: Mercenaries get 1 point for every 1000 HP dealt to zombies. Zombies get 1 point for every human they infect.


    Rewards: Top scorer earns 3000 star coins, second place 2000, third place 1000.


    3


    2


    1


    Game Start! Please choose your primary and secondary weapon. You can only choose once per game, so choose wisely.]


    As the announcement ended, everyone began selecting weapons.


    Kiana watched how Stelle did it and followed suit.


    Stelle picked her trusty heavy machine gun, Negev. March 7th chose a sniper rifle again.


    Kiana thought for a moment and picked an AK-47.


    Stelle shouted, "Gogogo! Time to slay some zombies! Who''s the zombie? Step up!"


    Zhongli, holding a shotgun, replied calmly, "The countdown hasn''t finished yet. We''ll only know who the zombie host is after that."


    Stelle called March 7th and Kiana to join her on top of a shipping container.


    Inside the dungeon, everyone''s physical stats had been standardized to normal human levels.


    Time ticked by. People grouped up and took positions they thought were defensible.


    Stelle saw Hu Tao and Yaoyao passing by.


    "Hu Tao! Yaoyao! Over here!" she waved.


    They climbed up to the container where Stelle was.


    Stelle cocked her gun with a cool look. "Watch me lead humanity to victory!"


    Just then, the countdown ended, and a light flashed over Stelle.


    [This round''s Bio-Zombie Hosts: Stelle, Jing Yuan]


    Hu Tao, Yaoyao, March 7th, and Kiana were all stunned.


    No way... that unlucky?!


    Stelle''s body transformed into a zombie, everything except her head.


    She clawed forward. "I shall lead the zombies to victory!"


    She immediately infected Yaoyao.


    Hu Tao, March 7th, and Kiana reacted quickly, opening fire on Stelle.


    Stelle was forced back and eventually fell off the container.


    Hu Tao reloaded and sighed in relief.


    "Phew~ Good thing we reacted fast and knocked her off."


    Suddenly, she felt a chill behind her.


    Turning around, she saw Yaoyao had already infected March 7th and Kiana. March 7th lunged toward her.


    [March 7th has infected Hu Tao]

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83 - 83Hu Tao was on the verge of tears. She had been so focused on repelling Stelle that she completely forgot that Huo Huo had already been infected.


    Hu Tao, Huo Huo, March 7th, and Kiana climbed down from the shipping container.


    Stelle grinned mischievously at the group.


    "Hehe~ Let''s go, my little minions! Time to catch more humans!"


    Now fully part of the zombie team, the group decided to move quickly and infect more humans.


    Stelle soon locked onto a group hiding behind a wall: Jean, Lisa, Kaeya, Lumine, and Nahida.


    With a dramatic wave of her hand, Stelle shouted:


    "Charge! Infect them! Join the glorious evolution!"


    She led the charge, climbing up the wall first. But as soon as she made it up, Jean opened fire with her M4, knocking Stelle back down.


    One after another, Hu Tao, March 7th, and the others tried to climb up, only to be knocked back down by the defenders'' fierce firepower.


    But Hu Tao noticed something: the defenders were running low on ammo.


    "Ladies! Keep pushing! They''re almost out of bullets!"


    Encouraged by this, the zombies increased the pace of their assault.


    After a little over a minute, the defenders were down to their last magazines.


    Seeing the situation, Lumine quietly jumped off the wall and tried to run. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, Kiana spotted her.


    "Hehe~ Gotcha, Lumine! You''re not getting away!"


    Zombies were twice as fast as humans. Kiana quickly closed the distance and infected Lumine with a swipe of her claws.


    Lumine looked devastated. If only she had stayed, she could''ve at least scored a few more points with that last mag.


    Less than a minute after Lumine was caught, the rest of the group¡ªJean, Kaeya, Lisa, and Nahida¡ªhad their defenses breached and were all infected.


    Meanwhile...


    Jing Yuan was leading Qingque, Yanqing, Amber, and Eula in an assault against the Liyue team led by Zhongli.


    Huaiyan, Jiaoqiu, and Feixiao joined the Liyue defenders, helping fend off the zombie horde.


    Zhongli gave precise orders:


    "Only three people shoot at a time. The rest stay alert. Conserve ammunition."


    They had chosen a two-story corridor in the center of the map as their stronghold.


    With more humans concentrated in one spot, Jing Yuan found it hard to break through quickly, so he kept up the pressure to deplete their ammo.


    Zhongli checked the countdown: 13 minutes left. If things kept up at this pace, they could probably hold the position.


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t just one zombie host on the map¡ªthere were two starting points.


    Stelle and her team followed the sound of gunfire and joined the fight. Now eight zombies swarmed in at once.


    The pressure on Zhongli''s team skyrocketed, forcing everyone to open fire at full force.


    With Stelle and the others relentlessly attacking, Zhongli''s team was burning through their bullets fast.


    Stelle suddenly lunged at Keqing.


    Keqing instinctively raised her gun and pulled the trigger¡ª


    ¡ªbut nothing happened.


    Out of bullets.


    She quickly rolled to the side, narrowly dodging Stelle''s claws.


    Stelle landed, rubbing her hands together eagerly.


    "Hehehe~ You''re not getting away this time, Keqing! Be a good girl and let me infect you!"


    She jumped high into the air, diving toward Keqing. But she didn''t notice the faint flashing light on her body.


    Keqing, gritting her teeth, drew a knife and struck with all her might.


    The blade plunged into Stelle''s head.


    Her body disintegrated into shimmering light, her soul lingering where she''d stood.


    Stelle was dumbfounded. What just happened?


    A system message rang out in the air:


    [Keqing has slain host zombie Stelle with a melee weapon and earned 1 point. Zombies killed by melee weapons cannot be resurrected.]


    Stelle''s soul went numb.


    How embarrassing! She was one of the zombie hosts and still got stabbed to death by a human merc!


    Keqing quickly returned to her team, reloaded, and resumed shooting.


    Unbeknownst to them, just a short distance away on a traffic light pole, Silver Wolf was lying in wait, stealthily picking off zombies with a silenced VSS sniper rifle.


    She glanced at her score¡ª5 points, far ahead of second place¡ªand smirked.


    "Hmph~ What''s the point of numbers? Zombies can respawn endlessly. If you just try to brute force your way through, you''ll lose eventually. Gotta play the long game."


    Silver Wolf continued taking single, precise shots, avoiding detection.


    With 5 minutes left on the clock, Zhongli''s team ran out of bullets.


    Zhongli drew his knife.


    "Everyone, fix bayonets! Time to fight to the last breath!"


    Ningguang, Feixiao, and the others followed suit, charging at Jing Yuan and the zombie horde.


    The outcome was predictable¡ªthey were all infected.


    Silver Wolf checked the time, put away her rifle, and quietly laid low on the traffic light.


    All she had to do now was survive the last 5 minutes to secure the win and earn two bonus points.


    The infected scattered across the area searching for survivors. It wasn''t until the final minute that they found her.


    Stelle pointed."There she is!"


    Kiana looked up."How did she even get up there?"


    Zhongli scanned the surroundings.


    "Look over there¡ªsecond floor. You can reach that balcony and jump across."


    Kiana led the charge to the second floor, picked up speed, and leapt toward Silver Wolf.


    Just as she thought she was about to grab her target¡ª


    Pop pop!


    Silver Wolf fired two silent shots from her VSS.


    Midair, Kiana''s body froze, then fell to the ground.


    One after another, more zombies tried jumping across, and Silver Wolf picked them off the same way¡ªright at the moment of their leap.


    And just like that, she survived the final minute.


    Everyone froze in place again as the match ended. Silver Wolf casually blew the smoke from her rifle.


    "Whew~ Done and dusted."


    [Humans win. Surviving humans earn an additional 2 points.]


    Silver Wolf looked at her score: 8 points. She was quite satisfied.


    At this pace, she was definitely on track to win a prize.


    Round 2 begins.


    Zhongli gathered everyone.


    "If we all stick together, even if one of us is a host, we''ll be able to overpower them. We won''t be picked off one by one like last time."


    Everyone nodded and followed Zhongli to the top of a tall container.


    The container had only one approach path, and a gap between it and the next required a jump to cross.


    All 32 players squeezed onto the container, each watching nervously, unsure who might suddenly turn into a zombie.


    The countdown ended.


    [This round''s zombie hosts: Silver Wolf, Feixiao]


    Without hesitation, Silver Wolf and Feixiao transformed and immediately attacked those around them.


    In less than a minute¡ª


    [Game Over. Zombie team wins. All zombies earn 2 bonus points.]


    Round 3.


    Hu Tao looked at Zhongli.


    "Guest Consultant, got any more bright ideas?"


    Zhongli thought for a moment.


    "I have one more plan! Everyone, follow me!"


    He led the group to the area near the traffic light and wall.


    From the traffic light, players could support the ones guarding the wall.


    "Everyone! Spread out! If anyone turns, shoot them off immediately!"


    This time, the zombie hosts spawned right on the traffic light.


    They wiped out the group there almost instantly.


    The wall defenders tried to hold their ground, but with limited ammo, they too were overwhelmed and infected.


    Round 4.


    Zhongli paused in thought.


    "I have one last idea!"


    Upon hearing that, Hu Tao quietly led Huohuo away from him.


    ***


    Everyone ignored Zhongli''s call and still chose to form teams in twos and threes.


    Kiana held her dual-wielded UZIs, scanning her surroundings warily.


    Suddenly, Kiana felt her back bump into someone. She quickly turned around and saw that the person she had bumped into was Hu Tao.


    Hu Tao''s eyes darted mischievously.


    "Kiana, let''s make a deal. If either of us gets turned, we won''t catch the other. Just walk away, okay?"


    Kiana nodded "Alright, if either of us gets turned, we won''t catch the other."


    The three of them briefly formed an alliance and slipped into a small room.


    The countdown quickly ended.


    [This round''s hosts: Hu Tao, Ningguang]


    Hearing the system message, Kiana immediately pointed her gun at Hu Tao.


    "Hu Tao! Keep the promise!"


    Hu Tao patted her chest. "Of course I''ll keep it!"


    But the next second, Hu Tao grabbed Huohuo and infected her.


    Then, Hu Tao stood by the door, blocking the exit.


    Kiana gasped in shock and looked at Huohuo, who was starting to act suspiciously.


    "Huohuo! Don''t come any closer! Didn''t we make a deal?"


    Huohuo apologized sweetly, "Sorry, Kiana~ I didn''t make any deal~"


    Kiana panicked and opened fire on Huohuo, temporarily pushing her back.


    With her dual UZIs, Kiana had high firepower, but each magazine was emptied in just three seconds.


    Seeing Huohuo retreat, Kiana rushed to the door.


    "Hu Tao! Let me out!"


    Hu Tao grinned mischievously and played dumb. "Huh? What did you say? You want me to just stand here? No problem!"


    Kiana was stunned. Just then, Huohuo appeared behind her.


    Kiana let out a desperate scream. "Hu Tao! I''ll never trust you again!"


    [Huo Huo has infected Kiana]


    A similar scene was happening on Ningguang''s side.


    Keqing and Jean, now infected, looked at Ningguang in disbelief.


    Keqing twitched her mouth. "No wonder you''re the Tianquan. This scheming... was totally worth it."


    The three had also made a pact not to infect each other if one turned.


    But right after the agreement, Ningguang was revealed as a host and immediately began infecting.


    In the following rounds, everyone fully demonstrated what "betrayal" meant¡ªverbal agreements only.


    No matter who it was, the first thing they did when meeting someone was to make a deal.


    Some, like Hu Tao, wouldn''t infect you herself¡ªbut would help others catch you.


    In this manner, over a dozen more rounds passed.


    Only 5 rounds remained until the game ended when a system announcement rang out:


    [Thanks to our sponsor "Aha" for funding. For the next 5 rounds, special units will appear each round: "Terminator" and "Ghost Hunter." Terminator: randomly selected each round. Ghost Hunter: Last 3 surviving human mercenaries can transform into one.]


    Upon hearing this, everyone instantly became 100 times more alert.


    Stelle looked around and skillfully jumped onto a traffic light.


    Nearby, March 7th kept jumping beside the pole but couldn''t quite reach the top.


    Stelle aimed her Negev at March 7th.


    "Don''t move, March!"


    March 7th pointed her gun back at Stelle.


    "Let''s just keep this distance. Neither of us can catch the other."


    Stelle agreed.


    As the countdown ended, March 7th was revealed to be the Terminator.


    Stelle stared in shock at March 7th''s appearance.


    Only her head looked the same¡ªthe rest of her body had transformed into a blue-skinned bio-ghost covered with electric patterns, with several claws protruding from her back.


    March 7th hadn''t expected to be the test subject for the new rule right away.


    She glanced at Stelle and rushed forward.


    As a zombie, her jumping ability had increased, and she leapt right up onto the billboard that had previously stumped her.


    Stelle quickly opened fire.


    March 7th took heavy damage and remembered something from her newly acquired abilities.


    "Shield!"


    She shouted, and a semi-transparent shield appeared around her.


    Stelle''s bullets weakened significantly, allowing March 7th to rapidly close the distance.


    Stelle switched to her pistol and tried to run.


    March 7th instinctively reached out¡ªlightning shot from her hand and struck Stelle in the back.


    [Terminator March 7th has infected Stelle]


    Falling to the ground, Stelle looked at her now red zombie body and clawed hands in disbelief.


    "What? You can infect from that far away?"


    March 7th tried it again¡ªanother bolt of lightning fired out.


    She giggled like a child who had found a new favorite toy.


    "So fun! Being a Terminator is awesome!"


    Far away, on top of the central building...


    Kaeya watched March 7th raining lightning from the traffic light and sighed.


    "This Terminator is way too OP. We could barely handle normal ghosts, and now there''s a Terminator? Humanity''s done for."


    Diluc stood at the only electric box that allowed access to the rooftop, guarding it with a shotgun.


    "Don''t forget, we humans have special units too."


    What followed was a relentless wave of March 7th and her little red zombies infecting humans.


    Once March 7th targeted someone, escape was nearly impossible.


    Silver Wolf and Kiana hid behind some crates.


    Silver Wolf whispered, "Let''s just camp here. The Ghost Hunter later is definitely going to be powerful."


    Kiana nodded.


    What they didn''t know was that the Terminator could see every human''s location.


    March 7th stood on the crate above them, grinning.


    "Where do you think you''re hiding? Hehe~"


    Without another word, she zapped them both with lightning.


    [March 7th has infected Silver Wolf and Kiana]


    Silver Wolf was stunned. "March, how did you even find us? This spot was so hidden."


    March 7th explained, "I can see all human locations¡ªeach person has an icon above their head."


    Silver Wolf had no choice but to accept this cruel reality.


    March 7th checked the remaining icons. The last five were all on the central building rooftop.


    "Let''s go! Time to get them!"


    Diluc, Zhongli, Kaeya, Jing Yuan, and Huohuo guarded the rooftop, firing constantly at the approaching zombies.


    Stelle waved her claws. "Give up! You''ll all be caught eventually!"


    Diluc snorted. "Ask my gun first."


    He fired and knocked back a zombie climbing up the electric box.


    Then¡ª


    March 7th arrived on the scene and yelled, "Everyone move! Let me see what''s going on!"


    The smaller zombies cleared the way.


    March 7th activated her shield and charged toward the box.


    Diluc aimed his shotgun, ready to blast her off the moment she climbed up.


    But it didn''t go as planned. March 7th released a bolt of lightning mid-jump, infecting Diluc on the spot.


    [Terminator March 7th has infected Diluc]

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84 - 84Diluc instantly felt a wave of regret¡ªhe had forgotten that March 7th had a long infection range.


    Now that he had become a zombie, he had to follow the rules of the game and charged toward Zhongli and the others.


    Kaeya quickly opened fire on Diluc.


    Although they managed to push Diluc back, March 7th and the others had already caught up.


    Seeing this, Kaeya didn''t hesitate¡ªhe jumped straight off the rooftop, decisively abandoning Zhongli and the others.


    Paimon, who had only scored 12 points throughout the entire game, looked up and saw a gift from the heavens dropping toward her. She reached out and caught it.


    [Paimon infected Kaeya]


    Paimon was moved to tears by the one extra point that finally appeared on her scoreboard.


    "I finally scored!"


    Her previous 12 points had all come from the guaranteed 1-point-per-round minimum.


    After entering the game, she lost her ability to fly and had to waddle around on her tiny legs. She couldn''t even jump onto crates and could only move on flat ground.


    As a result, she was always among the first to get infected in every round.


    On the rooftop, Zhongli heard a prompt in his mind.


    [You can transform into a Ghost Hunter. Transform?]


    Without hesitation, Zhongli chose to transform.


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan did the same.


    A flash of light appeared, and the three of them now held a pair of kukri knives.


    Zhongli charged toward March 7th, slashing at her with a knife.


    March 7th saw her health drop by 700 points in an instant.


    She raised her hand and struck Zhongli with a bolt of lightning.


    Zhongli checked his HP¡ªstill 6000. That meant each hit from March 7th took 1000 HP. A head-on fight wouldn''t end well.


    He quickly dodged her next attack, keeping his distance.


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan rushed toward other regular zombies to create an opportunity for Zhongli to take down the Terminator.


    Zhongli relied on his agility to keep dancing around March 7th.


    She was getting frustrated. "What is he, an eel?! I can''t even land a hit!"


    March 7th checked her health¡ªonly 5000 left. To play it safe, she decided to retreat for now.


    She jumped down from the rooftop. Zhongli didn''t follow.


    There was only one access point to the rooftop, so he wasn''t worried about being surrounded.


    But on the ground, he''d be open to attacks from all directions.


    Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and Huaiyan took turns guarding the entrance.


    It was hard to hold the line without taking damage.


    Seeing this, Stelle shouted to encourage everyone.


    "Keep pushing! They''re about to crack!"


    March 7th, having recovered her HP, rejoined the fight and pushed Jing Yuan to low health.


    Jing Yuan had to retreat, leaving Huaiyan to take the front.


    March 7th activated her shield and traded blows with Huaiyan, keeping an eye on her own health. As soon as it dropped below 3000, she backed off.


    After a round of fierce attacks, both Jing Yuan and Huaiyan were down to 1000 HP.


    Only Zhongli still had 5000 HP left.


    Jing Yuan glanced at March 7th, who had started healing again down below, and shook his head.


    "Mr. Zhongli, it''s all up to you now."


    With that, he and Huaiyan jumped off the roof.


    Instantly, all the zombies turned their attention to the two of them and gave chase.


    A few seconds later, Jing Yuan was cornered in an alley and taken down by Kiana.


    Kiana stared wide-eyed at the +5 points on her screen.


    "These Ghost Hunters are worth a fortune! I just got 5 points in one hit!"


    She looked toward Huaiyan in the distance¡ªdidn''t think she''d reach him in time. So she turned back to go after Zhongli.


    Unexpectedly, she ran into Huaiyan at the staircase.


    A quick swipe, and he was down.


    [Kiana killed Huaiyan. +5 points!]


    Kiana was overjoyed.


    At that moment, Stelle and March 7th caught up.


    They came chasing in, panting.


    "Geez~ Why did Huaiyan run right into me? What a lucky break!" Kiana chuckled.


    Now with 10 extra points, she had jumped to second place, not far behind the top scorer, Silver Wolf.


    On the rooftop, Zhongli was also nearly out of HP. Three regular zombie corpses lay at his feet.


    Kiana jumped up and clawed him down.


    [Kiana killed Ghost Hunter Zhongli]


    Kiana was thrilled¡ªshe''d racked up all these points just by picking off the weak. What a game!


    Round Two.


    As expected, the rooftop was quickly crowded.


    Stelle was the first to arrive, camping the entrance with a Negev LMG. Everyone else was stuck outside the hallway.


    March 7th yelled at Stelle to move.


    "Stelle! Stop blocking the way! Move! You''re gonna transform soon!"


    Stelle grinned.


    "If you don''t transform, how will I become the Hunter? Hehe~"


    March 7th rolled her eyes.


    Soon, the countdown ended.


    Good news: the Terminator wasn''t here.


    Bad news: both virus carriers were.


    Stelle still crouched at the entrance, spraying bullets at the two carriers.


    Thanks to everyone''s effort, the carriers only managed to infect three people before being driven back.


    While attacking, March 7th yelled again.


    "Stelle! Let me up already!"


    Stelle cheekily shook her head.


    "Nope nope. I''m waiting for you guys to get infected."


    As more safe zones fell, waves of zombies began swarming in.


    Stelle comforted March 7th.


    "Don''t worry. Just wait to transform!"


    March 7th looked around.


    "We might not even get the chance. Maybe the other zones haven''t fallen yet."


    Stelle reassured her.


    "Relax, we definitely will. We have the most people here¡ªdefinitely the last to be hit.


    Just think, with the Terminator out there, anyone hiding elsewhere is doomed."


    March 7th nodded¡ªStelle actually made a good point.


    As the zombie attacks intensified, both Stelle and March 7th successfully transformed into Ghost Hunters.


    Stelle brandished her dual kukri knives.


    "Hehe, points! Here I come!"


    She leaped off the rooftop and slashed at Lumine nearby.


    Lumine was furious.


    "Everyone, over here! Stelle''s here!"


    With that shout, everyone who''d been infected earlier because of Stelle''s block came swarming in.


    Surrounded, Stelle looked around, dumbfounded.


    "Uh... is it too late to apologize now?"


    Lumine gave the order.


    "Get her!"


    [Kiana killed Ghost Hunter Stelle]


    Stelle was close to tears. She finally became a Hunter¡ªjust to earn 2 measly points.


    Zhongli shook his head at the tragic sight.


    "Outsmarted by her own cunning."


    Soon, all 17 rounds ended.


    Kiana never transformed into a Hunter, but her insane luck helped her rack up Ghost Hunter kills like crazy.


    She secured first place.


    Silver Wolf came in second, scoring with stealth using her VSS rifle.


    Zhongli took third, transforming into a Hunter the most times and taking out several regular zombies each time with his skills.


    ***


    Award Ceremony


    Kiana stood tall on the first-place podium, the corners of her mouth uncontrollably rising with joy.


    This was her first time standing in this position.


    Back in school, she had always been at the bottom of the class, watching others climb onto this podium time and time again.


    Back then, she used to imagine what it would be like to stand on the first-place podium herself.


    Now, that wish had finally come true.


    Ye Yun held the microphone and announced:


    "Let''s congratulate Kiana for winning first place in this dungeon event! The reward is 3,000 Star Coins!"


    Stelle was the first to clap and cheer, showing support for her new bestie Kiana.


    "Nice! Kiana''s awesome!"


    March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others also cheered for her.


    Kiana happily accepted the 3,000 Star Coins handed to her by Ye Yun.


    She looked down at her cheering friends and raised the prize money high.


    "Dinner''s on me tonight¡ªinstant noodles for everyone!"


    Stelle clapped and cheered again.


    "Yeah! Kiana is awesome! Kiana is the coolest!"


    The award ceremony ended, and everyone was teleported back to Ye Yun''s shop.


    Kiana kept her promise and ran to the little bar to buy a whopping 500-Star Coin''s worth of super deluxe, ultra-tasty instant noodles.


    Paimon and Yunli were thrilled at the thought of free food.


    The two of them rushed to the bar, pulling out their food bowls and started washing them eagerly.


    Xiangling glanced at the growing pile of instant noodles on the counter.


    "Hu Tao, come help me lift the pot."


    Hu Tao, who was just about to head out and have fun, turned back around.


    "Got it~"


    Hu Tao and Xiangling carried a large pot over to the stove.


    Ye Yun sat on the sofa, sipping tea leisurely.


    "Finally, a day I can rest."


    Jing Yuan smiled slightly from across the room.


    "Indeed. You''re usually the one cooking in the kitchen.By the way, aren''t you all heading to your next destination tomorrow?"


    Himeko chimed in from the side.


    "Yes, we''ve been invited by the family to attend the Harmony Ceremony."


    Jing Yuan responded with interest.


    "Oh? The Harmony Ceremony? The family also invited the Luofu, but unfortunately, we''ve just been through a major battle and need time to recover. We couldn''t make it."


    Ye Yun grinned.


    "You''ll regret not going."


    Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? And why is that?"


    Ye Yun smirked.


    "I don''t know about anything else, but there''s a lot of Stellar Jade and Pinocony goodies waiting there."


    Jing Yuan froze mid-sip. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you serious?"


    Ye Yun replied calmly.


    "Would I lie about something like this?"


    After a moment of thought, Jing Yuan suddenly stood up.


    "Everyone, I have matters to attend to. Please excuse me."


    Jing Yuan hurriedly left the train and returned to the Divine Strategy Mansion via Starskiff.


    Just then, Kiana walked out from the bar with a glass of juice and saw Jing Yuan leaving.


    "Huh? Why''s General Jing Yuan leaving? I thought I invited everyone for instant noodles?"


    Ye Yun chuckled and said,


    "He''s got urgent business. Let''s enjoy our noodles."


    Himeko agreed,


    "General Jing Yuan has a lot on his plate, managing the entire Luofu."


    Kiana looked a little disappointed. These noodles were just too good to miss out on.


    Soon, Stelle and Eula carried the huge pot of noodles to the table.


    Kiana''s eyes sparkled when she saw the noodles and rushed to the table.


    She picked up her chopsticks and bowl, looked around, and noticed everyone watching her.


    "Why are you all looking at me? Let''s eat~"


    At her words, everyone started grabbing noodles.


    Kiana served herself a big bowl, sat down happily, and began eating.


    She ate with gusto, chatting and joking with Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others while eating.


    After the meal¡ª


    Kiana patted her stomach, about to wipe the oil off her mouth with her hand, when she noticed Himeko watching her.


    She laughed sheepishly and grabbed a napkin instead.


    Xiangling walked over with a large food container.


    "Kiana, this is the one you asked me to pack earlier. Here you go."


    Kiana took the box gratefully.


    "Thanks, Xiangling."


    She planned to take this back to Mei.


    This noodle was just too good¡ªMei had to try it.


    "See you all tomorrow~"


    Kiana stepped into the portal and returned to St. Freya Academy.


    The portal''s position was awkward¡ªit exited right in her wardrobe.


    Kiana stepped out of the closet and immediately saw Mei sitting in her room.


    "Mei, I''m back~"


    Mei looked over, worry written all over her face.


    "Kiana! Where have you been all day? Everyone''s been looking for you!"


    Kiana scratched her head.


    "Huh? Where I went? Well, let me explain..."


    She excitedly recounted her whole day to Mei¡ªmeeting new friends, the ultra-deluxe instant noodles, the dungeon game, and how she got first place. The more she talked, the happier she looked.


    Today had been amazing¡ªgreat fun, great food, and even rewards.


    After listening, Mei finally understood.


    So Kiana had traveled to another world, met lots of new people there, and discovered a magical shop selling things from across the multiverse.


    Mei lowered her head in thought. Kiana had said so much¡ªshe needed time to process it all.


    Kiana looked at the box in her hand and grinned.


    "Mei~ Mei~ Let''s go eat some noodles! I brought this back for you¡ªit''s super delicious!"


    Mei was pulled back to reality by Kiana''s voice. She looked at the food box in Kiana''s hand.


    "Alright, let''s go to the living room."


    Kiana smiled and agreed.


    Then, the two of them sat in the living room and opened the boxes.


    A rich, fragrant aroma filled the room instantly.


    Kiana rushed into the kitchen and brought out two sets of bowls and chopsticks.


    "Mei! Try it, this was cooked by Xiangling¡ªshe''s an amazing cook~"


    Mei nodded and picked up a bite of noodles.


    Just then¡ª


    "Kiana! Did you find her?" Theresa and Himeko rushed through the door, clearly worried.


    Kiana looked up in surprise.


    "Aunt Theresa! Auntie Himeko! You''re just in time¡ªtry this ultra-deluxe super tasty instant noodle I brought back!"


    At the moment, both Theresa and Himeko were too focused on Kiana''s safety to notice how she had just addressed them.


    Theresa asked,


    "Kiana, where were you today? We''ve been searching for you all day!"


    Only then did Kiana realize she had completely forgotten to let everyone know she was safe.


    She scratched her head awkwardly.


    "Well, today I..."

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85 - 85A Few Minutes Later


    Theresa and Himeko also sat down at the table, tasting the instant noodles Kiana had brought back from another world.


    To be honest, Theresa thought the noodles were actually quite tasty.


    After swallowing a mouthful, Theresa asked:


    "Kiana, what exactly are these Star Coins you mentioned?"


    Hearing this, Kiana pulled out her stash of over 2,500 Star Coins.


    "These are Star Coins, Auntie."


    Theresa frowned and said flatly:


    "Kiana! Call me Headmistress! Not Auntie!"


    Kiana gave a salute.


    "Got it, Auntie! Understood, Auntie!"


    Theresa''s irritation shot through the roof.


    "Kiana, you dummy!"


    Kiana waved a finger at her playfully.


    "I''m no dummy! I took first place today and stood on the podium!"


    Theresa let out a sigh. Forget it¡ªnot worth arguing.


    "That portal you used¡ªcan we use it too?"


    Kiana thought hard, then shrugged.


    "No clue~"


    Theresa rolled her eyes, then walked over to the portal and opened it. Inside, it was pitch black¡ªnothing like Kiana had described.


    Kiana walked over.


    "Let me give it a try."


    Theresa stepped aside and closed the door. Kiana reopened it.


    This time, the view through the portal wasn''t dark. It showed an elegantly decorated room.


    But it seemed empty¡ªprobably everyone had gone to bed by now.


    Theresa reached out to touch it, but her hand couldn''t pass through¡ªan invisible "wall" stopped her.


    Kiana tried it, and she passed through effortlessly.


    Theresa observed this.


    "Looks like only Kiana can use this portal.


    Kiana, tomorrow ask if there''s a way to let us through too."


    Kiana gave her a thumbs-up.


    "Sure thing. I''ll ask tomorrow. Now come on, Auntie¡ªeat the noodles while they''re still hot~"


    Inside the Court of Fontaine


    Furina and Clorinde had just returned to the city with the Lancelot Knights.


    As they strutted confidently down the streets of Fontaine, the residents took notice.


    "Isn''t that Lady Furina? Who are those knights around her? They look impressive."


    "I don''t know either. This is my first time seeing them."


    "Must be Lady Furina''s personal guards. Don''t you see how they''re keeping her surrounded on all sides?"


    "Yeah, that sounds about right."


    Furina led the Lancelot Knights proudly into the Palais Mermonia.


    Neuvillette had been waiting at the palace gates for some time, having already heard the news of their return.


    Seeing her arrive, he greeted:


    "Welcome back."


    Furina spotted Neuvillette, waved, and signaled a Lancelot Knight who brought over a large bag.


    She rummaged through it and pulled out a bottled water for Neuvillette.


    "Here, Neuvillette¡ªthis is a gift I brought for you. Try it."


    Neuvillette accepted the water and stored it carefully.


    "Thank you."


    He looked toward the knights beside Furina.


    "Lady Furina, who are these people?"


    Furina smiled and introduced:


    "These are my loyal knights. From now on, they''re responsible for my protection."


    Neuvillette frowned slightly.


    "Lady Furina, I think Clorinde would be a more reliable guardian. You know her well¡ªthese people..."


    Furina interrupted:


    "Oh, relax~ My knights are absolutely loyal to me. Don''t worry.


    Anyway~ I''m heading off to rest. Long journey¡ªI need some proper sleep."


    With that, she led the knights into the palace.


    Four of the Lancelot Knights stood tall, swords at their chests and shields at their sides, exuding a powerful aura.


    Neuvillette glanced at them, then turned and entered the palace himself.


    In Neuvillette''s Office


    He summoned his secretary.


    A cheerful Melusine hopped into the office.


    "Lord Neuvillette, how can I help you?"


    Her bright demeanor instantly eased Neuvillette''s mood.


    "Call Clorinde over for me."


    The Melusine nodded happily and rushed off¡ªshe loved being helpful.


    Neuvillette planned to ask Clorinde about the origins of these mysterious knights.


    Shortly After


    Clorinde entered the office.


    "You wanted to see me?"


    Neuvillette got straight to the point.


    "Who are those knights?"


    Clorinde asked:


    "You''re worried they might be a threat to Lady Furina?"


    Neuvillette nodded slightly.


    "Yes. Their background is a mystery, and their strength is considerable.


    If they had ill intentions, it would be all too easy to cause harm in Fontaine."


    Clorinde replied:


    "You don''t need to worry. They are called the Lancelot Knights. Their loyalty to Lady Furina is absolute."


    Neuvillette looked puzzled.


    "How can you be so sure?"


    Clorinde was about to explain but then remembered Furina''s instructions.


    This whole trip had been ordered by Lady Calestia¡ªupon returning, she was not to disclose any details.


    Better to stay silent than risk revealing anything that could cause trouble for Lady Calestia.


    Even something as small as exposing Ye Yun''s involvement could lead others to target him.


    Greed was a trait most people shared.


    If Ye Yun were harmed, Calestia might retaliate¡ªand the wrath of an Heavenly Principles was more than Fontaine could bear.


    "I''m sure of it. Don''t worry¡ªthese knights won''t threaten Fontaine. That''s all I''ll say. I''ll be going now."


    Clorinde left the office.


    This conversation only deepened Neuvillette''s curiosity about the Lancelot Knights.


    Looking out the window, he saw them patrolling the grounds around the palace in pairs.


    "Just where did these people come from?"


    Meanwhile, with Furina


    After washing up, she lay in her private garden behind her room.


    She picked up a floral pastry and took a big bite.


    "Mmm~ So good. I''ll have someone buy more from Qingce Village once I''m done."


    Two Lancelot Knights stood silently behind her.


    One of them glanced toward a shadowy area in the distance.


    Sensing something off, the knight gave a signal to the other and headed into the shadows to investigate.


    Furina remained blissfully unaware, happily munching on her pastry.


    ***


    A few minutes later, Knight Lancelot silently returned to stand guard behind Furina.


    After eating some flower cakes and resting on the lounge chair for a while, Furina got up and went back inside to rest.


    In the shadows where Knight Lancelot had just gone, two Fatui corpses lay in pools of blood.


    The next day arrived.


    Kiana got up early, bouncing off the bed full of energy.


    "No classes again today, yay~" Kiana was going to the train today to ask about how to bring Theresa and the others over.


    So, Theresa specially excused her from class today, which made Kiana absolutely thrilled.


    After getting dressed, Kiana came to the living room. Mei had already prepared breakfast and was waiting to eat with Kiana.


    Smelling the delicious aroma in the air, Kiana dashed to the dining table and sniffed all the food.


    "Mm~ Mei, it''s so great having you~"


    Mei smiled gently and said, "Come eat. You still have things to do after breakfast."


    Kiana happily sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and started digging in. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wonder what today''s dungeon will be?" Kiana said excitedly, fantasizing about the day''s challenge.


    Yesterday, Stelle told her that the dungeon changes daily¡ªsome have fewer rewards, others more.


    If the rewards were too small or the challenge didn''t look fun, everyone would usually just go do their own thing.


    Mei said, "What you talked about yesterday sounded fun. I''d like to try them."


    Kiana was delighted to hear that Mei wanted to join.


    "Let me tell you, Mei, the dungeon is super fun! Lots of people join in, it''s a blast. If you can come, we''ll go together!"


    Mei smiled and said, "Alright, but eat first."


    Kiana nodded and gobbled up her breakfast.


    "Mei''s food is the best~"


    After finishing the meal, Kiana checked herself in the mirror and saw a grain of rice at the corner of her mouth.


    She stuck out her tongue to lick it off, tidied her clothes, and called out,


    "Mei, I''m heading out~"


    With that, Kiana dashed into a portal.


    Arriving on the train, Kiana looked around and found Stelle and the others in the middle of a meeting.


    Kiana waved her hand.


    "Morning, everyone!"


    Stelle turned and saw it was Kiana.


    "Kiana, good morning. You''re here early?"


    Kiana grinned.


    "I''m looking for Ye Yun. Where is he?"


    Stelle pointed to the reception room nearby.


    "Ye Yun and Zhongli are playing chess."


    Kiana nodded, curious.


    "What are you all doing standing around?"


    March 7th said, "We''re in a meeting. The train is about to depart for our next stop."


    As soon as Kiana heard the word "meeting," she instinctively wanted to slip away.


    "Oh~ then you keep doing that. I''m going to find Ye Yun."


    She darted into the reception room to ask Ye Yun how to bring Mei and the others over.


    Meanwhile, the train crew had finished their meeting. Everyone found a spot in Ye Yun''s shop to sit, and then asked Pom-Pom to initiate the jump.


    Soon, Pom-Pom''s voice came through the train''s broadcast:


    "All set! The train is about to jump¡ªplease find a seat to avoid falling!"


    March 7th, always a bit rebellious, stood defiantly in an open area, body tense.


    "This time I will succeed!"


    Kiana, just out of the reception room, saw this.


    "March, what are you doing?"


    March 7th explained, "It''s hard to stay standing during the train''s jump¡ªI''m challenging myself to stay upright!"


    Kiana was instantly intrigued.


    "Me too! I wanna try!"


    Kiana mimicked March 7th''s stance beside her, fists clenched, muscles tight.


    The broadcast rang out again.


    "The train is about to jump!


    3


    2


    1!"


    Kiana saw the train begin accelerating wildly, and she nearly lost her balance, which only made her more excited.


    So fun! So fun! She had to succeed!


    As the train hit critical speed, a bright light enveloped it. Kiana''s body gave out and she fell to the ground.


    Once her vision returned, the train had completed its jump and was beginning to slow down.


    Kiana rubbed her sore backside¡ªshe had landed hard with zero warning.


    "Ow! My butt hurts!"


    March 7th hadn''t fared much better¡ªshe had landed on her knees.


    "Oww~ my knees! Ugh, failed again!"


    Himeko chuckled.


    "Alright, alright, get up and rest on the couch. We''re about to arrive."


    March 7th and Kiana helped each other up and looked out the window.


    Kiana was instantly amazed.


    "Wow~ it''s different outside!"


    March 7 said, "Of course it is! We''re in a different place now."


    Kiana replied, "Oh, right! But the train''s so fast¡ªit felt like no time at all before we got here!"


    March 7th puffed up proudly.


    "Well of course! Our Astral Express is amazing!"


    Just then, Ye Yun and Zhongli exited the reception room.


    Zhongli walked into a portal leading to Liyue Harbor.


    Before long, Zhongli returned with a large group to the train.


    Among them was Xiangling.


    After hearing about the large amounts of Stellar Jade in Penacony, Zhongli had already gathered a team the night before.


    Xianyun, Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, Xiao, Grandma Ping, Xiangling, Hu Tao, Yelan, Keqing, Ningguang, Ganyu, and Shenhe.


    Zhongli intended to personally lead the team to search for Stellar Jade in Penacony.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Zhongli, have you considered one thing¡ªyou all might not be able to enter Penacony."


    Zhongli was puzzled.


    "What do you mean?"


    Yeyun replied, "This is currently the time of the Family Harmony Festival. The checks on travelers are extremely strict. You guys don''t even have legal identities in this world¡ªhow do you plan to get in?"


    Zhongli was stunned.


    Now what?


    At that moment, Topaz, coming from the bar with fresh juice, spoke up.


    "I do have a way to get you in, but... our company is hostile to the Family. If you go in using our identities, you''ll definitely be heavily monitored."


    At this, Silver Wolf, lounging on the couch playing games, suddenly chimed in.


    "That''s when you need to rely on the great Silver Wolf!"


    With a snap of her fingers, a virtual keyboard appeared in front of her.


    Using Ether Editing, Silver Wolf whipped up an ad board:


    [Identity Services ¨C 100 credits per person ¨C Guaranteed, After-sales Support Included! Fake (crossed out) REAL IDs ¨C Trust the great Silver Wolf!]


    Ye Yun looked over at Silver Wolf.


    "Silver Wolf should be able to help. She''s a hacker."

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86 - 86Silver Wolf pulled over a small table.


    "Come, come, line up here if you want to get your ID! 100 star coins, no scams, no losses, just pure profit!"


    Seeing this, Kiana directly pulled out 100 star coins and slapped them on Silver Wolf''s little table.


    "One for me! I wanna go play!"


    Silver Wolf happily pocketed the 100 star coins.


    "Alrighty, just a sec. Look over here at the camera¡ªclick!"


    A minute later, Silver Wolf finished processing Kiana''s ID.


    "Next!"


    Zhongli, seeing this, had the group from Liyue line up to get their IDs.


    Not long after, Venti arrived with the Mondstadt group. Upon hearing they needed IDs too, they joined the line.


    Silver Wolf was overjoyed. Today''s a good day¡ªbeautiful star coins are flowing my way~


    Himeko called over Stelle and March 7th.


    "Let''s go, we''ll check in first."


    Stelle and March 7th followed Himeko off the train.


    As they rode the "bus" toward the hotel lobby, Stelle suddenly felt drowsy.


    In Stelle''s dream¡ª


    She looked around and found herself in a room.


    At the center of the room was a large seashell, with a spring of water inside it.


    Then¡ª


    A voice came.


    "Another one, come with me."


    Stelle looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared.


    "Who are you?"


    The woman replied calmly:


    "You may call me Acheron, a wandering sea ranger. This is the rift between dreams and reality. Come, I''ll lead you out of here."


    Not fully understanding the situation, Stelle decided to follow for now.


    Through the corridor, Stelle followed Acheron to a large hall.


    Inside, many unfamiliar people were talking.


    Stelle looked around¡ªand her eyes lit up. A treasure chest!


    Acheron explained as they walked:


    "These people are projections of the dream. No need to pay attention to them."


    Then she glanced behind her¡ªsuddenly stopping.


    Where did she go?


    Acheron looked around and found Stelle on top of a pillar, opening the floating treasure chest on the ceiling.


    Stelle happily tucked 5 Stellar jades into her storage ring.


    Sliding down the pillar with a smooth landing, Stelle clapped her hands and rejoined Acheron.


    "Let''s keep going."


    Acheron was confused. Why''s she opening treasure chests? Whatever, let''s just get her out first.


    But after a few steps, she noticed Stelle running off again.


    Stelle had found another treasure chest and joyfully ran over to open it.


    Acheron was getting a little annoyed.


    "Stop wasting time on meaningless things."


    Stelle nodded quickly.


    "Okay, okay! Let''s go!"


    But just a few more steps later¡ªStelle spotted a blue treasure chest! Without hesitation, she darted off again. After defeating the monster guarding it, she was just about to open it¡ª


    Acheron had enough. Alright, I''m sending you back right now.


    "Tide''s rise¡ªguide you home!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle exploded instantly.


    She didn''t even care about the blood bursting out of her body¡ªshe was gripping the 30 star jades from the chest tightly.


    She collapsed to the ground, barely managing to store the 30 star jades into her ring before fading away.


    On the Train¡ª


    Stelle woke up with a jolt, breathing heavily.


    "Huff... huff..."


    March 7th looked over, curious.


    "Stelle, what''s wrong?"


    Stelle wiped the cold sweat off her forehead.


    "I got slashed in a dream."


    March 7th was shocked.


    "So scary?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "It''s not the slash that''s scary¡ªit''s that I nearly didn''t get to store the star jades."


    March 7th replied,


    "Pfft¡ªyou couldn''t use them anyway. It was just a dream. Doesn''t count in real life."


    Stelle opened her storage ring¡ªand to her surprise, there were 40 more Stellar Jades inside.


    "March! Look, I really have 40 more Stellar Jades!"


    March 7th stared in disbelief.


    "What?! Seriously? What kind of dream was that?!"


    Himeko thought for a moment and explained:


    "Stelle probably entered a ''sweet dream'' constructed by the family. Anything acquired there can be brought back into reality."


    March 7th was amazed.


    "That''s a thing? That''s amazing!"


    Stelle held her 40 Stellar Jades with joy. Totally worth that hit!


    At that moment, Stelle''s phone rang.


    "Stelle, where are you? I wanna come find you and play~" came Kiana''s voice.


    Stelle was surprised.


    "Kiana? Weren''t you going back to bring your friends?"


    Kiana replied:


    "Yeah~ Aunt Theresa and Mei said they''ll come tomorrow. They''re collecting some special ores and stuff to bring over."


    After getting her ID done, Kiana returned to St. Freya Academy and placed the portal to Ye Yun''s shop in her living room.


    She had also informed Theresa and the others that they could now access the shop.


    Theresa planned to bring Bronya, Himeko, and Mei to collect special ores to trade for star coins.


    After all, Kiana said there were things called "Primogems" and "Star Jades" that could be exchanged for star coins.


    Originally, Kiana wanted to help¡ªbut only made things worse.


    She messed up the carefully sorted ores Theresa had organized.


    So Theresa shooed Kiana away to go find Stelle.


    And that''s why Kiana called.


    Stelle replied:


    "Wait at the train. I''ll come get you."


    She hung up and turned to the others.


    "Himeko, March¡ªI''m going back to pick up Kiana. I''m worried she''ll get lost."


    March 7th said,


    "I''ll come with you."


    Himeko nodded.


    "Alright, I''ll go ahead and check you two in. Hurry back."


    Stelle and March agreed, got off at the next stop, and took a return bus back to the train station.


    Over an hour later¡ª


    Stelle and March 7th returned with Kiana to the hotel lobby.


    Along the way, they had been inspected countless times.


    Kiana feared her fake ID would get exposed.


    Thankfully, Silver Wolf''s skills were top-notch. The family didn''t suspect a thing.


    At the lobby, they saw Himeko and Welt negotiating with the staff.


    They walked over.


    Stelle asked,


    "Himeko, what''s going on?"


    Himeko replied,


    "We originally used Dan Heng''s info and forgot to update it to yours. Now we''re discussing your room assignment."


    Stelle understood.


    "So what now?"


    The staff member said,


    "Unfortunately, we need to verify the actual person checking in."


    Just then, a man wearing flashy clothes, red sunglasses, and a string of coded beads around his neck walked out.


    "Don''t make it hard for the young lady. They''re just doing their job."


    ***


    Himeko looked at the newcomer.


    "Who might you be, my friend?"


    The man, upon hearing this, introduced himself.


    "I''m Aventurine, from the Strategic Investment Department of the company. Of course, I''m also a customer who had to wait for quite a few minutes behind you all."


    Stelle responded.


    "You''re also from the Strategic Investment Department? Do you know Jade and Topaz?"


    Aventurine smiled.


    "Of course I know them, they are my valuable colleagues."


    Stelle rubbed her hands together.


    "Hehe, I''m friends with them, so that makes us friends, right?"


    Aventurine raised an eyebrow.


    "Friends? I like that word."


    Stelle then said.


    "Since we''re friends, how about doing me a favor?"


    Upon hearing this, Aventurine immediately understood what Stelle meant.


    "Friend, you must not know that the company and the family are sworn enemies, right?"


    Stelle was taken aback.


    "Ah? Is that so? Well, in that case, I won''t trouble you any further, we''ll figure something out ourselves."


    Before Stelle could leave, Aventurine suddenly said.


    "However, it''s not impossible."


    Stelle turned around immediately, winking at Aventurine.


    "Friend, no wonder you''re the director, your methods are unmatched!"


    Aventurine smiled and replied, "Well, since we''re in the same camp with the train crew, and Topaz is stationed here, I suppose it''s fine to help you with this."


    "Alright, I''ll help you out this time, thanks to Topaz and Jade."


    After speaking, Aventurine looked at the staff member standing nearby.


    "Miss, you heard our conversation just now, please help them with the check-in. I have an appointment with Mr. Sunday from the family, don''t worry, there will be no issues, these guests are aboveboard."


    The staff member, however, still refused, sticking to her duties.


    At this moment, a pair of siblings walked over.


    "Ai Li, Penacony is the land of dreams, how can we let the guests carry any troubles into their dreams? Let me handle this, you go take care of something else."


    Aventurine looked at the newcomers.


    "Ah, speak of the devil, isn''t that Mr. Sunday, the most handsome man in Penacony, and the world-famous singer Robin?"


    Robin giggled, covering her mouth.


    "Brother, he just said you are the most handsome man in Penacony."


    Sunday smiled and said,


    "Robin, you take these guests to the side and let me discuss some matters with this gentleman."


    Robin nodded, then led Himeko, Stelle, and the others to a nearby booth.


    March 7th looked at Robin with great excitement.


    "You''re Ms. Robin, right? I really love your songs, especially the one that saves a heart from sorrow."


    Robin chuckled a few times, her smile sweet as ever.


    "I didn''t expect Ms. March 7th to be my fan."


    March 7th excitedly said.


    "Can we take a photo together?"


    Robin smiled and readily agreed.


    March 7th was so thrilled.


    "Yay! Stelle! Quick, come take the photo for me!"


    She turned around to call Stelle, but when she looked, Stelle was nowhere to be seen, and even Kiana was missing.


    March 7th was confused.


    "Eh? Where did Stelle go? She was just here!"


    Himeko smiled and pointed at the back of the sofa.


    "She''s over there."


    March 7th crawled over the sofa and saw Stelle and Kiana crouching near a treasure chest, looking sneaky.


    Stellewas holding a few star fragments, talking to Kiana, who was listening intently and occasionally showing an expression of surprise.


    Himeko thought March 7th would say something to Stelle, but instead...


    March 7th directly flipped over the sofa.


    "Stelle! Share the loot!"


    This sudden action stunned Himeko, who didn''t expect March 7th to turn out to be so greedy for treasure.


    Himeko gave an awkward smile and looked at Robin.


    "Sorry, you must have found that funny."


    Robin smiled and shook her head.


    "No, no, I think Ms. March 7th, Ms. Stelle, and Ms. Kiana all have so much energy."


    Stelle handed a star fragment to March 7th and looked around.


    "Look! There''s another treasure chest over there!"


    The three of them rushed excitedly toward the newly discovered treasure chest.


    Soon, Sunday came over.


    "My friends from the train crew, the arrangements for entering the dream have been made. I hope you all enjoy yourselves."


    Saying this, Sunday turned to Robin.


    "Robin, we should head back now."


    Robin smiled and wished them well.


    "Have fun, and goodbye."


    After Sunday and Robin left, Welt came over and grabbed Stelle, March 7th, and Kiana, leading them back.


    This time, there were no more issues, and the five of them successfully completed their check-in.


    Since Kiana joined last, she was assigned to share a room with Stelle.


    Himeko finished the check-in process.


    "Let''s go, we''ll drop off our luggage in the room first."


    Stelle, March 7th, and Kiana happily ran ahead.


    Himeko and Welt followed at a leisurely pace.


    On their way to the VIP lounge, Stelle, March 7th, and Kiana were constantly on the lookout for treasure chests.


    Sure enough, they found several normal chests, and each of them got 20 star fragments.


    When Stelle and Kiana arrived at their room, they were surprised to find Aventurine there.


    Stelle was a bit surprised.


    "Hey, friend, what are you doing here so soon?"


    Kiana also imitated Stelle, hands on her hips.


    "Hey, friend, what are you doing here so soon?"


    Aventurine turned around and smiled.


    "Yeah, here we are again, my two friends."


    Stelle, puzzled, asked.


    "What are you doing in my room?"


    Aventurine explained.


    "This room used to belong to me half a system time ago."


    Only then did Stelle realize that this was Aventurine''s room.


    "You mean, this room was given to me?"


    Aventurine nodded, not denying it.


    "Yep, or do you think the family would be kind enough to give you another VIP room?"


    Kiana, hearing this, felt that Aventurine had quite a strong resentment toward the family.


    "Do you have a grudge against this family?"


    Aventurine shook his head.


    "From my personal perspective, not really, but the faction I''m in is sworn enemies with the family."


    After speaking, Aventurine looked at Stelle.


    "Friend, I''ve helped you, so you should help me with something in return."


    Stelle replied.


    "Tell me, what''s the favor?"


    Aventurine said.


    "I want to investigate something the family is supporting, and I want to share the information with you."


    Stelle was confused.


    "Why come to me? Go ask Himeko.


    And by the way, since you gave me a room, here''s a little reminder, you''ve kind of forgotten the main issue."


    Aventurine was puzzled.


    "I''ve forgotten the main issue?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yep, you should know the purpose of the star fragments, right?"


    Aventurine nodded.


    "Yeah, I know, so what?"


    Stelle grinned and pulled out 10 Stellar Jade.


    "Didn''t you notice? There are so many treasure chests in Penacony. You''re thinking of dealing with the family, but you''d be better off spending more time opening these chests.


    As Ye Yun once said, as long as you''re strong enough, any schemes and tricks won''t work!"


    Aventurine gasped, realizing that Stelle was right.


    That''s right! Such a great opportunity to gather Stellar Jade, he couldn''t waste it.


    As for the task? No rush, no rush. Completing the task would only bring benefits to the company, and maybe a little credit for the Strategic Investment Department.


    But Stellar Jade were completely his own.


    Most of the treasure chests across the universe, for some unknown reason, had suddenly disappeared.


    If he remembered correctly, there was a treasure chest in his new room.


    Seeing Aventurine''s reaction, Stelle spoke again.


    "Got it now? Once you do, go after the treasure chests. Good luck, friend."

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87 - 87Aventurine walked out of Xing''s room and back to his own room.


    As soon as he returned, he saw Dr. Ratio, a truth-seeking physician, waiting in his room.


    Ratio was about to speak, but Aventurine suddenly raised his hand to stop him.


    "Wait a moment, Professor."


    Ratio, hearing this, held back the words he was about to say.


    Aventurine walked directly to the room, found a regular treasure chest in the corner, and opened it.


    Ratio frowned slightly, feeling displeased.


    "You interrupted me just to open this useless treasure chest?"


    Aventurine took out the Stellar Jade from the chest and held it in his hand.


    "The chest may not be useful, but this little Stellar Jade is incredibly valuable."


    Ratio, upon hearing this, remembered something he had accidentally discovered earlier.


    He found that the Strategic Investment Department had been secretly gathering star fragments without the knowledge of the company.


    "Tell me, why is your department secretly collecting star fragments?"


    Aventurine put the Stellar Jade in his pocket and smiled, pretending to be clueless.


    "Is there? I don''t think so."


    Ratio was quite dissatisfied with Aventurine''s attitude.


    "Didn''t anyone teach you? Cooperation is based on trust."


    Aventurine continued to play dumb, though he trusted Ratio.


    However, they were in Penacony, and Aventurine couldn''t be certain that this place wasn''t under surveillance by the family.


    "Professor, I''ve been honest with you."


    As he spoke, Aventurine''s eyes shifted to the fruit plate on the side.


    Ratio, catching this with the corner of his eye, noticed a hidden camera in the fruit plate.


    Aventurine, seeing that Ratio had noticed, continued.


    "Professor, if you don''t believe me, you can ask Jade. You should trust her words, right?"


    Ratio, hearing this, understood the implied meaning.


    It was clear that Aventurine was suggesting he go ask Jade about the matter.


    Ratio closed his eyes and then opened them again.


    "I''ll go, you continue what you''re doing. I''ll be busy with mine. Goodbye¡ªno, never again."


    With that, Ratio left Aventurine''s room.


    Aventurine watched him leave and then walked over to the fruit plate, picked an apple, and began eating.


    Once he finished, he planned to go out and search for more Stellar Jade.


    The value of Stellar Jade far surpassed that of Penacony.


    Among the Ten Stone Hearts, there was a silent agreement that Stellar Jade were above everything else.


    Meanwhile, Stelle and Kiana were about to enter the Dream Pool when someone suddenly appeared at the door.


    Stelle immediately recognized the person.


    "It''s you! You''re the one who slashed me in the dream!"


    Kiana was also surprised.


    "Mei? What are you doing here?"


    The newcomer was Acheron, who had gotten lost and, upon seeing Stelle''s door open, decided to ask for directions.


    Acheron was surprised.


    "You know me? Mei? Yes, I''m called Mei, but I don''t know you."


    Kiana examined Acheron closely.


    "I see... Hmm, you''re not my Mei. You just look a bit like her."


    Stelle thought for a moment and said.


    "Maybe it''s similar to Himeko''s case. Didn''t Uncle Yang mention something about a counterpart?"


    Kiana nodded.


    "Professor Welt did say something like that."


    Stelle crossed her arms and looked at Acheron.


    "You really don''t remember me? You slashed me in the dream and forgot? You even mentioned going back to the waking world."


    Acheron, hearing this, lowered her head and thought for a moment.


    "Sorry... I don''t remember what happened before."


    Stelle raised an eyebrow.


    "Hah? You don''t remember?"


    Acheron nodded.


    "I often forget things."


    Stelle, hearing this, sized up Acheron and nodded.


    "I see... By the way, what are you doing in my room?"


    Acheron replied.


    "I wanted to ask how to get to the lobby."


    Stelle then gave Acheron directions, and Acheron thanked her repeatedly before leaving the room.


    Once the door was closed, Stelle turned to Kiana.


    "Finally, we can enter the Dream World. Let''s go, Kiana! Let''s open some treasure chests!"


    Kiana''s eyes lit up at the mention of treasure chests.


    "Alright! Kiana, let''s go!"


    At the train station.


    Zhongli led the people from Liyue off the train, and the station was bustling with activity.


    Hu Tao stood on tiptoe, using her hands to shield her eyes as she looked around.


    "Wow, this place is huge! So many rooms!"


    Ningguang glanced around the large hotel, and even as Liyue''s wealthiest person, she was astonished.


    "To build such a large hotel, the amount of resources required is unimaginable."


    Huohuo, though born on the Immortal Boat, had never been to a place outside of it. The architectural style of Penacony was vastly different, and she found it quite fascinating.


    Zhongli looked at his group. Most of Liyue''s elites were already here.


    "Remember, we must not miss any treasure chest in sight."


    Xiao nodded.


    "Understood, Excellency."


    Zhongli looked at the group, including the curious Xianyun who was observing the vehicles on the main road.


    After a moment''s thought, Zhongli called over Ganyu and Shenhe.


    "Ganyu, Shenhe, you two stay with your Master and make sure she doesn''t start dismantling anything."


    Ganyu understood and nodded, and Shenhe followed suit.


    Zhongli gave the order.


    "Search this area first and find all the treasure chests."


    Hu Tao, hearing this, took Huohuo and ran out.


    Hu Tao and Huohuo ran quickly and soon spotted a regular treasure chest in an open area.


    Hu Tao first observed it carefully. When she saw the red glow around the chest, she immediately drew her weapon.


    Treasure chests with red light were likely guarded by monsters.


    Hu Tao drew out her Staff of Homa.


    "Huohuo, get ready for battle!"


    Huohuo pulled out a small flag, cheering herself on.


    "Okay, Hu Tao! I''ll do my best!"


    Nearby, the tail of the floating elder, observing Huohuo joining the fight, smiled in satisfaction.


    "This little girl has finally grown up. I no longer need to worry about her."


    Hu Tao charged toward the chest. Just as she was about to reach it, two TV-like monsters appeared.


    Hu Tao made a hand gesture, and her Staff of Homa swung out, engulfing the two TV monsters in flames.


    By the time Huohuo arrived, the battle was already over.


    This scene repeated throughout the platform.


    Zhongli, with the people of Liyue, and Venti with the people of Mondstadt, along with Silver Wolf, Kafka, and Blade, were all searching for treasure chests after getting off the train.


    Ye Yun, having finished his training, also brought his six companions off the train to explore.


    Now, after some time training, Ye Yun had reached the level of a mid-tier Emanator, and he could easily protect himself.


    The search for treasure chests was soon reported back to Sunday.


    Sunday sat in a dimly lit office, resting his chin in his hand, thoughtfully looking at the tote bag in front of him.


    This bag had been confiscated from Aventurine, and inside, Sunday found some very interesting items.


    Topaz and Aventurine stones!


    Sunday looked at the servant.


    "This matter doesn''t need attention. Let them search for treasure chests, as long as it doesn''t interfere with the plan."


    The servant bowed and withdrew.


    A short while later, the servant returned.


    "My lord, we''ve detected the signal of the Luofu Immortal Boat in a nearby star domain. They seem to be here for the Harmony Festival."


    Sunday frowned upon hearing this. He hadn''t expected the Luofu Immortal Boat, which had just been involved in a major battle, to come for the Harmony Festival.


    ***


    On the Luofu Immortal Ship.


    Generals Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and Huaiyan were organizing a meeting with Fu Xuan, Jiaoqiu, and others.


    Jing Yuan said:


    "This time, our goal is the treasure chests. Everyone, please work hard for a while.


    Our immortal ship has fallen behind the train group, the company, Liyue, and Mondstadt. They have already started collecting Stellar Jades on Penacony.


    In the coming period, we need to race against time to find treasure chests and bring vast amounts of Star Coins to our immortal ship!


    Everyone! Let''s land on Penacony! For the immortal ship! Let''s set off!"


    Hearing the words "For the Immortal Ship," everyone got energized, as if they had been injected with adrenaline.


    Only Qingque looked depressed, feeling completely out of sorts.


    She had been enjoying life on the train just yesterday, but after dinner last night, she was caught by Master Diviner and brought back.


    The thought of not being able to play Celestial Jade every day for the foreseeable future made her want to cry.


    "General! You big liar! You promised me I would only be responsible for transcribing product information! Liar! It was all a lie!"


    Jing Yuan noticed Qingque''s gloomy mood and walked over to her.


    "Qingque, I said before that you only needed to transcribe product information, but now I''m calling you back. It''s actually my fault."


    "How about this? If you bring back 500 Stellar Jades this time, I''ll give you a one-week vacation as a reward. How about it?"


    Qing Que hesitated upon hearing this. 500 Stellar Jades meant 100 ordinary treasure chests! That was really difficult.


    Jing Yuan continued with a smile.


    "A paid vacation!"


    Hearing the words "paid vacation," Qingque''s eyes lit up instantly.


    "Deal!"


    Qingque happily followed the group, preparing to land on Penacony.


    Huaiyan, who saw this, walked up to Jing Yuan.


    "Jing Yuan, you really know how to motivate your subordinates."


    Jing Yuan smiled faintly.


    "Where, where, Elder Yan, your praise is too much. I''m nowhere near as skilled as you."


    Huaiyan stroked his beard and smiled.


    "Alright, we two shouldn''t idle around here. Let''s head out too."


    The group from the Luofu Immortal Ship boarded the Starskiff and headed for Pinocconi.


    Not long after, the Starskiff slowly descended, and Sunday, along with a large group from the family, had been waiting for a while.


    Fu Xuan looked out the window and saw Sunday below.


    "General, this person is one of the key figures in the family, Sunday. He is in charge of organizing this Harmony Festival."


    Jing Yuan responded after hearing this.


    "Let''s go meet Mr. Sunday."


    Jing Yuan led the group down from the Starskiff. As soon as they stepped down, he cupped his hands and said to Sunday, who was standing not far away.


    "Mr. Sunday, it''s a pleasure to meet you. I am Jing Yuan, currently serving as a general on the Luofu Immortal Ship."


    Sunday smiled and replied.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, General Jing Yuan. The Luofu is going through difficult times, and yet you''ve still found the time to attend our family''s Harmony Festival. We''re honored to have you here in Penacony."


    Jing Yuan smiled and said.


    "The relationship between the family and the Immortal Ship has always been friendly. The family has extended such a warm invitation, so naturally, we couldn''t refuse."


    Feixiao, who was standing by, was taken aback by the exchange. Friendly relationship? That wasn''t really the case. It was more of a normal business cooperation between them.


    Feixiao was completely unable to get used to this kind of atmosphere. If it weren''t for the Stellar Jades in Penacony, Feixiao would probably still be drinking with Venti.


    Sunday noticed Feixiao''s odd behavior and asked.


    "By the way, who are these two?" He looked at Huaiyan and Feixiao, both of whom were standing at Jing Yuan''s side, suggesting they were not simple figures.


    Jing Yuan saw this and introduced them.


    "This is General Feixiao of the Xianzhou Yaoqing, and this is General Huaiyan of the Xianzhou Zhuming."


    Upon hearing their titles, Sunday was slightly taken aback but quickly regained his composure.


    "Welcome, Generals. I didn''t expect the Immortal Ship to take our relationship so seriously, sending three generals all at once."


    "I''ve arranged rooms for you all. If you need anything, feel free to ask the family. We''ll do our best to assist you. I hope you all enjoy your time in Penacony."


    With that, Sunday bid the Immortal Ship group farewell and left.


    Huaiyan watched Sunday''s retreating figure and said.


    "This man is quite scheming. He''s been probing our strengths this whole time."


    Jing Yuan thought for a moment before replying.


    "Although the family invited other factions to attend the Harmony Festival, as the organizer, he seems very resistant toward us."


    Feixiao, hearing this, spoke in confusion.


    "Isn''t it normal for him to be resistant? We''re not on the same side."


    Huaiyan smiled and explained.


    "Resistance is normal, but this man''s reaction is a bit excessive. When things are out of the ordinary, something''s off. Penacony is a deep pool."


    Feixiao, hearing this, placed her hands on her hips.


    "Who cares how deep the pool is? If it comes to a fight, we''ll fight! Let''s go, let''s go, we''ll go find the Stellar Jades first."


    Jing Yuan, watching this, said.


    "Let''s go, Elder Yan. We''re here for the Steller Jades. As long as we accomplish our goal, it''s fine."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "Yes, if it really becomes dangerous, we''ll just fight. The Immortal Ship fears no enemies."


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan, along with Fu Xuan, Yun Li, and others, followed Feixiao''s steps.


    In the dream.


    Stelle and Kiana met the doorman, Misha.


    "Welcome, honored guests, this way, this way."


    Stelle and Kiana looked around and noticed the voice came from a painting.


    They walked up to the painting, and Stelle reached out to touch the gap in the painting.


    In an instant, a suction force pulled them in, and the two found themselves in a magical space.


    The entire space was purple, and in front of them was only a small floating path in the air.


    They also saw Misha, the doorman they had met earlier in the lobby.


    Misha was very happy to see them.


    "You''ve finally arrived. My name is Misha. It''s a pleasure to serve you."


    Stelle greeted her.


    "Hello, Misha. Do you know how we can get to the Golden Hour?"


    Misha gestured with her hand.


    "Just go through the door over there, and you''ll reach the Golden Hour. Enjoy your time, and if you need any help, feel free to ask me." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle and Kiana said their farewells and walked toward the end of the small path, opening the door and stepping through.


    As soon as they entered, they realized something was wrong.


    Kiana looked down.


    "Wow! Why are we in the sky!"


    Stelle and Kiana began to fall rapidly, initially panicking and flailing their arms.


    Until they saw a vibrant city and a dreamlike purple sky, they became entranced.


    Kiana even spread her arms wide, mimicking a bird.


    "Flying~ flying~"


    Stelle also looked around curiously.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88 - 88With a loud "bang," two large craters appeared on the Golden Hour plaza.


    Stelle and Kiana shakily climbed out of the craters.


    They had been so carefree playing in the sky just moments ago, but now they were in a much more awkward and painful situation.


    Kiana rubbed her waist.


    "Ouch, that hurts so much."


    Stelle adjusted her clothes.


    "Is it really that hardcore to enter the dream of Penacony? We just fell from a high place."


    Just then, a familiar voice echoed.


    "Stelle, Kiana, so it''s you two."


    Stelle and Kiana looked up and, upon recognizing the person, were pleasantly surprised.


    "Robin!"


    Robin smiled.


    "Welcome to the land of dreams. How do you feel?"


    Kiana, still sore all over, replied.


    "I feel sore all over."


    Upon hearing this, Robin said, "Is that so? Let me help you with some tuning. It will help you adapt to moving in the dream world more quickly."


    Robin closed her eyes slightly, and a subtle force enveloped both of them.


    A few minutes later, Stelle and Kiana were astonished to find that all their discomfort had vanished, and they felt much lighter.


    Kiana stretched her body.


    "Hey, Robin, you''re amazing! How did you do that? I don''t feel any discomfort at all now."


    Robin chuckled softly.


    "This is the power of harmony. It can adjust your state and help you adapt to moving in the dream more quickly."


    Stelle nodded in realization.


    "Ah, I see. By the way, where''s your brother? Isn''t he with you?"


    Robin responded.


    "My brother said he had some important guests to attend to. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, I have some things to take care of. You two can wander around the Golden Hour for now. There are many interesting things here."


    Stelle and Kiana said their goodbyes to Robins.


    Stelle took out her phone to contact Himeko, Welt, and March 7th.


    After chatting, Stelle and Kiana decided to check out the place March 7th recommended¡ªthe Dream Vending Machine.


    Meanwhile, Sunday was in his office, looking troubled.


    Standing beside him, a purple crow sat on a bookshelf.


    The crow suddenly spoke.


    "The three Immortal Ship generals are here. Our plans must be delayed, otherwise..."


    The crow was the "Dream Master Geffimo."


    Sunday shook his head.


    "We can''t delay. The IPC, Astral Express, the Tavern, and the Stellaron Hunters have already entered the game. They won''t give us much time.


    The longer we wait, the more likely things will go wrong."


    The Dream Master fell silent for a moment.


    "Just make sure you''ve made up your mind. This cannot fail. If it does, both of us will fall into an irreversible abyss."


    Sunday glanced at the Dream Master.


    "I know. Only by doing this will our sweet dream be the most beautiful."


    The Dream Master nodded slightly.


    "Good, as long as you understand. By the way, are you prepared for Robin?"


    Sunday froze upon hearing this.


    "Understood."


    The crow transformed back into the Dream Master and vanished, leaving Sunday alone in the office, deep in thought.


    In the hotel lobby, Zhongli, Venti, and the others had finished collecting all the treasure chests from the platform and the lobby, only to find a problem.


    They couldn''t enter the interior of Penacony because they didn''t have a room.


    Even though they had credit points, it was useless. During the Harmony Festival, all the rooms in Penacony were fully booked.


    Zhongli found himself in a dilemma.


    Hu Tao saw this and said.


    "Aha~ In times like this, it''s up to me, the boss, to take action."


    Keqing looked at Hu Tao.


    "Hu Tao, do you have a plan?"


    Hu Tao waved her sleeve and took out her phone to dial Silver Wolf''s number.


    "Hey, Silver Wolf, is there any way to get us into Penacony''s dream world?


    There is? I knew you''d have a way.


    What? We can only sneak in? Well, as long as we don''t get caught.


    2000 Star Coins? Sure, I''ll transfer them to you later."


    Hu Tao hung up and put her phone back in her bag.


    "It''s settled. 2000 Star Coins, Silver Wolf will get us in, but we''ll have to sneak in. Once inside, we need to be careful."


    Zhongli didn''t mind.


    "As long as we can get in, it''s fine."


    As for being caught? Well, worst case, they''d just pay a fine and be kicked out. They just needed to get their hands on the Stellar Jades.


    A few minutes later.


    Silver Wolf, Kafka, and Blade arrived at the hotel lobby with swagger.


    As they walked up, Silver Wolf gave Hu Tao a nod.


    "Hu Tao, I''m here. Who''s going in with us?"


    Hu Tao was curious.


    "Aren''t you a wanted criminal? Isn''t it a problem for you to be here so openly?"


    Silver Wolf shrugged nonchalantly.


    "What''s there to worry about?"


    She pointed to a badge on her chest.


    "This is a little trinket sold by Ye Yun. It''s called the ''Identity Change Badge,'' which lets us change how others perceive us."


    Hu Tao''s eyes lit up.


    "How much is it? If I wear this, I won''t have to worry about sneaking in and getting caught?"


    Silver Wolf held up a finger.


    "3000 Star Coins each. It only works on ordinary people."


    Hu Tao thought about it for a moment.


    "3000 Star Coins? Never mind, I don''t think it''s worth it. It''s a waste to spend that much on something that only works on regular people."


    "Forget it, I''ll just go in as a stowaway."


    Silver Wolf shrugged.


    "Suit yourself. Let''s go, I''ll lead the way."


    Silver Wolf took the group to a secluded corner.


    She summoned an Ether keyboard and typed on it. A portal appeared before them.


    "Let''s go, we''ll enter the dream through this portal.


    Once inside, Blade will stay here to guard our bodies, and he can wake us up at any time."


    Zhongli took out 2000 Star Coins and handed them to Silver Wolf, who eagerly accepted them.


    Perfect~ Another 2000 Star Coins in the account.


    Just as they were about to enter the portal, Venti and the Mondstadt group arrived.


    "Wait, take us with you."


    Venti landed smoothly and spoke to Silver Wolf.


    Silver Wolf looked at him.


    "Oh? More Star Coins coming in, huh? Pay up, 2000 Star Coins."


    Venti, hearing this, tried to haggle.


    "Oh~ Silver Wolf, we''re so familiar with each other, why not just take us along?"


    Silver Wolf shook her head.


    "Nope~ Not happening."


    Venti''s eyes shifted, and he thought of a plan.


    "How about this? I''ll help you with the game later, all out, how''s that?"


    Silver Wolf shook her head.


    "Not enough~ I want everyone from Mondstadt to help me once."


    Venti looked around at the Mondstadt group.


    Jean spoke up.


    "Let''s do what Silver Wolf says."


    Venti nodded in agreement on behalf of everyone from Mondstadt.


    Silver Wolf finally looked satisfied and led the Mondstadt group into the dream.


    The group entered the dream, and a minute later, their bodies appeared in the same spot, each of them falling into a deep sleep.


    Blade, seeing this, took out the spatial isolator that Silver Wolf had given him and activated it, creating an invisible wall that separated them from the outside world.


    ***


    Stelle and Kiana arrived at the Dream Vending Machine and tried out Akivilli''s memory.


    Though it was said to be Akivilli''s, they weren''t sure if it was true, but Stelle felt it was probably real.


    Inside the dream bubble, Akivilli and another person were being scolded by Pom-Pom.


    Stelle had witnessed a scene where Aha was scolded by Pom-Pom, so she completely trusted the content of this dream bubble.


    After the experience, Stelle bought the dream bubble, planning to take it back for March 7th and the others to try out.


    After finishing their experience, the two decided to take a stroll around the area.


    As they were walking, they noticed a few people surrounding a young girl not far away.


    When the girl saw Stelle, it was as if she saw a savior, and she hurriedly ran over.


    "Can you help me?"


    Hearing this, Stelle quickly shielded the girl behind her.


    The leader of the group who was chasing the girl angrily shouted, "Move aside! Our family is capturing a wanted criminal. Don''t interfere! Or I''ll take you both down with her!"


    Kiana, upon hearing this, was very displeased with the man''s attitude.


    "What? You want to fight? Come on!"


    The few hunters from the family immediately charged at them.


    Kiana, not one to back down, quickly drew her dual pistols and rushed forward.


    As a Valkyrie, Kiana''s strength was far beyond that of these small hunters.


    In just a few moments, Kiana had taken them all down.


    One of the hunters glared at Kiana with hatred.


    "You''ll regret this!"


    After saying that, he pulled out his phone to call for reinforcements.


    At that moment, a bearded, melancholic man walked over from the side.


    "What''s going on here?"


    One of the hunters recognized the man.


    "Officer Gallagher!"


    The newcomer was none other than the security officer, Gallagher.


    Gallagher asked again, "What happened here?"


    One of the hunters reported, "Sir, we found a stowaway and were trying to capture her, but it seems she has accomplices."


    Gallagher glanced at Stelle, Kiana, and the girl with deep meaning.


    He then turned around and said, "You were supposed to catch the silver-haired one, not a little girl with silver hair. Can''t you tell the difference?"


    The hunters, wanting to argue, were cut off by Gallagher.


    "Alright, alright, go check somewhere else. I''ll handle this."


    The hunters had no choice but to leave, grumbling.


    After they left, Gallagher said, "I apologize for the earlier situation. These are all new recruits, please forgive them."


    Stelle looked at Gallagher.


    "No problem, it''s fine. We''ll be going now."


    Gallagher also left the scene.


    The girl looked at Stelle and Kiana.


    "Thank you for helping me. My name is Firefly, a member of the Iris family."


    Stelle patted her chest.


    "Protecting beautiful girls, it''s my duty!"


    Kiana, standing beside her, agreed with what Stelle said.


    "Exactly, protecting beautiful girls, it''s our duty!" After saying that, Kiana struck a pose, pointing to the sky.


    Firefly found the two of them amusing and giggled, covering her mouth.


    "By the way, what are your names?"


    Stelle hummed a little and said, "I''m the famous Galaxy Skyfire Hero!"


    Kiana didn''t feel embarrassed by Stelle''s somewhat cheesy statement. In fact, she thought it was cool.


    "Wow, cool! Stelle, where did that title come from?"


    Stelle crossed her arms and closed her eyes slightly.


    "Of course, I came up with it myself!"


    Kiana, hearing this, said that she had learned something new.


    "I see! I''m going to make up one too! I''ll be the First Valkyrie of Destiny, Kiana! Hehe~"


    Firefly looked at Stelle with a gaze full of nostalgia. She still had that lively spirit, just like before.


    "I''m glad to meet you both, Stelle and Kiana. To show my gratitude, let me show you around and be your guide."


    Stelle, hearing this, asked, "Firefly, how did you know this is our first time here?"


    Firefly pointed to the ticket in Stelle''s chest pocket.


    "This ticket is the symbol of the nameless guest identity, right?"


    Stelle, hearing this, realized that Firefly had recognized the ticket.


    Kiana, standing beside them, was puzzled.


    "I don''t have a ticket. Did you know I''m an outsider?"


    Firefly smiled and replied, "Because you came with Stelle."


    Kiana, realizing this, nodded.


    "Oh, right!"


    Firefly looked ahead.


    "Let''s go. I''ll show you around."


    Stelle and Kiana followed Firefly around the commercial center, each buying an oak roll cake, eating and walking.


    As they walked, Kiana suddenly stopped and pointed ahead.


    "Stelle! Look! A treasure chest!"


    Stelle looked over. Oh! A treasure chest! Let''s go!


    Stelle and Kiana ran over to the chest and opened it, revealing five fresh Stellar Jades in Star''s hands.


    Stelle stored them in her storage ring.


    She and Kiana had agreed that the Stellar Jades they got from the dream would be split evenly.


    Kiana didn''t have a storage tool, so all of the Stellar Jades went into Stelle''s ring.


    Firefly followed them.


    "Do you two really like treasure chests?"


    Stelle and Kiana nodded in agreement.


    "Yes! We came here to open treasure chests and find Stellar Jades."


    Firefly nodded.


    "I know many places that have treasure chests. Would you like me to show you?"


    Stelle and Kiana were thrilled.


    "Really? That''s great, thanks, Firefly."


    Firefly smiled happily.


    "No problem. Let''s go, I''ll take you there."


    Under Firefly''s guidance, Stelle and Kiana successfully found another treasure chest.


    At that moment, Firefly''s phone rang. Looking at it, she saw a message from Silver Wolf.


    Silver Wolf: "Firefly, do you know where there are any treasure chests in Penacony? I''m here with Kafka. We need to collect Stellar Jades to buy things from Ye Yun."


    Firefly looked at the excited Stelle not far away and replied, "I don''t know. You''ll have to look for them yourself."


    After replying, Firefly closed her phone.


    Just then, Stelle and Kiana returned to her side. Firefly smiled and said, "Let''s go, I''ll take you to the next place."


    Firefly led them on a treasure hunt, and in just over an hour, Stelle and Kiana had gathered over 2000 Stellar Jades.


    This made Stelle incredibly happy¡ªnow she could open more chests!


    Kiana was also very pleased¡ªnow she could buy plenty of instant noodles!


    Silver Wolf, seeing Firefly''s cold reply, sighed and shook her head.


    Kafka, who was holding five freshly acquired Stellar Jades and fiddling with them, noticed.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Silver Wolf, looking helpless, said, "Someone has completely forgotten about us. Let''s go, we''ll do it ourselves."


    Kafka understood upon hearing this.


    "Isn''t that how she always was?"


    Elsewhere.


    The Sparkle was happily shopping.


    As Sparkle walked, he suddenly saw a very familiar figure.


    "Eh? Isn''t that..."

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89 - 89In Sparkle''s line of sight, Aha was crouching by the grass, sneaking around doing who knows what.


    Sparkle walked over and kicked Aha in the rear.


    "Aha! What are you doing here? Found something fun? Hah! You''re having fun without calling me!"


    Aha rubbed his backside.


    "Sparkle~ Aha''s looking for fun, hahahaha~"


    Sparkle looked Aha up and down.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Aha grinned.


    "Aha''s looking for fun~"


    Sparkle, hearing this, asked, "Did you find it?"


    Aha grinned even more, pulling out a shard.


    "Hehe, Aha found a shard of [Order], Aha is going to give it to the winged boy."


    Sparkle, seeing the shard in Aha''s hand, became interested.


    "Oh? Really? Tell me more, what fun is in this?"


    Aha leaned closer to Sparkle.


    "Think about it, when the train crew is about to defeat the winged boy, Aha will throw this shard at him, hehe. The look on the train crew''s faces will be amazing. Hehe~"


    Sparkle nodded in satisfaction.


    "Not bad, not bad~ You''re quite capable!"


    Sparkle continued, "Since you''re here, come, help me deliver a gift~"


    Aha tucked the shard away and followed Sparkle excitedly.


    The two bounced along, heading off into the distance.


    On the train.


    Ye Yun and the six little ones went directly from the shop to the Penacony dream.


    How did they get in, you ask? Well, Ye Yun simply bought a family-style Dream Pool in the system.


    The Dream Pool could allow Ye Yun and the six little ones to enter the dream, and importantly, this Dream Pool wasn''t controlled by the family, so they could exit whenever they wanted.


    Even if Order''s Dream activated by Sunday, they could leave at any time.


    Ye Yun brought the six little ones into Penacony.


    As soon as they landed, the bustling metropolis amazed the six little ones.


    Klee excitedly looked around.


    "Wow! This place is beautiful! Klee has never seen a place like this."


    Hook agreed.


    "The lights here are so bright~ Much brighter than the ones in our lower districts."


    Qiqi stood frozen to the side, and just then, an advertisement sign with a twist ran over to Qiqi.


    "Soda~ Soda~ Delicious soda~"


    Qiqi looked at the sign with a confused expression.


    "Soda? Delicious? Qiqi wants to drink it."


    Seeing business coming, the advertisement pointed to a food cart in the distance.


    "They have soda there~ delicious soda~"


    At this moment, the other little ones also noticed the advertisement.


    Bailu exclaimed.


    "My goodness, this is the first time I''ve seen a living advertisement!"


    Klee was also intrigued.


    "Hello, advertisement! I''m Klee, what''s your name~"


    The advertisement looked at Klee.


    "Soda~ Soda~"


    Klee suddenly realized.


    "Oh~ hello, Soda."


    Soda continued.


    "Soda is super delicious!"


    Klee, seeing this, tugged at Ye Yun''s sleeve who was looking at the scenery.


    "Big Brother Ye Yun~ Klee wants to drink Soda~"


    Ye Yun affectionately ruffled Klee''s head.


    "Alright, let''s go, Big Brother Ye Yun will take you to buy some Soda."


    Ye Yun took the six little ones to the food cart and bought 7 bottles of Soda.


    After buying the drinks, Ye Yun took the six little ones and continued shopping.


    This golden moment was indeed prosperous, and as Ye Yun looked around, he realized it seemed familiar.


    After a moment of thought, Ye Yun realized he had probably arrived near the amusement park.


    So, Ye Yun decided to take the six little ones to play in the amusement park.


    The six little ones had probably never been to such a modern amusement park.


    The six little ones obediently followed Ye Yun toward the park.


    They drank their sodas while following Ye Yun, occasionally discussing the new things they saw around them.


    For example, flying books, balloons, and fast-moving vehicles on the roads.


    After about ten minutes, Ye Yun and the six little ones successfully arrived at the amusement park.


    Yaoyao ran over to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun~ I''m done drinking~ Where do I throw this bottle?"


    Klee immediately jumped beside Ye Yun.


    "Yes Big Brother Ye Yun~ Klee''s done too~"


    Bailu then said.


    "Yaoyao, Klee, let''s throw them over there, there''s a trash bin."


    Yaoyao and Klee, hearing this, ran over to the trash bin, throwing their bottles inside.


    Then,


    Ye Yun took the six little ones into the amusement park.


    Ye Yun glanced at the staff, spent some credits, and bought 200 game tokens.


    The six little ones lined up, eagerly waiting for Ye Yun to distribute the tokens.


    As soon as they entered the amusement park, the six little ones were dazzled by the amusement rides.


    Roller coasters, arcade machines, merry-go-rounds, pirate ships...


    Ye Yun took out the game tokens.


    "I won''t give them all to you, let''s play one by one. When you want to play, Big Brother Ye Yun will give you the tokens. This way, we won''t get separated, got it?"


    The six little ones answered in unison with an "Oh" and lined up behind Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun first took them to the merry-go-round.


    "Anyone want to ride the merry-go-round?"


    Klee, Yao Yao, Hook, Bailu, and Diona all raised their hands.


    Yaoyao, seeing Qiqi still standing in a daze, took her hand and raised it for her.


    Ye Yun handed 6 game tokens to the staff, and the staff opened the gate. The six little ones entered one by one, heading for their favorite rides.


    As the machine started spinning, the six little ones laughed happily, their silver bell-like laughter ringing out as they enjoyed the ride.


    Ye Yun quietly watched them play, and just then, a voice came from beside him.


    "Yo~ Ye Yun, you''re also here in the dream?"


    Ye Yun turned toward the voice and saw Stelle, Kiana, and Firefly had arrived at some point.


    "Stelle, Kiana, and who''s this?"


    Stelle, seeing Ye Yun, introduced.


    "This is Firefly, a friend I just met."


    "Firefly, this is Ye Yun, one of our train crew members."


    Firefly smiled and greeted Ye Yun.


    "Hello, Mr. Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun smiled and responded.


    "Hello, Firefly."


    Kiana, seeing the merry-go-round, was sparkling with excitement and tugged on Stelle''s clothes, pulling her back and forth in excitement.


    "Stelle! Let''s play this too!"


    Stelle nodded and agreed. They had already collected nearly 7000 Stellar Jades so far.


    "Sure."


    Stelle grinned, noticing the game tokens basket Ye Yun was holding, and without hesitation, extended her hand.


    "Ye Yun, give me some tokens."


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes at Stelle.


    "You''re a VIP, you can go directly to the counter and get the tokens."


    Stelle, hearing this, raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? Is that true?"


    Firefly, standing nearby, said.


    "Yes, VIPs from the family can get 10 game tokens for free."


    Stelle, upon hearing this, grabbed Kiana''s hand, and they rushed toward the counter.


    ***


    Firefly was about to follow when Ye Yun suddenly spoke.


    "Kafka and the others are already inside. Aren''t you going to find them?"


    Firefly turned around and gave Ye Yun a thoughtful look.


    "You really figured out my identity."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Don''t worry, we''re on the same side. How''s your Entropy Disorder?"


    Firefly thought for a moment and agreed¡ªYe Yun was indeed on their side.


    "My Entropy Disorder is the same, no change."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Silver Wolf and the others must have told you about my little shop, right? I have medicine that treats Entropy Disorder."


    Firefly nodded.


    "I''ve heard of it. I''ll come after my script ends."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Alright."


    At this moment, Stelle and Kiana returned with 10 game tokens.


    The carousel ride had also finished, but the six little ones weren''t done yet.


    "Ye Yun, Klee still wants to play~"


    "Ye Yun, I want another round!"


    Ye Yun smiled and agreed, taking out six more tokens and handing them to the staff.


    Seeing this, Stelle also took out three tokens.


    "We want to play too!"


    The staff opened the gate, and Stelle pulled Kiana and Firefly inside to find their favorite mounts.


    Stelle sat on one of the horses, eagerly urging the staff to start.


    The staff, seeing this, pressed the start button. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The carousel began to turn, and Stelle excitedly shouted.


    "Yahhh~"


    Kiana, too, looked thrilled. In her memory, she had never played something like this before.


    Her world had always been under disaster, and amusement parks like this only existed in textbooks.


    "Giddy-up~ Giddy-up~"


    For the next while, Ye Yun, Stelle, and the others continued to enjoy the amusement park.


    They tried every attraction.


    When they rode the roller coaster, with its 200-meter vertical drop, the six little ones and Stelle basically screamed the whole way down.


    When Kiana got off, her legs were so wobbly that she almost fell if not for Firefly catching her.


    Stelle scoffed at Kiana''s state, grinning and mocking her.


    "Kiana, you''re not so great, huh? Is this all you can handle? Dare to do it again?"


    Kiana, hearing Stelle''s mockery, immediately accepted the challenge.


    "Come on! Who''s afraid?"


    Stelle, about to pay, checked her pockets and realized she was out of game tokens.


    Feeling frustrated, Stelle looked around and saw Ye Yun paying for tokens.


    Quietly, Stelle walked over to Ye Yun and extended her hand.


    "Ye Yun, can you lend me some game tokens?"


    Ye Yun turned around and looked at Stelle without words.


    How could she be so bold at her age?


    If Stelle knew what Ye Yun was thinking, she would probably just say that she''s still a baby under one year old.


    Ye Yun took out 30 tokens and handed them to Stelle.


    "Here, 30 tokens. Should be enough for the three of you, right?"


    Stelle smiled and took the tokens from Ye Yun.


    "Enough, enough, of course, it''s enough."


    Stelle took the tokens and handed three of them to the staff.


    "We want to go again!"


    The staff smiled and accepted the tokens.


    The roller coaster started again.


    This time, Kiana found it even more exciting.


    After all, she had just experienced it.


    Compared to the unknown danger, the known was even more terrifying.


    It felt like a prisoner about to be beheaded, watching the blade come down inch by inch.


    When the roller coaster reached its peak and suddenly dropped, Kiana let out a scream.


    "Help!"


    Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the afternoon was over.


    After using up the 30 tokens, Stelle, Kiana, and Firedly left the amusement park to find Flowing Fire''s secret base.


    Ye Yun stayed a bit longer, playing with the six little ones before heading to the VIP lounge where Kiana and the others were staying.


    At that moment, everyone from the train crew, Liyue, and Mondstadt had gathered there.


    Stelle and Kiana had also been sent back by Huohuo.


    Seeing Ye Yun, Stelle quickly ran over.


    "Ye Yun, do you know about Entropy Disorder?"


    Ye Yun answered.


    "Of course. The patient gradually disappears from the world in every sense, and the process is very painful. The patient can only watch themselves disappear."


    Stelle continued.


    "Ye Yun, do you have any medicine to treat Entropy Disorder?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Of course, 5000 Star Coins."


    Without hesitation, Stelle took out 50 Stellar Jades and handed them to Ye Yun.


    "Buy me one, I need it."


    Ye Yun took the Stellar Jades and then produced a pill.


    "This pill comes from a world of mechanical cats. It''s called the Panacea¡ªwhatever illness you have, it will cure it."


    Ye Yun handed the Panacea to Stelle, who carefully took it and stored it in her storage ring.


    After buying the Panacea, Stelle finally relaxed and went back to play with Kiana and March 7th.


    In the lounge, everyone gathered to chat about the day''s haul.


    Qingque placed 1000 Stellar Jades next to Jing Yuan.


    "General, here''s 1000 Stellar Jades. Can I take a vacation now?"


    Jing Yuan was surprised, not expecting Qingque to find so many Star Jades.


    "You''re impressive, Qingque. Among the people of Xianzhou, you found the most Stellar Jades today."


    Fu Xuan smiled approvingly at Qingque.


    "Qingque, you''re the one I''ve chosen. Keep it up, your future is bright!"


    Qingque felt a little speechless at the praise.


    "Please stop. I just want to relax and play with the Celestial Jade."


    Bright future? I think it''s a dark one.


    Qingque awkwardly smiled.


    "So, General, about my vacation..."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Granted, you get 7 days of paid leave."


    Fu Xuan looked at Qingque and said.


    "Vacations can be postponed. Since you''re so good at finding Stellar Jades, let''s have you work a bit more these next few days."


    Qingque froze on the spot.


    "Wait, didn''t you promise me a vacation?"


    Qingque looked at Jing Yuan with tears in her eyes, silently pleading for help.


    Jing Yuan laughed heartily.


    "Qingque, you will get your vacation. Xianzhou still needs you!"


    "Here''s the deal¡ªif you find another 1000 Stellar Jades in the coming days, I''ll give you your vacation on the spot, plus an extra 3 days. A total of 10 days of paid leave. How does that sound?"


    Qingque''s heart sank. How could this happen?


    "Alright~ sigh~"


    Fu Xuan nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good job, Qingque. You''re giving our Divination Commission some good reputation."

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90 - 90Qingque walked over to the sofa booth where Stelle and the others were sitting, looking very dejected.


    Guinaifen noticed Qingque''s gloomy expression and asked, "Qingque, what''s wrong?"


    Qingque sighed hopelessly. "Don''t mention it, my vacation has been postponed."


    Stelle heard this and opened a bottle of SoulGlad, handing it to Qingque. "Hah~ I thought it was something serious. It''s just this? It''s not like they''re not letting you rest. Come on, let''s play a couple of rounds. What do you say?"


    Qingque helplessly nodded.


    March 7th looked at Stelle. "But we don''t have any cards to play with."


    Stelle grinned and took out a set of Celestial Jade from her storage ring. "Hehe, well, of course, I brought them."


    Stelle then brought over a square table and placed the cards on it. "Come on, let''s play a couple of rounds."


    Seeing the Celestial Jade, Qingque instantly revived and naturally took a seat at the table. "Come on, let''s play!"


    Stelle, Qingque, Guinaifen, and Lumine gathered around the table to play.


    Hu Tao, March 7th, Kiana, Amber, and others watched the game from the side.


    Kiana, after watching two rounds, became interested in Celestial Jade. "This is actually pretty fun."


    Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "Right? So, what do you think? Should we set up another table?"


    Kiana immediately agreed. "Sure! I''ll go get a table."


    Kiana ran over and brought back a square table.


    Hu Tao found Ye Yun and bought a set of Celestial Jade.


    Now, Hu Tao, March 7th, Kiana, and Amber set up another table, with Yula rotating in to replace the losers.


    Hu Tao sat down at the table, took a big sip from her juice cup, and set it aside. "So, how much are we betting?"


    March 7th said, "Let''s just play for fun. One star coin per round."


    Hearing that, Kiana went to Xing to ask for her share of Stellar Jades. Kiana took her Stellar Jades, which amounted to 4,600 Stellar Jades, and exchanged it for 460,000 Star Coins with Ye Yun.


    With the luck of Kiana and Lumine, the three of them had been opening treasure chests like crazy all day, finding one almost every few steps.


    When Kiana tripped while crossing a bridge, she accidentally found a luxury chest with 30 Star Coins inside.


    Jingyuan, who witnessed Kiana''s exchange for Star Coins, was stunned. "460,000? And that''s after she split it in half?"


    Jingyuan thought this was outrageous. His team on the Xianzhou had worked all day and only managed to get about 400,000 star coins!


    Jingyuan sighed deeply and started thinking about how to motivate his people on Xianzhou to gather even more Star Coins.


    After a moment of thought, Jingyuan called out to Qingque. "Qingque!"


    Qingque, who had just arranged her cards, turned around. "General? What''s up?"


    Jingyuan smiled and said, "Find 3,000 Stellar Jade, and I''ll extend your vacation to a month!"


    Qingque was dumbfounded. "A month???"


    Jingyuan nodded. "Yes, a month."


    Qingque gasped. How could the general''s words sound so sweet, almost like heavenly music?


    Ye Yun, who was watching from the side, couldn''t help but smile. He thought to himself, "He really knows how to squeeze Qingque dry."


    At that moment, Kafka and Silver Wolf entered the room and sat next to Ye Yun.


    Silver Wolf nudged Ye Yun. "Ye Yun, I need to ask you something."


    Ye Yun took a sip of tea and replied, "Go ahead."


    Silver Wolf asked, "Do you have any medicine to treat Entropy Loss Syndrome?"


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow. "I do, but I don''t think you need to buy it."


    Silver Wolf, puzzled, looked at Ye Yun. "What do you mean?"


    Ye Yun replied, "Stelle already bought the medicine. If I''m not mistaken, you two are probably planning to buy it for the same person."


    Silver Wolf nodded. "That''s right, it''s for the same person. I was about to buy it, but since A Stelle already got it, I''ll skip it. At least I''ll save some star coins."


    With that, Silver Wolf pulled out her game console and put on headphones to play.


    Kafka glanced at Ye Yun''s tea cup and asked, "How about some alcohol?"


    Ye Yun smiled. "Sure, a glass would be nice."


    The two of them started chatting over drinks.


    In the corner of the VIP lounge, Ye Yun had asked Jing Yuan for a favor to set up a small children''s playground for the six little ones.


    The six little ones had played to their heart''s content. When Ye Yun mentioned returning, each of them kept looking back as they left the amusement park.


    So, Ye Yun had used his privileges to ask Jing Yuan to temporarily set up a small playground for them.


    Inside, the playground was small but had a slide, a seesaw, and a trampoline.


    Jingliu could stand next to the slide, helping the little ones get back up every time they slid down.


    Rios was lying at the exit, taking a nap.


    Not just the six little ones, but also the small fire monkeys, Bub Flowers, Blu, and the other spirits were playing happily.


    When everyone got tired, they returned to their rooms to rest.


    The people from Liyue and Mondstadt, along with the train group and Xianzhou, squeezed into a room together.


    Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, Ying, Amber, Eula, Huohuo, Xiangling, Qingque, and the others all crowded into Stelle''s room, planning to have a pillow fight before bed.


    Ningguang, Keqing, Yelan, Jean, and Lisa shared a room.


    Fu Xuan, Shenhe, Ganyu, and Xianyun also stayed together.


    The remaining men were free to do as they wished.


    Fortunately, the VIP lounge rooms were spacious, with sofas, or else they wouldn''t have been able to fit everyone.


    Ye Yun took the six little ones and Kiana back to the store.


    In the store, because of the system''s protection, it wouldn''t be affected by the dreams of the family.


    After buying a pile of snacks, Kiana waved goodbye to Ye Yun and the six little ones, then entered the portal to return to Saint Freya Academy.


    After Kiana left, Ye Yun looked at the six little ones. "Alright, kids, let''s go take a bath and get ready for bed."


    The six little ones obediently ran to their rooms to wash up.


    In the train''s laboratory, Clara was concentrating on assembling a Gundam. After receiving the Gundam model, she had finally finished assembling it.


    Looking at the handsome Gundam, Clara was thrilled. "Yay! Clara did it!"


    The Family No. 1 unit handed Clara a towel to wipe off the paint she had accidentally gotten on her face.


    "Congratulations, Clara."


    Clara took the towel. "Family No. 1, I''ll do it myself."


    After wiping her face, Clara reached out and touched the Gundam''s chest.


    The Gundam was two meters tall, humanoid, with a large sword on its back.


    The moment Clara touched the chest, the Gundam''s chest opened, and Clara climbed inside. The Gundam then returned to its original form.


    Once seated, Clara whispered, "Family No. 2, activate!"


    The Gundam''s name was Family No. 2.


    The Gundam''s eyes flashed with light as it powered up.


    ***


    At Saint Freya Academy, Kiana, with a lollipop in her mouth, bounced over to the library.


    Inside the library, Theresa, Kiana, Bronya, Fu Hua, and Mei were organizing supplies.


    "Aunt Theresa! Mei! I''m back!" Kiana said cheerfully.


    Theresa looked at Kiana. "Kiana, you''re finally back. You''ve been asking about that thing all day?"


    Kiana scratched the back of her head, looking a bit embarrassed.


    "Hehe~ Well, today, the train with Stelle and the others arrived at a new place, so I went down to play with them. But I wasn''t just playing; I also made a lot of star coins!"


    Saying this, Kiana took out 450,000 star coins from her newly purchased storage ring.


    "Look! I made all these star coins today!"


    Theresa took a look and thought, "That''s acceptable. After a whole day of going around, earning this much isn''t too bad."


    However, Theresa didn''t know the actual value of the star coins. If she did, she''d probably be stunned.


    Theresa counted the coins and handed them back to Kiana. "Kiana, put the coins away."


    Kiana immediately stretched out her hand and shouted, "Come back!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, all the star coins were returned to her storage ring.


    At this moment, Theresa noticed the storage ring on Kiana''s finger.


    "Kiana, what''s up with this ring on your finger?"


    Kiana grinned. "This is a storage ring. You can store things in it. Hehe, cool, right? I bought it for 1500 star coins."


    Bronya became interested in the storage ring. "Kiana, can I see that ring?"


    Kiana, seeing Bronya asking for it, immediately thought of something. "Hehe, you have to beg me, silly Bronya."


    Bronya rolled her eyes at Kiana. "Fine, fine, I beg you."


    Kiana was satisfied and took off the storage ring, handing it to Bronya.


    Bronya took it and examined it carefully. "There are many strange symbols on this. What do they mean? Kiana, can I borrow this ring for a couple of days to study it?"


    Kiana immediately refused. "No way! I can''t lend it to you; it''s got so many coins in it. What if you break it?"


    Bronya thought for a moment. "Okay, just buy me a new one then."


    Mei asked, "Kiana, did you ask about the thing with the other world?"


    Kiana nodded. "I did! Ye Yun gave me a portal. It''s in the living room of my dorm."


    Theresa, upon hearing this, glanced around at the boxes of supplies. "We''re almost done here. Let''s move everything to Kiana''s place. Tomorrow morning, we''ll move things over from there."


    Everyone started moving supplies.


    It took over an hour to move everything.


    Afterward, they sat down and rested in Kiana''s dorm''s living room.


    Kiana plopped down on the sofa and sighed. "Phew~ Finally done with the moving."


    Just as she said that, her stomach growled loudly.


    "Grrr~"


    Kiana rubbed her stomach. "I''m hungry."


    Mei smiled and got up to head toward the kitchen. "Let me make something for you. Don''t eat instant noodles at this hour."


    Kiana was surprised. "Mei, how did you know I was thinking of eating instant noodles?"


    Mei chuckled softly. "I still don''t know you? You''re the type who only knows how to cook instant noodles."


    Kiana raised a finger and shook her head. "NONONO, I can cook boiled eggs too!"


    Theresa laughed. "Hehe, you''re funny. Mei, can you make some for me too? I''m hungry."


    Theresa, Bronya, and Fu Hua also asked Mei to make them a portion.


    Kiana suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Wait! I have something good!"


    Theresa and the others gave Kiana puzzled looks.


    Kiana pulled out a takeout box from her storage ring. "When we were having dinner tonight, Xiangling packed some dishes for me."


    Kiana opened the box, revealing some spicy stir-fried pork with chili peppers.


    "Mei! Xiangling said we need to heat this up before eating."


    Mei took the stir-fried pork, sniffed it, and nodded. "Hmm~ It smells great. This was cooked with lard. It definitely needs to be heated."


    Soon, Mei prepared a late-night snack.


    Since it was so late, Mei kept it simple. She boiled some noodles and reheated the spicy stir-fried pork as a topping, making a few bowls of spicy stir-fried pork noodle soup.


    Theresa and the others each had a bowl and began slurping.


    After finishing the noodles, everyone returned to their rooms to rest. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next day, Kiana, Theresa, and the others woke up early and gathered in Kiana''s room.


    Theresa called out to everyone. "Let''s move!"


    Everyone began moving the supplies into the portal. These boxes contained more than 90% of the types of stones from their world.


    Bailu, wearing her cute pajamas with a gourd design, holding a mouthwash cup with toothpaste and toothbrush inside, pushed open the door to Ye Yun''s store.


    "Ah~~"


    Bailu yawned heavily and noticed Theresa and the others moving supplies.


    "Eh? Who are you?"


    Theresa looked at Bailu and noticed the pajamas, figuring she must be from the train.


    "Hello, we''re from Kiana''s world. We''re here to check things out today."


    Bailu nodded. "I see, she mentioned bringing a few friends over today."


    Bailu walked over to the stack of supply boxes and knocked on one of the boxes.


    "What are you moving here?"


    Fu Hua explained, "These are various stones from our world. We heard that ore and star fragments can be exchanged for star coins, so we wanted to check which of our stones can be exchanged for star coins."


    Bailu immediately understood. "Ah, I get it now. You continue moving, I''ll go wash up."


    Bailu then walked toward the small bar, grabbed Pam''s special footrest, and placed it next to the sink to begin washing up.


    The six little ones were staying in March 7th''s room. Since her room only had one tiny bathroom, whenever one of them woke up, the others would also wake up.


    To speed things up, they would sometimes go to the small bar area to wash up.


    At this moment, inside the former March 7th''s room, now the six little ones'' room, the other five little ones were crowded by the sink brushing their teeth.


    Qiqi, holding a toothbrush, stared blankly while mimicking Yaoyao and spitting foam after drinking water.


    Klee finished brushing her teeth, opened her mouth, and checked her teeth happily. "Klee''s done brushing! Let''s go! Time to play!"


    The five little ones put on their clothes and headed toward Ye Yun''s shop.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91 - 91Before long, Ye Yun also got out of bed and came into the shop.


    As soon as he arrived, he saw Kiana, Theresa, and a few others resting in a booth.


    When Klee saw Ye Yun come out, she ran over to him with quick little steps.


    "Good morning, Brother Ye Yun~"


    Ye Yun rubbed Klee''s little head.


    "Good morning. Go play over there for a bit, okay? I have some guests to take care of. I''ll make you all breakfast in a while."


    Klee looked over at Theresa and the others and obediently agreed.


    "Okay~"


    The six little ones ran to the lounge area, turned on the TV, and started watching cartoons.


    Ye Yun walked over to Kiana and the others.


    "Kiana, these are the friends you were talking about, right?"


    Kiana nodded with a big smile.


    "Yep yep~ Let me introduce them to you."


    "This is Mei¡ªthe best Mei in the whole world!"


    "This is my aunt, Theresa. Don''t be fooled by how short she is¡ªshe''s super strong and the head of our academy."


    "And this is Himeko, our teacher. She''s really fierce."


    "And this is our class rep¡ªher grades are amazing! Total genius!"


    "And finally, this is dummy Bronya!"


    Hearing Kiana''s introductions, Theresa, Himeko, and Bronya were instantly furious.


    "Kiana!"


    "Kiana is the real dummy!"


    "Oh? I''m fierce, am I, Kiana?"


    Kiana realized she had said the wrong thing when she saw the murderous looks from the three and quickly tried to cover it up.


    "My bad, my bad~ What just happened? That wasn''t me talking¡ªit must have been... yeah, a ghost possessed me just now."


    A minute later.


    Kiana was sitting on a chair, crying, with a big bump on her head.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun secretly chuckled to himself.


    Theresa turned to Ye Yun.


    "Hello, Ye Yun. I''m Theresa. Nice to meet you."


    Ye Yun smiled and replied, "Hello, Theresa."


    Then Ye Yun greeted Mei, Bronya, Himeko from Honkai 3rd, and Fu Hua.


    After the introductions, Theresa said,


    "Ye Yun, we brought a lot of stones. Could you help us see which ones can be exchanged for star coins?"


    Ye Yun pointed to the exchange scale placed on the bar counter.


    "That''s the exchange scale. Just put the stones on it. If they can be exchanged, they''ll automatically convert into star coins."


    Hearing this, Theresa thanked him and began testing the stones with Mei and the others.


    Looking at the large boxes filled with various ores, Ye Yun figured it would take a while.


    So he went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the six little ones.


    Since most people had gone to Penacony, Ye Yun could finally relax and didn''t have to prepare breakfast for dozens of people. That''s also why he got to sleep in a little today.


    After preparing breakfast, Ye Yun called the six little ones over to eat.


    Once they finished eating, Ye Yun watched a bit of TV with them until Theresa and the others finished testing the ores.


    Out of all the ores they brought, only something called "Honkai Crystals" could be exchanged for star coins.


    One crystal could be exchanged for 50 star coins.


    However...


    There was a problem.


    Artificially synthesized Honkai Crystals didn''t work¡ªonly naturally formed ones found in treasure chests were valid.


    Theresa thought for a moment.


    "After we go back, we''ll send people to collect them. We''ll gather as much as we can and figure out a plan later if we run out."


    At this moment, Ye Yun spoke up.


    "If you have time, you could visit Penacony. There are a lot of Stellar Jades there. One Stellar Jade can be exchanged for 100 star coins."


    Hearing this, Theresa and the others were surprised.


    "Really?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Really. Didn''t Kiana get a bunch of star coins yesterday? She got 460,000!"


    Theresa suddenly remembered Kiana had brought back 450,000 star coins yesterday¡ªthe missing 10,000 were probably spent by Kiana.


    While browsing through some goods, Bronya suddenly said,


    "Headmaster, I think we should go check it out. Look at this¡ªthe value of star coins far exceeds my expectations."


    Hearing this, Theresa walked over to Bronya, glanced through the catalog, and her eyes widened.


    "Star coins are worth this much!"


    Suddenly thinking of something, Theresa looked at Kiana.


    "Kiana! Where are your 450,000 star coins?"


    Kiana took a sip of juice.


    "They''re in my storage ring. What''s wrong?"


    Theresa said,


    "Good. Make sure you keep them safe¡ªdon''t lose them!"


    Ye Yun added,


    "No need to worry. Storage rings are blood-bound. Unless the owner dies, no one else can open them."


    Theresa felt relieved hearing this.


    After some discussion, Theresa and the others decided to go visit Penacony.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun said,


    "I suggest you find Silver Wolf. She can get you into the dreamscape."


    Theresa turned to Kiana.


    "Kiana, can you contact this Silver Wolf?"


    Kiana nodded.


    "Sure, just a sec."


    She took out the phone March 7th had given her and called Silver Wolf.


    More than half an hour later, Silver Wolf arrived at the shop.


    The moment Bronya got a good look at Silver Wolf, her eyes widened.


    "You look exactly like me!"


    Silver Wolf looked curiously at Bronya.


    "Yo, didn''t expect to find another me."


    Kiana suddenly remembered.


    "Oh right! I meant to say this yesterday¡ªSilver Wolf and Bronya really do look alike. I was so busy moving the portal, I forgot."


    Himeko was also amazed.


    "Didn''t expect there could be people who look so alike."


    Kiana thought of something else.


    "Himeko, you also have a counterpart."


    Honkai 3rd Himeko was startled.


    "Really? Where?"


    Kiana said,


    "In Penacony. The Himeko there is a navigator on the train team~ I''ll take you to meet her later."


    Himeko eagerly agreed. She was very curious about what her counterpart in another world would be like¡ªand whether she also liked drinking.


    Silver Wolf chatted with Bronya for a bit, then said,


    "I''m in a good mood today. I didn''t expect to meet my counterpart. I''ll process your IDs for free and take you into the dreamscape¡ªno charge."


    Theresa and the others happily thanked her.


    Silver Wolf summoned her Ether Keyboard and started working.


    Seeing Bronya''s interest, she explained while operating.


    Bronya understood everything easily, even handling her own ID processing.


    Silver Wolf was very pleased¡ªworthy of being her counterpart, brilliant no matter which world!


    After setting up the IDs, Silver Wolf opened a portal and led the Honkai group into the dreamscape.


    After their consciousnesses entered the dreamscape, Ye Yun carefully moved their bodies onto the sofas.


    Then, Ye Yun also took the six little ones out to play.


    ***


    In Penacony.


    Stelle entered a dream once again, but this time, it was different.


    After waking up at the Dream Pool within the dream, she found the surroundings eerie, accompanied by sinister music in her ears.


    All of this left Stelle confused.


    Thinking for a moment, Stelle pushed open the door and stepped outside.


    She arrived at the corridor and, not long after stepping out, spotted a few Dreamjolt Troupe monsters not far away.


    Stelle drew her Judgment of Shamash, firing a few shots to instantly wipe them out.


    Stelle was puzzled.


    "Why are Dreamjolt Troupe monsters appearing right next to the guest rooms?"


    Carrying her doubts, Stelle moved forward.


    Soon, her confusion disappeared, replaced by the joy of finding treasure chests.


    That''s right, after walking just a short distance, Stelle spotted a chest.


    After collecting the Stellar Jades, Stelle entered chest-hunting mode again.


    While walking and searching, she soon arrived at the main hall.


    Upon entering the hall, she saw Acheron.


    In front of Acheron stood dozens of Nightmare Troupe monsters, and at her feet, there were already piles of monster corpses.


    Seeing this, Stelle hurried over to help, switching her Judgment of Shamash into a greatsword.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    With a single slash, Stelle cleared the area, hot flames devouring and burning all the monsters into nothing.


    After taking care of them, Stelle walked over to Acheron. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why are you here?" Acheron asked, looking at Stelle in confusion.


    "You know me?" Stelle instantly understood after hearing this ¡ª yep, she had forgotten her again.


    "Of course. You forgot me again?"


    Acheron replied,


    "Sorry."


    Stelle waved her hand dismissively.


    "No worries. Anyway, why are you here? And what''s going on with these monsters?"


    Acheron shook her head.


    "I was trying to get to the lobby, but I got lost and ended up here. As for the monsters, I have no idea."


    Stelle responded,


    "I see. Come on, I''ll take you to the lobby."


    Acheron thanked her.


    "Thanks."


    Stelle shook her head.


    "No need to thank me. We''ve met so many times already ¡ª we''re friends. No need for formalities between friends. Let''s go."


    Stelle led Acheron toward the lobby.


    When they arrived at the VIP hall''s door, they found the door tightly shut ¡ª no matter how hard they pushed, it wouldn''t budge.


    Unwilling to give up, Stelle tried pushing it a few more times but still failed.


    "Hah! You think I can''t open a damn door? Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    With one slash, the door vanished into dust and debris.


    Stelle wiped her nose and sheathed Judgment Of Shamash.


    "Couldn''t open you? One slash and you''re gone!"


    She said to Acheron,


    "Let''s go. The lobby''s not far ahead. I remember the way."


    The two made their way down the corridor toward the elevator, and along the way, Stelle found a few more chests.


    Just as they were about to enter the elevator, a stunningly seductive woman blocked their path.


    "I advise you not to take the elevator. This dreamscape is in chaos ¡ª the elevator won''t take you to the first-floor lobby."


    Acheron looked at the woman.


    "Memokeeper."


    The woman was Black Swan.


    Black Swan looked at Stelle.


    "Let me introduce myself ¡ª I''m Black Swan, a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection."


    Stelle smiled and replied,


    "Nice to meet you. I''m Stelle, a Nameless from the Astral Express crew.You said the elevator can''t reach the lobby?"


    Black Swan nodded.


    "That''s right. Are you trying to get to the lobby? I''ll take you there."


    Stelle said happily,


    "That''s great. Thanks a lot."


    Thus,


    Black Swan led Stelle and Acheron back the way they came, through another door inside the VIP hall.


    More than an hour later, they finally reached the lobby.


    Along the way, Stelle obsessively hunted for chests, amassing over 500 Stellar Jades, leaving her overjoyed.


    Penacony really was a treasure trove ¡ª so many Stellar Jades!


    Upon reaching the lobby,


    Stelle spotted Firefly.


    "Firefly!"


    Stelle ran toward her.


    Suddenly! A cloud of black mist appeared on the ground, speeding rapidly toward Firefly.


    Seeing this, Star grabbed Judgment of Shamash and dashed after it.


    The black mist reached behind Firefly and morphed into a Memory Zone Meme.


    Just as the Memory Zone Meme was about to seize Firefly, Stelle, burning with twin-core energy, burst onto the scene.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    Stelle slashed fiercely at the Memory Zone Meme.


    Sensing danger, the creature quickly fled.


    After landing, Stelle shielded Firefly behind her, staying alert to the surroundings.


    Firefly, protected behind Stelle, recalled what Silver Wolf had recently told her.


    Silver Wolf: "Elio just sent a message ¡ª ever since Ye Yun appeared, the original script is a complete mess.He says you don''t need to face death three times anymore ¡ª just once."


    Firefly thought back ¡ª she had already faced death once in Penacony.


    If Stelle hadn''t saved her just now, that would have been the second time.


    As expected, the script was thoroughly derailed.


    In the original script, Stelle wasn''t supposed to be this strong yet.


    At that moment, Black Swan and Acheron also arrived.


    Black Swan scanned the surroundings.


    "It''s okay now. It''s gone."


    Only then did Stelle relax and ask Firefly with concern,


    "Are you alright, Firefly?"


    Firefly smiled and shook her head.


    "I''m fine. Thank you for arriving in time."


    Black Swan then spoke up.


    "We meet again, Miss Firefly."


    Firefly looked at Black Swan.


    "Ah, it''s you, Miss Black Swan. Thank you for saving me yesterday."


    Stelle was confused.


    "You two know each other?"


    Firefly explained,


    "Yes, after we split up yesterday at the Golden Hour, I entered a dreamscape.I ended up in a maze, and at the exit, I encountered that same Memory Zone Meme.Luckily, Miss Black Swan appeared in time and saved me."


    Stelle responded,


    "I see. Good thing you''re safe."


    Then Stelle remembered something.


    "By the way, I found a cure for your Entropy Loss Disorder.Yesterday, I bought it from Ye Yun for you. Take it ¡ª after taking it, you''ll be cured."


    Firefly happily accepted the Panacea Star handed over.


    "Thank you, Stelle."


    Stelle waved her hand nonchalantly.


    "It''s nothing ¡ª just a small thing."


    At this point, Black Swan spoke again.


    "Miss Firefly, taking the medicine here is useless ¡ª this is a dream."


    Firefly realized,


    "Oh, right, we''re still in a dream."


    She handed the Panacea back to Stelle.


    "Stelle, can you hold onto it for now? It''s so small, I''m afraid I''ll lose it."


    Stelle replied,


    "Sure, I''ll keep it safe. I''ll give it to you once we''re back in the real world."


    Black Swan glanced around.


    "Let''s find another place to talk. This dreamscape is very dangerous."


    Golden Hour.


    Sparkle, disguised as Robin, approached Sunday. Nearby, Aha crouched in a bush, sneakily watching for fun.


    "I''m back, brother."

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92 - 92Sunday turned back to look at "Robin."


    "Masked Fools, I advise you to stop what you''re doing. It will only bring disaster upon you."


    Sparkle reverted to her true form, shaking her head in disappointment.


    "My, my~ I''m actually trying to help you. If others find out that people can die even in dreams, you''re going to have a huge problem, you know?


    Why not let me take your mute sister''s place and show up in public for you~How about it, Chicken Wing Boy~?"


    Sunday glanced at Sparkle.


    "The family will handle this matter. Go back to wherever you came from. There''s no pleasure here for you."


    Sparkle didn''t seem annoyed. She just said,


    "Alrighty~ alrighty~ Going back? Impossible~ I haven''t had enough fun yet!


    If you need help later, you can always contact the invincible Sparkle~


    After all, who could resist a boy with nails in his chicken wings?"


    Sunday took a deep breath and turned away.


    Only when he had walked off did Aha pop out from the bushes nearby.


    "Hehe~ Chicken Wing Boy got mad!


    Sparkle, I''m off now, Aha''s going to have some fun~"


    Hearing that, Sparkle immediately grabbed Aha by the ear.


    "Leave? Where do you think you''re going? Come with me¡ªour gifts aren''t all handed out yet!"


    Dragging Aha by the ear, Sparkle headed toward the crowded commercial plaza.


    She transformed back into her "Robin" disguise, handing out specially made buttons to the people of Penacony.


    Aha followed behind, arms full of buttons.


    Meanwhile, Aventurine was strolling down the street, gathering treasure chests.


    As he collected, he pondered the family''s hidden secrets.


    "Penacony really is a treasure trove... So many treasure chests."


    Along the way, Aventurine collected over 2,000 Stellar Jades.


    Enough to buy about 20 equipment forging scrolls.


    If he was lucky, he might restore his already broken Aventurine Stone.


    Maybe even make it stronger than before.


    As he walked, Aventurine spotted Robin handing out buttons.


    His pupils shrank sharply ¡ª impossible! He had personally seen Robin die.


    Aventurine secretly trailed her for a while, and after some distance, he realized her true identity.


    He took out a button he had just bought from a passerby and rubbed the unique Sparkle symbol on it.


    "When did the Fools start working with the family?"


    After a moment''s thought, Aventurine quickly overturned that idea.


    "No, more accurately, this Fools is just looking for some fun ¡ª impersonating the dead. Interesting."


    Aventurine kept following until they reached a park. Suddenly, Sparkle jumped out from the side.


    "Is this how you attract girls'' attention?"


    Aventurine chuckled.


    "I was just passing by."


    Sparkle looked him over.


    "Passing by? You''ve been tailing me for half a system cycle."


    Aventurine shook his head.


    "To be precise, 45 minutes."


    Sparkle snorted coldly.


    "Little Peacock, you have a beautiful pair of eyes.


    I believe¡ªoh, right, these glasses are a mark of the Avgin.


    Who in the universe doesn''t know you Avgin are born con artists and thieves?"


    Saying this, she glanced at a nearby manhole cover.


    "If you ask me, people like you should stay in the sewers.


    Look, there''s one right there ¡ª go ahead~"


    Aventurine didn''t get angry at her sharp tongue.


    "No thanks. Someone as refined and handsome as me belongs in sweet dreams."


    Sparkle rolled her eyes at him.


    "Go home. I''m a Fools, not an idiot ¡ª I don''t have time to play ''friends'' with corporate lapdogs."


    Aventurine chuckled lightly.


    "Fools, you and I are both smart people. Know when to stop, or you''ll lose badly."


    Sparkle turned to leave, throwing a parting remark over her shoulder:


    "Little Peacock, if I were you, I''d go befriend the mute one. You''re the same kind, aren''t you?"


    Aventurine turned over her words in his mind.


    "Be friends with the mute, huh? I see."


    At that moment,


    Aventurine''s phone rang in his pocket. He picked it up ¡ª it was Ratio calling.


    "Hello, Professor? Ready to help me out?"


    Ratio replied,


    "Where are you? Sunday wants to talk with you."


    Hearing that, a sly glint flashed through Aventurine''s eyes.


    "Oh? Is that so? I''ll come find you."


    A system cycle later.


    Aventurine and Ratio met up at the mansion gate.


    Ratio glanced at the Stellar Jades Aventurine was playing with.


    "How many did you find?"


    Seeing Ratio''s gaze, Aventurine shrugged.


    "Not too much. Did you ask Jade?"


    Ratio nodded slightly.


    "Yeah. Your Strategic Investment Department went big this time."


    Aventurine waved it off casually.


    "Big? It''s just a little investment project of ours."


    Ratio fell silent for a moment.


    "Sell me some Stellar Jade later."


    With that, Ratio headed into the mansion.


    Aventurine smiled and followed.


    Later, the two met with Sunday, staging a betrayal scene to obtain the real Aventurine Stone¡ª


    The broken Aventurine Stone hidden inside a piece of jewelry.


    At the same time, Aventurine fell victim to a Harmony curse, leaving him dizzy and groggy.


    Back at "The Golden Moment," Aventurine felt waves of pain surging through his head.


    He instinctively pulled out three equipment enhancement scrolls ¡ª gifts from Jade earlier.


    It was the perfect time to use them.


    But just as he was about to, he stopped himself, putting the scrolls back.


    "Hold on a little longer. There''s still something unfinished."


    Aventurine went around throwing money everywhere, digging for secrets about the family.


    This successfully lured out Sparkle and Aha.


    Aha followed Sparkle.


    "Sparkle, look! Little Peacock is so pitiful~"


    Sparkle nodded.


    "Ah~ poor thing. Kind-hearted Sparkle has decided to help him with a little hint~"


    She and Aha walked over to Aventurine.


    "Well, if it isn''t Little Peacock. Haven''t seen you for a bit and look at the mess you''ve become!


    Got cursed by the family? Almost assimilated, huh?"


    Then Sparkle changed her tone:


    "But~ in my opinion, it''s actually good news, because¡ª"


    Aventurine cut her off:


    "Because I''m close to the truth, right?


    Fool, did you think I''ve been throwing money around for fun? It was all to draw you out ¡ª to make you answer a question."


    Sparkle looked a little surprised.


    "Oh? Not bad, Little Peacock, you''re pretty clever after all.


    As a reward, let me tell you a secret.


    There are two ''Mutes.''One can no longer speak.The other... has already returned to Penacony."


    ***


    Hearing this, Aventurine got the answer she wanted.


    "I see, I understand now. Thank you for sharing. I have something else to do, so I won''t stay any longer."


    Aventurine bid farewell to Sparkle and walked toward the Grand Theater.


    After Aventurine left, Aha popped out from beside Sparkle, holding three tickets in his hand.


    Sparkle was very curious.


    "What are those tickets in your hand?"


    Aha chuckled mischievously.


    "Hehe, these are something Aha traded from Little Peacock! Aha even paid a Destiny Coin for them~ Heehee~"


    Sparkle was completely confused.


    "Destiny Coin? What''s that?"


    Aha explained,


    "Well, there''s this interesting guy on the train who opened a small shop, and inside the shop¡ª"


    Before Aha could finish,Sparkle kicked him squarely on the butt.


    "Aha!!! You found such a fun place and didn''t tell me? Let''s go! Take me there right now!"


    Aha rubbed his sore butt, looking aggrieved.


    "Aha just forgot! I''ll take you there right away."


    Opening a portal, Aha led Sparkle through it.


    Meanwhile, Stelle and Acheron returned to the Golden Hour, meeting up with Himeko and the others at the Clockboy statue.


    Everyone shared the information they had gathered.


    March 7th asked in confusion, "Where should we go next?"


    Himeko looked at the giant advertisement screen on the nearby commercial building.


    "No rush. Since someone invited us, they''ll naturally tell us where to go next."


    Sure enough, the very next second, the advertisement screen lit up. Aventurine appeared and began giving a speech.


    Himeko smiled.


    "See? Here''s our next move. Let''s go to the Grand Theater."


    Welt spoke up,


    "You all go ahead. I have something to discuss with Miss Acheron."


    Himeko glanced at Acheron, then back at Welt, and understood.


    "Come on, March, Stelle, let''s head to the theater."


    March 7th and Star followed Himeko toward the Grand Theater.


    Of course, it wasn''t just the Astral Express crew who saw Aventurine''s announcement.


    In Liyue, Mondstadt, Xianzhou, aboard the Astral Express, and even Kiana''s group who had just arrived in Penacony¡ªeveryone saw it.


    Kiana pointed at the big screen.


    "Aunt Himeko, I''m going to the theater! Stelle is my friend, I have to help! You guys can look for treasure chests without me."


    She immediately took off running.


    Mei stopped her.


    "Kiana, we''ll go with you."


    Kiana beamed with joy.


    "Really?"


    Theresa added, "Let''s go. We''ll help out. The chests aren''t going anywhere."


    Thus, the Honkai team hurried toward the Grand Theater, asking for directions along the way.


    Meanwhile, on the Xianzhou side¡ª


    Feixiao waved her hand grandly.


    "Let''s go to the Grand Theater too! The Astral Express crew are our allies¡ªI can''t just stand by and watch them get bullied!"


    Zhongli gathered the Liyue group.


    "Let''s go lend them a hand."


    Venti simply summoned a hurricane and carried the Mondstadt group straight toward the theater.


    Kafka also decided to head over, mainly worried about Stelle¡ªafter all, Aventurine''s strength was nothing to underestimate.


    Seeing this, Silver Wolf grinned.


    "Go ahead. I''m gonna keep treasure hunting. See ya!"


    Kafka and Silver Wolf parted ways¡ªone heading to the theater, the other to continue finding chests.


    Inside the Grand Theater¡ª


    Aventurine stood on the stage, looking at the packed audience, utterly dumbfounded.


    Where did all these people come from?!


    Ye Yun had brought the six little ones to watch the commotion. The kids were sitting in the front row, running around and playing on the stage, having the time of their lives.


    Ye Yun, Zhongli, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Jiaoqiu brewed some tea and sat chatting casually.


    Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver and Grandma Ping also joined in, getting themselves cups of tea.


    Xiao stood vigilantly behind Zhongli, keeping a close eye on Sparkle on the stage.


    Meanwhile, Kiana and Theresa''s group were busy mingling with others.


    Ganyu and Shenhe were whispering to each other in a corner.


    Xianyun managed to get her hands on a mobile phone and was now crouching beside a chair, screwdriver in hand, disassembling it.


    Feixiao and Venti had cozied up together, already drinking.


    Jade and Topaz were happily chatting with Ningguang and Jean.


    Topaz was even thinking of visiting Mondstadt¡ªlast time, the specialties she brought back from Liyue had sold very well.Even though her main job was now working at Ye Yun''s shop, she still had to meet her sales targets.


    On the stage¡ª


    Aventurine looked at the lively audience, utterly speechless.


    Could you people please show a little respect? This is supposed to be a serious event, and you''re drinking tea?!


    And who the heck brought little kids to such a dangerous place?!


    And Topaz! Jade! Why are you two in the crowd too? I''m your colleague!


    At that moment, Aventurine regretted his life choices a little. Maybe he should have accepted the tavern''s invitation all those years ago.


    Of course, that was just a joke¡ªhe had a promise with his sister, after all: to protect and preserve the last bloodline of the Avgin people.


    Fortunately¡ª


    The Astral Express crew and Acheron arrived at the scene. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aventurine locked eyes with Acheron. Finally¡ªyou''re here, Emanator!


    Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The lights dimmed, and the big screen behind the stage lit up, showing Aventurine''s image.


    A high-energy track blasted through the speakers.


    "Everyone, the dice have been thrown. Are you ready to reveal your hand?"


    Stelle pulled out the Judgment of Shamash in its greatsword form, looking grimly at Aventurine.


    Himeko, March 7th, and Welt all drew their weapons as well.


    Aventurine laughed coldly and tossed out a few dice.


    "I will place my bet, I will play the game,I will win the prize.I turn the wheel of fate, betting it all in a do-or-die gamble. All in the name of the Amber King!"


    The audience erupted into applause.


    The six little ones dangled their short legs off the edge of the stage, happily watching Aventurine''s dramatic entrance.


    Kiana couldn''t resist¡ªshe stood up straight, mimicking Aventurine''s posture, right hand raised at a 45-degree angle toward the sky.


    "I place my bet! I play the game! I win the prize!"


    Beside her, Hu Tao jumped up too, raising her hand.


    "I turn the wheel of fate, betting it all!"


    Then Amber popped out, also raising her right hand high.


    "All in the name of the Amber King!"


    Aventurine almost lost his balance midair.


    What the hell?! Why are you people ruining the mood so perfectly?! Damn it!


    Frustrated, Aventurine reached into his clothes to pull out three equipment enhancement scrolls to use immediately.


    But¡ª


    Instead, his hand found a hard, cold object.


    He pulled it out: a single coin.


    Meanwhile, at the edge of the audience¡ª


    Sparkle was gleefully waving around the three enhancement scrolls that originally belonged to Aventurine.


    "Looking for something, Little Peacock?"


    Aha and Sparkle had first swung by the Astral Express, met with Matchmaker, and then headed straight for the theater to find Ye Yun.


    They certainly hadn''t expected to stumble upon such a hilarious scene right away.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93 - 93Aventurine instantly lost his composure.


    "You Masked Fools! And you have the nerve to call me a thief? Your behavior is what''s truly thieving!"


    Sparkle spread her hands innocently.


    "I don''t know~ I didn''t steal this, they did!"


    Fireworks kicked Aha, who was standing nearby laughing his head off at the situation.


    After being kicked, Aha chuckled and said, "Aha didn''t steal it, Aha left you a Coin of Fate. Toss it into the air¡ªheads, your wounds heal; tails, you''ll be struck by lightning. I''m gambling! I''m winning! Come on, I''m rooting for you! Hahahaha!"


    Everyone present was stunned by Aha''s words. They could only think: As expected of you, Aha. Only you could come up with something like this.


    Aventurine looked at the Coin of Fate in his hand and nodded with satisfaction.


    "Is that so? Fine.Then, the real show begins!"


    Without warning, Aventurine launched an attack at the train crew.


    Rios, Ye Yun, and Jingliu hurriedly pulled the six little ones back to shield them.


    Zhongli spread his hands.


    "As Solid As a Rock!"


    In an instant, everyone present was wrapped in a layer of shields.


    Without a word, Stelle leaped up, wielding the Judgment of Shamash. One slash cut down the incoming attack, and she charged straight toward Aventurine.


    Aventurine launched another attack, this time focusing all his firepower on Stelle.


    Stelle shouted, "Second Stellaron, activate!"


    In a flash, her aura surged, and the Judgment of Shamash in her hand greedily drew upon the energy of the two Stellarons within her.


    Stelle went all out.


    "Judgment Of Shamash! Cataclysm! Annihilation!"


    A towering wave of heat surged toward Aventurine. Even from a great distance, people could see the roaring flame.


    As the flames dissipated, Aventurine fell onto the stage.


    Stelle landed right after, pointing her Judgment Of Shamash straight at Aventurine.


    Aventurine struggled up from the ground in a sorry state, took out the Coin of Fate Aha had given him, glanced at Aha, and forced a bitter smile.


    "Hope your words hold true, old man."


    Aventurine tossed the Coin of Fate into the air, spreading his arms as if ready to embrace death.


    "Everything! Or nothing at all!"


    The coin landed ¡ª it was heads.


    Aventurine burst into hysterical laughter.


    "Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Now, let''s move on to Round Two!"


    Thanks to the coin, Aventurine''s injuries healed instantly.


    He rose into the air.


    "This time! I will wager everything! Either I win ultimate victory today, or I turn into a pile of dirt! Everything or nothing!"


    Going all out, Aventurine created a dark red barrier in the sky.


    Inside the barrier, countless giant chips appeared, crashing down onto the ground.


    Stelle stared wide-eyed at the endless rain of chips.


    So many gold coins! How much money is that?! She gazed curiously at the falling chips like a child.


    At that moment, Huangquan moved.


    She took a step forward.


    "Weeping for the departed, tears falling like rain, filling the river of the dead."


    Time around them seemed to slow. Acheron raised her blade high above her head, red markings spreading across her body, her hair turning a ghostly white as she drew her sword.


    "As the tide surges ¡ª I will lead you home!"


    A single blood tear slid from the corner of Acheron''s eye as she slashed down.


    A slash of blade energy tore through the sky, hurtling toward Aventurine.


    The sword energy spread, sweeping outward and tearing apart everything in its path.


    On the scene¡ª


    Ye Yun, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Feixiao immediately acted as Acheron attacked, shielding the others behind them.


    Thus, Acheron''s fierce strike did not harm anyone.


    Kiana stared in amazement at Acheron on stage.


    She tugged hard at Mei.


    "Mei! Mei! Look! She''s the one I told you about ¡ª the one who looks just like you!"


    Mei dazedly stared at Acheron and nodded.


    "Yeah, I see her."


    Meanwhile, Theresa also noticed Himeko from the train crew on stage.


    "Himeko! Look, that person looks exactly like you!"


    HI3''s Himeko looked over.


    "I see her. I wonder if she likes to drink, though."


    Ye Yun clapped his hands and called out,


    "Alright everyone, things have settled for now. Let''s head back first. Xiangling just messaged me ¡ª she''s preparing dinner."


    As he spoke, Ye Yun waved his phone, showing the chat with Xiangling.


    Everyone exited the dream realm and returned to the VIP lounge.


    HI3''s Himeko found the train crew''s Himeko, and the two sat down at the bar to chat.


    HI3''s Himeko ordered a beer, casually popped the cap, and handed it to train Himeko.


    "Here, want a drink?"


    Train Himeko smiled and asked the waiter for a coffee instead.


    "I don''t like alcohol much. I prefer coffee."


    HI3''s Himeko was surprised.


    "You actually like drinking that bitter stuff? Booze is way better!"


    Train Himeko smiled again.


    "That''s just one of the ways we''re different. Even though we share the same name and look alike, there are bound to be differences."


    HI3''s Himeko nodded.


    "True."


    The two Himekos then chatted by the bar.


    Meanwhile, Kiana had brought Mei over to meet Acheron.


    Acheron and Mei locked eyes, studying each other closely.


    Even Acheron looked a little stunned ¡ª she hadn''t expected someone who looked so much like her.


    Mei reached out her hand.


    "Hi, Acheron. I''m Mei."


    Acheron heard that name, and a deeply buried memory stirred.


    "You''re called Mei, too?" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mei nodded.


    "Yes, I''m Raiden Mei. Why?"


    Acheron''s expression stiffened.


    "Raiden Mei?"


    Mei nodded again.


    "Yeah, something wrong? You look a little..."


    Acheron took a deep breath.


    "My full name is Raiden Bosenmori Mei."


    Hearing this, Kiana, Hu Tao, and Stelle all exclaimed,


    "Woah! What a crazy coincidence! Must be alternate selves!" Stelle said, shocked.


    Kiana looked back and forth between Mei and Acheron, dumbfounded.


    "This is way too much of a coincidence! I wonder if there''s another me here too."


    Over by the chessboard, Welt, who had been playing against Jing Yuan, suddenly thought of someone.


    He stood up urgently and turned to Jing Yuan.


    "General Jing Yuan, where is Luocha?"


    Jing Yuan, puzzled by Welt''s seriousness, answered,


    "He''s imprisoned in the Shackling Prison. Why?"


    Welt said,


    "I knew it! I knew it! He''s Otto''s counterpart.General Jing Yuan, that man is extremely dangerous! He must be watched closely! He must not be allowed to leave the The Shackling Prison! Even if he''s just Otto''s alternate self, anything tied to Otto spells trouble! Forget it ¡ª I''ll go deal with him myself. Better safe than sorry."


    Jing Yuan reassured him.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Welt. I take your warning seriously. The Shackling Prison is heavily guarded. Rest assured."


    ***


    Huaiyan agreed, "That''s right, Mr. Welt, don''t worry. He can''t get away. Now on the Luofu, there''s me, General Feixiao, and General Jing Yuan, plus former Sword Champion Lady Jingliu. He has no way to escape."


    Ye Yun smiled, "Exactly, come on, come on, let''s continue our game."


    Hearing this, Welt shook his head and sat aside, "Ye Yun, you take over. I''ll rest for a bit and catch my breath."


    Ye Yun sat opposite Jing Yuan, "Come on, let''s start a new game!"


    The two of them reset the board and began playing again.


    Meanwhile, Topaz and Jade had already contacted Aventurine. Sure enough, just as they had suspected earlier, dying in the dream didn''t mean true death ¡ª it just sent them to the real Penacony.


    Mimi ran over to Stelle''s side, "Mika! Mika!" Mimi stood with arms akimbo, cheeks puffed out, clearly very angry.


    Stelle, not understanding, looked toward Rios.Rios explained, "Mimi is saying, why didn''t you bring him to the fight today?"


    Upon hearing this, Stelle patted Mimi''s little head, "Today''s battle was very dangerous. I was afraid you might get hurt."


    Mimi turned his head away, still sulking.


    Seeing this, Stelle picked him up, "Alright, alright, I''ll take you monster hunting tomorrow!"


    Upon hearing this, Mimi instantly brightened up, "Mika? Mika?"


    This time, Stelle answered without needing Rios to translate, "Really, tomorrow we''ll go fight monsters together!"


    Mimi cheered happily.


    Rios then added, "Most sprites are passionate about fighting ¡ª through combat, they can grow stronger."


    March 7th patted the flower on Bub Flower''s head, "Bub Flower, let''s go fight monsters together tomorrow too!"


    Bub Flower smiled and nodded, "Bubu! Bubu!"


    Amber and Eula also decided to take Little Bumblebee and Bloom for leveling up tomorrow.


    Seeing all this, Hu Tao suddenly remembered ¡ª she still didn''t have her own spirit! So,Hu Tao ran over to Ye Yun and bought a Spirit Core, asking him to help hatch it back on the train.


    Meanwhile, Bronya and Silver Wolf had gathered together, discussing hacking techniques ¡ªthough it was mostly Bronya asking and Silver Wolf answering.


    Even though the Honkai world was technological, it wasn''t as advanced as Honkai: Star Rail.


    After chatting with Acheron for a while, Mei noticed Xiangling busy in the kitchen.Thus, Mei headed toward the kitchen.


    This kitchen was a temporary setup just beside the main hall ¡ªa stove, a counter, a sink, and an exhaust fan ¡ª very basic, but sufficient.


    Xiangling was stirring a large wok quickly, using high heat to infuse the dishes with that "wok hei" aroma, making them delicious.


    Mei entered the kitchen, "Hello, you''re Xiangling, right?"


    Xiangling looked at Mei, "That''s me. And you are?"


    Mei replied, "Hello, I''m Raiden Mei. I''ve often heard Kiana mention you these past days ¡ªshe said your cooking is amazing and that you packed her a lot of dishes."


    Xiangling responded, "It''s nothing! I''m the one mainly responsible for everyone''s meals at Ye Yun''s shop ¡ª it''s usually me and him cooking."


    Mei nodded, surveying the scene, "Let me help you. I know a bit of cooking too."


    Xiangling hesitated, "Uh, that might be tricky... There''s only one stove, and all the ingredients are prepped already. I just need to stir-fry them."


    Mei thought for a moment, "I can set up an induction cooker. I can cook something too, even if it''s a bit slower."


    Xiangling agreed, "Guoba, go grab a table!"


    Guoba waddled off and soon brought a table over.


    After a waiter brought the induction cooker, Mei donned an apron and started cooking.


    Everyone was bustling around when ¡ªAha and Sparkle made their grand entrance.


    Aha kicked open the door dramatically, drawing everyone''s attention.


    "Aha has arrived!"


    Sparkle shoved Aha aside, "Move it, you''re blocking me."


    Aha looked wronged ¡ª Sparkle-sama bullied him again!


    Seeing everyone staring, Sparkle cleared her throat, "Tada! The invincible Sparkle has arrived! Good evening, everyone! What are you all up to?"


    Jade recognized her immediately, "Masked Fools, what are you doing here?"


    Sparkle noticed the lack of enthusiasm, "Hey, I''m here to hang out! Aren''t you happy to see me? I even brought gifts!"


    She grabbed Aha and shook him ¡ª a pile of Sparkle plushies fell out of Aha''s clothes.


    Sparkle handed them out one by one, "Come on, these are custom-made for you all! Don''t be shy, take them!"


    Stelle took the plushie from Sparkle. As soon as she held it, the plushie spoke:


    "Ooh~ isn''t this the invincible Galaxy Flame Hero? I can''t believe I''m meeting you ¡ª you''re my idol!"


    Stelle was very satisfied, "Not bad, say more nice things."


    But then the plushie''s voice suddenly changed:


    "Your compliment balance is insufficient. Please recharge by shouting three times: ''I''m an idiot!''"


    Star immediately frowned and threw the plushie into the trash bin.


    Everyone else was similarly pranked, and Sparkle and Aha laughed uproariously.


    Ye Yun intervened, "Alright, alright, Sparkle, Aha, stop messing around. You''ll get beaten up otherwise."


    Aha struck a pose, "Aha is a Aeon! I''m not afraid of a beating!"


    Ye Yun calmly replied, "Aha, do you believe I''ll stop selling you stuff?"


    Aha immediately panicked ¡ª he still needed fate coins! His source of entertainment! "Okay, okay! For Ye Yun''s sake, Aha will stop messing around ¡ª at least for tonight."


    Sparkle scampered over to Ye Yun, "So you''re Ye Yun? I heard from Aha that you can sell anything ¡ª is that true?"


    Ye Yun nodded, "Yep. What do you want to buy?"


    Sparkle grinned, "Aha said he and Akivili once blew up a train. Do you have the same type of bomb? Sell me some ¡ª I want to blow up a train too!"


    Ye Yun was speechless, "No way. The train''s finally moving again. Don''t mess around."


    Sparkle giggled and noticed the wary looks from Stelle, March 7th, Himeko, and Welt, "Relax, relax, I''m just joking. I won''t actually blow up the train."


    She continued, "So Ye Yun, what do you sell? Show me! Maybe I''ll find something I like."


    Ye Yun asked, "Do you have Stellar Jade?"


    Firefly shook her head, "Nope. What''s it for?"


    Ye Yun explained, and after thinking a moment, Sparkle ran over and kicked Aha, "Aha, give me some coins!"


    Without hesitation, Aha pulled out a million credits, "Aha gives Sparkle a million!"

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94 - 94Sparkle took the 1 million star credits and nodded in satisfaction.


    Then, she looked at Ye Yun.


    "I''ve got star credits now, hurry up and show me what good stuff you have!"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No rush. Let''s eat first. After dinner, I''ll take you back to the shop. There''s equipment there ¡ª it''ll be more convenient."


    Hearing that, Sparkle agreed.


    "Okay~ okay~ I''ll wait a little bit then~"


    More than half an hour later, Xiangling and Mei finished preparing dinner.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun waved his hand grandly.


    "Come on, everyone, give me a hand and push the tables together."


    There were a lot of small square tables in the hall, but with so many people, it was better to make one big table for convenience.


    Upon hearing this, everyone quickly put down what they were doing and ran to move the tables.


    A long rectangular table was assembled, and Xiangling, Mei, and Guoba began serving the dishes.


    Each of the three pushed a small cart full of mouth-watering food.


    As the dishes were placed on the table, Xiangling called out to everyone.


    "Don''t just stand there, come and eat!"


    Hearing her call, everyone found a seat and sat down.


    Kiana dragged Acheron and Mei to find a seat together.


    "Mei, Mei~ which dishes did you make?"


    Mei replied,


    "I made the egg rolls, the stir-fried tomato and egg, and the black pepper beef cubes.


    The other dishes were mostly made by Xiangling. Her cooking skills are definitely better than mine."


    Hearing that, Kiana waved her hand casually.


    "It''s fine, you''re already amazing! Xiangling is a real professional chef ¡ª her family owns a restaurant."


    Mei nodded slightly, agreeing with that.


    Her own cooking was good, but she knew she couldn''t compare with a professional like Xiangling, especially in handling ingredients.


    Ye Yun and a few of the other guys sat together. Ye Yun looked around at them.


    "So, what do you say? Should we have a little drink today?"


    Venti immediately pointed with enthusiasm.


    "Let''s do it! I definitely won''t get drunk this time!"


    Ye Yun gave him a scornful look.


    "Tsk tsk~ and who was it last time that passed out after just one cup?"


    Venti stammered in defense.


    "Th-that was because I wasn''t in good condition! I wasn''t ready! This time, I definitely won''t fall after one drink!"


    Feixiao also recalled the disastrous last time¡ªthey, one of the proud Seven Archons and the Xianzhou Alliance General, actually collapsed after just two cups! What a humiliation!


    "Exactly, we were just in bad shape last time!"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Alright then, let''s drink a little today."


    Saying so, Ye Yun bought the same wine they had during the Lantern Rite Festival ¡ª Celestial Drunkenness ¡ª from the system.


    It wasn''t cheap ¡ª just a single five-jin (about 2.5kg) jar cost 1000 credits.


    Ye Yun placed the jar heavily onto the table.


    "Alright, those who want to drink, come grab a cup!"


    Upon hearing that, Stelle nudged Hu Tao with her elbow.


    "Hu Tao, what do you say? Should we get some wine too?"


    Hu Tao glanced over ¡ª Ye Yun and the others were already clinking glasses for their first round.


    "Better not. That wine looks strong ¡ª even someone like Venti, who''s good at drinking, passed out after one cup."


    Stelle continued to persuade.


    "We''ll just taste it! I''ll bring back a cup and we''ll share."


    Lumine raised her hand in agreement.


    "I think that''s fine. Just a little taste should be okay."


    Eula was also a bit tempted. She could handle her liquor ¡ª she often drank back in Mondstadt.


    "Let''s have a little. I haven''t had any in a long time."


    Seeing everyone agree, Stelle picked up a cup and ran toward Ye Yun.


    Once beside him, she tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, pour me a cup ¡ª I''ll take it back and share with March and the others."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "You sure? This wine''s really strong."


    Stelle nodded firmly.


    "Yeah, we all talked about it ¡ª just a little to taste."


    Hearing that, Ye Yun agreed and poured her a cup of Celestial Drunkenness.


    "Just a taste, don''t drink too much."


    Stelle used a juice cup, and even filling just that one cup was enough to pour about ten small cups'' worth.


    Carefully holding the cup, Stelle brought it back to their table and divided it among March 7th and the others.


    After pouring, everyone raised their glasses for a toast.


    March 7th, Hu Tao, and Amber, who weren''t great drinkers, just took small sips.


    Eula, Stelle, and Lumine, on the other hand, downed theirs in one go.


    And the result? Well, it was obvious.


    Stelle immediately saw double, feeling dizzy.


    Lumine and Eula didn''t fare much better ¡ª both of them sat at their seats, still feeling the aftershock.


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue in disapproval.


    "I told you that wine''s strong. Now look ¡ª you''re all drunk!"


    Stelle, wobbling in her seat, stubbornly raised her glass high.


    "I''m not drunk! I''m the Galaxy Flame Hero! How could I pass out after just one drink?"


    She tried to steady herself, but the more she tried, the dizzier she became ¡ª the floor was rolling like waves.


    In the end, Stelle couldn''t hold on and collapsed face-first onto the table, passing out.


    March 7th and Hu Tao hurriedly carried her to a room and laid her on a sofa to rest.


    At the same time, in Fontaine.


    The Fatui Harbinger known as the Knave was listening grimly to a report.


    "Lord Harbinger, recently, a group of unknown knights have appeared around the Hydro Archon. Many of our men have fallen to them."


    The Knave rubbed her forehead with a troubled expression.


    The Tsaritsa had already ordered a halt to the collection of Gnosis and suspended Fatui operations.


    Halting the collection of Gnosis was fine for her, but suspending all activities made things complicated.


    She wanted to save Fontaine, to avert the prophecy of destruction.


    That''s why she had secretly sent people to track Furina and gather information.


    But she''d just returned from a meeting in Snezhnaya ¡ª only to hear such terrible news.


    Lyney asked,


    "Father, should we continue sending people to follow Furina?"


    The Knave pondered for a moment.


    "No, tonight I''ll go myself."


    She intended to meet these mysterious knights personally and find out who they were.


    Teyvat wasn''t that big, nor that small ¡ª but top-level experts were few.


    Lyney looked worried.


    "Father, let me come with you. Those knights are very strong."


    The Knave smiled.


    "No need. I can handle it. You stay and take care of your younger siblings.If something happens to me, you take them back to Snezhnaya."


    Lyney clearly didn''t want to agree, but the Knave''s attitude was firm.


    "This matter is settled."


    Lyney could only swallow his words.


    Later that night,


    The Knave arrived near the Court of Fontaine.As soon as she released a bit of her aura, four Lancelot Knights immediately arrived and surrounded her.


    Sensing their strength, the Knave''s heart sank ¡ªeach of these knights had at least the power of a god''s favored champion!


    ***


    Strike first to gain the upper hand! Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Knave pulled out her scythe and charged at the four Lancelot knights.


    The four Lancelot knights worked together to block her attack, then coordinated a counterattack against the Knave.


    The Knave was slightly stronger than the four knights, but not by much; her power hadn''t reached the level of a demon god.


    For the moment, neither side could defeat the other ¡ª they clashed fiercely, evenly matched.


    Soon, more knights arrived at the scene, totaling 32 Lancelot knights.


    Standing in the center, the Knave looked grim. She hadn''t expected these knights to be so strong ¡ª 31 of them had the power of demon god followers.


    And the last one was even more terrifying, possessing demon god-level combat strength.


    The captain of the Lancelot Knights, Lancelot himself, walked up to the servant.


    "You are strong. I grant you a fair duel: you and me, one-on-one," said Lancelot.


    Upon his words, the other knights immediately stepped aside, clearing a space for them.


    Hearing this, the Knave realized her only chance of survival was to defeat this man before her.


    With a sudden burst of strength, she instantly appeared in front of Lancelot, swinging her scythe down from above.


    Lancelot calmly raised his rapier to block the attack.


    Then, with a strong push, he knocked the scythe aside and thrust his sword forward.


    The Knave dodged quickly but was still a step too late, earning a fresh wound.


    In just one exchange, she was already bleeding ¡ª this man''s strength was overwhelming.


    They fought a few more rounds, and the Knave gained several more wounds.


    Just as the Knave closed her eyes in despair, a voice called out:


    "Lancelot, wait."


    Lancelot turned to look at the newcomer ¡ª it was Neuvillette.


    "Lancelot, this person harbors ill intentions toward our lord," Lancelot said.


    Neuvillette replied, "She is an important figure from another nation. If she were to die here in Fontaine, it would bring serious trouble upon us."


    Lancelot didn''t seem concerned. To him, only Furina mattered; as for Fontaine itself? It was insignificant.


    If Fontaine were destroyed, he would simply help his master create another nation.


    Neuvillette frowned, realizing his words weren''t persuading Lancelot.


    The servant could die ¡ª but not in Fontaine. After all, she had been acting under the title of diplomat.


    At that moment, a sleepy voice sounded from nearby:


    "Lancelot, get me some water. I''m thirsty," murmured Furina.


    Apparently, the noise had woken Furina up, and she was feeling parched.


    Neuvillette, hearing Furina''s voice, quickly came up with a plan.


    "Lancelot, for Furina''s sake, let me handle this person. I promise she will not cause any more trouble."


    Hearing this, Lancelot agreed. After ordering the knights back to their posts, he took a cup of warm water and went into Furina''s room.


    Neuvillette breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past few days, he had come to trust these knights.


    They were true knights, loyal to their ideals.


    Whenever they encountered injustice, they would step in to help.


    Whenever someone was in distress, they would lend a hand.


    Neuvillette had witnessed these knights helping the people of Fontaine time and time again ¡ª even with small tasks like finding lost cats or dogs.


    Their only flaw was that whenever Furina was involved, they would become absolutely inflexible, fiercely protective of her.


    The servant rested for a moment before standing up.


    "Thank you," she said.


    Neuvillette turned to her.


    "According to my information, your Empress has already ordered you to cease your actions," he said.


    The servant nodded and laid out her true intentions.


    After listening, Neuvillette said,


    "As for the matter of the prophecy, Furina and I will handle it ourselves. We don''t need your assistance."


    Hearing this, the servant felt helpless.


    "I understand. I will stay in Fontaine. If you ever need help, call on me ¡ª consider it repayment for saving my life tonight."


    Meanwhile, in Liyue, at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦...


    Calestia had been holed up in her gaming room for several days.


    Since the Lantern Rite Festival ended, she hadn''t left the room.


    Every day, she asked Nahida to run errands for her, buying food from the small stalls downstairs.


    Nahida was thoroughly exasperated. She felt like a little kid sent on errands ¡ª it reminded her of a scene she had seen in Sumeru City: a mother sending her child to buy soy sauce.


    And she was that child!


    Nahida dared not complain ¡ª after all, Calestia was her boss.


    Today, she went downstairs, buying two grilled tigerfish and a bowl of fried noodles.


    The vendor quickly packed the food.


    Nahida paid, grabbed the food, and headed back.


    As soon as she stepped into the internet caf¨¦, she overheard some gossip:


    "Didn''t the Tianquan Lord issue a decree? No minors allowed online. How is this little girl here?"


    "Oh, her? She''s from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. She''s friends with Master Hu."


    "Ah, that explains it. I thought Hu Tao would never break the law."


    "Of course not. We''ve known Master Hu for years ¡ª her character is impeccable."


    Nahida was speechless. A little kid?! A minor?! Hahaha!!!


    Fuming, she returned to Calestia''s room.


    Hearing the door open, Calestia instantly leapt up, grabbed the food box from her hands, and started devouring the grilled tigerfish with gusto.


    After swallowing a big bite, Calestia finally noticed the gloomy Nahida.


    "What''s wrong? You were cheerful when you left, and now you''re all mopey," he asked.


    Nahida sighed and recounted how people thought she was underage.


    Calestia wasn''t surprised at all.


    "You''re only 500 years old. Among the gods, you are still a minor ¡ª adulthood starts at 1800, you know?"


    Nahida grew even more frustrated upon hearing this.


    "No! I must grow taller!"


    Calestia laughed and said,


    "Don''t rush it. Growing takes time. But here, I''ll teach you a trick ¡ª a way to make ordinary people see you differently."


    Nahida''s eyes lit up.


    "Please teach me, Lady Calestia!"


    Calestia nodded.


    "Relax. Let me finish eating first ¡ª I''m starving."


    Nahida let go of her. Calestia sat back down and continued enjoying her meal happily.


    Meanwhile, Nahida cheered up a little and pulled a book from the shelf to read.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95 - 95Inside Inazuma City.


    Having just returned by ship, Ei immediately issued a command for everyone to follow the orders of the Guuji Yae (Yae Miko).


    After giving the orders, Ei retreated into the Plane of Euthymia, carrying a large pile of snacks and manga.


    Meanwhile, Miko summoned all of Inazuma''s top officials for a meeting.


    Kamisato Ayaka and Kamisato Ayato, accompanied by Thoma, headed to the Grand Narukami Shrine.


    As soon as the two stepped into the main hall, Miko noticed them.


    "Oh my, oh my~ Little Ayaka, Little Ayato, as expected, you two arrived the fastest."


    Ayato smiled and gave a courteous bow.


    "Our Kamisato Estate is right at the foot of Mt. Yougou, naturally we would arrive quickly."


    Miko chuckled softly behind her hand.


    "Then why doesn''t Little Ayato visit my Grand Narukami Shrine more often? Look at Little Ayaka¡ªshe comes quite frequently."


    As she spoke, Miko beckoned Ayaka over.


    "Come, Little Ayaka, sit here."


    Ayaka gave a slightly embarrassed laugh and came to sit beside Miko. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, a bead of cold sweat formed on Ayato''s forehead.


    Who in Inazuma didn''t know of the Guuji-sama''s love for teasing people? Ayato had even heard stories that even the dogs at the city gates weren''t spared¡ªMiko once hung their hard-won bones from trees just for fun.


    "Usually, I''m busy managing household affairs and have little time to visit. I hope you''ll forgive me. However, my sister often visits, and since we''re family, her presence is as good as mine."


    Miko smiled.


    "You''re smooth as ever. Fine, fine, I won''t tease you anymore. Come sit. Once everyone arrives, we''ll begin the meeting."


    Ayato took a seat beside Ayaka.


    Miko then ordered some snacks she had brought back from Liyue to be placed on the table.


    "The others probably won''t arrive so quickly. Let''s have a little something to eat first¡ªthese are specialties from Liyue. Try them."


    Ayaka smiled and thanked her.


    "Thank you, Guuji-sama, for treating my brother and me to such precious delicacies."


    Miko waved it off casually.


    "Precious? Not really. I brought these back myself."


    When Ei and Miko had gone to Liyue, they hadn''t made any public announcement. Due to the urgency, they simply boarded a ship and left.


    Thus, Ayato and Ayaka hadn''t known that Miko had visited Liyue.


    Hearing this, Ayato was a little surprised.


    "Guuji-sama brought them back personally? Could it be that you visited Liyue? I''ve heard from detained Liyue merchants on Ritou that the Lantern Rite Festival is currently being held."


    Miko raised her eyebrows.


    "That''s right. Ei and I went to attend the Lantern Rite.Alright, enough about that¡ªhave some snacks."


    Ayato picked up a candy ball and popped it into his mouth.At that moment, he sensed a storm brewing.


    Ei¡ªthat was the name of the Shogun herself! Which meant... the Shogun had left the Plane of Euthymia and gone with Miko to Liyue.


    And now, upon returning, the Shogun had issued a command for the three major clans to obey Miko''s arrangements.


    Today''s meeting was unlikely to be a simple one.


    Before long¡ª


    The clan heads Kujou Takayuki and Todo Shinsuke also arrived at the Grand Narukami Shrine and entered the hall.


    Unlike her attitude toward the Kamisato siblings, Miko''s demeanor toward these two was cold and harsh.


    As the two were about to sit, Miko glared at them.


    "Did I tell you to sit?"


    The two clan heads froze in place. Todo Shinsuke laughed awkwardly.


    "Please forgive me, Guuji-sama. I''m old and weary. After climbing the mountain, I instinctively wished to sit for a bit.Might I have your permission to sit?"


    Miko let out a cold laugh.


    "If you can''t even stand through a single meeting, how can you serve the Shogun? Resign now and save yourself some dignity."


    Cold sweat dripped down Todo Shinsuke''s back; his spine chilled.


    This was clearly an interrogation!


    He knew full well what he had done¡ªcolluding with foreign forces...


    Kujou Takayuki spoke up:


    "Guuji-sama, although we are no longer as young as the Kamisato siblings, our loyalty to the Shogun burns just as brightly."


    Miko burst out laughing at his words.


    "Did you even check your conscience before saying that?Everything you''ve done¡ªI know, and so does Ei. Today''s meeting is an accountability session."


    She clapped her hands.


    "Guards, take these two clan heads away. Execute them immediately."


    Kujou Takayuki and Todo Shinsuke turned pale with terror.


    "No! You can''t do this! You have no right! We serve the Shogun!Without her direct order, this is rebellion!"


    Miko sneered.


    "Still haven''t figured it out? Or are you still deluding yourselves? Take them away and keep a close watch."


    Several soldiers moved in and dragged the two away.


    The Kamisato siblings grew tense¡ªThey hadn''t expected Miko to act so decisively, to go straight to execution.


    Miko smiled at the two of them.


    "Your family is different, Little Ayato.With those two old fools gone, there''ll be no one immediately able to handle their duties. You''ll have to shoulder a little extra work for now."


    Ayato didn''t mind.


    "It''s no trouble. At last, Inazuma is returning to the right path."


    Miko smiled.


    "Yes, those two misled the Shogun, colluded with outsiders, and plunged Inazuma into chaos~"


    Ayato caught the meaningful look in Miko''s eyes.


    He understood instantly.


    "Yes, they deceived the Shogun. When the citizens learn the truth, they will surely be furious."


    Ayaka was a little confused¡ªwhat were these two hinting at?


    Miko looked at Ayato with satisfaction.


    "Well, this meeting is over. I still need to meet with little Tengu later. You two may go."


    Ayato and Ayaka rose and bid Miko farewell.


    On the way down the mountain, Ayaka couldn''t hold back her curiosity and asked,


    "Brother, didn''t the Shogun know what those two clan heads were up to? Why did Guuji-sama say it like that?"


    Ayato smiled.


    "The Shogun''s reputation must not be tarnished.If the people lost faith in her, Inazuma would fall into even greater disorder. Therefore, we need scapegoats¡ªand those two, soon to be silenced forever, are the perfect choice.Finally, the troubles that have plagued me for so long are resolved. Inazuma will once again bask in the light."


    He looked up at the sunset¡ªthe warm light bathed the land.


    No longer were the skies overcast with thunder and storm.


    Ayaka finally understood.


    "So that''s how it is."


    Ayato smiled.


    "Yes.Let''s go home.I probably won''t get much rest for a while."


    Ayaka giggled behind her hand.


    "I think Brother actually enjoys being this busy."


    Ayato looked at Ayaka, and the two of them shared a smile.


    ***


    Back to Penacony, it was now the next day.


    Everyone woke up and set off individually to continue searching for treasure chests.


    Stelle, March 7th, Himeko, and Welt were walking down the street together.


    Stelle looked drowsy, with a hangover-like expression and no energy at all.


    March 7th rolled her eyes at Stelle.


    "I told you not to drink. Feeling awful now, aren''t you?"


    Stelle scratched the back of her head.


    "Not too bad. I actually slept pretty well last night, hehe."


    March 7th was speechless.


    As the four of them walked, Gallagher approached from the opposite direction.


    Stelle waved at him.


    "Hey! Buddy, you''re... uh, that guy! Oh, right, the sheriff."


    Gallagher nodded slightly.


    "Hello."


    He scanned the four of them and said,


    "You all received the invitation I sent to the Express crew, right?"


    Himeko nodded.


    "We did. Didn''t you say to meet in front of Clockie''s statue?"


    Gallagher replied with a sigh,


    "You''re late. Anyway, come on. I''ll take you to a place. The old man left something for you."


    Welt looked puzzled.


    "Old man?"


    Gallagher said,


    "Mikhail, a Nameless who helped lead Penacony out of its hardships."


    Upon hearing the name "Mikhail," all four of them widened their eyes in shock.


    March 7th covered her mouth.


    "Isn''t that one of the three seniors Pom-Pom told us to find?"


    Gallagher checked the time.


    "Let''s go. Stay close."


    Turning around, he left, and the others quickly followed.


    They followed Gallagher to a bar. As soon as Stelle exited the elevator, she spotted a regular treasure chest in the corner.


    Without hesitation, she walked over and kicked it open, retrieving 5 Stellar Jades and weighing them in her hand.


    "Hehe, another 500 credits in the bank. Sweet~"


    Himeko, Welt, March 7th, and Gallagher had already walked out of the elevator lobby.


    Himeko noticed Stelle lagging behind and glanced back.


    "Stelle, keep up."


    Seeing this, Stelle jogged a few steps and rejoined the group.


    They arrived at the bar counter, where a stylishly dressed woman greeted them.


    "Hi, everyone. I''m Black Swan. Welcome to Dreamscape Bar. Care for a drink?"


    Stelle''s eyes lit up at the sight of the colorful cocktails on the table.


    "One for me, hehe~"


    March 7th took a deep breath.


    "Stelle, you''re still drinking? We still have business to take care of."


    Black Swan laughed.


    "No worries. This is a dream. As long as you don''t want to get drunk, you won''t."


    March 7th was surprised.


    "Seriously?"


    Gallagher added,


    "Yeah. And not just that¡ªyou can mix anything into the drinks here, even, say, screws."


    Stelle and March 7th became even more intrigued.


    Stelle raised her hand.


    "Can we mix our own drinks?"


    Black Swan smiled.


    "Of course. Come, I''ll teach you the basics."


    Stelle said,


    "Hold on, let me send a message first."


    She pulled out her phone and posted a message in the "Long-lasting Friendship Sisters Group."


    Stelle: Sisters! Big discovery! Something super fun! Come quick! (Location)


    Lumine: Busy hunting Stellar Jade. Don''t bother me.


    Hu Tao: What''s so fun? Send a picture!


    Amber: On my way!


    Eula: @Amber, we still have to look for Stellar Jade.


    Stelle: Come quick. I''ll take you to a hidden map!


    Lumine: Hidden map?! Coming right away!


    Silver Wolf: You guys are heading to Reverie Reef already? Wait for me.


    Hu Tao: Reverie Reef? What''s that? Silver Wolf: "Hmm, has Stellar Jade."


    Lumine: Almost there!


    Amber: Already on the way!


    After seeing Silver Wolf''s message, Stelle turned to Gallagher.


    "Gallagher, are you taking us to Reverie Reef?"


    Gallagher was a bit surprised.


    "How did you know?"


    Stelle held up her phone.


    "See? My friend told me."


    Gallagher glanced at the chat messages and was a bit speechless.


    "Yeah, it''s Reverie Reef. I''ll take you there shortly."


    Hearing this, Stelle went back to learn cocktail mixing from Black Swan.


    Meanwhile, over with Ye Yun, he was playing a claw machine game with the six little ones.


    He caught sight of Misha, a portrayal of the legendary Nameless Mikhail''s life story.


    Ye Yun was curious¡ªhow could he see Misha? Normally, only Nameless should be able to.


    As he pondered this, Misha seemed to notice him and walked over.


    "Hello, sir. I''m the hotel''s bellboy. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    Ye Yun looked at Misha, who hadn''t yet regained his past memories.


    An idea flashed through Ye Yun''s mind: he should take Misha to meet Pom-Pom.


    Ye Yun remembered in his past life, Pom-Pom cried her eyes out when Mikhail died.


    Ye Yun pointed to a box beside him, filled with the plushies the six little ones had won.


    "Could you help me move these to the Express?"


    Misha smiled and agreed.


    He fetched a luggage cart from nearby.


    "Let''s go, sir. Please lead the way."


    Ye Yun smiled and called the little ones back.


    "Alright, cuties, it''s time to head back."


    Bailu, who was happily playing, pouted a bit.


    "I still have a few game tokens left."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "We''ll come back tomorrow. Let''s go. We have something important to do."


    Hearing this, Bailu pocketed her tokens and followed Ye Yun back.


    Half an hour later.


    Ye Yun and Misha returned to the Astral Express.


    The moment Misha stepped aboard, he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.


    He looked around, and old memories began surfacing in his mind.


    At that moment¡ª


    Ye Yun smiled and asked,


    "Feels familiar, doesn''t it?"


    Misha nodded.


    "Yes, sir. I feel like I used to live here."


    Just then, Pom-Pom came out and spotted Misha.


    Pom-Pom couldn''t believe her eyes. She rubbed them and looked again, and when she was sure, she rushed forward and hugged Misha tightly.


    "Mikhail! You bastard! You finally came back to the Express! Pom!"


    Seeing Pom-Pom, all of Misha''s memories came flooding back.


    He stared in a daze at the surroundings.


    "This is the Express. I remember now. I remember everything."


    He looked at Pom-Pom, who was crying in his arms.


    "Pom-Pom, it''s been a long time."


    Pom-Pom wiped her tears.


    "You bastard, where the heck have you been all these years?! Pah."


    Misha smiled warmly, filled with memories.


    "Oh, I did a lot of things over these years."


    Pom-Pom pulled out a tissue to wipe her tears.


    "Mikhail, have you eaten yet? I''ll make your favorite Express Hotpot. How about it? Pom."


    Misha smiled, his face full of nostalgia.


    "Sure. It''s been so long. Thank you, Pom-Pom."

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96 - 96Pom-Pom trotted toward Ye Yun''s shop on her short legs.


    Ye Yun called out to her.


    "Pom-Pom, go cook over in your kitchen."


    Pom-Pom paused, a bit puzzled, but still obeyed and ran off to her kitchen.


    Ye Yun then turned to Misha.


    "Let''s sit for a while."


    Misha nodded slightly.


    The two of them, along with the six little ones, sat down on a sofa.


    Ye Yun voiced his question.


    "I''m not a Nameless passenger, so why can I still see your memory body?"


    Misha smiled and explained.


    "What is a Nameless passenger? Nameless passengers aren''t just those who hold a ticket ¡ª everyone traveling together counts as Nameless.


    Even if it''s only for a short time, they''re still Nameless.


    Ye Yun, I assume you''ve been on the train for a while now?"


    Ye Yun suddenly understood ¡ª no wonder.


    Misha glanced at Pom-Pom, who was busy cooking at the stove.


    "How wonderful... I didn''t expect to return to the train once more before my existence completely vanished into the universe, even if it''s only in a dream."


    Ye Yun understood Misha''s meaning: Misha was only a memory body, tasked with passing on Mikhail''s pioneering spirit to a new generation of Nameless.


    Once that mission was complete, he would also disappear.


    Ye Yun smiled, thinking to himself: As expected of Mikhail ¡ª he noticed something was off so quickly.


    "You figured it out?"


    Misha gazed thoughtfully out the window and nodded.


    "Yeah, my family went a bit overboard."


    Ye Yun asked,


    "Would you like to continue journeying with the train?"


    Hearing the word "pioneering," Misha was flooded with old memories.


    "Of course I would... but my journey has already ended."


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "That''s a small matter. I can make it so your body becomes real."


    Misha was a little surprised.


    "Really, Mr. Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Of course. Give me a moment ¡ª I''ll find something for you."


    With that, Ye Yun opened the system store and searched for a bit.


    Before long, he found what he wanted:


    [Item: Grade-One Immortal Puppet (Customizable Appearance Version)Description: A puppet from a cultivation world, suitable for Qi Refining stage use. It can host a soul and nourish a soul body. It can be upgraded with star coins later.Price: 3000 star coins]


    This item was perfect for Misha ¡ª it would allow his memory body to inhabit it.


    Misha looked at the puppet that suddenly appeared beside him ¡ª it looked exactly like him.


    Ye Yun said,


    "This is an Immortal Puppet. It can host and nourish a soul body. Give it a try."


    Misha thanked him.


    "Thank you, Mr. Ye Yun. This must be expensive, right?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "It''s free. I have a deal with the train crew ¡ª every month I can take one 3000-star-coin item from my store.


    They seem to have forgotten about it by now, so we''ll just deduct the cost of this puppet.


    Alright, give it a try."


    Upon hearing this, Misha approached the puppet and touched it.


    The moment they made contact, a powerful suction force pulled him inside.


    Immediately after, the Immortal Puppet started moving.


    Misha moved around to get used to the new body.


    Ye Yun asked,


    "How does it feel?"


    Misha was very happy.


    "I feel great. I can control this puppet freely ¡ª it feels like it''s my own body.


    Also, my memory body feels much more stable now."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s good."


    Misha stayed inside the Immortal Puppet for a while before popping back out.


    Ye Yun noticed.


    "Why did you come out? Staying inside will help stabilize your memory body."


    Misha explained,


    "I still have a mission to complete. After I eat Pom-Pom''s train hotpot, I''ll have to leave."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Alright, I''ll have Pom-Pom help you store the Immortal Puppet afterward."


    Inside the Dreamscape Bar...


    Stelle, Kiana, Mei, March 7th, Amber, and Hu Tao were goofing around behind the bar.


    Each of them was holding a cocktail glass, trying to mix drinks.


    Kiana stared at her cup thoughtfully.


    "Mei, what if I add some instant noodles?"


    Mei twitched at the suggestion.


    "Uh... maybe don''t?"


    Kiana waved it off.


    "Didn''t bartender Shioban say we can add anything? I''ll throw some noodles in, hehe."


    No sooner said than done, Kiana took out a cup of instant noodles, cooked it, poured it into her glass, then added various colorful liquors.


    She stirred it with a straw and placed a little origami bird on top for decoration.


    "All done! Kiana''s Special Cocktail is ready. Anyone want to try?"


    The others shook their heads ¡ª they were okay with messing around, but this was too much.Noodles and liquor? Could that even be drinkable?


    Seeing no one wanted to try, Kiana pouted.


    "Fine, I''ll drink it myself."


    She took a big sip through the straw ¡ª and her eyes lit up instantly.


    "Mmm~ Pretty good! Tastes like instant noodles!"


    Stelle and the others stared at Kiana in disbelief.


    "Wait, you can actually drink that?!"


    Siobhan, standing nearby, explained,


    "This is a dream. Your sensations are shaped by your thoughts.


    If you think it tastes good, then it will taste good."


    Hearing that, the others finally understood.


    Stelle grinned mischievously and pulled out a can of surstr?mming (fermented herring).


    March 7th''s eyes went wide.


    "No way, Stelle! You''re seriously going to add that?!"


    Stelle nodded matter-of-factly.


    "Yeah, why not?"


    She opened the can and poured the contents into her glass, swirling it around to spread the fish evenly.


    March 7th quickly pinched her nose.


    "Stelle, get it away! It stinks!"


    Star said,


    "March, just imagine it''s delicious. This is a dream."


    March 7th closed her eyes and tried, but eventually gave up.


    "I can''t! The impression is too strong!"


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Then I''ll drink it!"


    She took a big sip ¡ª and surprisingly, she found it tasted pretty good.


    Only the color looked... questionable.


    The girls continued messing around until Himeko called out,


    "Stelle, March, come over ¡ª it''s time to head out."


    Hearing this, the group quickly gathered around Himeko.


    Sometime later...


    Gallagher led the group to Dreamflux Reef, the original birthplace of Penacony.


    They walked through dim, flickering alleys, the broken streetlights giving the place an eerie atmosphere.


    In the alleys, a few people wandered about ¡ª each of them bearing a common trait: sorrow.


    Their emotions were deeply downcast and gloomy.


    At the end of the alley, the group took an elevator upward. After a while, the depressing atmosphere faded, replaced by a relatively bustling little town.


    ***


    The group arrived at the town, where they met the mayor, saw Firefly, encountered the supposedly deceased Robin, and met Sunday, who had been brought by Gallagher. They also found the graves of three former Nameless.


    Led by Gallagher, the four members of the train crew arrived at the place where Mikhail had passed away.


    As for Kiana, Firefly, Lumine, and Hu Tao, they wandered around Dreamflux Reef, looking for treasure chests in hopes of finding some Stellar Jade.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, March 7th, Himeko, and Welt reached the highest point of the garden, where they found Mikhail''s remains ¡ª and the Dream Bubble he was holding.


    Gallagher spoke.


    "This Dream Bubble is what the old man left for you. I checked it already ¡ª there''s nothing inside. Maybe it can only be opened by you Nameless, perhaps with some kind of key or password."


    Himeko turned to Stelle.


    "Stelle, give it a try."


    Hearing that, Stelle reached toward the Dream Bubble.


    But the result was disappointing ¡ª there was indeed nothing inside, only emptiness.


    "There''s nothing inside."


    Everyone was puzzled by this.


    At that moment, Misha walked up the stairs, bringing along the Clockboy.


    "Of course there''s nothing inside ¡ª because the thing inside ran out.


    He heard the whistle of the train and couldn''t wait to see it, to meet the Nameless.


    Dear guests, we meet again. I am Misha, the bellboy of the hotel.


    Of course, you can also call me by another name ¡ª Mikhail."


    March 7th looked at Misha in disbelief.


    "You''re... Senior Mikhail?"


    She glanced at the aged Mikhail sitting in a wheelchair, then back at the youthful Misha ¡ª they looked alike, but this made no sense.


    Himeko and Welt, however, already understood.


    Misha continued.


    "I am a small fragment of Mikhail''s life.


    Many years ago, I boarded the train and traveled the universe with it. I was lucky to spend that time with many great people.


    I''m sorry ¡ª the Clockmaker''s so-called legacy was just a lie.


    However, if anything can be considered a legacy, it''s the belief that still burns within this old chest.


    The hands of a clock turn endlessly, just like people''s confusion, worries, and wavering weaknesses.


    But like your clock hands, they will always point forward.


    The journey of pioneering never ends. With your will, continue to forge ahead.


    And I will quietly watch over you, watching you reach even farther into the future."


    After hearing Misha''s words, Welt caught an important point.


    "You said you''ll watch us reach farther into the future ¡ª meaning?"


    Misha smiled.


    "That''s right. Before this, I met Mr. Ye Yun. From Pom-Pom, I learned he is a great person too.


    He gave me a body, allowing my memory form to dwell within it."


    Himeko was surprised that Misha had met Ye Yun. She looked warmly at him.


    "Senior Mikhail, welcome home."


    March 7th happily waved.


    "Senior Mikhail, welcome back!"


    Welt and Stelle also expressed their gratitude for Mikhail''s return.


    Misha then said,


    "Go now. Do what you must ¡ª free those trapped in the dream."


    Himeko, Welt, and the others nodded firmly.


    Misha smiled and said,


    "Good luck. See you on the train."


    The four ¡ª Himeko, Welt, March 7th, and Stelle ¡ª left Mikhail''s resting place.


    At the Grand Theater, Stelle, Himeko, Hu Tao, Lumine, and the others all entered.


    They were participating in a grand festival organized by the IPC.


    Through this festival, they could gain access to the interior of the Grand Theater to seal the Stellaron.


    Stelle was grouped with Firefly.


    Firefly noticed Stelle was a bit distracted.


    "Stelle, what are you thinking about?"


    Hearing her, Stelle didn''t hide it and shared her thoughts.


    "I was wondering... whether Senior Mikhail has any Stellar Jade. He traveled through so many worlds."


    Firefly thought for a moment.


    "Once we''re back on the train after all this, you can ask him."


    Hearing this, Stelle decided she would ask Mikhail later.


    After that, the two continued to compete. After defeating a "Galactic Street Roving Punk," they finally reached the door of the Grand Theater.


    Meanwhile...


    On Acheron''s side, she and Black Swan encountered the long-missing Galaxy Ranger.


    "You treasure-snatching bastard, you dare show your face before me again? I''ll blow your head off with one shot!"


    Boothill pointed a revolver straight at Acheron''s forehead.


    Acheron apologized calmly.


    "Sorry. I''ve been trying to find your traces to return a relic to you.


    But I never managed to find you."


    Boothill narrowed his eyes.


    "So, you walked around under the name of the Galaxy Rangers, hoping we''d come find you?"


    Acheron nodded without denying it.


    "Yes. And as it turns out, I was right."


    Acheron took off a pendant and handed it to Boothill.


    "This is that person''s relic. I don''t know its use, but I''m finally returning it to you."


    Once Boothill understood the situation, he lowered his gun, accepted the pendant, and smiled.


    "Of course you didn''t know ¡ª this is a hero''s symbol. Only someone who made great contributions to the Galaxy Rangers would have it.


    When it''s raised, no matter how far away, every Galaxy Ranger will rush to it.


    Because when it''s raised, it signifies the fall of a hero ¡ª and it tells us: injustice remains here."


    Acheron and Black Swan were surprised. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So that''s what it meant.


    Just then¡ª


    A portal opened beside them, and Aha reached through, snatching away the bullet.


    "Hahaha! This looks fun! Aha''s borrowing it for a bit~"


    Before Acheron could react, Aha closed the portal and vanished.


    Not far away, in the night sky, a bullet shot upward.


    The bullet streaked across the sky like a meteor, and countless shooting stars followed behind it.


    Each one represented a Galaxy Ranger.


    Boothill was stunned.


    "Treasure-snatching bastard! Who dares steal from the Galaxy Rangers?!"


    Black Swan covered her mouth and laughed softly.


    "He said it himself ¡ª his name is Aha."


    Acheron nodded.


    "I couldn''t even react in time. I''m no match for him."


    Realizing this, Boothill suddenly shuddered.


    "Treasure-snatching bastard... That''s really the Aeon of Elation?! Damn it!"


    Meanwhile, back to Stelle''s side¡ª


    They encountered Sunday.


    Sunday was giving a speech.


    "In my view, the ideal system for society is ''Seven Sundays.''


    After Sunday, there would be another Sunday, and another, forever.


    This would be the face of the new world: eternal days of doing nothing, and endless peace."

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97 - 97Aha, Sparkle, Ye Yun, and the six little ones watching the show clapped and cheered.


    "Good! Well said!" Sparkle bounced up and down, clapping her hands.


    Aha continued speaking.


    "Aha recorded it already, and Aha is going to post it on the company network so all those company cattle and horses can see it, hehe. This is going to be fun~ Aha loves fun~"


    Sunday glanced at Sparkle and the others with a slight frown.


    "Masked Fools... Whatever. Since you''re here, you can be witnesses."


    Sunday slowly turned around and began to rise into the air. From the "rooms" around the grand theater, countless spirits floated out.


    In an instant¡ª


    The entire grand theater shook violently, and a giant mech appeared before everyone.


    Stelle drew the "Judgment of Shamash," staring straight at Sunday.


    "Everyone, get ready to fight!"


    The dreammaster Sunday waved his baton, directing the Resonance Choir to perform.


    Musical notes appeared one after another, surging toward Star and the others.


    Star slashed forward.


    "Judgment of Shamash! Annihilation!"


    Stelle immediately unleashed her ultimate attack ¡ª Sunday was much stronger than Aventurine.


    Sunday calmly commanded the choir with his baton, launching another attack that forced Star back.


    Landing firmly, Stelle charged at Sunday once more.


    Himeko aimed at Sunday and fired the orbital cannon.


    Welt''s "Eden''s Star" in his hand rapidly gathered energy, forming a black hole.


    Welt casually tossed it ¡ª the black hole appeared around Sunday, violently pulling at the mech.


    March 7th drew her bow.


    "Sun-shooting Arrow!" March 7th pulled the Hou Yi Bow, firing several beams of light that pierced through the hand holding Sunday''s baton.


    Sunday quickly caught the baton with his other hand.


    He hadn''t expected this group of Nameless to be so strong.


    No choice ¡ª he had to resort to the final measure!


    "The crafting of all creation is complete!"


    "First Day¡ª"


    Dreammaster Sunday''s arms folded in, shielding the core.


    He began a countdown.


    Stelle sensed the danger and rushed faster toward him.


    But the surrounding spirits kept interfering, preventing Stelle from getting close.


    The spirits of the Resonance Choir were fiercely determined: even if it cost them their lives, they would block Star''s path.


    Finally¡ª


    Sunday''s countdown finished.


    "Eighth Day¡ª"


    Sunday looked to the sky. A massive hand, exuding a terrifying aura, tore through the heavens.


    Himeko quickly warned everyone.


    "Careful! Something big is coming!"


    At that moment¡ª


    A water dragon streaked across the sky, striking and knocking the baton from Sunday''s hand again.


    March 7th turned around to see the Xianzhou Alliance fleet breaking through the clouds, flying proudly at the forefront.


    Dan Heng in his Imbibitor Lunae form, Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Huaiyan, Zhongli, and Venti hovered high above.


    "Dan Heng! You''re finally here!"


    Dan Heng gave a slight nod.


    "Mm. Everyone, let''s end this quickly."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Who would''ve thought the family had such a big scheme brewing.


    Xianzhou Alliance, attack!"


    At Jing Yuan''s command, the Xianzhou fleet opened fire ¡ª a rain of artillery bombarded Sunday.


    Feixiao wiped her nose and summoned her divine beast, wielding her mighty axe.


    "Victory lies ahead!"


    She swung down hard at Sunday.


    Jing Yuan and Dan Heng struck simultaneously, with a water dragon coiling around Jing Yuan''s Lightning-Lord.


    "Lightning Lord!"


    "Azure Dragon Cleansing the World!"


    Huaiyan stroked his beard.


    "Time for this old man to move, too."


    Their combined assault heavily damaged the dreammaster Sunday.


    Welt noticed that Sunday''s mech was absorbing dream energy to repair itself.


    "This won''t work. We must break the Dream world, or else he''ll endlessly regenerate."


    At that moment¡ª


    A melody echoed through the theater. Robin stood atop a platform, singing loudly.


    As one of the chosen singers, Robin''s voice shattered the Resonance Choir''s performance.


    Himeko realized the moment had come.


    "Everyone! Now''s our chance!"


    Stelle led the charge, leaping high alongside Feixiao, sword and axe crashing down together on Sunday.


    With everyone''s combined attack, the mech was finally destroyed.


    Sunday looked at Stelle, who held the Judgment of Shamash.


    "Why does life slumber?"


    Stelle sheathed the Judgment of Shamash.


    "Because people always wake from dreams!"


    ¡ª Two system cycles after the great battle.


    Sunday disappeared, and Robin was tasked with presiding over the Harmony Festival.


    The Xianzhou Alliance, Liyue, Mondstadt, and the Express crew returned to the train.


    Everyone was tallying their spoils: this expedition to Penacony had yielded massive amounts of Stellar Jade.


    Zhongli set down his teacup and looked at Venti.


    "Barbatos, it''s time we started terraforming the planet."


    Venti, who was playing music for the six little ones, nodded.


    "Got it, old man."


    Jing Yuan and Huaiyan spoke as well.


    "We''ll also be returning to our original course. We''ll need some time to digest everything we''ve gained.


    Speaking of which, the planet you chose is conveniently along the Xianzhou''s trade route.


    When the time comes, expect us to visit."


    Zhongli replied:


    "You''re all welcome. I must first return to Teyvat."


    He and Venti traveled back to Teyvat to find Calestia.


    When they arrived at the internet caf¨¦, they found Calestia engrossed in gaming.


    Zhongli spoke calmly.


    "Lady Calestia, it''s time to begin terraforming."


    Calestia glanced at him, still tapping away at the keyboard rapidly.


    "Go, go ¡ª can''t you see I''m busy? Terraforming can wait, but if I lose this match, it''s really lost!"


    She then focused entirely on the game.


    Today, she''d finally met a worthy opponent ¡ª a day-long match still locked in a draw.


    Zhongli was speechless. Considering their power gap, he could only quietly wait.


    Finally¡ª


    As sunset approached, Calestia achieved a hard-fought victory.


    "Hah! Trying to beat me? I''m the unbeatable Calestia!"


    Clapping her hands, she stood up.


    "Alright, let''s go terraform."


    Zhongli asked: S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Should we gather others?"


    Calestia snapped her fingers, summoning the Cyro Archon.


    "Four of us are enough for now. Earth, wind, plants, sky, and water ¡ª Furina''s situation is special, so Tsaritsa, you''ll cover for her and melt the ice when needed."


    Tsaritsa realized ¡ª the preparations for immigration were starting.


    "Understood."


    Zhongli nodded ¡ª for now, these four were enough.


    As for lightning and fire, they could be added later.


    Currently, the four could already build a sustainable ecosystem.


    ***


    On a desolate planet in the star system next to Jarilo VI¡ª


    Calestia arrived with Zhongli, Venti, Nahida, and Tsaritsa.


    Not far away, Topaz had summoned a battleship. Hu Tao, Lumine, Amber, Stelle, and March 7th were aboard, watching the spectacle unfold.


    They wanted to see how Zhongli and the others would terraform a planet.


    Then¡ª


    With a grand wave of her hand, Calestia cast a transparent barrier, like glass, covering the entire planet.


    Calestia turned to Venti.


    "Barbatos."


    Hearing himself called, Venti took out his lyre and began to play. A tremendous gale surged from around him, rushing into the shield.


    The wind Venti infused filled the entire planet with oxygen fit for human life.


    Next, Zhongli made his move ¡ª the barren, hardened earth began to churn and shift, gradually transforming into soil suitable for farming.


    Nahida then stretched out her small hand.


    Though still somewhat weak in power, Nahida managed to create a patch of rainforest about 10 square kilometers in size.


    But there was no rush ¡ª as long as there was a rainforest, oxygen would be produced continuously.


    Currently, with no inhabitants on the planet, oxygen loss wouldn''t be an issue.


    The tsaritsa surveyed a low-lying area on the other side of the planet, then poured her full effort into it, filling it with ice.


    Moments later, the ice melted completely, forming a vast, azure ocean.


    The group didn''t stop there ¡ª they continued refining the planet, crafting mountain ranges, shaping air currents, and establishing various climate zones.


    Meanwhile, aboard the battleship¡ª


    The onlookers watched with great interest. A once lifeless, barren planet was now starting to become habitable.


    Stelle tossed a chip into her mouth.


    "Calestia and the others are really something. Just five people, and they can terraform a planet."


    Firefly, standing next to Stelle, nodded.


    "Yeah, this is definitely a feat worth remembering. I''ve never heard of anyone terraforming a planet all on their own."


    Firefly had already taken the "Cure-All" medicine Stelle gave her, and her Entropy Syndrome had been successfully treated.


    For now, like Kafka and the others, she was staying temporarily aboard the Astral Express, waiting for the next story arc.


    March 7th looked at Nahida in admiration ¡ª she could create a rainforest with just a wave of her hand.


    "No wonder they''re called gods. Only a god could do something like that."


    Jade chuckled lightly, sipping from her cup of black tea.


    "March, you''re absolutely right ¡ª this is indeed a miracle only gods could create."


    After watching for a while, Ye Yun spoke.


    "Alright, let''s head back. Looks like Zhongli and the others will still need a while to finish."


    Topaz heard this and steered the battleship to return home.


    Calestia, Zhongli, and the rest continued their detailed work on the planet, fine-tuning the environment.


    ¡ª Meanwhile, in Luofu.


    Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Feixiao had returned.


    The three of them were gathered at the Seat of Divine Foresight, holding a meeting.


    Jing Yuan reviewed a form handed in by Fu Xuan.


    "This expedition has been quite fruitful. We collected a total of 11,000 Stellar Jades. As expected, the top contributor is... Qingque."


    Huaiyan chuckled, stroking his beard.


    "Of course. That girl Qingque has incredible luck. Plus, with the incentives you offered, General Jing Yuan, she had plenty of motivation."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "Indeed. Alright, let''s talk about what we should purchase."


    He gave an order:


    "Someone, go fetch Qingque. Tell her to bring the list of recorded goods."


    About a system cycle later¡ª


    Qingque was carried into the meeting room by two Cloud Knights.


    At this moment, Qingque very much wanted to resign. The general had promised she could start her vacation today!


    She had been happily gambling in her favorite card game when two Cloud Knights forcibly dragged her back to work.


    After delivering Qingque, the Cloud Knights left. Qingque sighed heavily.


    "General!!! Can I even have my vacation anymore?!"


    Jing Yuan smiled warmly.


    "Of course, of course. I just need you to show us the product list you recorded earlier.


    General Feixiao, Elder Huaiyan, and I are discussing what to buy.


    Any recommendations?"


    Realizing it wasn''t heavy work, Qingque pulled out her phone and connected it to a projector.


    "Here it is, generals. These are the items I thought would be useful for the Xianzhou."


    Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and Huaiyan turned their attention to the projected list.


    Jing Yuan read the first item aloud:


    [Product: Imperial Jadeite Deluxe Mahjong Table. Description: Crafted by the most powerful company from a certain sci-fi world. Each tile is meticulously polished and feels smooth to the touch. Price: 10 starcoins per tile.]


    Jing Yuan stared blankly, then turned to look at Qingque.


    Qingque scratched her head awkwardly, a bead of cold sweat rolling down her forehead.


    Feixiao read the next item:


    [Product: Doppelg?nger Doll Description: A magical item from a fantasy world. Can alter appearance and perform simple tasks. Price: 100 starcoins per doll.]


    Feixiao asked Huaiyan and Jing Yuan:


    "Should we buy this? It could replace labor for some tasks."


    Huaiyan shook his head.


    "No need. It''s not cost-effective. We''re not short on manpower."


    Jing Yuan again silently glanced at Qingque.


    Another cold sweat dripped down Qingque''s forehead.


    Huaiyan read the third product:


    [Product: Guide to Slacking Across the Multiverse Description: A manual compiled by a bored powerhouse. Reading it guarantees mastery of advanced slacking techniques. Price: 50 starcoins per book.]


    Huaiyan chuckled, stroking his beard.


    "Slacking, huh? If you slack off when you''re young, you''ll only have regrets when you''re old. We don''t need this ¡ª slacking is harmful!"


    By now, Qingque was so embarrassed she could have dug a three-bedroom house into the floor with her toes.


    "E-ehh... Generals, the goods are delivered, so I''ll take my leave now! Bye-bye!"


    Qingque bolted from the Divine Strategy Mansion like a gust of wind, only stopping to catch her breath once she reached Changle Sky Square.


    Jing Yuan watched her fleeing figure and shook his head with a chuckle.


    Huaiyan commented:


    "She''s still young. It''s normal. Let''s continue reviewing the list."


    Fortunately, the rest of the items were more practical ¡ª no more personal "extras" sneaked in.


    Huaiyan took a liking to a forging technique from a cultivation world that could produce spiritual artifacts.


    Jing Yuan focused more on development, choosing a variety of seeds for medicinal herbs from other worlds.


    Seeds for ingredients needed to make the Clear Spirit Pill would be bought in bulk to have the Alchemy Commission cultivate them ¡ª relying solely on purchasing from Yeyun was not sustainable.


    Feixiao, meanwhile, decided to purchase body-forging techniques to promote across the Cloud Knights, aiming to strengthen the entire army.


    The previously won Swordsmanship Technique had too high an enlightenment requirement, suitable only for training elites, not mass promotion.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98 - 98After the three had made their initial selections, they sent the chosen product information to Marshal Hua.


    Upon receiving it, Marshal Hua convened a generals'' meeting. The Seven Generals gathered to discuss which items to purchase in the end.


    Aboard the train.


    Kiana, Theresa, and the others were busy shopping for goods.


    Noelle was attending to them.


    Kiana sat idly to the side, completely uninterested in the shopping process ¡ª her only job was to carry the goods later.


    Theresa had left her 100,000 star coins as pocket money, while the rest of the funds were consolidated under Theresa''s management.


    Kiana didn''t care at all. As long as she had enough to buy instant noodles, she was happy.


    She downed her cup of juice in one go and handed it to Noelle.


    "Noelle, another cup, please~"


    Noelle smiled and nodded, pouring her another.


    Kiana took a sip and quietly watched Theresa and the others shop.


    At that moment¡ª


    Stelle and the others, who had been observing the planetary remodeling project, returned to the train on their battleship.


    As soon as Stelle came back, she ran over to the small bar and turned on another screen to start shopping.


    Curious, Kiana leaned over.


    "Stelle, what are you buying?"


    Stelle pulled out 1 million star coins and stacked them neatly on the bar, grinning.


    "I''m going to buy scratch-off lottery tickets!"


    She was about to purchase 1,000 "Trash Can" brand scratch cards.


    Ye Yun, seeing this, spoke up:


    "Stelle, want to try a different kind of scratch card?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "No! Trash cans are my lucky charm!"


    Ye Yun said:


    "Don''t be in a rush. Hear me out. This new scratch card is also trash can-themed, but it''s made of solid gold!


    The best prize is worth 5 million star coins, and each card only costs 10,000 star coins. Interested?"


    Stelle''s eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously.


    A golden trash can?! That struck right at her heart!


    "Let''s go! I''ll take 100!"


    Ye Yun took the 1 million star coins and gave Stelle 100 golden trash can scratch cards.


    Staring at the stack of golden trash cans,Stelle was practically drooling ¡ª trash cans and gold, truly a match made in heaven!


    Kiana asked curiously:


    "Ye Yun, what''s this golden trash can thing? Why is it so expensive?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Each one contains a random prize. It''s all about luck."


    Kiana understood immediately.


    "Oh~ I see. I want to buy one too!"


    She pulled out 10,000 star coins and bought a golden trash can scratch card.


    Kiana wasn''t in a rush to open hers. She wanted to see what Stelle would pull first.


    Stelle decided to open one to test the waters.


    She washed her hands in a basin from the bar, then grabbed a golden trash can and opened it.


    In an instant¡ª


    The entire store was filled with radiant golden light.


    When the glow faded, a card appeared.


    Stelle picked it up and read it:


    [Durian King Pickup Card - Quantity: 1 ton of durian flesh]


    Stelle was speechless, staring at the card in dismay.


    Seriously? Even the upgraded version gives out durians?!


    March 7th came over to take a look.


    "Whoa, another durian king! Stelle, hurry and summon it ¡ª let''s eat!"


    Lumine and Amber looked eager too.


    "Yeah, Stelle, summon it! We want some too."


    Seeing this, Stelle used the pickup card.


    Thankfully, the bar''s fridge had a dimensional expansion space; otherwise, it would have been impossible to store so much durian.


    Stelle distributed 10 jin of durian flesh to each person present.


    "Eat! Dig in! We have a whole ton!"


    Everyone happily dug in ¡ª the durian was truly delicious.


    The two little spirits, Bub Flower and Little Fire Monkey, each hugged a piece of durian flesh as big as themselves, munching away on the floor.


    Numby wanted some too and went to find Topaz.


    Topaz shared a portion with Numby.


    Kiana also tried the durian ¡ª it was soft, sticky, and surprisingly tasty.


    Holding a piece of durian in one hand, Stelle opened another golden trash can with the other.


    Again, the golden light flashed, and another pickup card appeared.


    Stelle glanced at it and immediately found it painfully familiar ¡ª that golden-yellow flesh...


    She closed her eyes.


    "March! You look at it for me. I don''t want to face the cruel reality first."


    March 7th, munching on durian, picked up the card.


    "Eh~ Pineapple Pickup Card? And it''s 10 tons! Stelle, I''m taking some for myself!"


    Stelle was utterly numb.


    Seriously?! Two draws in a row ¡ª both pickup cards?!


    Frustrated, Stelle opened the remaining 98 golden trash cans all at once.


    Golden light flashed 98 times ¡ª not a single red light among them.


    Stelle was devastated.


    A whole million star coins, gone like that!


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Alright, enough moping. Check out your haul."


    Encouraged, Stelle looked through the prizes.


    And sure enough, there were two incredible items:


    [Item: Minor Pocket Dimension Description: A small dimension crafted by a great cultivator. In the real world, it appears as a simple compass. Inside, it contains 10 square kilometers of space.


    It can house living beings and is rich in spiritual energy.


    Price: 300,000 star coins.]


    [Special Item: Title - Emperor of Trash Cans


    Description: The title holder can summon 10 "King Bucket" soldiers at any time to fight alongside them and gains a 5% overall strength boost (no restrictions).


    "King Bucket" soldiers are high-level destiny walkers. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Revive time: 24 hours.


    Price: 1,880,000 star coins.]


    As for the rest, they were all pickup cards ¡ª food, drinks, cookware, minerals, lumber ¡ª everything imaginable.


    Ye Yun said:


    "You actually profited. Just the title and the pocket dimension together are worth over 2 million star coins."


    Hearing this, Stelle perked up.


    "Tell me more~"


    Ye Yun picked up the compass-like pocket dimension.


    "This is a pocket world ¡ª a big one, too. Ten square kilometers of land and 5,000 meters of sky height.


    Unlike a storage ring, this place can host living beings.


    Meaning, you don''t have to squeeze into a small room on the train anymore."


    After Ye Yun''s explanation, Stelle''s eyes sparkled.


    "Ohohoho! That''s awesome!"


    She took the compass and examined it closely.


    "How do I activate it?"


    Ye Yun said:


    "Just drip a little blood on it."


    Without hesitation, Stelle drew her greatsword, Judgment of Shamash, nicked her finger along the blade, and dripped a few drops of blood onto the compass.


    In the next instant, a beam of light shot out from the compass and merged into Stelle''s forehead.


    ***


    The moment Stelle''s blood dripped onto the Compass of the Pocket Dimension, the entire compass burst into a brilliant blue light.


    The light gradually gathered together, forming a spatial rift.


    Through the rift, everyone could clearly see the scene on the other side.


    It was an enormous forest, with trees so tall and massive that one couldn''t see their ends at a glance.


    Between the giant trees, thick trunks had been carved and flattened to form bridges connecting them.


    Beneath the forest canopy, there weren''t dense bushes¡ªjust some short grass barely a few centimeters tall.


    Everyone was stunned. The forest inside looked like something straight out of a fairy tale, full of a dreamlike and fantastical feeling.


    Ye Yun was particularly surprised. This was supposed to be an immortal''s pocket world, and yet it had such a whimsical style.


    The only explanation was that the powerful being who created this dimension must have traveled to a fantasy world once, and so crafted the pocket world in that style.


    And anyone capable of crossing worlds... needless to say, must have been an extraordinary figure.


    Ye Yun turned to Stelle.


    "Come on, let''s go take a look."


    Saying that, Ye Yun led the six little ones into the rift.


    The moment they passed through, a cool breeze greeted them, carrying a faint chill that made Ye Yun feel refreshed and clear-headed.


    The six little ones scampered off, running and playing happily on the grass.


    Stelle, March 7th, and the others followed closely behind.


    March 7th looked at the scene before her and felt a genuine pang of jealousy.


    It was so beautiful! And this entire massive place would belong solely to Stelle in the future¡ªso envious!


    Kiana walked over, hugging her golden trash can.


    "Wow~ it''s so pretty here! Look, there''s a path leading upward!"


    Everyone looked in the direction Kiana pointed.


    There, a wooden staircase spiraled around one of the giant trees.


    The staircase wasn''t very tall¡ªonly reaching about a third of the tree''s height.


    Stelle swung her arm energetically.


    "Let''s go, girls! Let''s check it out!"


    Following Stelle''s lead, March 7th and Kiana raced toward the staircase.


    The six little ones also scampered after them.


    Surprisingly, Bailu was the fastest, reaching the top of the staircase first.


    Pushing open a wooden door, she found a living room.


    The entire living room was carved from the tree itself and connected to ten separate rooms. On one side, there was a window¡ªan open frame without any glass.


    The ten rooms were arranged five on the top and five on the bottom.


    Stelle and the others checked them out one by one. Each room was about 80 square meters and came with its own private bathroom.


    In short, it was a full-fledged treehouse¡ªan entire home carved from inside the giant tree.


    However, there was one downside: there wasn''t a single piece of furniture.


    Yes, not even one!


    The term "bare walls" was an understatement¡ªit was utterly empty.


    Still, that didn''t matter. Furniture could always be added later.


    Looking at the many rooms, an idea flashed through Stelle''s mind.


    "Why don''t we all move in here? Then we wouldn''t have to cram onto the train."


    Amber and Eula thought for a moment, then shook their heads.


    "We''ll pass. We still need to stay with the Knights of Favonius. Even though Mondstadt is peaceful, we occasionally need to go on missions," Amber explained.


    Stelle didn''t push it.


    "Alright, I''ll save your rooms for you. If you ever want to stay, just let me know."


    March 7th and Kiana, however, were eager to move in¡ªtheir current living spaces were way too cramped.


    March 7th lived in a train compartment, Kiana in a school dormitory¡ªboth tiny.


    Kiana was slightly better off, with a small one-bedroom setup, but even that couldn''t compare to these spacious 80-square-meter rooms.


    March 7th chose the room at the far right on the second floor.


    Kiana was about to pick a room too, but Theresa interjected:


    "Kiana, you sometimes have urgent missions. You should still stay at the dormitory."


    Kiana instantly drooped¡ªright, she could be called for a mission at any time.


    Stelle glanced around the huge house and suddenly felt a bit lonely. It was way too empty for just her and March 7th.


    Just then¡ª


    Firefly and Kafka spoke up.


    "We want to live here too."


    Stelle, of course, welcomed them enthusiastically and immediately offered to help them pick rooms.


    Then, Sparkle bounced over and hugged Stelle''s arm.


    "I want to live here too~ pretty please~"


    Stelle thought for a moment.


    "As long as you don''t cause trouble, you can stay."


    Sparkle cheerfully promised:


    "Okay~ Lord Sparkle swears not to cause any trouble in Little Greyhair''s pocket world~"


    Topaz nudged Jade.


    "Jade, why don''t you stay here too? Our room on the train is a bit cramped for two."


    Jade smiled.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you, little Jelena."


    Jade walked over to Stelle.


    Meanwhile, Himeko looked at Misha.


    "What about you, Misha-senpai?"


    Misha smiled.


    "I''ll pass. I share a room with Pom-Pom already¡ªwe''ve been roommates since before."


    Ye Yun turned to the six little ones.


    "Klee, Bailu, what about you? Want to move in?"


    Klee shook her head.


    "Nope! I love my current room¡ªI''ve got Dodoco and lots of friends there."


    Ye Yun chuckled, scooping Klee into his arms.


    "Alright then, we won''t move you."


    Ye Yun had spent a fortune furnishing the little ones'' room¡ªsix custom-built bunk beds.


    Each top bunk was a bed, and each bottom bunk had a small desk and closet.


    Their quilts were woven from the feathers of spirit birds¡ªsoft and imbued with spiritual energy to enhance sleep and improve health.


    Everyone quickly chose their rooms and gathered back on the lawn to chat.


    Stelle then took out another prize she had won earlier¡ªthe "King of Trash Cans" title.


    It currently appeared as a wooden plaque in her hand.


    Ye Yun explained:


    "This is a special item. You can equip it on yourself¡ªjust like a game title, it''ll float over your head.


    Once equipped, it boosts your strength by 5% unconditionally, no matter what level you are¡ªeven An Aeons would get the boost.


    Plus, you can summon 10 bodyguards to fight for you. These guards are all high-level Pathstriders."


    March 7th glanced at the plaque, where "King of Trash Cans" was written.


    Having that float over her head? March 7th felt she''d die of embarrassment.


    "King of Trash Cans"? What the heck?!


    But it was in Stelle''s hands now.


    Stelle didn''t mind at all.


    "What''s so embarrassing about it? It''s super badass! King! You get extra muscle and an army of thugs¡ªwhat''s not to love?"


    Without hesitation, Stelle crushed the wooden plaque.


    The plaque turned into golden light and merged into Stelle''s forehead, forming golden words floating above her head:


    [King of Trash Cans ¡¤ Xing]

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99 - 99Stelle looked at the five large characters, "Trash Can King," floating above her head and felt incredibly proud.


    Stelle placed her hands on her hips.


    "How about it, March? Cool, right?"


    March 7th paused for a moment. How should she say this? Aside from the title not sounding too great, the font, the lighting effects, and everything else were actually quite impressive.


    The title''s font was bold and powerful, shining with a golden glow, with tiny particles of light constantly spilling out of the title.


    Ye Yun spoke.


    "Stelle, try summoning the next bucket of kings."


    Stelle nodded and struck a pose. Ten "next buckets of kings" appeared in front of her.


    Lumine looked at these "next buckets of kings." Each one was a trash can with human limbs¡ªmuscular limbs at that. They were incredibly well-built.


    The ten "next buckets of kings" formed a circle around Stelle, guarding her tightly.


    Welt observed them carefully and found that, just as Ye Yun had said, each one was of high-tier Pathstrider strength.


    Kiana looked at the title floating above Stelle''s head with envy. This thing was so cool!


    "Let me see what I can get. I want a title too."


    Kiana, under the watchful eyes of everyone, opened the golden trash can she had bought.


    A flash of light appeared, and a wooden plaque materialized in front of her.


    Kiana picked it up and read what was written on it.


    "[Strongest Valkyrie]? Ye Yun! Is this a title too?"


    Kiana excitedly asked Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun took a look.


    [Special Item: Title: Strongest Valkyrie.


    Description: The bearer of this title is immune to the Corruption of the Honkai.


    Additionally, the bearer will deal 1000% damage to enemies carrying Honkai factors.


    It also reduces the damage from Honkai-corrupted enemies by 50%.


    The title can later be upgraded to "Athena Valkyrie" by spending 1 million Star Coins.


    Price: 880,000 Star Coins]


    Ye Yun was dumbfounded. Wait a minute, Kiana¡ªit''s not that I don''t know you''re lucky, but this is a bit much, don''t you think?


    This item is practically made for Honkai specialists!


    Increasing 1000% damage, reducing damage by 50%¡ªthis is outrageous.


    Kiana eagerly looked at Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, Ye Yun, what do you think? Is this a title?"


    Ye Yun took a deep breath and accepted the reality.


    "Yes, it''s a title. And it''s an incredibly overpowered one."


    Hearing that it was indeed a title, Kiana didn''t hesitate and immediately crushed it.


    A burst of light flashed, and the title appeared above Kiana''s head.


    [Strongest Valkyrie]


    Kiana beamed with pride as she looked at her new title.


    Kiana laughed loudly, pointing to the sky.


    "I! Kiana! Am the strongest Valkyrie! Ha ha!"


    Theresa turned to Ye Yun and asked.


    "Ye Yun, how does this thing work? Does it have any special abilities?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yes, this thing makes Kiana immune to Honkai, in every sense of the word.


    It also increases her damage against enemies with Honkai factors by 1000% and reduces the damage she takes from those enemies by 50%.


    This title can also be upgraded. Spending 1 million Star Coins will turn it into ''Athena Valkyrie.''"


    Theresa, Mei, Bronya, Himeko, and Fu Hua were all stunned.


    This is insane!


    Theresa glanced at Kiana, still reveling in her new title, and thought to herself that Kiana had just gained something extraordinary.


    With this title, as long as Kiana''s strength reached S-rank, she would definitely be able to defeat the End.


    Theresa looked at the Star Coins in her hand¡ª1,300,000 total.


    Theresa then asked.


    "Ye Yun, what happens after upgrading to Athena Valkyrie?"


    Ye Yun pretended to think, but in his mind, he was consulting the system.


    [Title: Athena Valkyrie Increases Collapse attack damage by 1500%


    Reduces Honkai attack damage by 70%


    Immune to Honkai. Summons Athena Valkyrie Armor Athena Valkyrie Armor Skills: Skill 1: Guardian¡ªCreates a 500-meter radius Guardian Field that reduces damage taken by 10% within the field.


    Skill 2: Divine Judgment¡ªSummons a giant sword of light to strike enemies, dealing 200% attack damage (with an additional 2800% effect against Honkai).


    Skill 3: Purification¡ªCan purify Honkai.]


    Ye Yun shared the detailed information about the Athena Valkyrie title with Theresa and the others.


    Theresa, hearing this, made a bold decision. She grabbed Kiana and shoved 1 million Star Coins into her hands.


    "Kiana! Go upgrade your title."


    Kiana, though a bit reluctant, replied.


    "I think ''Strongest Valkyrie'' sounds better. ''Athena Valkyrie'' doesn''t sound as nice. Can I skip the upgrade? Please, Auntie~"


    Mei chimed in.


    "Kiana, don''t you want to defeat the Honkai? After the upgrade, we''ll have a real chance."


    Ye Yun also added.


    "Kiana, the Athena Valkyrie Armor looks really cool. And in myth, Athena is the symbol of wisdom."


    The moment Kiana heard that Athena represented wisdom, her eyes lit up.


    "Does that mean I''ll get smarter?"


    Kiana immediately chose to upgrade.


    The words "Strongest Valkyrie" above Kiana''s head glowed with seven colors of light.


    As the light faded, her new title, shining like the stars, appeared above her head.


    [Athena Valkyrie]


    Kiana didn''t immediately summon the Athena armor but instead ran over to Bronya, throwing her arm around Bronya''s shoulder.


    "Silly Bronya, I''m the symbol of wisdom now. You''re not allowed to call me a fool anymore!"


    Bronya rolled her eyes at Kiana.


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re the smartest."


    Himeko spoke up.


    "Kiana, why don''t you try summoning the Athena Valkyrie Armor?"


    Kiana, hearing this, went to an open area, put her hands on her hips, and shouted loudly.


    "Athena Valkyrie Armor! Possess me!"


    In an instant, a beam of light enveloped Kiana.


    When the light dissipated, Kiana was clad in pure white armor trimmed with gold.


    Behind her, a pair of immaculate white wings spread out. In one hand, she held a spear; in the other, a round shield.


    Kiana looked at her wings curiously, realizing they moved in response to her thoughts, just like her own body.


    She controlled the wings to flap, lifting herself slowly into the air.


    Kiana, thrilled by the sensation of flying, shouted with joy.


    "Mei! Auntie! Look, I''m flying!"


    However, Kiana''s joy was short-lived. Her focus slipped, and she crashed back to the ground, landing on her rear.


    "Ow!"


    Theresa observed the scene and said.


    "Looks like Kiana still needs to go back and train, get familiar with the Athena Valkyrie Armor."


    Himeko chuckled.


    "I''ll handle this. I''ll train Kiana."


    Fu Hua, who had been watching, spoke up.


    "I''ll help too."


    She saw in Kiana the potential to defeat the Honkai.


    ***


    Stelle glanced at the title Kiana had obtained and suddenly felt like her "Trash Can King" title was a bit lacking.


    "Ye Yun, can I level this up?"


    Ye Yun shook his head upon hearing this.


    "No, you can''t. What''s the problem? You''re still not satisfied? A 5% power boost without conditions¡ªwhat more do you want? This thing has no upper limit. Even if you become a boss who can punch and destroy a world, it''ll still work."


    Stelle thought for a moment and realized that a 5% power boost was actually quite overpowered.


    She immediately felt at ease.


    March 7th and Lumine looked at Stelle and Kiana, both wondering if they could also get a title.


    March 7th asked Yeyun.


    "Ye Yun, can ordinary trash cans get a title too?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "No, the minimum value for a title is 660,000 star coins, but the upper limit for an ordinary trash can is only 500,000."


    After discussing for a bit, Lumine and March 7th decided to each do a 10-pull.


    The two of them bought golden trash cans and placed them neatly on the lawn.


    March 7th looked at Lumine.


    "Lumine, you go first."


    Paimon, standing by, rubbed her hands and kept muttering.


    "Delicious, delicious, definitely want something tasty!"


    Lumine grabbed Paimon''s ear.


    "Ah! You''re jinxing me here! I guess I''ll cook you up if I don''t get a title!"


    Paimon was startled and quickly changed her tune.


    "Wish you get a title, wish you get a title!"


    Everyone nearby couldn''t help but laugh at Paimon''s strong survival instincts.


    Lumine gave Paimon an annoyed look, then started opening the trash cans.


    Lumine opened all ten trash cans at once, and ten golden lights flashed.


    9 delivery cards.


    3 cards for 1,000 tons of rice.


    4 cards for 200 tons of beef and lamb.


    1 card for 500 tons of vegetables.


    1 card for 500 tons of fruits.


    Fortunately, one title plaque dropped quietly on the ground.


    Lumine dashed over and picked it up, while Paimon silently gathered the 9 delivery cards.


    Lumine looked at the title plaque, which read:


    [Stun Resistor]


    Lumine looked at Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun explained, "This is one of the most basic titles. Its only effect is to increase your stun resistance by 50%."


    Upon hearing this, Lumine felt a bit disappointed, thinking she had gotten a bad deal. But then, she thought that at least it was a title, so she crushed the plaque.


    The words [Stun Resistor] appeared above Lumine''s head.


    March 7th saw that Lumine had gotten a title.


    "This title drop rate is pretty high," she said.


    Stelle, hearing this, looked at March 7th with wide eyes, silently taking out a pile of delivery cards.


    "March, do you want to take a look at the amazing things I have in my hands and reconsider your words?"


    March 7th glanced at the thick pile of cards in Stelle''s hands, cold sweat forming on her forehead.


    "Ah..."


    March 7th looked at the ten golden trash cans.


    "Hope I get one!"


    She opened all ten trash cans at once.


    Ten flashes of light, and eight delivery cards, one title plaque, and a golden figurine appeared.


    March 7th, seeing the drop, was extremely happy.


    "Haha~ I got one too!"


    She ran over and picked up the title plaque, which read three characters:


    [Sharpshooter]


    Without hesitation, March 7th equipped it, and Ye Yun explained its special effect.


    "This thing boosts your archery accuracy by 50%. It''s worth 700,000. Not bad. The most valuable thing from your ten-pull is this."


    Ye Yun picked up the golden figurine from the ground.


    "This thing is called the Immortal Totem. If you wear it, you''ll be immune to one instance of death. After receiving a fatal blow, it can restore your health and provide some time-based buffs.


    However, it has a limit¡ªit only works on Aeons and below."


    Ye Yun''s words caused a huge stir, and everyone present turned to look at him.


    Stelle was completely stunned.


    "This trash can can drop such OP items?"


    Ye Yun handed the Immortal Totem to March 7th, who stood there in a daze, still shocked by the revelation.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "What are you waiting for? Take it."


    March 7th snapped out of it, accepting the Immortal Totem.


    Himeko took the totem and, after a while, attached it to March 7th''s clothes.


    "March, when we get back to the train, I''ll make it into a necklace so it''s easier for you to carry."


    March 7th smiled and nodded.


    "Thank you, Himeko."


    After playing around on the lawn for a bit, everyone returned to the train.


    Xiangling, with Guoba and Noelle, was already preparing the ingredients.


    Ye Yun and Mei rolled up their sleeves to help.


    Himeko took March 7th''s Immortal Totem and went to make it into a necklace.


    Kafka, Firefly, Stelle, and March 7th were busy packing up their things.


    Silver Wolf opened an Aether portal.


    On the other side, Elio was struggling, controlling the moving robots to help Kafka and Silver Wolf pack their things.


    It was impossible to have Kafka and the others go back just for this, so Elio had to do it himself.


    Considering Elio''s small size, Silver Wolf thoughtfully sent over a robot to assist.


    Kafka and Firefly were talking to Elio on the phone, giving him instructions on how to handle their luggage.


    "Elio, make sure you bring all my coats over."


    "Elio, remember to bring the photo album from my bedside, and also the photo album of me and Star."


    Elio, with his tail wrapped around the phone, replied while heading to Kafka''s room.


    "No problem, no problem. Coats, right? I''ll get them. Got it, I''ll be careful with the photos."


    When Elio opened Kafka''s wardrobe, he was stunned. The entire wardrobe was filled with coats.


    The wardrobe was unbelievably huge, measuring 10 meters long and 3 meters high, with two levels.


    Elio stood there, his paws measuring the size of the wardrobe and then comparing it to his own size.


    Haha... Hahaha!


    Elio collapsed to the floor, staring helplessly at the ceiling. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m going to die of exhaustion today!"


    Elio wished he could slap himself for promising Kafka and Firefly that he''d handle everything.


    It wasn''t until Firefly''s voice came from the phone that Elio sat up again, sighing heavily.


    "Cat life is hard..."


    Elio tiredly used his tail to wrap the phone, chatting a little before hanging up. Then, with a face full of despair, he walked to the wardrobe to help pack Kafka''s coats.


    He thought it might be a few pieces, but he never expected this much.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100 - 1005 System Hours Later


    Elio collapsed to the ground, his chest rising and falling violently.


    Every single cell in his body felt exhausted.


    The transport robots could carry things, but the problem was, they couldn''t pack them!


    Kafka and Firefly had repeatedly told him to pack everything carefully, so nothing would be damaged or lost along the way.


    Elio rested for a while, lying in the empty base.


    He looked around, and the silence was eerie. The sound of a needle falling could be heard.


    Elio sat down on the couch, turned on the TV, and started watching.


    But he still felt bored, as if something was missing.


    After a moment of thought, Elio realized what was missing.


    It was Silver Wolf, Firefly, Kafka, and Blade.


    Before, they would gather every night in the living room to hang out.


    Firefly and Silver Wolf would sit on the couch playing games, Kafka would curl up and browse shopping apps, and Blade would quietly sit nearby.


    Sighing, Elio turned off the TV and walked to the door of the base, heading toward his personal little spaceship.


    The small spaceship swayed gently, heading toward the star sector where Penacony was located.


    On the Train.


    Ye Yun and the others had a casual meal together. At this moment, there weren''t many people aboard the train.


    The group from Liyue, Xianzhou, and Mondstadt had all returned, and after a brief meal, they returned to their rooms to rest.


    Stelle and March 7th were delighted to settle into their new home. Stelle placed the Celestial Compass on the ground next to the shop''s entrance, with a club stick beside it.


    Next to the entrance was the crack leading to the Celestial Realm.


    Stelle and March 7th had been busy for a few hours and finally finished decorating their rooms.


    The two of them had managed to get some furniture by pulling some strings with Topaz, ordering it through the Interstellar Peace Corporation.


    Topaz only charged a small amount of credits, as the furniture was rather inexpensive.


    After eating, Stelle returned to her room and stood by the window. She had dug out all the trees near her room and had installed a floor-to-ceiling window.


    She took a bottle of iced soda from the fridge, placed it on a small table, and sat down on the carpet, drinking a big gulp.


    The bubbles swirled in her mouth, making her feel refreshed.


    Looking out the window, she felt like the outside world was a bit too quiet, with only trees and grass visible.


    "Maybe I''ll buy some small animals from Ye Yun tomorrow to liven up the place. It feels too lifeless in here."


    Stelle took out her phone to play for a while before returning to her bed to rest.


    Finally, Stelle got to sleep in a big bed and soon fell into a deep slumber.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun and Himeko quietly opened the door to the room of the six little ones.


    A dim, yellow night light sat on the table in the middle of the room, casting a gentle glow.


    On the right side of the entrance was Qiqi''s bed.


    Qiqi was lying there, sleeping soundly. She hadn''t gotten used to the new habit yet and often kicked off her blanket at night.


    Ye Yun smiled indulgently and covered her with the blanket. As soon as he did, Qiqi kicked it off again.


    Ye Yun smiled and shook his head, covering her once more.


    Himeko walked over to Hook''s side. Hook noticed someone approaching and groggily opened her eyes, getting up slowly.


    "Hm? Himeko, why haven''t you gone to sleep yet?"


    Himeko gently patted Huck''s little head.


    "No worries, I came with Ye Yun to check on you. Go back to sleep, aren''t you supposed to go to Belobog tomorrow?"


    Hook yawned, obediently lying back down and making a few small noises before falling back asleep.


    Ye Yun and Himeko made sure all the others were tucked in and asleep before leaving the room of the six little ones.


    Every night, Ye Yun and Himeko would come to check on them and make sure they were sleeping well.


    The Next Day.


    After breakfast, Ye Yun and the others walked into the portal heading to Belobog.


    Today, Ye Yun planned to take the six little ones to the Ice-Deer Farm.


    Yesterday, Bronya had sent a message saying that the first batch of Ice-Deer had grown up and invited them to try the meat.


    This trip included only Ye Yun, Himeko, Welt, Topaz, Jing Yuan, and the six little ones.


    Amber and Eula had reconnaissance missions in the snow mountains today.


    Lumine, along with Paimon, planned to leave Liyue for Inazuma.


    Stelle and March 7th decided to do some more decorating in the Celestial Realm and add some small animals.


    Dan Heng was left behind as an advisor.


    Ye Yun and the group arrived in the lower district of Beloberg and immediately saw Clara, who was experimenting with the Gundam.


    Svarog had captured some rift creatures for Clara to practice with.


    Clara leapt into the air, drawing the great sword from her back.


    "Hah!"


    The sounds of the mighty mech were surprisingly accompanied by Clara''s soft voice.


    The great sword swept through the air, instantly obliterating several Flamespawn creatures.


    Clara danced with joy, running over to Swarro.


    "Mr. Svarog, I did it!"


    Svarog''s face lit up with a red light.


    "Congratulations, Clara! You''re the best!"


    Clara, shy from the praise, scratched her head.


    Ye Yun and the others found the scene rather strange¡ªone of the most stylish mechs was acting like a little girl.


    Ye Yun waved his hand.


    "Clara, Svarog."


    The two turned to see Ye Yun, and Clara was overjoyed.


    She took off her "Family No. 2" and ran to Ye Yun.


    "Brother Ye Yun, why are you here today?"


    Ye Yun glanced at Clara''s bare feet.


    He had bought Clara many pairs of shoes before, and so had Jade.


    "Clara, why aren''t you wearing the shoes I bought you?"


    Clara looked down at her feet and stuck out her tongue, trying to play it cute.


    "I was too eager to test out Family No. 2, I forgot."


    Ye Yun bought a pair of snow boots from the system and handed them to Clara.


    "Here, wear these. You can''t walk on this icy ground barefoot."


    Clara giggled and put on the boots.


    "By the way, Brother Ye Yun, you still haven''t told me why you''re here in Belobog!"


    Ye Yun smiled and rubbed Clara''s head.


    "We got an invitation from Bronya. She said the first batch of Ice-Deer is ready, and we should come try the meat."


    Topaz added in support.


    "That''s right, I''m here to pick it up. I ordered one earlier."


    Clara''s eyes brightened.


    "Ah, I see! Let me take you there. Sister Bronya should be over there right now."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? How do you know?"


    Clara shyly replied.


    "Because... the Ice-Deer are having babies these days."


    Yeyun coughed.


    "Svarog, can you send us there with the robots? This kind of scene might be a little too much for Clara to handle."


    ***


    The Machine Soldier Called by Svarog


    Svarog summoned a machine soldier, which then led Ye Yun and the others toward the ice-deer ranch.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the ranch.


    In the ranch, the adult ice-deer, standing about two meters tall, leisurely wandered around the field.


    Topaz was very curious.


    "Isn''t it supposed to take at least a month for the ice-deer to fully mature?"


    Walt explained.


    "That''s because Bronya has planted many spirit stones in the ranch, which accelerate the growth of the ice-deer."


    Topaz understood. That made sense.


    Spirit stones, she knew, were advanced energy sources from the immortal cultivation world, useful for many things.


    The group walked into the ranch and saw Bronya, who was busy with two veterinarians, checking on a female ice-deer.


    Soon, one of the veterinarians suddenly smiled happily.


    "Great Guardian, it worked! This ice-deer is successfully pregnant!"


    Bronia sighed in relief. With this, the ice-deer ranch would be fully operational.


    After discussions with Topaz and Jade, Bronya had set the price of the ice deer at 200,000 credit points each.


    The first batch consisted of only 50 male deer.


    As for the female deer, Bronya couldn''t bear to part with them; they were needed for breeding the next generation. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bronya noticed someone approaching.


    "Ye Yun, you''re here," Bronya greeted with a smile.


    Topaz nodded at Bronya.


    "Yes, Bronya, I''m here to pick up the ice-deer I pre-ordered."


    Bronya smiled.


    "Don''t worry, the one you ordered has been reserved for you."


    Bronya looked at Ye Yun and the others.


    "I invited all of you here today to taste the flavor of the ice-deer meat."


    Topaz recalled the ice-deer meat that Ye Yun had prepared before. The taste was unforgettable.


    "In that case, I won''t hold back. I''ve been wanting to eat it for a long time."


    Under Bronya''s lead, they went into a small house within the ranch.


    Inside, a copper stove with burning charcoal was placed on a round table.


    Next to the stove, slices of deer meat were prepared.


    Bronya gestured for everyone to sit down.


    The six little ones climbed onto the stools one by one, their big eyes staring intently at the copper stove.


    Klee sniffed the air eagerly.


    "Wow~ It smells so good, Sister Bronya!"


    Bronya smiled warmly and ruffled Klee''s little head.


    "This soup base was given to me by your sister Xiangling."


    Klee immediately exclaimed.


    "Ah~ Sister Xiangling makes delicious food!"


    Bronya then turned to Ye Yun and the others.


    "Feel free to sit, everyone. Please, enjoy."


    Everyone sat down, and after a toast, they started to cook and eat the meat.


    Since they were all familiar with each other, there was no need for formalities.


    Topaz picked up a piece of meat, briefly dipped it in the pot, and after 20 seconds, took it out.


    Dipping it in some seasoning, she took a bite, and her face lit up with enjoyment.


    "Mm~ This is the taste! So delicious!"


    Welt, Ye Yun, and the others also ate with great relish.


    Jing Yuan, who hadn''t tried it before, was curious. Was the meat really this good?


    He picked up a piece, dipped it briefly in the pot, and immediately understood. The ice-deer meat was incredibly tender, melting in his mouth, with no gamey taste at all.


    It was obvious this meat had not been marinated and was in its pure, original form.


    Now, Jing Yuan understood why Bronya set such a high price for it. The ice-deer meat was definitely worth it. At 200,000 credit points per deer, it was practically a bargain.


    Everyone ate greedily, drinking and eating happily.


    Jing Yuan looked at Bronya.


    "Miss Bronya, how many of the first batch of ice deer are you planning to sell?"


    Bronya replied.


    "50, the rest will be kept for breeding the next generation."


    Jing Yuan thought for a moment.


    "Could I get 10 of them?"


    Bronya agreed right away. The reason she invited Jing Yuan was to promote the ice-deer meat.


    "Sure."


    Jing Yuan, hearing this, smiled and took out his phone to transfer 2 million credit points to Bronya on the spot.


    Bronya looked at the transfer and thanked him.


    "Thank you, General Jing Yuan, for your support."


    Jing Yuan smiled.


    "No need to thank me. This ice-deer meat really is delicious."


    The group continued chatting and eating.


    During their conversation, Bronya heard that the group had made a lot of Star Credits at Penacony and felt envious for a while.


    She had been busy rebuilding Belobog recently.


    Thanks to her efforts, the new district of Belobog had been completed. Except for a few residential areas, the rest of the land was cleared for planting crops.


    In Teyvat, Liyue Harbor, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s Internet Caf¨¦ Building


    Calestia, looking tired, returned to his e-sports room.


    She had been working on renovations since yesterday, and it was only now that it had been completed.


    Calestia sat down at his computer as soon as she entered, ready to jump into a game.


    she noticed Nahida, who looked worried.


    "Nahida, what''s wrong? Why do you look so troubled?"


    Nahida sighed.


    "I''ve been thinking about the Sumeru migration issue."


    Calestia understood immediately.


    "What''s there to worry about? Those who are willing to leave will go, and those who don''t want to leave can stay and wait for their demise."


    Nahida nodded. Recently, she had been staying in Liyue, learning a lot from Zhongli, Venti, and Calestia on how to be a god.


    This had helped her stop being overly merciful and stop indulging humanity.


    "I''m worried the people of Sumeru might listen to the lies from the Akademiya. The previous sages tried to erase my existence, and if I show myself in Sumeru, I will definitely be targeted by them."


    Calestia, not really concerned, waved her hand dismissively.


    "Is that all? At worst, I''ll accompany you there and take care of things, simple as that."


    Nahida fell silent.


    Take care of things? The thing Calestia was referring to was something that could easily destroy a nation. Was it really that simple?


    At that moment, the computer finished booting up.


    Calestia, already familiar with the system, opened the game "Audition" while speaking to Nahida.


    "I''ll get someone to accompany you."


    With a wave of his hand, Aether appeared in the room, wearing a milk tea shop employee outfit.


    "Aether, go with Nahida and talk to the people from the Akademiya."


    Aether, confused, had been spending his time in Liyue lately, running a milk tea shop. Business had been pretty good.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101 - 101Aether was momentarily stunned.


    During this period, having been left in Liyue with nothing much to do, he opened a milk tea shop, which was doing quite well.


    It was still early, and Aether was leisurely humming a tune while brewing milk tea, not expecting to be suddenly dragged away to this place.


    Seeing Aether''s confused face, Calestia explained the situation to him.


    After hearing everything, Aether accepted the mission.


    "Alright, when do we leave?"


    Nahida thought for a moment.


    "No rush. We still have to complete the planetary remodeling first. Let''s wait until that''s done."


    Aether was a bit puzzled by this.


    "Didn''t you all head over yesterday? Still not done?"


    Saying this, Aether instinctively looked at Calestia and mocked him.


    "Not up to it, huh, Calestia?"


    Veins bulged on Calestia''s forehead upon hearing Aether''s taunt, and her fists clenched tightly.


    "Not up to it? You''ll soon find out just how ''up to it'' I am!"


    That day, people walking the streets outside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦ heard someone''s miserable screams.


    The screams were so tragic and pitiful that it was hard to imagine.


    In the kitchen of "Brother Aether''s Milk Tea Shop" in Liyue''s Chihu Rock District:


    A bruised and battered Aether stirred the big pot of milk tea with a spoon while tears streamed down his face.


    Why had he been so quick to taunt? It was pure reflex ¡ª a habit he''d developed back when he was still suffering from Abyssal corruption. The Abyss truly harmed people!


    Meanwhile, at Herta Space Station:


    Lady Herta and Ruan Mei arrived at the platform.


    Asta and Arlan had been waiting there for quite some time.


    Asta understood Herta''s personality well ¡ª she disliked large welcoming crowds, finding them annoying.


    Thus, Asta only brought Arlan along.


    "Welcome back to the space station, Lady Herta," Asta greeted with a smile.


    Herta nodded in satisfaction at her "ATM."


    "Mmm, is the food ready? I''m starving."


    Asta smiled.


    "It''s ready. There''s a new product: Frostland Deer. I bought one to try."


    Director Topaz said it''s extremely delicious."


    Herta''s interest was piqued.


    If she remembered correctly, wasn''t that the animal that little girl from Belobog had bought from Ye Yun?


    "Oh? Frostland Deer, I know that. Let''s go try it."


    Herta walked off toward her lab without waiting.


    Asta turned to Ruan Mei.


    "Ms. Ruan Mei, welcome to the space station."


    Ruan Mei nodded lightly.


    "Mm, long time no see, Asta."


    Asta gestured politely.


    "Ms. Ruan Mei, let''s dine first. I''ve prepared your favorite osmanthus cake."


    Hearing there was osmanthus cake, Ruan Mei''s heart lifted.


    "Alright, thank you."


    Asta smiled and led Ruan Mei after Herta.


    Next to Herta, Dummy No.1 followed her with a blank expression.


    Herta paused to chat with Ruan Mei, but Dummy No.1, unable to brake in time, crashed straight into Herta''s foot, wobbling unsteadily.


    Only then did Herta remember the gift she brought for Asta.


    "Right, Asta, I brought you a gift: Dummy No.1 ¡ª a warp carrier."


    Dummy No.1 was still dizzy.


    Herta kicked it lightly.


    "Hurry up."


    Dummy No.1, whimpering in grievance, ran to the platform and fired a beam of warp energy.


    Before their eyes, a spaceship the size of the space station slowly materialized from virtuality into reality.


    Asta''s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    Herta explained:


    "This is the default blueprint installed in Dummy No.1. As long as it has enough materials, it can warp the ship into reality."


    Ruan Mei, hearing this, looked at Dummy No.1 with some interest.


    If Dummy No.1 were a living being instead of a machine, Ruan Mei might already be itching to dismantle it.


    About ten minutes later, Dummy No.1 finished warping in the carrier.


    Asta stared at the high-tech spaceship, thrilled.


    "Thank you so much, Lady Herta!"


    Herta waved dismissively.


    "No big deal."


    Recently, Herta had read a book titled How to Control Your Wallet. It left a deep impression on her.


    One sentence stuck with her: You can''t just take all the time ¡ª you have to occasionally offer some sweetness.


    Thus, she decided to give this gift.


    "Alright, take me to eat," Herta said.


    Although Asta really wanted to board the new carrier immediately, she held back ¡ª she needed to accompany Lady Herta to eat first.


    At the dining table:


    Both Herta and Ruan Mei tasted the Frostland Deer meat.


    Herta took a big bite.


    "This venison is really good! Asta, do you have any more? I want to pack some to take with me."


    Asta shook her head apologetically.


    "I only managed to buy one. They only sold forty total this time, and it was thanks to Director Topaz''s help that I got even that."


    Herta sighed.


    "Alright. You bought one? Then I''ll just feast on this for the next few days."


    Asta agreed.


    Herta happily took another big bite.


    "As expected of a Ye Yun product ¡ª guaranteed excellence. I''d heard that girl Stelle rave about this meat, and for once, I actually agree with that idiot."


    Ruan Mei asked curiously:


    "Ye Yun?"


    Seeing her confusion, Herta explained who Ye Yun was.


    After hearing about him, Ruan Mei felt an urge to visit Ye Yun''s shop herself.


    "Herta, can you take me there sometime?"


    Herta nodded.


    "Sure, once we finish calibrating the Simulated Universe."


    Ruan Mei agreed, and the three continued their meal and conversation.


    Meanwhile, in front of Mondstadt''s Angel''s Share tavern:


    Venti and Feixiao stood among the crowd, listening to Diluc''s explanation.


    Jean had previously bought a brewing formula from Ye Yun, and it had now produced its first batch of liquor.


    Thanks to Nahida''s help, the ingredients had grown abundantly.


    Diluc had bought out the entire first batch from Jean and planned to sell it to other nations.


    In Mondstadt, he sold it at original price; outside, it would be marked up ¡ª after all, Diluc needed to make a profit.


    Diluc opened a large barrel of wine, and instantly, a rich aroma filled the square.


    Diluc announced:


    "This wine is called ''Spirit Wine.'' A cup costs 888 Mora. If you want a taste, come to Angel''s Share."


    The onlookers thought the price a bit steep ¡ª 888 Mora for just one cup!


    Diluc continued:


    "This wine is top quality and difficult to brew. The price is fair ¡ª taste it, and you''ll understand."


    With that, he turned and went back into the tavern.


    His staff stayed outside to distribute free samples ¡ª one small cup per person, a promotional tactic.


    ***


    Venti and Feixiao received their trial cups of spirit wine.


    After just one cup, both were hooked on the drink. It was smooth on the tongue but a strong liquor with a powerful aftereffect, filling one with heroic spirit after drinking.


    Venti patted his pocket and pulled out a handful of scattered Mora.


    He counted them¡ªonly 2,000 Mora in total, just enough for one more drink each.


    This put Venti in a dilemma: he had promised to treat Feixiao today.


    Originally, he had planned to earn some money by singing yesterday, but unexpectedly, he drank too much the day before and ended up sleeping the entire day.


    When he finally woke up and went to the tavern intending to sing for money, the alluring smell of alcohol had already captured his soul.


    Venti thought for a moment and decided to go in first.


    He entered the tavern with Feixiao and sat down in front of Diluc.


    "Boss Diluc, get us each a glass of spirit wine," Venti said, placing the Mora on the bar.


    Diluc collected the Mora and soon brought over three cups of wine.


    One was handed to Feixiao, and two were handed to Venti.


    "This one is on the house for General Feixiao. It wouldn''t do for Mondstadt to be inhospitable to such an esteemed guest."


    Hearing this, Venti was immediately displeased¡ªwhy was Feixiao getting a free drink but not him?


    "Boss Diluc, you can''t play favorites!" Venti protested.


    Diluc, seeing through Venti''s little scheme, said,"You have the nerve to ask for a free drink? Bartender, bring over Venti''s tab."


    At his words, the bartender brought out a thick ledger and handed it to Diluc.


    Diluc opened it and began reading from the first page:"Year xxx, month xxx, day x: Venti ran up a tab of 53,200 Mora...Year xxx, month xxx..."


    Diluc read item after item, and Venti hurriedly tried to stop him.


    "Boss Diluc, stop reading! I''ll pay! I''ll buy my own drink!"


    At that, Diluc closed the ledger and handed it back to the bartender.


    "Keep this well; it''s an important financial record of the tavern."


    Venti fell silent¡ªan important financial record indeed. Did he really owe that much?


    He patted his pockets and thought for a moment.


    "Boss Diluc, how about this: I''ll pay with star coins. Deal?"


    Diluc gave Venti a speechless look.


    Star coins¡ªsuch a rare currency¡ªand you''re using them to buy booze? Typical Venti, always unexpected.


    Still, money was money, so Diluc agreed.


    "Fine. One star coin per glass. Payment first, drinks second."


    Venti proudly slapped down 100 star coins.


    "Bring me 100 glasses first! And some snacks too, not too much to ask, right?"


    Diluc accepted the star coins and had the bartender start serving food and drink.


    Inside the Knights of Favonius headquarters:


    Jean and Lisa were chatting over tea.


    Nowadays, Mondstadt was peaceful, and Jean had far fewer duties to attend to.


    She now had time to sit and relax with Lisa for a cup of tea and conversation.


    Lisa asked,"Jean, what do you plan to buy with the 350,000 star coins we earned?"


    Jean replied,"I''m planning to purchase a cultivation technique even more advanced than the Wind Spirit Art.The knights we retained after careful selection have all already mastered the Wind Spirit Art to its highest level.We need new techniques to continue enhancing our strength."


    Lisa nodded in agreement."Good idea. For now, let''s prioritize buying techniques. As for moving into the new world, we''ll keep some star coins in reserve for emergencies."


    Jean agreed with a nod.


    At the Port of Liyue:


    Lumine drove her RV, taking Paimon aboard a ferry.


    This ferry would transport her RV onto the Stellar Star ship.


    That''s right¡ªLumine was planning a trip to Inazuma. Partly for sightseeing, partly for work.


    As it turned out, Calestia had appointed Lumine as an inspector, responsible for overseeing civil improvements across various nations.


    Every month, Calestia would pay her 100 Primogems.


    Hearing that, Lumine immediately accepted the job¡ªafter all, it was 100 Primogems!


    Once on the ferry, Lumine drove her RV onto the Stellar Star ship.


    Thankfully, the ship''s deck was sturdy enough, or the RV might not have made it.


    Beidou walked over, intrigued by the unfamiliar machine. She had never seen anything like it before.


    Lumine opened the door, and she and Paimon hopped out.


    "Hey, Beidou!" Lumine greeted happily.


    She and Beidou had been introduced by Ningguang.


    Recently, news had come that Inazuma was lifting its isolationist policies.


    Ningguang had asked Beidou to go and retrieve the detained Liyue merchants.


    Beidou naturally agreed without hesitation.


    Hearing that Beidou was heading to Inazuma, Lumine had jumped at the chance to hitch a ride.


    Beidou curiously examined the RV.


    "Lumine, this thing''s impressive¡ªit can move on its own?"


    Lumine replied,"It''s called an RV. You can travel in it, and even live in it! Want to come inside and take a look?"


    Beidou said,"Can I? Sure, let''s go!"


    They climbed inside.


    The RV''s facilities had grown increasingly complete: TV, computer¡ªyou name it, Lumine had installed it.


    Beidou marveled at every part of it.


    Lumine took two bottles of orange juice from the fridge, poured them into glasses, and the two sat at the little booth and chatted.


    First Mate Chongzuo oversaw the ship''s departure preparations.


    The Stellar Star slowly set sail toward Inazuma.


    At night:


    Standing on the deck, Lumine felt a little hungry.


    Normally, by this time, Ye Yun and Xiangling would have already prepared dinner.


    Lumine thought for a moment and grabbed Paimon, who had just finished a bag of chips and was about to grab another from the RV.


    "Paimon! Where''s the delivery card from the Golden Dumpster loot last time?"


    Paimon pulled out nine delivery cards."They''re all here! Last time you were busy looking at titles, so I kept them for you."


    Lumine sifted through them and found one for 100 tons of beef.


    Looking around at the busy crew, she thought it would be nice to treat everyone¡ªafter all, they hadn''t charged her for the ride and had been very welcoming. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She withdrew 100 pounds of beef and called Beidou over.


    "Beidou! I''m treating everyone to beef tonight!"


    Beidou looked at the fresh beef and asked,"Lumine, where did you get so much fresh beef? And so fresh too!"


    Lumine held up the delivery card."This! It''s a delivery card. I still have nearly 100 tons left¡ªplenty to eat!"


    Beidou was baffled. How could so much beef fit inside such a small card?Was it some kind of immortal treasure?


    Seeing Beidou''s confusion, Lumine realized¡ªAh, looks like Ningguang hadn''t told Beidou about Ye Yun''s store.


    Beidou called over the ship''s chef to take the 100 pounds of beef for cooking.


    She then stood at the ship''s bow and shouted loudly:"Everyone! We''re having a feast tonight¡ªLumine''s treating us to fresh beef!"


    The sailors were all delighted. Fresh beef was a rare treat aboard a ship.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102 - 102Soon, 100 jin (about 50 kilograms) of beef was brought to the table.


    Lumine, Beidou, Kazuha, and the sailors gathered on the deck, devouring the meat and sipping on some wine.


    They still had to sail, so they could only drink a little ¡ª if they got drunk, there''d be no one left to steer the ship.


    Kazuha sat by the dining table, looking curiously at Lumine.


    "Lumine, why do you want to go to Inazuma?"


    Lumine spread her hands helplessly.


    "I don''t want to either~ It''s all for work."


    Paimon, munching on a steak nearby, chimed in.


    "Lumine accepted a commission from Calestia, and now she''s Teyvat''s Inspector, responsible for conducting surprise inspections of the living conditions in various nations for Calestia."


    Kazuha was utterly confused. He understood all the words individually, but together, he had no idea what they meant.


    An Inspector in Teyvat? Since when? And if such a position existed, why hadn''t they come to Inazuma earlier?


    Lumine explained:


    "You don''t know? Your gods have already had a meeting. Calestia is the direct superior of all your gods.


    She instructed them to focus on improving people''s livelihoods.


    My position was only created recently."


    When Lumine thought about how she had to run around miserably inspecting places for Calestia, while Calestia herself lounged comfortably in a gaming room playing video games, she couldn''t help but feel that Calestia had created this role just so she could slack off and game.


    Only after hearing this did Kazuha and Beidou understand: a stronger power had intervened to improve the living conditions across Teyvat''s nations.


    Beidou took a sip of wine.


    "That''s a good thing. No wonder Inazuma suddenly lifted its isolation."


    She looked at Kazuha.


    "Now you can go back home instead of drifting with us."


    Kazuha lowered his head, thinking for a moment.


    "I think I''ll stay on the ship. I love this lifestyle ¡ª traveling around and broadening my horizons.


    Big Sister, you''re not going to kick me off the ship, are you?"


    Beidou laughed heartily.


    "I''d love for you to stay! You''re a real talent, kid."


    Time passed quickly. Before long, the Alcor (Death Star) arrived at Ritou.


    On the shore, crowds of merchants had gathered.


    "Look! That''s a ship from Liyue! We can go home!"


    "Blessings of the Geo Lord! We can finally go back!"


    "I hate Inazuma ¡ª not staying here another second!"


    "It''s been so many years, I wonder if my little one will even recognize me."


    The merchants chattered excitedly, seeing a ray of hope for returning home.


    Just then, a group of samurai approached.


    "What''s this crowd about? Planning a riot?


    And listen, we don''t care if you''re going home ¡ª but you can''t take our Inazuman goods with you! Men, seize all the goods that belong to us!"


    A group of samurai charged forward, seizing all the merchandise the merchants were carrying.


    This scene was witnessed by Beidou and Lumine, who had just disembarked.


    The Liyue merchants, seeing Beidou, looked as if they had found a savior ¡ª her reputation was well-known among those who did maritime trade.


    "Captain Beidou! Please stand up for us! These samurai are taking our goods without any cause!"


    "Yes, Captain Beidou, you must help us!"


    The leading samurai sneered at Beidou.


    "I don''t care if you''re Beidou or whoever. This is Inazuma ¡ª you follow our rules!"


    Lumine, angered, summoned the Sword of Descension.


    The samurai leader waved his hand.


    "Trying to fight? Men, surround them!"


    A large group of samurai rushed in, surrounding Lumine and Beidou.


    Beidou snorted coldly and shouted toward the Alcor.


    "Zhongzuo! Where the hell are you? Can''t you see your Big Sister''s being surrounded?"


    On the ship, Zhongzuo laughed heartily.


    "Coming! Brothers, let''s go!"


    The Alcor''s crew leapt off the deck, charging toward the surrounding samurai.


    Being part of Liyue''s official fleet, the Alcor''s crew had all trained in the Vajra Body Tempering Art.


    Within moments, the samurai realized something was wrong ¡ª their weapons couldn''t even scratch the crew''s defenses.


    Under the fierce assault of the Alcor sailors, the samurai were quickly routed and fled.


    The sailors had held back ¡ª just a lesson, not a slaughter.


    After all, the samurai leader was right about one thing: this was Inazuma, not Liyue.


    Beidou watched the fleeing samurai with disdain.


    "Pathetic. Trash."


    After her mocking, she looked at the stunned Liyue merchants standing there.


    "What are you standing around for? Load the goods onto the ship if you want to go home!"


    Only then did the merchants come to their senses and rush to move their cargo.


    Just then, a Mondstadt merchant came over.


    "Captain Beidou, I am Visser, a merchant from Mondstadt. May we board your ship to leave Inazuma? Of course, we''re willing to pay for passage."


    Beidou looked him over ¡ª he had a thick aura of desperation about him.


    She then glanced behind him, seeing a group of Mondstadt merchants watching her hopefully.


    Beidou thought for a moment.


    "Forget the passage fee. Our Lord of Geo and the Anemo Archon are friends ¡ª as their citizens, we should follow their example.


    Come aboard. I''ll take you to Liyue. From there, you can return to Mondstadt overland."


    The Mondstadt merchants were moved to tears.


    Beidou noticed their sluggish loading pace ¡ª after being oppressed so long, their bodies were weak.


    "Zhongzuo, have the brothers help with the loading. The faster we finish, the sooner we can head back."


    Zhongzuo obeyed, rallying the Alcor''s sailors to help move the cargo.


    At this moment, Ying drove her RV off the Alcor.


    She pulled up beside Beidou, rolled down the window, and stuck her head out.


    "Big Sis Beidou, I''m heading off. Wishing you all smooth sailing!"


    Beidou smiled.


    "Thanks. A week from now, we''ll be back. If you want to return, just wait for us here."


    Lumine agreed and drove her RV toward the interior of Ritou.


    Meanwhile, the defeated samurai returned to their camp, cursing angrily.


    They hadn''t expected the Liyue group to be so tough.


    "Damn it! Those bastards hit hard!"


    The squad captain sat on a tree stump, rubbing his swollen face.


    At that moment, Kujou Sara arrived with a group of Shogunate samurai.


    She frowned deeply upon seeing the injured camp.


    "What happened?"


    The squad leader hurried over to complain.


    Upon hearing this, Kujou Sara grew furious and led her team toward the harbor.


    Just outside the camp, she spotted Lumine driving her RV toward Ritou''s interior.


    ***


    Kujou Sara frowned deeply at the strange object in front of her.


    Sitting in the driver''s seat, Lumine honked the horn when she saw people blocking the way.


    "Beep beep! Beep beep!"


    The RV let out a loud noise, startling the nearby Shogunate warriors, who immediately drew their weapons and aimed at the RV.


    Seeing that they still wouldn''t move, Lumine opened the window and stuck her head out.


    "Hey, move aside! I need to pass through, didn''t you hear me honking?"


    Lumine thought for a moment.


    "Oh, right, you guys probably haven''t seen a car before.


    Forget it. Anyway, could you move out of the way?"


    Kujou Sara looked toward Lumine.


    "Who are you?"


    Hearing this, Lumine replied.


    "Me? I''m a friend of your Shogun. Quickly, move aside, I need to go find your Shogun."


    Kujou Sara immediately pulled out her bow and arrow.


    "Who exactly are you? The Shogun has been staying in the Tenshukaku and hasn''t gone out. How could she have a friend like you?"


    Lumine was speechless.


    "I''m really not lying. If you don''t believe me, go ask your Shogun. I''ll wait here until you confirm it, okay?"


    Seeing how confident Lumine was, Kujou Sara hesitated.


    Could this person really be the Shogun''s friend? But she had never heard of her before.


    After a moment of thought, Kujou Sara lowered her bow.


    "Stay here and rest for a while. I will go report to the Shogun."


    Lumine sighed and turned off the engine, then went to the back to rest.


    The surrounding Shogunate warriors put away their weapons but still surrounded the RV.


    After more than two hours,


    Lumine, bored out of her mind, stood by the RV door with a lollipop in her mouth.


    Kujou Sara had been gone for several hours and still hadn''t returned.


    At this moment, Paimon flew over.


    "Lumine, I''m hungry. Let''s make something to eat."


    Hearing this, Lumine shrugged.


    "Well, the stove''s out of gas, and these guys won''t let us through. You''ll have to make do with some snacks for now."


    Paimon pouted unhappily. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nooo, I''m really hungry!"


    Paimon then flew to one of the warriors nearby.


    "Hey mister, can we go to the village up ahead? We want to make some food."


    The warrior thought for a moment, then agreed.


    They were currently on the beach between Konda Village and Ritou. The area was damp and unsuitable for living or cooking.


    "Fine, but only to the village entrance."


    Paimon happily agreed and flew back to tell Lumine.


    Lumine restarted the RV and headed toward Konda Village.


    After reaching the village gate, she parked the RV. It took quite a while for the warriors to catch up.


    Panting, the leading warrior accused her,


    "Did you drive so fast because you were trying to run away?"


    Lumine turned off the engine, pulled out the keys, and gave him a look as if he were an idiot.


    "If I wanted to run, do you think you could catch me? Whatever, just keep guarding, I''m going to gather some firewood."


    Lumine and Paimon headed into the nearby woods to look for dry firewood.


    Before long, both of them returned, each carrying a bundle of dry wood.


    "Paimon, you start the fire. I''ll go get the pot."


    Hearing this, Paimon flew into the RV, pulled out a lighter, and started the fire.


    Lumine quickly brought out a large pot and set it over the fire.


    Paimon urged,


    "Lumine, bring out the supply cards! Let''s see what we have to eat."


    Lumine pulled out nine supply cards.


    "We had beef yesterday. Let''s switch it up today. Let''s see if there are any potatoes in the vegetable card."


    She activated the vegetable card with a thought, and several large potatoes appeared in front of her.


    These supply cards from the golden trash can could be used repeatedly until their stored quantity was depleted.


    There was no longer the restriction of having to use them all at once.


    Lumine tossed a few potatoes to Paimon.


    "Paimon, peel these."


    She then pulled out a chicken card and summoned ten pounds of chicken.


    Given the circumstances, stir-frying was out of the question. She decided to make a chicken stew.


    She hadn''t made it before but had seen Ye Yun cook it once.


    The key was to simmer it slowly on low heat to bring out the flavor.


    Soon, the chicken and potatoes were stewing away, and Lumine idly watched a pre-downloaded drama on her phone.


    Paimon, holding a bowl, stared eagerly at the pot.


    The delicious aroma soon wafted out, causing the surrounding warriors to gulp uncontrollably.


    At that moment, a rustling came from the distant bushes, and two children poked their heads out.


    Noticing the disturbance, the warriors immediately drew their swords.


    "Who''s there!"


    The two children, frightened, ran out of the bushes.


    "Sorry! We smelled something delicious and came to look. We''ll leave right away!"


    Seeing this, Lumine called out,


    "Wait, little ones."


    She shot a glance at the warriors.


    "Grown men scaring little kids like that?"


    Lumine walked over to the siblings. The little girl was staring at the pot, and her stomach let out a loud growl.


    Lumine smiled and patted their heads.


    "Are you hungry? I made plenty. Come, have some."


    The older brother shook his head.


    "No, thank you. The adults in the village said food is precious. You should keep it for yourself. My sister and I will go find some wild fruits."


    Hearing this, Lumine grabbed their hands.


    "It''s fine. Come on over, your big sister here has plenty of food."


    She pulled the siblings to the pot.


    Opening the lid, Lumine checked the chicken stew¡ªit was cooked but not fully flavored yet and needed to simmer a bit longer.


    "Paimon, bring two small bowls."


    Paimon quickly set down her own bowl and flew off to get two more.


    Lumine filled the bowls and handed them to the kids.


    "Here you go, eat up."


    The little girl beamed and accepted the bowl, thanking her sweetly.


    "Thank you, big sister~"


    Lumine smiled.


    "No problem. Take it home if you want. If you need more, just come back and get some."


    After thanking her repeatedly, the siblings happily ran home with their bowls.


    Not long after, they returned with an old woman.


    The old woman approached Lumine.


    "Miss, thank you for feeding my grandchildren. I am very grateful."


    As she spoke, she was about to bow.


    Startled, Lumine quickly supported her.


    "Please, no need for such a big gesture, ma''am. It''s just a meal."


    The old woman shook her head.


    "You don''t understand. This meal is life-saving. To be honest, my grandchildren and I haven''t eaten properly for days.


    Your meal has truly saved the three of us."


    Hearing this, Lumine frowned.


    She had heard that the people of Inazuma were suffering, but she hadn''t realized it was this dire¡ªso bad they could starve to death.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103 - 103Lumine walked toward the village, and the shogunate samurai hurried to stop her.


    "Miss¡ª"


    Before the samurai could finish speaking, Lumine retorted sharply.


    "I''m just going to see how the people in this village are living. Is that not allowed?"


    The samurai hesitated, and seeing this, Lumine took out a supply card.


    "I still have a lot of food here. I want to donate it to the villagers."


    With that, Lumine directly took out a ton of rice and placed it on the open ground.


    The samurai hesitated. His duty was to prevent her from running around recklessly. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when he glanced at the pile of rice beside them¡ª


    As someone from Inazuma, he knew very well about the current situation there.


    This food could really save lives.


    In the end, the samurai chose to let Lumine through.


    Lumine entered the village.


    It was mealtime, yet out of the hundreds of households in the village, only a few wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys.


    The villagers on the road were all skin and bones, with lifeless eyes.


    Lumine turned to the samurai following her and said,


    "Go gather all the villagers to come and collect food."


    The samurai was shocked¡ªwas there really still someone willing to donate food to commoners during these hard times?


    Lumine then took out her supply card and placed 100 tons of rice, 10 tons of vegetables, 1 ton of chicken, and 1 ton of beef onto the ground.


    The samurai quickly ordered his subordinates to gather the villagers.


    "Squad One, Squad Two! Assemble all the villagers to collect food!Squad Three, Squad Four! Stand guard and protect the food!"


    As expected of Kujou Sara''s direct subordinates, the elite force of Tenshukaku¡ªorders were executed swiftly and without delay.


    Soon, the villagers were gathered in the square.


    They looked around at the samurai in terror.


    After all, it was usually the samurai who came to collect grain.


    For a long time, Inazuma''s people had lived in fear of the samurai.


    The samurai captain sighed quietly and shook his head at the sight.


    He wished he could change this situation too, but he was powerless; if he acted rashly, he could bring disaster upon his own family.


    Lumine and Paimon stood in front of the food pile. Lumine picked up a loudspeaker and said,


    "Everyone, don''t be afraid. My name is Lumine. The food behind me will be given to you free of charge. Please line up and collect it one by one."


    After speaking, she gave the samurai captain a look.


    Understanding, the captain ordered the samurai to start distributing the food.


    At first, the villagers were still wary, fearing some new trick from the shogunate.


    Until¡ª


    The siblings who had just eaten Lumine''s braised chicken stepped forward and collected their food.


    Each person received 100 catties of rice, 1 catty of vegetables, 1 catty of chicken, and 1 catty of beef.


    Seeing it was real, the others rushed forward to receive their shares. Thankfully, the samurai maintained order, and no accidents occurred.


    Lumine took out her phone to record the scene.


    She couldn''t bear to see such misery¡ªbeing a kind-hearted person, she decided to report this directly to Asmode (presumably a high-ranking official or authority figure) when she returned.


    The people of Inazuma were truly suffering.


    When most villagers had received their food, Lumine turned to the samurai captain and said,


    "You all should cook something for yourselves too. You must have been starving for a long time."


    The samurai captain gratefully nodded and led his men to set up boilers in the square to prepare food.


    Only then did Lumine and Paimon remember the braised chicken in the pot.


    "Oh no! My braised chicken!"


    After so long, Lumine feared it might have burned black.


    When she rushed back, she saw Miko (Yae Miko) squatting by the pot, enjoying the braised chicken with a bowl and chopsticks.


    Seeing Lumine, Miko smiled.


    "Ah! Isn''t this our kind-hearted heroine, Lumine?"


    Lumine froze¡ªwhen had Miko arrived?


    "Miko? When did you get here? And¡ªput down my braised chicken! That''s my lunch!"


    Lumine rushed to the pot and scooped herself a full bowl using Paimon''s rice bowl.


    Miko wiped the oil from her mouth with a handkerchief and said,


    "Lumine, your cooking is really delicious, especially with fried tofu. Letting it soak up the broth makes it so tasty¡«"


    Lumine rolled her eyes.


    "You still have time to eat? You should be doing your job!


    Look at how the people of Inazuma are living!


    I''m telling you, I''ve recorded everything. As the inspector, I''m going to report you! Hmph¡«"


    Miko looked aggrieved.


    "You''re blaming the little fox unfairly. I only just took over. I''ve already started making changes. Otherwise, who do you think lifted the isolationist policy?


    As for Ei, she returned and locked herself back in the Plane of Euthymia."


    Lumine retorted,


    "I don''t care. I''ve got the evidence. I''m going to report you! Hmph.


    Unless¡ª"


    Miko''s ears perked up.


    "Unless what?"


    Lumine rubbed her fingers together slyly.


    "Unless you give me hush money! How about 1000 Primogems, and I''ll delete the video."


    Lumine grinned mischievously at Miko.


    Miko chuckled.


    "Sure. When we meet Ei, I''ll have her give it to you."


    Lumine laughed and agreed, then sat next to Miko and started eating braised chicken.


    "By the way, Miko, when did you get here? I didn''t even notice."


    Miko replied,


    "Right when you were distributing food.Lumine, can I take a look at that card you''re using?"


    Lumine pulled out the supply card.


    "This one?"


    Miko nodded. Since Konda Village was right at the foot of the Grand Narukami Shrine, she had naturally noticed the commotion.


    When she arrived, she saw Lumine using the card to extract supplies.


    Lumine explained,


    "This is an add-on product from Ye Yun''s shop: a supply card. You can extract corresponding supplies with it.


    Like, see this rice supply card? I extracted 100 tons just now, and there''s still 900 tons left. See?"


    Miko looked and understood.


    "I see. I should find time to visit Ye Yun''s shop myself¡«"


    Miko sighed and then glanced at the nine supply cards in Lumine''s hand.


    "Lumine, can you sell me those cards? You can see for yourself how badly Inazuma needs food."


    Lumine thought for a moment.


    "I got these supplies at a cost of 90,000 star coins, which is about 9,000 Primogems.


    But since we''re friends, I''ll give you a discount. 5000 Primogems and they''re yours."


    Miko looked troubled.


    "You''re making it difficult for me. I''ve scraped together just over 5000 Primogems recently."


    Lumine grinned mischievously.


    "Don''t worry, there''s another way."


    Miko asked curiously,


    "What way?"


    Lumine looked behind Miko and said slyly,


    "Let me touch your tail¡«Huohuo never lets me touch hers, and I''m really curious about what a fox person''s tail feels like¡«"


    ***


    The Miko shot a glare at Lumine.


    "Lumine, you''re being a little mischievous."


    Lumine paid no mind, hands on her hips.


    "Just say whether you''ll let me touch it or not. If you do, I''ll give you these 9 redemption cards."


    At this moment, a commotion was heard from the village square in Konda.


    Lumine and Miko looked over and saw that Sae-chan, who had gone to report to Ei, had finally returned.


    Sae-chan looked at the supplies piled up in the village square, confused.


    "Where did these supplies come from?" Sae-chan asked the head of the samurai.


    The head of the samurai responded.


    "General, these supplies were donated by that lady over there, distributed to the villagers."


    Sae-chan nodded in understanding.


    "I see. Have the supplies been distributed?"


    The head of the samurai replied.


    "Yes, they''ve been distributed, but there are still some left. I was about to ask Miss Lumine how to handle them when you came back."


    Sae-chan looked around and saw Lumine sitting by the stove, holding a bowl of food, with Miko and Paimon.


    Sae-chan walked up to the three of them, and Lumine was munching on some braised chicken.


    "Have you finished asking? What did Ei say?"


    Seeing that Lumine was calling the Shogun by her name, Sae-chan immediately became angry.


    "Impudence! How dare you call the Shogun by her name!"


    Lumine shrugged her shoulders.


    "I''m friends with Ei, what''s the big deal?"


    Miko, standing beside her, also chimed in.


    "Sae-chan, Lumine and Ei are very close, it''s fine."


    When Sae-chan heard Miko''s words, she snorted and decided not to continue the conversation.


    "There are still some grains left in the square. You can take them back."


    Lumine was a bit puzzled.


    "Take them back? I don''t have a place to store them. You can distribute them along the way. The situation in Inazuma is really pitiful."


    Sae-chan then took out a bag of Mora.


    "We, Inazuma, won''t take these supplies for free. Consider it a personal purchase of mine. This is a deposit, and I will pay the rest later."


    Lumine opened the bag and reached in to pull out a few golden Mora.


    "Mora? This stuff is useless to me, not worth anything~"


    Lumine, seeing that it was Mora, was instantly disappointed and threw the bag back at Sae-chan.


    Lumine glanced at Sae-chan.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not giving you these supplies out of pity. Strictly speaking, I''m your superior, right? I can''t ignore the lives of those under me."


    Sae-chan furrowed her brow.


    "Superior?"


    Miko, seeing the confusion on Sae-chan''s face, explained.


    "She''s actually a supervisor of the seven nations'' civilian life, appointed by Lady Calestia. In terms of rank, she''s equal to Ei."


    Although Sae-chan didn''t know who Calestia was, she understood the latter half of the sentence.


    This girl is actually on equal footing with their Shogun.


    Lumine waved her hand.


    "Go ahead and distribute the grains. Miko and I will go find Ei. I brought her some fresh flower cakes."


    Miko also spoke.


    "Sae-chan, you should take these supplies to the people. Lumine and I have something to discuss with Ei."


    When Sae-chan heard that Miko would be accompanying Lumine, she felt at ease.


    "I understand."


    With that, Sae-chan turned and left, leading the samurai with the supplies.


    After a short break, Lumine and Miko finished their meal and got into Lumine''s RV.


    Lumine stepped on the accelerator, driving the RV towards Inazuma City.


    Miko sat inside the RV, feeling quite curious.


    Paimon brought over two bags of chips.


    "Miko, do you want the cucumber flavor or the tomato flavor?"


    Miko looked at the chips in Paimon''s hands.


    "What is this?"


    Paimon explained.


    "This is chips, a snack from Ye Yun''s world."


    Miko thought for a moment.


    "I''ll try them both."


    Paimon opened both bags and placed them on the table for herself and Miko to share.


    In the driver''s seat, Lumine was startled when she heard Paimon sharing snacks with Miko.


    Lumine slammed on the brakes.


    "Who are you? Get off of Paimon! I tell you, I know several ghost-catching masters!"


    Paimon looked at Lumine, speechless.


    "Am I that petty? It''s just a bag of chips!"


    Actually, deep down, Paimon felt a little guilty. The reason she was willing to share the chips with Miko was because she had bought too many.


    These chips were all purchased from Topaz, who sold her a whole truckload for 10 star coins.


    Paimon also had a storage ring where she kept a lot of snacks, including chips.


    She had earned some star coins running errands for Ye Yun, and with that money, she went to Topa to buy snacks.


    To get a whole cargo compartment for her snacks, Paimon had even sweet-talked and acted cute with Himeko.


    Paimon glared at Lumine.


    "Miko, let''s continue eating, don''t mind her."


    Miko smiled, then continued eating the chips. They were really tasty! She thought Ei would love them.


    Miko asked.


    "Paimon, do you have more chips? Sell me some."


    Paimon waved her hand grandly, exuding a wealthy air.


    The next moment, 20 bags of chips with various flavors appeared on the table.


    "Eat! Go ahead, I have plenty!"


    Miko laughed.


    "Then I won''t hold back."


    The three of them sat in the RV, and after more than half an hour, they arrived at Inazuma City.


    Inazuma City was built in a stepped structure from bottom to top, with the highest point being the Heavenly Castle where the Shogun resided.


    Lumine parked the RV at the lowest point of the village.


    Lumine shouted to Miko behind her.


    "Miko, ask someone to watch my car."


    Miko, while eating chips, responded.


    "Drive a little further, there''s a Yae Shrine ahead. It''s my shop."


    Lumine stepped on the gas and drove the RV forward along the main road.


    Along the way, after Lumine left, a bandaged girl peeked out from a nearby house, curiously watching the RV leave.


    "What is this thing?"


    The girl''s name was Yoimiya, a fire-element Vision holder, and the most skilled fireworks artisan in all of Inazuma.


    "Old man, I''m going out for a bit!"


    "Okay, go ahead," Yoimiya''s father responded.


    "What? What did you say?" Yoimiya said again.


    "I said.. I! Am! Going! Out!"


    Yoimiya''s father finally understood.


    "Okay, go."


    Yoimiya looked at the distance, seeing that Lumine''s RV was still struggling to climb the hill. The steep slopes and winding roads of Inazuma City made travel difficult.


    Yoimiya quickly ran after it.


    Inside Sumeru City.


    The Grand Sage, enraged, slammed a report onto the head of a thirty-person mercenary team.


    "Useless! You''re all useless! After so long, you haven''t found a single person. What good are you to me?"


    The mercenaries lowered their heads in silence, letting the Grand Sage vent his anger.


    After a while, the Grand Sage calmed down.


    "What are you standing there for? Keep looking!"

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104 - 104The thirty-member mercenary group withdrew.


    The Grand Sage took a deep breath and sat down. At this moment, a mysterious figure wearing a mask walked out from a nearby room.


    "Have your men found the little Dendro Archon yet?"


    The Grand Sage glanced at the mysterious figure.


    "Not yet. It''s as if she suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace at all."


    The mysterious figure glanced at the Grand Sage.


    "Increase the efforts, but don''t interfere with our future plans."


    The mysterious figure was none other than the 2nd Seat of the Fatui Harbingers, the Doctor.


    The Doctor and the Grand Sage had formed an alliance to "create a god" in Sumeru.


    The Grand Sage looked at the Doctor with a gloomy expression.


    "Can''t the Fatui help? You have spies all over Teyvat. With your help, we should be able to find that damn god quickly!"


    The Doctor shook his head slightly.


    "The Tsarista has already ordered the cessation of all Fatui activities. I cannot have them assist you."


    The Grand Sage angrily slammed the table.


    "I''m not talking about those normal people! Your creations! Can''t you send them out to find her?"


    The Doctor coldly looked at the Grand Sage.


    "Have you not placed yourself properly? We are only in a cooperative relationship. I can terminate this relationship at any time!"


    For a moment, the Grand Sage was speechless, and at the same time, he was intimidated by the murderous intent emanating from the Doctor.


    The Grand Sage snorted and stormed out, muttering to himself.


    "Just wait! Once the god creation succeeds, I''ll settle the scores!"


    The Doctor disdainfully watched the Grand Sage leave and muttered under his breath.


    "Foolish man."


    The Doctor then left the Grand Sage''s office and headed to the underground factory.


    In Belobog.


    Bronya felt a rush of excitement as she looked at the 10 million credit points added to her account.


    The 50 icefield deer were sold immediately after they appeared in the system.


    Bronya turned to Ye Yun beside her and thanked him.


    "Ye Yun, thank you for selling me the icefield deer."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need to thank me. Cash on delivery. Alright, it''s getting late, we need to head back."


    As he spoke, Ye Yun adjusted the sleeping Klee on his back.


    Bronya looked at the peacefully sleeping Klee and smiled gently.


    Jing Yuan was carrying Bailu and Qiqi.


    Himeko was carrying Hook.


    Welt was carrying Diona and Yaoyao.


    The six of them had spent the whole day playing at the icefield deer farm, running around with the herd, and were now exhausted and asleep.


    "Alright, I''ll see you off."


    Bronya bid farewell to Ye Yun and the others and wandered around the administrative district.


    As she walked, Bronya arrived at the commercial street.


    The commercial street had been rebuilt and had resumed operations after this period of reconstruction. Many businesses had reopened.


    There were street vendors, clothing shops, and equipment stores, a variety of everything.


    Although the streets still looked worn and old, they now exuded warmth.


    Bronya walked through the bustling crowd, observing everything around her.


    People wore happy smiles on their faces.


    The family she had eavesdropped on before now owned a bakery.


    Bronya stood in front of the bakery, observing the scene inside.


    The husband was kneading dough, making bread.


    The wife was handling the cashier and packaging, while their child sat on a small stool beside them, doing homework.


    In Belobog, all children over the age of 6 were required to attend school, with tuition fully funded by the government.


    The little boy seemed to notice someone watching him, and he looked around. Upon seeing Bronya outside, he smiled.


    Bronya smiled back at the boy before leaving the bakery.


    After strolling around the commercial street, Bronya boarded a car heading for the New District of Belobog.


    While she was walking through the commercial street, she saw Serval and Pela eating noodles at a noodle shop.


    Bronya initially thought of going over to greet them, but then saw Serval pull out a can of herring.


    In the New District of Beloberg.


    Apart from a small village-like residential area, the rest of the area was farmland.


    Various food crops were planted in the fields.


    The windbreak wall that Zhongli casually created was still standing, blocking the wind and snow, giving these plants a chance to grow.


    Once, during a meeting, someone suggested erecting a statue of Zhongli in the New District for people to admire.


    Bronya had agreed at the time, but somehow Zhongli learned about it and stopped the project.


    To Zhongli, accepting such an offer would mean that in the future, he would have to divide his attention to protect the people of Belobog.


    Zhongli''s thinking was simple: protect the people of Liyue.


    Back in the days of the Archon War, Zhongli did not initially initiate the conflict. What he wanted was only to protect the people of Liyue.


    But things didn''t go as planned. People started seeking trouble, and surrounding gods began coveting Liyue''s land, which led to war.


    Only then did Zhongli have no choice but to participate, slaying the gods to protect the people of Liyue.


    Bronya strolled through the fields, pleased with the growth of the crops.


    Once this batch of crops matured, Beloberg would be fully self-sufficient in food.


    Bronya spent some time in the New District before returning.


    At the same time.


    Near The Shackling Prison, a group of people disguised as Xianzhou citizens appeared nearby.


    They were stealthily discussing something.


    "Are all the brothers here?" Mok Tok asked the other members of the group.


    Several of them nodded.


    "They''re on their way, should be here soon."


    Endu nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good! The prophet was right. During the Luofu military ceremony, we successfully infiltrated Luofu.


    Next, we just need to rescue the War Chief, and we can revive our great Warhead Brood Lord Hoolay!"


    The others were also caught up in Mok Tok''s enthusiasm, lost in dreams of a glorious future.


    In their fantasies.


    They imagined themselves rescuing the Warhead, and under his leadership, they would defeat the Xianzhou and restore their honor.


    As the ones who rescued the Warhead, they would gain glory and wealth.


    Mok Tok cautioned them.


    "Be careful and don''t reveal our tracks."


    The others repeatedly nodded.


    Mok Tok looked around.


    "Let''s disperse. When the time comes, I''ll contact you."


    The others left as ordered.


    Little did they know, everything they had just discussed and done had been recorded by nearby surveillance.


    This footage was soon presented to Jing Yuan.


    Jing Yuan, having just returned, watched the video and fell into deep thought. After a while, he looked up.


    "Don''t stop them from doing what they plan. Everything should go on as usual. The military ceremony will continue."


    Jing Yuan''s confidant received the order.


    "Yes, General!"


    Jing Yuan looked at the footage of Mok Tok and his group, a faint smile tugging at his lips.


    Hopefully, these people wouldn''t disappoint him. Once the Warhead escaped, it could be an opportunity. The Shackling Prison''s cells were getting a bit crowded.


    ***


    Inside the Tenshukaku Castle


    Lumine, Paimon, and Miko arrived inside the main hall.


    They saw that Ei was sitting in the center of the hall, appearing exceptionally cold, with a demeanor full of authority.


    Miko immediately recognized that this was not Ei, but the Shogun.


    Lumine did not know this and thought that it was the figure.


    So, Lumine casually walked over to sit next to the Shogun and took out a flower pastry to offer.


    "Here, Ei, look how good I am to you, I even brought your favorite flower pastry."


    The Shogun glanced indifferently at the flower pastry.


    "I don''t like this."


    Lumine was puzzled and looked at the figure.


    "Huh? You don''t like it? I don''t know who ate 20 pounds of flower pastries during the Lantern Rite."


    Despite Lumine''s teasing, the Shogun remained composed and calm.


    Miko, who was watching, chuckled softly.


    "Alright, alright, Lumine, this is the Shogun, a puppet created by my figure, and she usually manages the nation."


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you to meet Ei."


    After saying that, Miko activated a secret technique and took Lumine, Paimon, and herself into the Plane of Euthymia.


    Lumine only felt a flash of darkness, and when her vision returned, she found herself in a mysterious space.


    Here, there was a huge stone platform, and in the center of the stone platform, Ei was lying on the ground without a proper image, one hand holding a novel, and the other hand holding a piece of osmanthus cake to eat.


    Lumine focused her gaze.


    Ah! Now this is more like Ei she knew.


    Lumine waved her hand and greeted Ei.


    "Ei! Long time no see!"


    Ei looked up and saw Lumine running over, along with Paimon and Miko behind her.


    Ei sat up straight.


    "Lumine? You''ve come to Inazuma? When did you arrive?"


    Lumine took out the flower pastry and placed it in front of Ei.


    "Ei, try it, I brought you flower pastries."


    Ei''s eyes lit up when she saw the flower pastry and quickly reached out to grab a piece, taking a big bite.


    Ei''s mouth chewed rapidly, and she looked utterly delighted.


    In just 10 seconds, Ei had finished one piece and reached out for a second.


    Watching Ei devour the flower pastries, Lumine felt like everything was finally right.


    "Ei, what''s up with that person outside?"


    Upon hearing this, Ei explained the general''s situation to Lumine.


    After hearing the explanation, Lumine finally understood what was going on.


    At that moment, Miko looked at Lumine with a mischievous smile.


    "Ei, you don''t know, Lumine said she''s going to report us!"


    Ei paused for a moment, her hand still reaching for the flower pastry, but she quickly resumed and nonchalantly took another bite.


    "Report? Let her report. She brought me so many flower pastries, I forgive her."


    Miko almost choked from anger. She was stunned by the Ei''s indifference.


    "Ei! Someone is going to report you, and you''re this calm about it?"


    "Ei, maybe you didn''t hear me clearly. Lumine is going to report you to Lady Calestia!"


    Ei remained as calm as ever, finishing off the flower pastry.


    "Let her report. Lumine brought me so many flower pastries, I forgive her."


    Miko nearly fainted from frustration, collapsing to the ground.


    Ei glanced at Miko and continued eating the flower pastries.


    Paimon looked at Miko with concern.


    "Is she alright?"


    Ei shook her head.


    "No problem. Her constitution is strong. She won''t be killed by anger."


    Paimon sighed in relief and flew over to Lumine''s side, grabbing a flower pastry.


    As she ate, Paimon choked, pounding her chest desperately.


    Lumine quickly took out a bottle of Ice Cola, opened it, and handed it to Paimon.


    Paimon drank it down in one gulp and finally recovered.


    "Wow, that almost choked me to death, good thing I had Ice Cola!"


    Afterward, Paimon eagerly reached for another flower pastry.


    Lumine couldn''t help but feel speechless. Paimon''s love for food was off the charts.


    Ei continued staring curiously at the Ice Cola next to Paimon. What was this black drink?


    Lumine noticed Ei''s gaze and explained.


    "This is a drink from Ye Yun and the others, called Ice Cola. It''s really good, do you want to try it?"


    Saying this, Lumine took out another bottle of Ice Cola and handed it to Ei.


    Ei took it, opened the cap, and took a sip.


    The moment the Ice Cola hit her mouth, Ei felt like she had unlocked a new world, completely stunned.


    This Ice Cola was so delicious!


    Ei chugged the entire bottle of Ice Cola in one go, and then burped several times.


    Ei looked at Ying expectantly, her eyes locked on Ying.


    Lumine understood what Ei meant and took out another bottle of Ice Cola.


    "Drink slowly, I didn''t bring too much this time."


    Upon hearing this, Ei, who had been drinking greedily, slowed down, savoring it as if it were tea, like Zhongli.


    Just like that, the three of them, along with an unconscious Miko, lay on the ground, eating flower pastries and chatting.


    Before long, Miko groggily woke up.


    At this time, Lumine, Paimon, and Ei were all full and resting.


    Miko shook her head and stood up.


    "How long have I slept?"


    Lumine checked her phone.


    "Not long, just three hours. It''s already dark outside."


    Miko was stunned. She had slept for so long?


    Miko rolled her eyes at Ei, who was now relaxing on the ground.


    Forget it, this was the usual state of her Ei. Time to get back to business.


    Miko turned to Ei.


    "Ei, I have an order for you to sign." Miko handed over a document to the figure.


    Ei took it, and without even looking, signed it. This scene made Lumine realize why Inazuma had become the way it was.


    Miko put away the document and continued.


    "Now, onto the second matter. Ei, Inazuma is extremely short on supplies. I plan to raid the two major families."


    Upon hearing this, Ei furrowed her brow slightly.


    "They''ve been following me and the true one for a long time." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Miko sighed.


    "There''s nothing we can do. The Kamisato family is on board. They''re willing to pay for the supplies, but just one family isn''t enough. Inazuma''s wealth is basically in the hands of the three major families."


    At this moment, Lumine asked.


    "Do you need a large amount of supplies?"


    Miko nodded.


    "Yes. Your supply card is useless. The quantity is too small. It can only help Inazuma survive for a few days at most. Do you think Inazuma is just the small area you saw on the way?"


    Lumine shook her head.


    "Of course not. I don''t have it, but I know someone who does."


    Miko was surprised.


    "Oh? Who?"


    Lumine grinned.


    "That would be Stelle! You saw her during the Lantern Rite."


    Miko thought for a moment and remembered.


    "Oh, it''s her!"


    Lumine nodded.


    "Yes, she has a whole box of supply cards lying around gathering dust. You can buy them from her. Since we know each other, she should give you a discount."


    Miko was delighted upon hearing this. Inazuma was severely lacking Mora.


    As for primogems, there were some, though.


    "Lumine, can you bring her here?"


    Lumine shrugged, pointing to her phone.


    "My phone has no signal here."


    Miko was puzzled.


    "Signal? Where is there any?"


    Lumine said, "Liyue, currently only Liyue has signal in Teyvat."


    At this moment, Paimon suddenly spoke up.


    "We can ask Venti! Isn''t he always available in Teyvat?"


    Lumine slapped her forehead, realizing that she had forgotten about Venti!


    Without wasting time, Lumine had Miko take her out of the Plane of Euthymia, and Ei followed them.


    Without a word, Lumine shouted into the air.


    "Venti! Come to the mission!"


    Two hours later, Venti arrived at the Tenshukaku Castle.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105 - 105Venti Lands Drunk


    Venti landed, his face flushed with alcohol, and he was completely drunk. He had just finished drinking with Feixiao and had come over.


    "Lumine, did you call me? hic"


    Lumine pinched her nose in disgust as she looked at Venti.


    "Venti, can''t you go one day without drinking?"


    Venti grinned.


    "Alcohol is made from grains, you know.


    So, what do you need me for?"


    Lumine replied.


    "Can you help me call Stelle over? Inazuma has no network and no teleportation portals."


    Ei, hearing Lumine mention teleportation portals, remembered the one that Ye Yun had given her and Miko before.


    "Wait, it seems there is a teleportation portal."


    Lumine turned her head and looked at the Shogun.


    "I''m talking about the portal to Ye Yun''s shop."


    Ei nodded.


    "Yes, Ye Yun gave me and Miko one. I forgot about it when I came back, but it''s at my Narukami Shrine."


    Lumine heard this.


    "Well, that makes things easier."


    Lumine looked at Venti.


    "You can go back to wherever you came from; we don''t need you here."


    Venti gave Lumine a look, as if she were a heartless person.


    Seeing this, Lumine grabbed a flower pastry and shoved it into Venti''s hand.


    "Here, take this, it''s your compensation."


    Then, Lumine, Ei, and Miko headed toward Narukami Shrine.


    Venti looked at the flower pastry in his hand, sighed, and then ate it while flying off.


    In Fontaine''s Court


    Furina was humming a lively tune while adjusting her collar at the vanity.


    After fixing it, she called out to the door.


    "Lancelot!"


    After a moment, Lancelot opened the door and walked in.


    "Good morning, my lady. How may I serve you?"


    Furina asked.


    "Lancelot, where are the Primogems I asked you to collect last night?"


    Lancelot, upon hearing this, waved his hand outside the door, and a knight walked in holding a delicate small wooden box.


    Lancelot took the box.


    "My lady, please let me accompany you."


    Furina patted Lancelot''s shoulder.


    "Don''t worry~ it''s fine~ I''ll be back soon."


    With that, Furina took the box containing the Primogems and entered the teleportation portal.


    For the past few days, Furina had been having people collect Primogems.


    Through the teleportation portal.


    Furina arrived at Ye Yun''s shop.


    She curiously looked around, and the room''s d¨¦cor seemed really nice to her, very delicate and cozy.


    On the dining table ahead of her.


    Stelle, March 7th, and the train group, including Firefly, Kafka, the Stellaron Hunters, Ye Yun, and the six little ones, were having breakfast.


    Furina waved her hand.


    "Hey! Good morning, everyone! Long time no see!"


    Stelle, who had been furiously scooping rice into his bowl, turned around and, upon seeing Furina, was instantly delighted.


    "Oh! Furina! You finally came! Long time no see." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    March 7th chimed in.


    "Yeah, Furina, it''s been so long since you''ve come! I was talking with Stelle about you last night, wondering when you''d get here."


    Furina smiled.


    "I''ve been collecting Primogems these past few days." Furina shook the small wooden box in her hand.


    Ye Yun stood up.


    "Furina, have you had breakfast? If not, come and eat."


    Furina smiled and responded.


    "I''ve already eaten. I came to buy some things. By the way, why don''t I see any shelves?"


    Stelle stood up, finished the rice in his bowl, chewed it down, and swallowed.


    "Come, I''ll show you how to buy things."


    Stelle led Furina to a high stool next to the small bar.


    "Here, Furina, first exchange for some star coins.


    Then, see that golden trash bin? Click on it. Right, now click here, select quantity 10, then here, buy. Right."


    March 7th couldn''t stop Furina in time, and she ended up buying 10 golden trash bins.


    March 7th looked at Stelle speechlessly.


    "Stelle! How could you lead her into a trap?"


    Stelle was confused.


    "What are you talking about? How did I lead Furina into a trap?"


    March 7th pointed to the golden trash bins next to Funnina.


    "Isn''t that golden trash bin the trap?"


    Just as March 7th finished speaking, ten dazzling golden lights lit up the entire shop.


    Eight item delivery cards.


    A title plaque.


    A crystal-clear heart, shimmering blue and surrounded by flowing water.


    March 7th immediately fell silent.


    Well, it seems she didn''t fall into a trap after all.


    March 7th quietly returned to her seat.


    Seeing this, Stelle proudly looked at March 7th.


    Then, Stelle spoke to Furina.


    "Furina, look at what you''ve got."


    Furina, hearing this, picked up the items.


    "What are these?"


    Ye Yun looked at them and said.


    "These eight are dessert delivery cards. Each one is worth 100,000 boxes, meaning you now have 800,000 boxes of various desserts."


    Furina''s eyes sparkled.


    "Wow~ 800,000 boxes! Oh my god! How long would it take to eat all this?"


    Furina carefully placed the 8 delivery cards into the small box she brought.


    Then, Ye Yun picked up the plaque.


    "This is a title. Look at the words above Stelle and March."


    Furina looked up at Stelle''s head and saw large characters floating above it!


    "King of Trash Cans?"


    Stelle even moved a few steps, and the words followed him.


    Furina immediately understood and shuddered.


    "Eh~ I don''t want that! I don''t want the words ''King of Trash Cans'' above my head!"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "This isn''t yours. This title is [Water Element Controller]. It increases your control over water by 50% and boosts your water attack by 300%."


    Furina stroked her chin and thought for a moment.


    [Water Element Controller]? That might be useful.


    Furina eventually decided to wear the title, even though she was just an ordinary person and couldn''t use water element magic.


    But it''s not bad for showing off in front of others!


    Under Ye Yun''s guidance, Furina used all her strength to snap the plaque in half.


    The next second.


    The words [Water Element Controller] appeared above Furina''s head, shining brightly and golden.


    Furina was quite satisfied.


    Ye Yun looked at the final item with a serious expression.


    "This last one is the heavyweight item."


    Everyone in the room turned their gaze with curiosity.


    Ye Yun spoke.


    "This item is called [Heart of Water Magic], and its effect is that it allows the user to obtain all the magical memories from a top-tier water magic master.


    Furthermore, it directly grants the user magic power equivalent to a high-level pathstrider.


    If the user fully integrates the magic memories, they can rival an Emanator."


    Stelle gasped.


    "What? This thing is that powerful!"


    March 7th was also stunned.


    "To me, Stelle''s Judgment of Shamash is already ridiculous. How can there be something even more ridiculous? Directly granting Emanator-level power?"


    ***


    Himeko shook her head.


    "It''s not that. Having power but not knowing how to use it is useless.


    To become a Master, the first step is to integrate all the magical knowledge in your memory," she said.


    Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement with Himeko''s words.


    Ye Yun handed the Water Magic Heart back to Furina.


    "Furina, crush it. Once you do, you''ll gain the strength and memories of a magic master."


    Furina looked confused, overwhelmed by the sudden idea of gaining such power.


    Would she really just gain power like this? It felt too easy.


    Furina stretched out her hand and, under everyone''s watchful eyes, squeezed the Magic Heart.


    Everyone was ready to see how this thing would give Furina her power.


    But then, suddenly, Furina''s expression changed, and she loosened her grip on the Magic Heart.


    "Hiss!!! It hurts, hurts, hurts! This thing is so hard! It pricks my hand!"


    Furina''s whole face scrunched up as she quickly shook her hand.


    Everyone was left dumbfounded, with beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.


    So much for that excitement.


    In the end, Furina had to punch the heart for over ten minutes before finally cracking it open.


    The price was that Furina''s hand had swollen up.


    Furina sat down on a chair, crying, while Bailu prepared some ointment.


    Bailu first massaged Furina''s hand, then applied the ointment.


    "Alright, just wait for an hour or two, and it''ll be fine. Just be careful not to touch water or be in a high-temperature environment; otherwise, the ointment will lose its effect."


    Furina nodded, following the advice.


    Bailu put away her medical kit and followed Jingliu out to play.


    Jingliu had some free time today and planned to take Bailu and the others out for some fun.


    Rios also tagged along. With Ye Yun not around, he became the bodyguards of the group.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly sat beside Furina.


    "Are you okay, Furina?" March 7th asked with concern.


    Furina wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye.


    "It doesn''t hurt as much now. It seems that gaining power always requires some cost. Boo-hoo-hoo~"


    Stelle looked at Furina.


    "Come on, Furina, I''ll take you somewhere fun!"


    Furina wiped her tears away.


    "Where are we going?"


    Stelle said, "Just follow me. March 7th, Firefly, let''s go."


    Stelle led March 7th, Firefly, and Furina into the personal dimension.


    After a busy day yesterday, Stelle and March 7th had made some changes in the personal dimension, setting up a large swimming pool on the lawn.


    Around the pool, they set up amusement park rides: a carousel, roller coasters, a giant swing, pirate ships, log flumes, and a drop tower.


    The amusement park took up half of the lawn area, and the other half had been cultivated by Dan Heng to grow many fruit trees.


    The four walked into the amusement park, and Stelle found an electrical switch near the entrance.


    The next moment, all the rides in the park started running, and cheerful music played in the background.


    Furina looked around in wonder, everything here felt so new to her.


    She spotted the carousel.


    "I want to ride that!" she exclaimed.


    Stelle patted her chest confidently.


    "OK, no problem. Let''s go!"


    For the rest of the time, Steller, March 7th, Firefly, and Furina played around in the amusement park.


    The construction of this park had cost Stelle nearly 20,000 star coins.


    The rides were purchased from Topaz, and the power system had been bought from Ye Yun''s shop.


    The power system was crucial¡ªif it malfunctioned, things could go wrong.


    At this moment, in the shop, Lumine, along with Miko and Ei, walked through the portal.


    Lumine looked around.


    "Yes, this is the place."


    Miko and Ei curiously observed their surroundings.


    Himeko had taken Clara to the second floor lab.


    Kafka had taken Blade to visit Penacony, wanting to buy some coats.


    Blade had been responsible for driving and carrying bags.


    Dan Heng and Welt had also gone to the Personal Dimension to check on the fruit trees'' growth.


    At this time, only Ye Yun and Noelle were in the shop.


    Noelle greeted Ying politely.


    "Lumine, welcome."


    Lumine raised her chin.


    "Noelle, where is everyone? It''s a bit quiet today in the shop."


    Noelle smiled.


    "Everyone is busy with other things today, so they haven''t come."


    Ye Yun saw Miko and Ei behind Lumine.


    "Miko? Ei? You two are finally here. It''s been many days since the Lantern Rite Festival."


    Lumine added, "You wouldn''t believe it, if I hadn''t reminded them, they would''ve completely forgotten about the portal."


    Miko waved her fan lightly.


    "Ah~ I''ve been busy with the reforms in Inazuma, so I just didn''t think of it."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "So what brings you two here?"


    Miko answered.


    "We came to find Stelle. We want to buy the delivery card from her."


    Ye Yun pointed to the space rift near the door.


    "Over there. Stelle has set up an amusement park in the d¨­ten. By the way, Furina also came today. She''s currently playing in the park."


    Miko raised an eyebrow.


    "Furina? Do you mean Hydro Archon Focalors has come here too?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, she came to buy something earlier. She ended up buying a random item based on luck from Star''s shop."


    Miko''s interest piqued.


    "Based on luck?"


    Ye Yun explained.


    "Yeah, it''s like the red envelopes I gave you during the Lantern Rite Festival."


    Miko understood.


    "Oh, like that? I want to try too!"


    Ye Yun grinned and stretched out his hand.


    "That''ll be 10,000 star coins."


    Miko pouted.


    "Can''t you just give me one for free?"


    Ye Yun shook his finger.


    "Not possible, small business."


    Miko, seeing that there was no way to get it for free, pulled out 1,000 primogems to buy a golden trash can.


    "Alright, I''ll take one."


    Ye Yun bought the golden trash can for Miko.


    Miko took it and asked.


    "Ye Yun, how do you use this?"


    Ye Yun answered.


    "Just open the lid."


    Miko opened the lid, and a flash of golden light appeared, revealing a delivery card.


    Miko picked it up and looked at it. It was the same as the delivery card that Ying had.


    Miko carefully read the text on it.


    "Danggo Milk Delivery Card, 100,000 bottles?"


    At that moment, Ei''s eyes lit up, and she immediately grabbed the card and tucked it into her pocket.


    Miko stared at her empty hands in disbelief.


    "Don''t be mad, don''t be mad! It''s just Danggo Milk, what''s so great about it?"


    They brushed it off and focused on the main task.


    Miko, Lumine, and Ei walked towards the space rift.


    When they arrived at the d¨­ten, they heard Furina''s screams from a distance.


    "My gosh!! That''s Violet!!! Help me! Lancelot!! Help me!!"


    The three looked over and saw Furina, Lumine, Firefly, and March 7th riding the roller coaster.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106 - 106Lumine and the other two arrived at the roller coaster entrance, waiting for Stelle and the others to finish their ride.


    As for Paimon, she had run off to her special snack car to "inspect her territory."


    Along the way, she also planned to restock her inventory ring.


    Inside her "territory," Paimon looked around curiously, grabbing some chips here and a spicy snack there.


    In the amusement park¡ª


    The roller coaster carrying Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Furina returned to the station.


    Stelle and Firefly were fine; both of them found it thrilling and wanted to go again.


    March 7th, however, was leaning over the safety bar, vomiting. She wasn''t passed out, just nauseated¡ªthe roller coaster spanned three kilometers and featured numerous 360-degree loops.


    Stelle patted March 7th teasingly.


    "March, you''re not looking too good. Didn''t you say yesterday you were gonna ride this three times? And now you''re already down after one?


    Look at Furina! She''d never even heard of this ride before, it was her first time, and look at her¡ªtotally calm, cool as ever.


    Now look at you¡ªtsk tsk~"


    March 7th felt something was off.


    Wasn''t Furina the one screaming the loudest on the ride just now?


    What''s going on?


    March 7th looked at Furina, only to find her eyes unfocused, like her soul had left her body.


    "Furina? Furina?" March 7th called her name twice, but got no response.


    "Uh-oh! Help!"


    She rushed over and shook Furina.


    That shake finally brought Furina''s soul back.


    Furina immediately burst into tears.


    "Waaaah¡ªI''m never riding that again! That was terrifying! Boohoo~"


    March 7th and Firefly helped Furina off the coaster. Her legs were so weak she couldn''t stand.


    They helped her to a nearby bench, comforting her nonstop.


    At that moment, Stelle noticed Lumine, Miko, and Ei.


    "Yo~ Lumine, when did you get here? Huh? Miko, Ei, you came too!"


    Lumine looked at Stelle.


    "It''s only been two days and you''ve already built an amusement park? Impressive!" She gave Stelle a thumbs-up.


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Last time we played in Penacony, I didn''t get enough of it.


    Now that I''ve got such a big space in my domain, why let it go to waste? I figured, why not build a theme park? Now we can play whenever we want!"


    Lumine looked at the roller coaster and grinned.


    "Another round?"


    As she spoke, she sneakily motioned toward Miko and Ei.


    Stelle caught on immediately and responded with a knowing smile.


    So Lumine wanted to prank Miko and Ei, who were both from Teyvat¡ªjust like Furina.


    Stelle turned to them.


    "Miko, Ei, want to give it a try? I''m telling you, it''s super fun!"


    Miko smiled.


    "I''ll pass. I''ll wait here."


    Of course she could tell they were trying to prank her and Ei. She saw what happened to Furina. She was a shrine maiden with both brains and beauty¡ªno way she''d fall for it!


    Seeing Miko resist, Lumine took out her phone and messaged Stelle.


    Lumine:Miko and Ei want to buy those item cards from you. Got it?


    Stelle saw the message and replied instantly.


    Stelle:Got it instantly!


    She called over Mika and Fire monkey.


    Not far away near the Drop Tower, Riceball''s smartwatch buzzed.


    He checked the message, called Fire monkey, and ran off toward the treehouse.


    This smartwatch was a company product, originally bought for Zzz by Topaz.


    Stelle and the others liked it and bought one for their own little Spirits too.


    Soon after¡ª


    Mika and Firemonkey arrived at the roller coaster station carrying a large box.


    "Mi-ka! Mi-ka!""Roar~ Roar~"


    Riceball stood with hands on hips, looking proud.


    Fire monkey mimicked him.


    Stelle gave both of them a thumbs-up.


    "Mika and Fire monkey, you''re amazing! Go have fun now¡ªI''ve got work to do here."


    Pleased by the praise, Mika led his "little brother" Fire monkey away from the station proudly.


    Miko looked at the box full of item cards and knew things were about to go south.


    Yup, no escape from the roller coaster today.


    Stelle pulled out an item card.


    "Miko, let''s play a little game. If you ride the roller coaster once, I''ll let you choose any three item cards. Sound good?"


    Miko hesitated. Should she do it?


    Before she could decide, Ei suddenly asked¡ª


    "Can I join too?"


    Stelle immediately agreed.


    "Of course!


    Miko, look¡ªEi''s in. Can you really back out now?"


    Miko sighed. Sigh... looks like I''m doomed today.


    And so¡ª


    Stelle, Firefly, Miko, Ei, and Lumine boarded the roller coaster. March 7th hit the start button.


    As the coaster began its steep climb, Miko felt something was off.


    Why is this slope so steep!?


    Seconds later, her screams echoed across the amusement park.


    The roller coaster circled nearly the entire park, with parts going through the air, underwater, and underground.


    "LET ME OFF!!! I DON''T WANNA DO THIS!!!" Miko wailed.


    March 7th, now recovered with a sip of water, helped Furina to rest near a fountain.


    Right then, the roller coaster roared overhead, and Furina heard Miko''s screams.


    She inexplicably felt great joy¡ªit was hilarious.


    Furina clicked her tongue.


    "Tsk tsk, so tragic~"


    March 7th was surprised by Furina''s sudden energy.


    "You''re okay now?"


    Furina stood up and grabbed March 7th''s hand, heading back to the station.


    "I''m fine! Let''s go! I gotta see what they look like after that ride! Hehehe~"


    March 7th was speechless.


    There''s a saying... oh, right.


    Watching someone else suffer the same pain you did¡ªit''s oddly satisfying.


    Furina dragged March 7th to the platform just as the coaster returned.


    Miko was trembling all over, needing Ei''s help to get off.


    Furina saw it and felt amazing. So this is how fun it is when the elders get wrecked!


    After the ride, Stelle sold the whole box of item cards to Miko and Ei for 1000 Primogems.


    Stelle and Lumine just wanted some laughs¡ªthey never meant to make things hard for Miko.


    Holding the box, Miko looked aggrieved.


    "Ei! Don''t forget what I did for you! I traded my soul and body for these supplies!"


    Ei calmly replied, "Mm."


    "Let''s go again. I think it actually seems kind of fun."


    Miko gasped in horror¡ªlike hearing the whisper of a demon!


    Stelle lit up¡ªoho! More fun to be had! She dragged Miko back onto the roller coaster.


    Furina eagerly ran to the start button.


    "Roller coaster¡ªstart!"


    ***


    The roller coaster started again. During the uphill climb, Yae Miko had a tragic look on her face, like a prisoner about to be executed.


    What if I never return?Yae Miko: Then I won''t return!"Help meeeee!!!!"


    The pitiful scream of a certain fox once again echoed through the entire amusement park.


    After spending some time having fun in the park, the group returned to the train.


    Furina thoroughly enjoyed herself; she realized she quite liked watching others suffer misfortune.


    Yae Miko had also recovered by now, though the recent experience still lingered vividly in her mind.


    Seeing Yae Miko''s miserable state, Ye Yun couldn''t help it and let out a laugh.


    "Ha ha!!!"


    Yae Miko rolled her eyes at Ye Yun in annoyance.


    "You''re laughing? I was that miserable, and you''re laughing."


    Ye Yun looked innocent.


    "You can''t blame me. You were the one who insisted on riding it."


    The memory made Yae Miko feel wronged all over again. Fortunately, she did get the supply cards.


    There were plenty of supply cards available from Stelle. The ones Yae Miko brought back were enough to support the entirety of Inazuma for a year.


    She would make good use of this year¡ªreclaim land, plant crops, develop animal husbandry.


    By next year, Inazuma could return to normal, and its people wouldn''t have to worry about their next meal, leaving them with energy to focus on other pursuits.


    Yae Miko reached into her bag. There were still 30,000 star coins left.


    She had spent 10,000 on a golden trash can, and another 10,000 on Stelle''s supply cards.


    Thinking back, she regretted the golden trash can. Such a waste.


    From Stelle, over a hundred supply cards cost just 10,000 star coins.


    But that golden trash can? 10,000 star coins for just one card.


    Since she was already here, Yae Miko decided to spend the rest of her star coins and bring back some more things.


    "Ye Yun, how do I buy stuff here? Didn''t you say you run a shop?"


    Ye Yun pointed to the touchscreen on the counter of the bar.


    "Just browse over there. Once you''ve chosen, insert the star coins and you''ll get your goods.


    I''ve got everything¡ªdivine weapons, cultivation techniques, items to boost your strength, or even magical crops with unique effects.


    Even items that can bring people back to life¡ªI''ve got them all.


    As long as you''ve got enough star coins, you can buy anything you want from me."


    Yae Miko looked at Ye Yun suspiciously.


    "Is it really as amazing as you say?"


    Stelle raised her hand.


    "Ye Yun might sound exaggerated, but everything he said is true."


    As Stelle finished speaking¡ª


    A figure suddenly rushed up to Ye Yun.


    It was Raiden Ei.


    With a serious face, she looked straight at Ye Yun.


    "You have items that can resurrect people?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Of course. I''ve got many."


    He walked over to the touchscreen and pulled up the resurrection items, selecting one to show Ei and Yae Miko.


    "Look, this one¡ªAngel''s Feather. Costs 880,000 star coins. Can unconditionally resurrect a two-winged angel¡ªin your terms, someone at the Archon level."


    Ei stared at the screen, fixated on the Angel''s Feather.


    She stared for several minutes.


    Yae Miko saw what she was thinking.


    "Ei..."


    Ei snapped out of it and turned toward the teleport gate.


    "Yae Miko, let''s go back."


    Without another word, she stepped into the portal.


    Yae Miko said goodbye to the others and followed her in.


    Back in Inazuma, Ei appeared above the city.


    "I hereby issue the Primogem Hunt Decree. All citizens of Inazuma are to collect Primogems and deliver them to Tenshukaku."


    With lightning surrounding her, her divine voice echoed across all of Inazuma¡ªincluding Watatsumi Island.


    Sangonomiya Kokomi and Gorou were in the middle of discussing the Shogunate Army''s strange behavior lately. They had been hiding in their camp for days without making a move.


    Just then, Ei''s voice rang out, and both Kokomi and Gorou''s expressions changed.


    The Shogun had returned!


    Kokomi knew Raiden Ei''s power¡ªit was not something ordinary people could oppose.


    Even when they had waged war against the Shogunate Army, it was merely to seek an audience with the Shogun and explain Inazuma''s dire situation.


    Kokomi immediately ordered Gorou to the frontlines to restrain the soldiers.


    "Gorou! Head to the frontlines now. Until the situation is clear, do not start a war with the Shogunate Army."


    Gorou accepted the order and rushed to the front.


    Kokomi pondered silently, then her eyes lit up.


    The Shogun was collecting Primogems and asking they be delivered to Tenshukaku¡ªthat could be a way to meet her.


    "Someone, start gathering Primogems to send over!"


    Meanwhile, in Inazuma City, the people were shocked to hear another Hunt Decree.


    They thought Ei was reinstating the Vision Hunt Decree.


    That decree had caused Inazuma to lose many powerful fighters, which in turn emboldened monsters in the wild and shrank safe zones. Naturally, less farmland was cultivated. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When they heard it was Primogems this time, they all let out a sigh of relief.


    Primogems? Worthless to them¡ªno impact on their lives.


    So, anyone with Primogems brought them to Tenshukaku.


    With the help of Yae Miko and Kamisato Ayato, the two clan leaders took the blame.


    The people believed the two had misled the Shogun, leading to her past errors in judgment.


    Yae Miko watched the hovering Raiden Ei. This time, she didn''t try to stop her.


    It was just a Primogem Hunt Decree¡ªit wouldn''t harm Inazuma''s future.


    In fact, it might even be a good thing. If her true sister could be brought back, she, the little fox, wouldn''t have to worry so much anymore.


    Just then, a shrine maiden approached.


    "Lady Guuji, Miss Kamisato Ayaka requests an audience."


    Yae Miko was slightly surprised.


    But quickly understood¡ªAyaka must be here about the decree.


    "Take her to the guest room. I''ll be there shortly."


    The shrine maiden bowed and left.


    Yae Miko walked under a cherry blossom tree and looked up to see Sayu napping among the branches. She smiled.


    "So the little tanuki''s been hiding here all along. I''ve been looking everywhere for you."


    She pulled out a feather and tickled Sayu''s nose.


    Sayu twitched and let out a sneeze.


    "Achoo~"


    Sayu opened her eyes, annoyed.


    "Who¡ªwho¡ªwoke me up?!"


    As she spoke, she started nodding off again.


    Yae Miko chuckled.


    "Look closely¡ªsee who it is."


    Sayu opened her eyes wide, startled once she recognized Yae Miko.


    "L-Lady Guuji?!"


    Yae Miko smiled and picked Sayu up.


    "Come now, you haven''t done your training yet today."


    Sayu looked reluctant, but under the "authority" of Yae Miko, she had no choice but to follow obediently.


    Meanwhile, Kamisato Ayaka followed the shrine maiden to the guest room and sat down.


    She had come immediately after hearing the Shogun announce the Primogem Hunt Decree.

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107 - 107Very soon, the shrine maiden who arranged Sayu''s training came to the reception room.


    "Ayaka, why do you have time to visit me? Weren''t you recently helping your brother?


    Are you feeling tired? Sneaking off here to slack a bit? Hehe."


    Kamisato Ayaka chuckled awkwardly and shook her head.


    "No, I came to ask you, Lady Guuji, about the decree regarding the original stones.


    Why is the Shogun collecting original stones?"


    Yae Miko smiled slightly upon hearing this.


    "Did your brother ask you to come and ask?"


    Ayaka did not deny it and instead acknowledged it frankly.


    "Yes, my brother wants to understand the Shogun''s intentions, so he can plan the next steps more efficiently."


    Yae Miko stood up, secretly shaking her head inside.


    This little Ayaka thinks too much... but it''s not a big problem.


    "This is a major issue. Just tell your brother to fully push forward with the matter.


    As for the rest, I can''t share with you. After all, it concerns Ei herself."


    Ayaka understood the meaning behind Miko''s words.


    "I see. I understand. Sorry to trouble you, Lady Guuji."


    Ayaka stood and took her leave, but just as she was about to exit the room, Miko suddenly called out to her.


    "Ayaka, come see me tomorrow. I''ll introduce you to a few friends."


    Ayaka was a bit confused.


    A few friends?


    Miko saw Ayaka''s puzzled face.


    "You heard right. I''m taking you to meet a few friends."


    Miko planned to let Ayaka hang out with Stelle, March 7th, and the others to build some rapport.


    Miko herself was too different in temperament to truly enjoy spending time with them.


    But Ayaka was different ¡ª similar disposition, and a good personality.


    She believed Ayaka would get along well with them.


    She''d already seen signs of this during the Lantern Rite ¡ª in Liyue and Mondstadt, there were several people close to Stelle and her group.


    Moreover, according to intelligence, people like Hu Tao, Amber, and Eula all showed significant improvement in strength after spending time with Stelle and the others.


    She had just been to Ye Yun''s shop today and didn''t understand a lot.


    Letting Ayaka go in could help gather some information too.


    Ayaka nodded in response.


    "All right. I''ll come first thing tomorrow." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile...


    Furina had returned to the Palais Mermonia in Fontaine.


    Overjoyed, she flopped onto the sofa. After a whole day of fun, she was in high spirits.


    Even the mental stress that had built up over the years had lessened quite a bit.


    Furina picked up the teapot from the table and poured herself a cup of red tea.


    Ever since the Knights of Lancelot had followed her back to Fontaine,


    the teapot in her room had never gone cold. Every now and then, a knight would come to replace it with a fresh pot of hot tea.


    Furina took a sip of her tea with satisfaction.


    "Ahh~ so nice~"


    She took out a voucher and retrieved a piece of strawberry cake.


    "Hehehe~ Let me try this little cake and see how it tastes~"


    She picked up a small spoon, scooped a bite, and ate it.


    "Mmm~ This strawberry cake is delicious~ The sponge is fluffy, and the cream is just the right amount of sweet and light. Tasty!"


    As she ate, Furina looked at the voucher on the table.


    After a moment''s thought, she decided to treat the staff at the Palais Mermonia to cake.


    She summoned Lancelot and set up a large table outside the palace gates.


    Then she had Melusine call over all the staff to line up and collect a mini cake each.


    The staff were ecstatic ¡ª a mini cake bestowed by the Hydro Archon herself!


    This was what? A sign of recognition for their work!


    One by one, the staff lined up to receive their cake. No one ate theirs on the spot, planning instead to enjoy it slowly later.


    Some even planned to preserve it carefully ¡ª like a divine relic!


    Some also noticed the title above Furina''s head:


    [Hydro Element Controller], which they all thought suited her perfectly ¡ª their god did govern over water.


    Besides, the title itself looked very grand and impressive.


    After a while, Furina noticed someone was missing.


    "Where''s Neuvillette?"


    Lancelot, guarding beside her, replied:


    "He''s handling official duties."


    Hearing that, Furina grabbed a piece of blueberry cake and marched toward Neuvillette''s office.


    Upon reaching the office door, she kicked it open.


    "Neuvillette! Neuvillette! Are you rebelling or what?! I told you to come get cake and you didn''t?! I even had to bring it to you myself!"


    At his desk, Neuvillette looked at the violently intruding Furina and sighed, massaging his forehead.


    Sigh..."Lady Furina, you should knock before entering my office."


    Furina waved her hand dismissively.


    "Don''t sweat the small stuff. Come, try this cake. I picked this one just for you."


    She placed the cake on his desk.


    But as she did, she accidentally got cream on her hand.


    Without thinking, she grabbed a document Neuvillette had been reviewing, tore a page, and wiped her hand with it.


    Satisfied that her hand was clean again, Furina smiled.


    As for the page she tore off? She casually tossed it aside.


    Neuvillette looked down at the cream-smeared page on the floor, his face dark.


    A storm raged within him, but he suddenly regained composure.


    Don''t get mad! Don''t get mad! She''s your Archon ¡ª you can''t get mad!The world is beautiful, but I am so irritable ¡ª that''s not right, not right.


    He quickly took a bite of the cake.


    "Delicious. Thank you. Please leave!" Neuvillette blurted out six words in quick succession.


    Furina blinked, not quite sure what was up with him ¡ª something felt off.


    But no matter, she headed out for a stroll.


    After Furina left with Lancelot, Neuvillette set the cake back on the table and let out a deep sigh before resuming his work.


    As for Furina...


    She left the palace and headed out of the city with the Knights of Lancelot.


    That''s right!


    Furina was going to settle the score!


    The Local Legend ¡ª Furina is back!


    She headed north, arriving at the underwater lair of the Local Legend ¡ª Vivianne! (That material boss for Furina''s ascension.)


    Vivianne didn''t hesitate ¡ª seeing intruders in her cave, she launched an attack. Several large water orbs flew toward Furina.


    Furina panicked ¡ª a flash of silver light cut through the air, and sword slashes shattered the incoming water orbs.


    Lancelot stood before Furina, sword in one hand.


    "Monster! How dare you attack my master? You''re courting death!"


    Just as he was about to attack, Furina, now composed, stopped him.


    "Lancelot, I''ll handle this."


    Seeing that Furina''s strength had indeed grown, Lancelot stepped aside.


    Still, the 32 knights of the order surrounded Vivianne tightly, their gazes locked on the enemy.


    ***


    As soon as Furina was in danger, the knights would not hesitate to take action and strike down Viviane instantly.


    Furina faced Viviane directly, pointing her little finger for courage.


    "Come on! I''m not afraid of you! I''m really powerful now!"


    Viviane responded by summoning several water balls and hurling them at Furina.


    Furina forced herself to stay calm and activated the magic within her body.


    "Water Blade Technique! Go!"


    A water blade around 20 meters long surged toward Viviane.


    The water blade shattered one of the water balls and continued heading straight toward Viviane.


    However, it never hit Viviane.


    Viviane was puzzled. How could such a long water blade miss?


    What she didn''t realize was that Furina had no intention of hitting her¡ªit was all to neutralize the water balls thrown at her.


    Furina summoned more water blades, cutting down all of Viviane''s attacks.


    Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Furina put her hands on her hips, feeling quite accomplished.


    Perfect! She had successfully survived the first round!


    Viviane stood frozen in thought.


    This really didn''t make sense... such a huge water blade, several of them, and she missed every time? It was a cave, too. Just doesn''t add up.


    Furina, proud of herself, looked at Viviane.


    "Your attack turn is over! Now it''s my turn!"


    She snapped her fingers, and several water spears, each over 30 meters long, materialized around her.


    Furina carefully lined them up using her lips as sight.


    "Don''t move! Hold still! Let me aim a bit more."


    Realizing Furina''s intent, Viviane immediately threw more water balls and charged forward.


    Furina was dumbfounded.


    "That''s not fair! Aren''t we supposed to take turns?!"


    She hastily launched several water spears, six of which destroyed the incoming water balls.


    One remaining spear struck Viviane directly in the chest, sending her flying.


    After landing, Viviane pulled the spear from her body.


    This was real life¡ªthere was no such thing as elemental immunity, only resistance to reduce damage.


    Viviane was clearly worse for wear after taking that hit.


    Now furious, she began charging a powerful attack, as ocean water surged toward her.


    At that moment, a cough echoed through the cave. Viviane turned toward the sound and saw Lancelot, his gaze brimming with threat.


    Noticing the silver gleam on Lancelot''s sword, Viviane froze. The surging sea water dispersed once more.


    Seeing the opening, Furina shouted:


    "Downpour Barrage!"


    Suddenly, dozens of water arrows appeared above Viviane''s head, raining down vertically.


    This time, Viviane took the full brunt of the damage and couldn''t take it anymore.


    She had to make Furina pay for this!


    Viviane began gathering power again, ocean water swirling around her.


    At that moment, a wave of coughing sounded all around her.


    Viviane looked and saw all 32 knights coughing, as if their throats were bothering them¡ªeach one staring her down.


    Viviane broke out in a cold sweat, gulped hard, and instinctively released the water gathering around her.


    Furina seized the moment.


    "Another chance! Take this!"


    She conjured several water spears and sent them flying at Viviane.


    Once again, Viviane was blasted away and lay motionless on the ground.


    The water spirit had completely had it. She gave up. No more fighting! If she really went all out, these knights would definitely cut her to pieces.


    Might as well play dead¡ªat least she could keep her life.


    So, Viviane lay there pretending to be dead.


    Seeing that Viviane hadn''t gotten up for a long time, Furina cheered joyfully.


    "Yay! I won! Hehe! Sweet revenge!"


    Lancelot approached and bowed before Furina.


    "Congratulations, my liege, on your victory in this duel."


    The other knights echoed their cheers.


    "Congratulations, my liege!"


    Furina was quite pleased.


    "Good! Let''s head back!"


    She led Lancelot''s knights back the way they came.


    As they walked, Furina turned to Lancelot with a grin.


    "Lancelot, weren''t those water blades I used earlier super cool?"


    Lancelot replied.


    "Very cool!"


    "And those water spears, they were sooo long!"


    "That was the most powerful magic I''ve ever seen."


    "And also... also..."


    Furina happily chatted with Lancelot as they walked away.


    Only after they left the cave did Viviane finally sit up.


    She sighed.


    Being water... no¡ªbeing me is tough. If I hadn''t known how to read the room, I''d be done for today.


    At St. Freya Academy


    After returning from Ye Yun''s place, Himeko and Fu Hua were helping Kiana get familiar with the Athena Valkyrie battlesuit.


    After two days of practice, Kiana had finally mastered the basics.


    At the very least, she no longer struggled with flying.


    Now, Kiana could perform some simple combat moves using the suit.


    But Himeko and Fu Hua weren''t rushing her¡ªthey knew exactly how powerful the Athena battlesuit was.


    Yesterday, Theresa brought in a temple-class Honkai beast for Kiana to train with. Without even using a weapon, she destroyed it with a single punch.


    Keep in mind, temple-class Honkai beasts usually require a B-rank squad or a solo A-rank Valkyrie to handle.


    And Kiana did it with just one punch.


    The Athena suit even came with its own weapon¡ªa war spear. If she used it seriously...


    Yikes.


    After another round of training, Himeko said,


    "That''s enough for today, Kiana."


    Kiana detached from the Athena suit, looking cheerful. This suit was awesome¡ªit brought her one step closer to her dream.


    She downed the ice-cold cola Himeko handed her in one go, the cool fizz washing away her fatigue.


    "Ah~ Ice cola is the best~ I want to go play with Stelle and March for a bit. I''ll bring some back later."


    Himeko smiled.


    "Just be sure to come back early. Mei learned some recipes from Xiangling today and wants us all to try them."


    Kiana beamed and nodded.


    "Got it! I''ll be back soon!"


    Fu Hua looked at Kiana, who had been wavering these past few days. But now, after confirming the suit''s power, she decided to hide it from Otto.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108 - 108Compared to Otto and Kiana, Fu Hua trusts Kiana more.


    Kiana finished her ice cola and tossed the empty bottle into the nearby trash can.


    "Aunt Himeko, Class President, I''m going to find Stelle to play~"


    With that, Kiana waved goodbye to the two of them and was about to leave.


    At that moment!


    A sharp warning alarm sounded, and Theresa''s voice came through the broadcast.


    "Canghai City is experiencing a Honkai outbreak! Kiana, Himeko, Fu Hua, hurry to the square to assemble and depart!"


    Kiana, Himeko, and Fu Hua immediately ran toward the square.


    When they arrived, Theresa, Mei, and Bronya were already waiting.


    Kiana waved from a distance.


    "Auntie! Mei! We''re here!"


    Teresa, seeing the three of them arrive, said urgently.


    "We need to go support Canghai City. A high concentration of Honkai reactions has been detected there.


    Let''s go!"


    With that, Theresa headed toward the battleship.


    At that moment, a voice was heard.


    "Mei, are you all heading out?"


    Theresa, Mei, and the others looked over and saw Xiangling and Guoba walking toward them.


    Guoba was carrying a clay pot.


    Theresa was confused.


    "Xiangling? What are you doing here?"


    Xiangling smiled as she walked closer.


    "I made too much fish soup and thought I''d bring some to you. Are you heading out?"


    Mei answered.


    "There''s a disaster happening here, and we need to go provide support."


    Xiangling thought for a moment.


    "A disaster? You mentioned something about Honkai, right?"


    Mei nodded.


    "Yes, Xiangling. Thanks for the fish soup, but you should head back. We need to fight."


    Xiangling looked at them with concern.


    "Shouldn''t I help? My shooting skills are pretty good!"


    Guoba, standing next to her, also put his hands on his hips and barked a few times, as if to say he could help too.


    Mei shook her head.


    "Thank you, Xiangling, but the Honkai beasts are very dangerous. It''d be bad if you got hurt."


    Hearing this, Xiangling gave up on the idea.


    "Alright, I''ll head back then. When you all return, remember to stop by the train. I''ll keep the fish soup for you!"


    Teresa and the others laughed and promised.


    Soon, Theresa and the team boarded the battleship and headed toward Canghai City.


    At Ye Yun''s shop.


    The only ones eating were the train crew, Stellaron Hunters, the six little ones, Ye Yun, along with Topaz, Jade, and Clara.


    Xiangling and Guoba walked out of the portal. Ye Yun noticed the clay pot Guoba was carrying.


    "Didn''t you bring fish soup to Mei and the others? What''s this?"


    Xiangling explained.


    "Canghai City had a Honkai outbreak, and they didn''t have time to eat, so I brought it back."


    Stelle spoke up.


    "Honkai outbreak? Is that the one Kiana mentioned with all the monsters?"


    Xiangling nodded.


    "Yeah, what about it?"


    Stelle immediately put down her bowl, took out the Judgment of Shamash, and said.


    "Of course we should help! Follow me, Firefly, March."


    March 7th took out the Hou Yi Bow and followed Stelle into the portal.


    Firefly also took out her transformation device and followed.


    Himeko, Welt, and Dan heng stood up.


    Kafka put down her bowl.


    "Bladie."


    Blade nodded slightly.


    "Hmm."


    Kafka and Blade followed, while Silver Wolf reluctantly tagged along, since she had been planning to play a game.


    Ye Yun called out to Rios.


    "Rios, let''s go check things out. We''ll stay and watch over Kiana and the others."


    Ye Yun and Rios, along with the six little ones, entered the portal.


    Topaz looked at Jade


    Jade thought for a moment.


    "Let''s go too. You message Aventurine and tell him to come tomorrow."


    Topaz pulled out her phone and sent a message to Aventurine. Soon, she got a reply.


    "Done."


    Jade nodded.


    "Let''s go, Little Jelena. We''ll help our friends."


    In less than a minute, the shop became empty, leaving only Xiangling and Guoba.


    Xiangling looked around, thought for a moment, and decided to head to Liyue to call people.


    Soon, she found the cashier Zhongli, the surveillance room''s Nahida, the idle Calestia, the boss Hu Tao, the staff Huo Huo, and the outsourced repairman Xianyun at the internet cafe.


    Xiangling, running too fast, was out of breath.


    Zhongli saw this and asked.


    "Xiangling, what''s going on?"


    Xiangling caught her breath.


    "Hurry! Kiana and the others are in trouble! We need to go help! I''m here to gather people, Ye Yun and the others have already left."


    Zhongli immediately stood up and used his divine power to take everyone to Wanmin Hall.


    After passing through two portals, Zhongli and the group arrived at St. Freya Academy.


    At that moment.


    Ye Yun and the others, who had arrived earlier, found a battleship and were ready to depart.


    Hu Tao immediately jumped up and waved her hands, drawing Ye Yun''s attention.


    "Wait for me, the head of the hall is going too!"


    Silver Wolf, who was responsible for piloting, quickly stopped the engine.


    Zhongli looked at the stopped battleship and said.


    "Lucky we got here quickly. Let''s go, we''ll join up with everyone."


    Zhongli led the Liyue group aboard the battleship.


    Zhongli stood next to Ye Yun.


    "What''s going on?"


    Ye Yun, seeing Zhongli''s tense expression, said.


    "Relax, it''s not a big deal. It''s just a disaster here, with a few little monsters."


    Zhongli looked at Welt, who nodded, and Zhongli finally relaxed.


    Ye Yun poured Zhongli a cup of tea.


    "Come, take a sip and calm down."


    Walter stood by the window, quietly watching St. Freya Academy below. Everything seemed so familiar.


    Stelle, Hu Tao, March 7th, Firefly, and Xiangling gathered together, chatting about the fun things they had done in the past few days.


    The six little ones were running around the battleship, fascinated by this new type of ship.


    Soon, Kiana and the others had arrived over Canghai City. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The battle in Canghai City was fierce. The entire city was filled with smoke, and there were signs of battle everywhere.


    Kiana couldn''t wait to ask.


    "Auntie, can I go now? I''m all ready to show off my power!"


    Theresa looked at Kiana.


    "Kiana, remember, don''t be reckless! Don''t be reckless! Don''t be reckless! I''m saying this three times because it''s important!"


    Kiana saluted.


    "Got it!"


    Theresa, hearing this, double-checked the communication with the combat headsets before allowing them to depart.


    By the hatch, Kiana excitedly gripped the door, looking down at the city.


    Once they reached the designated spot, Kiana jumped down.


    In mid-air, Kiana shouted.


    "Athena Valkyrie Armor! Activate!"


    "Kiana! Engage!"


    ***


    Kiana completed the Athena Valkyrie armor attachment in mid-air.


    As she landed, a powerful shockwave crushed the ground, creating a deep pit.


    The surrounding Honkai Beasts lost their balance and fell into the pit.


    Kiana summoned her spear and spun it around, sweeping 360 degrees.


    A holy white light emanated from Kiana''s center and spread outward, purifying any Honkai Beasts caught in the light, causing them to disintegrate into thin air.


    Kiana was very pleased with her overwhelming display of power.


    With her spear in hand, Kiana charged through the city streets, clashing with the Honkai Beasts. Whether they were Assassins or Temple-level Honkai Beasts, she rushed in without hesitation, easily defeating them all.


    No one could last even a round against her.


    On the warship, Theresa observed Kiana''s battle performance at all times, collecting data to formulate Kiana''s future training plan.


    Himeko smiled knowingly as she watched Kiana wreak havoc on screen.


    "She''s definitely put in a lot of effort these past few days."


    Theresa nodded in agreement.


    "That''s true. Our world finally has some hope."


    However, Theresa continued, "But Kiana''s power is still insufficient. More training is needed."


    Himeko nodded as she looked at the screen. Even with Kiana on the battlefield, she could only deal with a small portion of the Honkai Beasts.


    This was just a fraction of the army of Honkai Beasts they were facing in this battle.


    Two hours later.


    The battle between the human forces and the Honkai Beasts reached a fever pitch, with no clear victor.


    In the command center, Theresa was busy coordinating the Valkyrie squads.


    At that moment, an anomaly appeared on one of the screens.


    Theresa quickly checked and found a warship had entered the battlefield.


    Just as she was about to investigate the warship''s details, the warship''s system was hacked, and the entire command room''s screens flashed with light.


    In the next moment, Silver Wolf appeared on the screen, looking nonchalant.


    "It''s been a while, Theresa, Himeko."


    Theresa was surprised to see Silver Wolf.


    "Silver Wolf? How did you get here?"


    Silver Wolf explained.


    "It''s not just me, most of us are here. How''s the situation on the battlefield? Where do we need to help?"


    Theresa thought for a moment.


    "There are still many civilians who couldn''t evacuate in time. If you can, please help us rescue them."


    Silver Wolf nodded.


    "And what else?"


    Theresa thought again.


    "That''s all. Thank you."


    Silver Wolf shrugged nonchalantly.


    "No problem. Like Ye Yun said, we''re all friends. When a friend is in trouble, we''ll definitely help out."


    After saying this, Silver Wolf ended the call.


    On Ye Yun''s side.


    Silver Wolf broadcasted the rescue of civilians to the team.


    Everyone quickly boarded their landing craft.


    Hu Tao and Stelle were both excited. As soon as the warship entered the battlefield, they saw countless Honkai Beasts and Assassins.


    They couldn''t wait to take care of these creatures.


    Kafka, sitting in the landing craft, was full of anticipation for the upcoming battle.


    It was simple¡ªthis was a rescue mission, and their target was civilians, something she had never done before.


    The Stellaron Hunters'' previous missions had always been about wiping out enemy forces at lightning speed.


    As the countdown ended, everyone''s landing craft launched from the warship and sped toward the surface.


    On the deck of the train, Himeko extended a suitcase into space, transforming it into an orbital cannon.


    Firefly walked slowly to the edge of the deck, watching the Honkai Beasts swirling in the sky, and memories from past battles resurfaced.


    It was a scene full of insect swarms. In that battle, she had lost everything¡ªcomrades, country, and only her, Glamoth, remained.


    The scene before her now was so similar to that one that Firefly couldn''t help but feel sorrow.


    Firefly held out her hand, and a light flashed, revealing her transformation device.


    "I dreamt of a scorched earth, a new shoot breaking through the soil, blooming under the morning sun, whispering to me."


    "The firefly flies toward the flames, reborn toward death!"


    Liuying swiftly ran off the deck and leapt into the sky, transforming into Sam, charging toward the sky filled with Honkai Beasts.


    "I shall... set the seas ablaze!!"


    Under Firefly''s precise control, the Honkai Beasts in the sky suffered a significant blow, falling to the ground.


    The sky over the city turned red as if the world were ending, with flames burning in the sky.


    At the same time, Stelle, Hu Tao, and others reached their respective battlefields.


    Stelle transformed her Judgment of Shamash into a greatsword, holding it with both hands. She moved through the Honkai Beasts, each strike clearing an area of enemies.


    This was still Stelle holding back; if she went all out, activating the Annihilation Mode, the entire city would have turned into ruins.


    But she had to hold back, as there were still civilians in the city.


    With just Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng, they controlled a large area and rescued survivors from a major evacuation camp.


    On the Liyue side.


    Zhongli sat calmly at the entrance of a shopping mall, where many survivors were gathered inside.


    At the entrance, Hu Tao, Xiangling, and others were fighting Honkai Beasts.


    With Zhongli''s shield, the Honkai Beasts couldn''t harm Hu Tao and the others.


    This was perfect for Hu Tao, Xiangling, and the others to hone their combat skills.


    Zhongli didn''t plan to help directly. He would only intervene to handle any Honkai Beasts that passed their defense line, giving the others some practice.


    On Welt''s side.


    He held his cane and located the most powerful Honkai Beasts on the battlefield¡ªthe Emperor-level Herrscher.


    Welt gazed at the menacing creature and felt a strange sense of nostalgia.


    He had once faced such an enemy.


    Finally, Welt spoke.


    "Witness the stars shatter!"


    Welt''s Star of Eden unleashed its full power, and a black hole swallowed the Emperor-level Honkai Beasts.


    Welt waved his Star of Eden gently, and the black hole split into two, tearing the Emperor-level Honkai Beasts in half.


    The black hole disappeared, and the Emperor-level Honkai Beasts was no more.


    Welt, holding his Star of Eden, stood atop a building, adjusting his glasses as he silently observed the battlefield below.


    On the warship.


    Ye Yun had Silver Wolf bring the warship to a completely abandoned area, where only Star of Eden remained.


    Ye Yun and Rios brought the six small ones to the deck.


    Klee had gathered all the grenades from the ammo storage and placed them on the ground.


    "Everyone, let''s blow up these monsters!"


    The other five small ones shouted in unison, lining up and picking up the grenades to throw them toward the battlefield below.


    "Heave-ho~ Heave-ho~ Klee''s going to be the big hero and fight monsters!"

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109 - 109The six little ones kept dropping bombs, turning the battleship into something like a bomber aircraft, bombing the Honkai beast horde below.


    The shells on the battleship were specially designed to deal with Honkai beasts, and they were highly effective.


    The Honkai beasts below were being wiped out in droves.


    Over on Kiana''s side¡ª


    Just as she pierced a Temple-class Honkai beast with her spear, Theresa''s voice came through the tactical headset.


    "Kiana, don''t worry about the ground battlefield anymore. The jet coming to pick you up has already launched¡ªgo deal with the battleship in the sky."


    Kiana was confused when she heard that.


    "Why?"


    Theresa explained.


    "Ye Yun and the others have come to help. They''re taking over the ground battlefield¡ªwe''ll go deal with the final objective."


    Kiana was delighted to hear that Ye Yun and the others had arrived.


    "Really? Ye Yun and the others are here? Where''s Stelle and the rest? I want to go find them!"


    Theresa was speechless¡ªthere Kiana goes again, being silly.


    "Go after we deal with the Moonlight Throne! We''re still in a battle!"


    Kiana snapped back to attention.


    "Oh! Right, right, right! Forget the jet, I''ll just fly over myself! Woohoo~ lift off!"


    Kiana activated the Athena Valkyrie armor and shot into the air, rapidly flying toward the Moonlight Throne above.


    Inside the Moonlight Throne¡ª


    Kiana kicked through the outer shell and charged inside.


    Mei, who had been waiting outside for quite a while, sighed speechlessly¡ªshe had waited for nothing.


    So Mei and Bronya finally met up with Kiana inside the Moonlight Throne.


    As soon as Kiana saw Mei, she ran over excitedly and hugged her.


    "Mei~ did you see me just now? Wasn''t I amazing?"


    Mei smiled and patted Kiana''s hair.


    "You were great. Kiana''s the best!"


    Bronya interjected at this moment.


    "Enough chatting, idiot Kiana. Let''s go deal with the Moonlight Throne first."


    Kiana got riled up when Bronya called her an idiot again.


    "You''re the idiot! I''m the Athena Valkyrie, symbol of wisdom! Look at my head!"


    Bronya glanced at Kiana.


    "Athena is the wise one¡ªnot you, idiot Kiana."


    As she said that, Bronya was already cracking the password to the large door in front of them.


    Kiana was driven mad by Bronya''s sarcasm.


    "Bronya! You little shrimp!"


    Just then, Bronya successfully hacked in and opened the door, walking right in.


    Kiana was left fuming, with nowhere to vent her anger.


    Mei chuckled and comforted her.


    "All right, all right, Kiana, let''s focus on the mission first."


    Kiana sighed and followed into the Moonlight Throne.


    The three of them smoothly defeated the Honkai beasts inside the Moonlight Throne and reached its control core, successfully shutting down the engines and recovering the unit.


    On the ground, with help from Stelle and the others, the ground battle had nearly concluded.


    All survivors in the city had been evacuated.


    Ye Yun and the others also arrived aboard Theresa''s battleship.


    After scanning Canghai City again and confirming no survivors remained, Theresa finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "All done. Thank you all for the help¡ªwithout you, those survivors might not have made it."


    Ye Yun smiled and shook his head.


    "No need to thank us."


    Just then, Stelle asked curiously:


    "So, that means the city now only has Honkai beasts left, right?"


    Teresa nodded.


    "Yes, why?"


    Stelle grinned and pulled out Judgment of Shamash.


    "Time to wrap this up."


    She stepped onto the deck, her Judgment of Shamash running at full power.


    Theresa saw this and instantly realized Stelle''s intention.


    Of everyone here, no one knew better than her just how terrifying that weapon was.


    "Oh no! Stelle! Stop¡ª!"


    But it was already too late.


    Stelle shouted:


    "Judgment of Shamash¡ªAnnihilation!"


    With one slash, the entirety of Canghai City was engulfed in raging flames.


    At Schicksal HQ, Otto was monitoring the battle.


    In his view, the moment Stelle unleashed her slash, all video feeds from Canghai City were destroyed.


    When the firestorm finally cleared, the entire city had been razed to the ground. Ashes drifted in the sky.


    Theresa hovered stiffly in the air.


    "Is everyone who uses Judgment of Shamash this reckless?


    Siegfried was like this, and now Stelle too?!"


    Looking at the flattened city below, Theresa sighed.


    "Well... whatever.


    Worst case, we''ll just rebuild a new city. At least there''s nothing left to demolish now."


    Stelle, after unleashing her slash, felt great relief and emotional release.


    She had been holding back during the rescue, unable to let loose. That slash vented all her frustration.


    Content, Stelle returned to the cabin, plopped into a seat, and took a big gulp of ice-cold cola.


    Theresa piloted the battleship toward the Moonlight Throne.


    She knew why the Moonlight Throne had appeared here¡ªit was part of a plan she and Tesla had devised.


    When everyone arrived, Kiana, Bronya, and Mei were already waiting on the deck.


    "Auntie! You''re finally here!" Kiana waved excitedly and bounced over.


    She spotted the others.


    "Stelle! March!"


    Kiana dashed over to Stelle and March 7th.


    Stelle raised an eyebrow.


    "Long time no see, Kiana. I heard you''ve been training hard lately¡ªhow''s it going?"


    Stelle patted her chest proudly.


    "Of course it''s going great! Didn''t you see me showing off just now? Wasn''t I cool?"


    Stelle shook her head.


    "I wouldn''t know~ I didn''t see you.


    By the way, did you see my slash just now?"


    Kiana nodded.


    "I did, what about it?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "So? Wasn''t it cool?"


    Kiana nodded enthusiastically.


    "Cool!"


    Stelle patted her shoulder.


    "Want to learn it?"


    Kiana didn''t hesitate¡ªof course she wanted to learn!


    "Yes!"


    Stelle pulled out Judgment of Shamash.


    "First, you need to get yourself one of these."


    Kiana pointed at Ye Yun.


    "Can I buy one from Ye Yun?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yep, just go see Ye Yun later. I''ll teach you how to wield a greatsword!"


    Kiana was thrilled just imagining herself unleashing an awesome attack with Judgment of Shamash.


    Wielding a greatsword¡ªit was just too cool!


    Later, Theresa took control of the Moonlight Throne and piloted it toward St. Freya Academy.


    She called everyone together to invite them for a celebratory meal¡ªa victory feast.


    After all, they had completely wiped out all the Honkai beasts in Canghai City during this battle.


    Ye Yun and the others had nothing urgent to do, so they gladly accepted.


    Calestia and Kiana stared at each other wide-eyed.


    ***


    Kiana and Calestia were both stunned ¡ª the other looked exactly like them!


    Calestia had a look like she''d seen a ghost.


    "Why do you look exactly like me?"


    Kiana shot back, "I was about to ask you the same thing. Why do you look exactly like me?"


    Ye Yun chimed in from the side, "You two are probably the same as the two Himekos ¡ª counterparts from different worlds."


    Calestia and Kiana nodded in realization.


    Then the two of them put their arms around each other and walked off to the side, whispering about something.


    Meanwhile, Bronya was chatting with Silver Wolf.


    Silver Wolf said, "I recently found a new virtual online game. Want to try it? It''s set in a punk-mechanical world, and you can race motorcycles on the streets."


    As soon as Bronya heard there was racing, she immediately agreed.


    "Let''s go!"


    Silver Wolf took out two neural devices.


    "These are neural devices that connect to your neurons."


    Bronya took it and put it on, but suddenly the interface lit up red ¡ª it couldn''t connect to her neurons.


    Silver Wolf frowned. "What''s going on? Bronya, do you mind if I scan your body?"


    Bronya shook her head. "I don''t mind."


    Silver Wolf tapped lightly on her headset, and a tactical visor appeared, scanning Bronya''s entire body.


    Soon, Silver Wolf found the issue.


    "Interesting. Bronya, you have a chip in your brain ¡ª a biochip connected to your neurons. No wonder the neural device doesn''t work. Want me to take it out? It''s not exactly a good thing to have."


    Bronya looked at her with hope. "You can really do that?"


    Silver Wolf nodded. "Piece of cake. The tech is simple ¡ª give me a few minutes. So? Want me to help?"


    Bronya nodded excitedly. "Please."


    Finally, she could free herself from her mother''s control. She wouldn''t have to do things she didn''t want to anymore.


    Silver Wolf had Bronya lie on a table and summoned her ether keyboard. After scanning Bronya again, she started the operation.


    The scene attracted the attention of the others, who gathered around.


    Silver Wolf glanced at them. "I''m in the middle of a procedure. Don''t crowd me ¡ª I need good airflow."


    Mei looked on, worried. "Silver Wolf, what''s wrong with Bronya?"


    Silver Wolf answered casually, "Nothing major. Just a biochip in her brain that controls her actions. I''m removing it. Don''t talk to me right now ¡ª ask Bronya later."


    Everyone fell silent, watching Silver Wolf work.


    With some deft maneuvering, Silver Wolf quickly removed the biochip.


    She stretched lazily. "Done! You can get up now, Bronya."


    Bronya stood up. She could feel the difference and gave Silver Wolf a grateful look.


    "Thank you, Silver Wolf."


    Silver Wolf waved it off. "No problem. I''m gonna play for a bit. Come find me later." She shook the neural device.


    Bronya nodded.


    Then Mei and the others came over.


    "Bronya, why did you have a biochip in your brain?"


    Bronya told them about her past ¡ª including the Third Eruption and what happened with Seele.


    Kiana was furious when she heard it.


    "That Cocolia is the worst! I can''t take this! I''m gonna go deal with her!"Calestia chimed in, "I''ll help."


    Theresa interjected, "No rush. Let''s head back first. We have a celebration banquet tonight."


    At St. Freya Academy:


    Everyone descended from the Moonlight Throne.


    Theresa summoned a group of Valkyries to begin setting up ¡ª moving tables, decorating, etc.


    Stelle, Kiana and the others sat and chatted.


    Stelle said, "Tomorrow our train is heading back to Luofu for the martial tournament. Kiana, want to come?"


    Kiana asked, curious, "Martial tournament? What''s that?"


    Stelle replied, "A grand combat event hosted in Luofu. Want to join?"


    Kiana thought about it and agreed. "Sure! I''ll be on the train first thing tomorrow."


    She turned to Mei. "Mei, let''s go together!"


    Mei smiled and nodded. "Okay, we''ll attend the martial tournament together tomorrow."


    At Schicksal HQ:


    Otto sat in the monitoring room, resting his chin on his hand.


    "Interesting... very interesting. Where did these people come from? Looks like I need to visit my dear granddaughter."


    He called out, "Rita, head over to St. Freya Academy and see what my dear granddaughter has been up to."


    Rita accepted the mission. "Yes, Overseer."


    She boarded a warship bound for the academy.


    In just two hours, the warship hovered above St. Freya. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The people celebrating below looked up.


    Theresa blinked. "That''s a... Schicksal warship?"


    The ship descended, and Rita walked out with a squad of Valkyries.


    Theresa stepped forward. "Rita, it''s you."


    Rita bowed slightly. "Miss Theresa, it''s been a while. I''ve come under the Overseer''s orders to evaluate the students'' capabilities."


    Otto had already prepared her excuse: performance evaluations. Nothing that would raise suspicion.


    Theresa said, "Of course. How about the day after tomorrow? I''ll organize a mock battle for all the Valkyries at the academy."


    Rita smiled. "That works."


    Theresa offered, "We''re having a celebration now. Care to join us?"


    Rita''s eyes flashed with calculation ¡ª this was the perfect opportunity to gather intel without raising alarms.


    "Gladly."


    Theresa brought Rita to the main table and introduced her to Ye Yun and the others.


    Rita politely greeted everyone. Just as she was about to chat someone up, her eyes landed on the children''s table ¡ª where Klee, Bailu, Qiqi, Yaoyao, Hook, and Diona were happily eating.


    In an instant, Rita forgot all about her mission and walked over to Klee.


    "What adorable little ones! Want me to feed you?"


    Klee looked up. "Hello, big sis! Klee can eat by herself ¡ª no need to trouble big sis~ Jean said good kids should learn to eat by themselves, hehe~"


    She flashed a sunny smile, and Rita''s heart melted instantly.


    Heavens! How could such a cute little girl even exist?!

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110 - 110Rita was completely captivated by Klee.


    "So your name is Klee? I''m Rita. You can call me Sister Rita."


    Upon hearing that, Klee cheerfully called out:


    "Sister Rita~"


    That one word "sister" bewitched Rita utterly. She felt as if she were floating on clouds, overjoyed to the point of blissful delirium, completely immersed and unable to pull herself away.


    Originally, Theresa had planned to bring Rita to her own table.


    But when she turned around, she saw Rita had already moved a small stool next to Klee and was smiling as she listened to the six little ones chatting and watched them eat.


    Theresa saw this and decided not to say anything. Let her be.


    Meanwhile, in a nearby village, Otto had quietly arrived with a squad of Valkyries.


    "Quickly set up the equipment," Otto ordered, then entered a house.


    Inside, several Valkyries had already cleaned up the place.


    Otto sat at a desk, opened a laptop, and put on headphones to monitor the celebration banquet.


    He silently watched the happy crowd enjoying the banquet on the screen.


    After a while, Otto felt thirsty.


    "Someone bring me a glass of water," he called toward the door.


    There was no response.


    He removed his headphones and turned to look outside¡ªonly to be met with a fist the size of a sandbag.


    Otto was sent flying, crashing hard into the wall before sliding down slowly.


    He looked up at his attacker and his eyes widened in shock.


    "Welt Yang!"


    That''s right ¡ª the intruder was Welt.


    The moment surveillance cameras were installed in St. Freya Academy, Walter had noticed the pinhole lenses and tracked them here.


    He hadn''t expected this ¡ª to catch such a big fish!


    Welt''s usual solemn demeanor was replaced by unhinged excitement.


    A red gleam flashed in his eyes.


    "Otto! Hahaha! Otto, I finally got you!


    Star of Eden! Zero Output!"


    Welt was ready to kill Otto on the spot.


    But then he reconsidered ¡ª killing Otto outright would be letting him off too easy.


    So he dismissed Star of Eden, slicked back his hair with one hand, adjusted his sleeves, and walked toward Otto.


    From inside the house came Otto''s periodic screams of agony.


    Over an hour later...


    Welt dragged Otto back to the celebration like a beaten dog.


    Upon seeing Otto''s miserable state, Rita immediately drew her weapon and lunged at Welt. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Stelle reacted fast, raising the Judgment of Shamash and striking at Rita to block her.


    Forced to retreat, Rita raised her scythe and pointed it at Star.


    "Step aside!"


    Hu Tao, March 7th, and the others surrounded Rita.


    Stelle leveled her flaming greatsword.


    "Don''t even think about it. If you want to touch Uncle Yang, you''ll have to get through me first."


    Rita closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them.


    "All Valkyries, listen up! Rescue the Overseer!"


    The Valkyries that came with her launched attacks against Stelle and the others.


    Seeing this, Theresa dropped all pretenses ¡ª her grandfather had already been captured!


    "Kiana! Attack!"


    Bronya ascended into the air and pointed at the Valkyrie troops below.


    "FIRE!"


    Several energy cannons fired, knocking down Valkyries left and right, rendering them unable to resist.


    Mei drew her katana and rushed in, carefully avoiding vital spots with each strike ¡ª her goal was only to disarm.


    Kiana summoned the Valkyrie Armor: Athena, her strikes sending waves of Valkyries flying.


    Under Theresa''s instruction, everyone held back just enough ¡ª only disabling, not killing.


    Rita spun her scythe and charged toward Stelle.


    Stelle stopped holding back and prepared to finish her in one blow.


    Just then, Fu Hua appeared between them, using a Tai Chi technique to repel Rita.


    "Stelle, leave her to me."


    Star nodded and went to assist the others in subduing the Valkyries.


    Fu Hua breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn''t stepping in to help Stelle ¡ª she was there to protect Rita.


    After all, that sword Stelle unleashed in Canghai City wasn''t long ago. If Rita went up against her, the outcome would be disastrous.


    With herself intervening, at least she could prevent Rita from being harmed.


    Rita faced Fu Hua.


    "Miss Fu Hua, I don''t want to fight you. Please step aside. I must rescue the Overseer."


    Fu Hua sighed.


    "Rita, I can''t let you pass. You''re no match for Stelle and the others."


    Rita gave a slight bow.


    "Then I apologize, Miss Fu Hua."


    She dashed in with her scythe, and the two engaged in an intense battle.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun and Zhongli were still calmly drinking tea.


    The six little ones stood beside Ye Yun, cheering on the fighters.


    Rios and Dudoco protected them.


    Klee waved a small flag.


    "Go, Sister Stelle! Go, Sister March 7th! Klee''s cheering for you~"


    Bailu, Hook, Diona, Qiqi, and Yaoyao were also waving flags.


    Bailu shouted the loudest.


    "Go Hu Tao! You''re so cool!"


    Hook was cheering for Himeko.


    "Go, Sister Himeko!"


    Yaoyao tugged Qiqi''s hand.


    "Go, Sister Kiana!"


    "Kiana... go."


    With Stelle and the others joining the fray, the Valkyrie forces were quickly subdued.


    Only Rita and Fu Hua were still fighting.


    Rita glanced around and realized she was the last one standing ¡ª not good.


    She looked toward Stelle, who waved nonchalantly.


    "Don''t mind us ¡ª pretend we''re not here. Keep going, keep going."


    Then Stelle, March 7th, and Hu Tao sat on a flowerbed, all in a row, excitedly watching Rita and Fu Hua battle.


    Stelle took out a big bag of sunflower seeds and shared them.


    "Here, have some. What''s a great fight without snacks?"


    And so, the bizarre scene unfolded: Stelle and the others sat in a row, munching seeds while watching the battle.


    When things got exciting, they even clapped and cheered.


    Kiana was the loudest, especially when Fu Hua gained the upper hand.


    "Nice! Go, Class Rep! You''re the best!"


    Rita grew more irritated hearing their cheering ¡ª did these people have no sense of crisis?! She was an S-rank Valkyrie, for crying out loud!


    But then ¡ª came the final straw.


    The six little ones lined up, waving their little flags, cheering for Fu Hua in unison.


    "Go, Sister Fu Hua! Go, Sister Fu Hua!"


    Rita suddenly clutched her chest, as if her heart cracked with the sound of shattering glass.


    Fu Hua seized the moment and subdued Rita.


    Rita''s mind was blank, looping only the image of those six little ones cheering for Fu Hua.Pain! Where? Her heart!Everywhere!


    ***


    Ten or so minutes later.


    Rita and the surviving Valkyries were imprisoned together, with Stelle sitting nearby as their guard. Next to her lay the weapon Judgment of Shamash.


    As for Otto, he was tied to a tree by Welt. Welt, Ye Yun, and Zhongli sat under the tree, sipping tea and chatting.


    From time to time, Welt would give Otto a good kick.


    "Did I let you faint? Stay awake!"


    Otto was roused by the blow and opened his eyes.


    Welt frowned.


    "Did I tell you to open your eyes? Keep them shut!"


    Otto, helpless, closed his eyes again.


    But he was seriously injured, and once he closed his eyes, drowsiness surged uncontrollably.


    Seeing Otto dozing off again, Welt jabbed Otto in the stomach with the Star of Eden, forcing him awake in pain.


    March 7th watched this side of Welt with astonishment.


    "This is the first time I''ve seen Uncle Yang like this."


    Hu Tao also chimed in.


    "Mr. Welt usually seems so solemn. I''ve never seen him like this. Who''s that blond guy anyway? Why is Mr. Welt treating him like this?"


    March 7th thought for a moment and asked Kiana, who was munching on sunflower seeds beside her.


    "Kiana, do you know that guy?"


    Kiana was already addicted to the sunflower seeds, unable to stop and finding them increasingly tasty.


    "Huh? Oh, you mean Otto Apocalypse, the Archbishop. He''s our Archbishop."


    March 7 was surprised.


    "Archbishop?"


    Mei added, "We''re part of an organization called Schicksal. The Archbishop is our top leader. We''re all supposed to follow his orders."


    Hu Tao became even more confused after hearing Mei''s explanation.


    "Then why didn''t you save him just now?"


    Kiana and Mei both shrugged, saying they didn''t really know. They usually just listened to Theresa.


    If Theresa said to fight someone, they fought.


    Ye Yun glanced at the miserable Otto, and a sudden idea sparked in his mind.


    He looked at Zhongli.


    "Zhongli, your neighbor Ei is already scraping together money for revival items. What about you? Any interest?"


    Zhongli frowned slightly at the mention.


    "Revival items?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yup. Revival items. They can unconditionally revive people of Ei''s level or below. So, what do you say? Want one?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Yes. I''ll need more than one, though. But it''ll have to wait¡ªI still need my credits for other things right now."


    Yeyun didn''t seem in a hurry.


    "True. You all still need to open up new planets."


    Their conversation was overheard loud and clear by Otto, every word etched into his mind.


    Otto widened his eyes and looked anxiously at Ye Yun.


    "Sir, do you really have revival items for sale?"


    Welt saw Otto still had the strength to talk and kicked him again.


    "Shut your stinky mouth. Even your voice is polluting the air."


    After speaking, Welt pulled out a fan and dramatically waved it, a look of disdain on his face.


    Ye Yun didn''t respond to Otto''s question and instead walked off with Zhongli.


    Ye Yun had brought it up in front of Otto on purpose. Just to tease him.


    Otto calmed his breathing, then looked up at Welt.


    "You''re not the Welt I know! Who are you? Tell me! Was that man really telling the truth about revival items?"


    Welt adjusted his glasses.


    "You''re right. I''m not the Welt you know. I''m from a parallel world.


    But that doesn''t stop me from using you as a punching bag.


    And yes, Ye Yun really does have something that can bring people back to life. He just mentioned it¡ªit can revive someone like Kallen."


    "I''ve beaten you long enough. I''m tired. You rest, I''ll rest too."


    After saying that, Welt tidied up his disheveled clothes and walked toward Ye Yun and Zhongli, leaving Otto tied to the tree, ignored.


    Otto hung his head, deep in thought.


    After a short rest, everyone went their separate ways.


    Zhongli''s group returned to Liyue Harbor.


    As soon as Calestia got back, she rushed to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦.


    Calestia pulled Hu Tao over to the side of her Hellfire Motorcycle.


    "Boss, hurry! Take me back!"


    Hu Tao hopped onto the Hellfire Motorcycle and called to Zhongli.


    "Guest Consultant, what are you doing standing there? Hop on¡ªwe''ll go back together."


    Zhongli looked at Calestia.


    Calestia urged impatiently.


    "C''mon, stop dawdling. I need to get back online!"


    Hearing this, Zhongli finally got on the bike.


    Hu Tao revved the engine and sped off toward the caf¨¦ on her Hellfire Motorcycle.


    Ten minutes later.


    The three returned to the caf¨¦. Calestia jumped off the bike and dashed upstairs to the third floor.


    Zhongli bid farewell to Hu Tao and returned to his courtyard.


    Hu Tao checked the time¡ªstill early.


    After a moment''s thought, she parked her motorcycle and went for a stroll.


    She walked the streets of Liyue, illuminated brightly at night.


    On her way, many familiar faces greeted her warmly.


    Nowadays, the most famous thing about the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor wasn''t funerals¡ªbut its internet caf¨¦. The people of Liyue no longer avoided Hu Tao.


    Before, if anyone saw her, they''d worry she''d try to sell them a funeral package.


    Without realizing it, Hu Tao wandered in front of Aether''s milk tea shop.


    It was the first time Liyue folks had seen milk tea, and since it tasted great, Aether''s business boomed.


    What started as a ten-square-meter stand had now become a full storefront.


    Aether had even hired a few employees, making things much easier.


    Hu Tao walked into the shop.


    "Aether, give me¡ªthree cups of milk tea."


    She''d originally planned to get just one, but then decided to bring one for Calestia and Zhongli too.


    Aether, after processing the order, looked up and realized it was Hu Tao.


    "Oh, Boss Hu, it''s you. These three are on the house."


    Hu Tao shook her head.


    "No need, no need."


    She took out 3,000 Mora and handed it over.


    Seeing this, Aether could only accept the payment.


    He then asked, "Boss Hu, is Calestia at the caf¨¦? I just went to talk to her about something, but she wasn''t there."


    Hu Tao replied, "She''s there, just got back. What did you want to talk about?"


    Aether smiled.


    "I took a commission from her."


    Hu Tao understood immediately.


    "Oh, I see. Go find her later, then. If I know her, she''s gonna game all night.


    By the way, turns out all my guest consultants at Wangsheng are big shots. I had no idea at the time."


    Aether gave a stiff smile, the corner of his mouth twitching.


    So she does know what kind of people she has working for her... I thought she was clueless.


    "Alright, I''ll go find her once I''m done here. Here you go, Boss Hu¡ªyour milk tea."


    Hu Tao took the drinks, thanked him, and walked off sipping her tea, continuing her nighttime stroll.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111 - 11110 PM


    After cleaning up with the staff, Aether held a short meeting.


    "I''m going to be away for a while. During this time, everyone will continue running the business as usual. Listen to Ah Da''s instructions. Understood?"


    Ah Da was the first employee at Aether''s store¡ªdiligent, honest, and dependable.


    "Don''t worry, boss. I''ll take good care of the shop," Ah Da said, patting his chest confidently.


    Aether nodded in reassurance.


    "Alright. You''ve all worked hard. I''ll bring back some gifts when I return."


    Then, Aether locked the store, handed the keys to Ah Da, and headed to the internet caf¨¦.


    At the caf¨¦, he went straight to the third floor.


    At the entrance, a staff member stopped him.


    "Hello, sir. Please show your ID."


    "I''m here to meet someone. Can you notify Calestia for me?"


    The staff member recognized the name immediately¡ªCalestia, their honored guest.


    "Certainly. Please wait a moment while I inform her."


    A few minutes later, the staff member returned with Nahida.


    Nahida smiled and greeted Aether.


    "Good evening, Aether."


    Aether nodded with a smile.


    "Good evening, Nahida. Is Calestia inside?"


    Nahida nodded.


    "She is. Come, I''ll take you in."


    Aether followed her into Calestia''s room.


    As soon as he entered, a keyboard keycap flew across the room and hit him in the face.


    The next moment, Calestia zoomed over, snatched the keycap back, and continued playing.


    Aether looked speechless.


    Everyone who plays Audition Online is a keyboard destroyer.


    Recently, many keyboards in Hu Tao''s internet caf¨¦ had been broken¡ªunsurprisingly, all by Audition Online players.


    After every round, they would smash the spacebar with full force.


    It was as if they were trying to obliterate the keyboard.


    After finishing a round, Calestia finally turned her chair to face Aether.


    "Alright, what brings you here?"


    Aether said, "I''m planning to leave for Sumeru tomorrow."


    Calestia thought for a moment, then pulled out an extinguished Dendro Vision and tossed it to Aether.


    "Looks like the internet was right¡ªgetting redeemed weakens you. With your strength, I doubt you can handle it. Take this. If you''re in trouble, smash it. I''ll come immediately."


    Aether was about to retort at the sarcasm but realized Calestia had a point¡ªbeing redeemed really does weaken you.


    He silently accepted the Vision.


    After that, Aether and Nahida agreed to depart for Sumeru the next day at noon.


    Inazuma City, Tenshukaku.


    Lumine, Ei, Paimon, and Yae Miko were having hot pot together.


    Lumine asked, "Ei, how many Primogems have you collected? I heard you issued some sort of ''Primogem Hunt Decree''."


    Ei glanced at Miko.


    Yae Miko replied, "It''s going well. We''ve collected over 20,000 Primogems so far."


    Lumine said, "Of course it''s easy for you rulers¡ªyou can gather tons of Primogems effortlessly. Meanwhile, I have to work hard just to earn some Star Coins. Sigh~"


    Miko chuckled softly.


    "I envy you. You get to do whatever you like, carefree."


    Lumine thought about it and agreed¡ªshe really was free.


    Then Miko asked, "Are you free tomorrow?"


    Lumine gave her a suspicious look. "Why?"


    Miko said, "I want you to come with me to Watatsumi Island and meet Kokomi."


    Lumine shook her head.


    "Can''t. I''m going to Luofu to attend the Martial Arts Ceremony."


    Miko looked intrigued. "Martial Arts Ceremony? What''s that?"


    Lumine explained, "Luofu is a faction on Ye Yun''s side. They''re hosting a tournament with generous rewards. Stelle and I already signed up¡ªfor fun."


    She added, "You should send someone to watch too. Luofu is very strong, both in terms of individual strength and technology."


    Miko turned to Ei. "What do you think?"


    Ei didn''t really care. "Do whatever you want, as long as it doesn''t interfere with gathering Primogems."


    Miko smiled. "It won''t."


    The four continued eating.


    After dinner, Yae Miko walked down the streets of Inazuma City.


    She was looking for a certain oni troublemaker.


    Before long, she found Itto playing rock-paper-scissors with kids in an open space.


    She watched quietly as Itto lost all his snacks.


    "What?! The great Itto lost? You brats, dare to come back tomorrow? I''ll win it all back!"


    The kids quickly agreed.


    "Sure! We''re not afraid of you!"


    After they left, Miko finally spoke.


    "Arataki Itto."


    He turned around. "You?! That damn fox!"


    Miko sighed at the nickname.


    Itto asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Miko smiled. "I need a favor. Interested?"


    "Sure! Tell me what it is¡ªI''ll do my best!" Itto replied enthusiastically.


    Miko said, "Come with me tomorrow. There''s a tournament. For every match you win, I''ll give you 100 jin of food. Deal?"


    Itto waved it off. "Deal. I''d help even without a reward. Where should I find you tomorrow?"


    "Come to the Grand Narukami Shrine," Miko replied.


    She planned to bring Ayaka and Itto to the tournament. That should be enough.


    Meanwhile, Lumine and Paimon returned to their RV.


    As they approached, they saw a bandaged girl sneaking around nearby.


    Lumine stepped forward. "Who are you? What are you doing near my vehicle?"


    The girl turned around. "This big thing is yours? Hi, I''m Yoimiya."


    Lumine introduced herself. "Hi, I''m Lumine. Yoimiya, are you a local?"


    Yoimiya nodded. "Yes, my family runs a fireworks shop in Inazuma City. I saw this big thing and got curious."


    Lumine nodded in understanding. "I see. Come on, I''ll show you inside."


    Yoimiya was surprised. "Really?"


    "Of course. Step aside so I can open the door," Lumine said.


    Yoimiya quickly stepped away from the door.


    Lumine unlocked it and invited her inside.


    Once in, Yoimiya looked around curiously, just like Amber had before¡ªlike a villager stepping into a palace.


    Lumine poured her a glass of orange juice.


    Yoimiya took a sip and asked, "Lumine, did you come from outside Inazuma?"


    "Yeah," Lumine replied. "Honestly, I kind of regret it. The weather here is awful."


    Paimon grumbled, "Yeah, not to mention we lost a ton of supplies."


    She had every right to be upset¡ªmost of the donated food was her rations.


    Lumine rolled her eyes. "Why are you so bitter? I''m the one who gave it all away."


    Yoimiya looked confused. "Supplies? You donated supplies?"


    Paimon answered, "We handed out a lot of food in a village."


    Yoimiya looked at them in disbelief. "You''re that kind person? The one who gave food in Konda Village?"


    ***


    Lumine was a bit confused.


    "A great benefactor? That news spread so fast?"


    "A great benefactor?" she repeated.


    Yoimiya nodded slightly.


    "Yeah, you donated so much food¡ªif that doesn''t make you a great benefactor, what does? You have no idea how many lives were saved because of that food."


    Hearing this, Lumine recalled her time in Konda Village.


    Back then, the people there really were thin and sickly-looking.


    Yoimiya continued speaking.


    "Today, on my way here, I heard a bunch of people talking about building a statue in your honor."


    A bead of cold sweat slid down Lumine''s forehead. She laughed awkwardly.


    "Hehehe~ I appreciate the thought, really, but building a statue and all... maybe let''s not go that far."


    Yoimiya, on the other hand, didn''t think the people were exaggerating at all.


    Given Inazuma''s situation, what Lumine did could really make people want to do that kind of thing.


    "You don''t know how hard it used to be here in Inazuma. Closed borders, the Vision Hunt Decree¡ªevery one of those made life harder for us ordinary folks."


    As she finished speaking, Yoimiya took out her Vision.


    "See? My Vision¡ªI didn''t even dare wear it back then.


    On Watatsumi Island, they even started a rebellion against the Shogunate because of those decrees."


    Upon hearing that, Lumine remembered how the Guuji (Yae Miko) had just asked her to accompany her to Watatsumi Island tomorrow.


    "Watatsumi Island? I''ve heard of it. Aren''t you all from the same nation? Why are you fighting each other?" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yoimiya spread her hands helplessly.


    "What else? It was all because the previous Kujou clan head and the previous Tonomo clan head misled the Shogun with false reports, making her issue poor decisions.


    The closed borders cut off Watatsumi''s supply routes.


    Watatsumi Island relies heavily on maritime trade to obtain food.


    When that stopped, they had no way to survive.


    Speaking of which, Lumine, are you a merchant? You managed to bring out so much food all at once."


    "A merchant?" Lumine shook her head, indicating she wasn''t.


    "No, I''m a traveler¡ªwait, no, not a traveler. My tongue slipped. I''m an inspector, here to oversee the state of the people''s lives."


    Yoimiya didn''t really understand, but she felt it sounded impressive.


    Lumine noticed Yoimiya didn''t follow and didn''t explain further.


    "Don''t worry about the details. I''m just here for work."


    Yoimiya nodded in understanding.


    "Ohh, I thought you were a merchant. I was even thinking of introducing you to some business.


    I know a few people on Watatsumi Island. If you were a merchant, I could''ve helped connect you."


    Hearing that, a lightbulb went off in Lumine''s head.


    Wait a minute! This might be a business opportunity!


    She couldn''t just take Inazuma''s Primogems¡ªYae Miko and Ei would probably disapprove.


    But Watatsumi Island? They''re rebels! Surely she could accept their Primogems?


    A fair exchange of goods and payment!


    Surely Miko and Ei wouldn''t mind... because it''s the rebels.


    Only downside? She''d be supporting their enemy.


    But hey, that''s a small matter¡ªshe could always send some supplies to Inazuma too.


    As for the food, Lumine planned to buy from Topaz. With just a bit of Stellar Jade, she could get a mountain of supplies.


    Lumine looked at Yoimiya like a hungry wolf spotting a plump sheep.


    "Yoimiya~ Actually, I am a merchant. I''ve got tons of food. Say, how about you reach out to those friends of yours?"


    Yoimiya was a little confused.


    "Huh? Didn''t you just say you weren''t a merchant? Now you are?"


    Lumine waved it off.


    "That''s not important. What matters is¡ªI have food. Can you help me contact them?"


    Yoimiya replied, "Sure, I''ll help. Will you be staying in Inazuma these next few days?"


    Lumine nodded.


    "Yes. My vehicle is also my home. I''ll be parked right here these days, so just find me here."


    Yoimiya nodded in understanding.


    Then, under Lumine and Paimon''s enthusiastic wave goodbye, she went home.


    After Yoimiya left, Lumine grabbed Paimon and rushed straight to the Grand Narukami Shrine.


    Train''s inner realm, Treehouse.


    It was nighttime. Though there was no real sun or moon in the realm, it simulated a day-night cycle.


    The treehouse door was suddenly thrown open. Lumine burst in, dragging a dizzy Paimon.


    "Topaz? Are you here? I''ve got a huge business deal for you!"


    Her shout startled Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Kafka.


    The others came out of their rooms and gathered in the main hall.


    March 7th, in pink pajamas, asked, "Lumine? It''s so late. What''s the matter?"


    Stelle, wearing a brown bear onesie, yawned.


    "Yeah, Lumine, don''t you sleep?"


    Lumine excitedly found Topaz.


    "Topaz! Do you have food for sale?"


    Topaz replied, "Of course. How much do you need? 1 Stellar Jade per ton."


    Lumine thought for a moment.


    "Give me 500 Stellar Jade''s worth."


    Topaz looked at her, a bit puzzled.


    "Lumine, why are you buying so much food?"


    Lumine chuckled.


    "To do business, of course! I found a way to make a fortune, hehe!"


    Topaz was still confused. "Business?"


    Lumine nodded vigorously.


    "Yup! Business! Don''t ask too many questions¡ªjust send the goods quickly, I need them now."


    Topaz accepted the 500 Stellar Jade and made a quick call to her company to dispatch the goods.


    "Alright, I''ve sent them to Herta Space Station. For heavy shipments like this, the fastest method is to send them there."


    Lumine gave her an OK gesture and dashed off again.


    March 7th was a bit curious.


    "Lumine suddenly wants to start a business?"


    Stelle yawned again, eyes barely open.


    "Who knows... let her be. Sleep now, we''re heading to Xianzhou Luofu tomorrow."


    Saying that, Stelle returned to her room and immediately fell asleep.


    March 7th, Firefly, and the others also headed back to rest.


    Herta Space Station, Herta''s lab.


    Ruan Mei, Screwllum, Herta, and Asta were chatting casually.


    After days of effort, the Simulated Universe had finally been repaired.


    Herta took out her phone.


    "I''ll message the little guinea pig and tell her to come test it."


    She texted Stelle but didn''t get a reply, so she put the phone away.


    Ruan Mei looked at Herta.


    "Herta, you said you''d take me to that amazing shop¡ªwhen are we going?"


    Herta was reminded of her promise to bring Ruan Mei to Ye Yun''s store on the train.


    "After the test. The store''s on the Astral Express, so once Stelle''s done, we''ll go together."


    Screwllum, hearing this, was intrigued.


    "Herta, what makes this store so ''amazing''?"


    Herta replied, "Because in Ye Yun''s store, as long as you have Stellar Jade, you can buy anything you want."

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112 - 112Asta chimed in from the side.


    "Yes, Ye Yun''s little shop really is that magical."


    Herta nudged the dummy fiddling with a soda can next to her.


    "This Dummy No. 1 was bought from Ye Yun''s place. Screwllum, weren''t you curious about Dummy No. 1 before? You can buy one for yourself next time."


    Screwllum pondered for a moment.


    "Logic: Law of Conservation of Energy. To gain something, one must lose something. What is the price?"


    Herta took out a 100-denomination star coin.


    "This is the currency used in Ye Yun''s shop. It''s called a Star Coin, and you can exchange it with Stellar Jade."


    Ruan Mei examined the Star Coin in Herta''s hand. Stellar Jade? No wonder Herta had been making such a big deal out of collecting it earlier¡ªso that''s the reason.


    At that moment, the teleportation gate behind Herta flashed, and Lumine ran out from it.


    "Yo, Asta, you''re still up?"


    Lumine greeted Asta, then turned to look at the others.


    "Who are these people?"


    Herta crossed her arms and looked at Lumine like she was an idiot.


    "Don''t recognize me?"


    Lumine looked Herta up and down.


    "You''re Herta? Is this your real body?"


    Herta nodded slightly.


    "That''s right. What brings you to the space station?"


    Lumine replied, "I''m here to pick up a delivery¡ªI bought something from Topaz."


    She then looked toward Ruan Mei and Screwllum.


    "I''m Lumine, a traveler. And these two friends are?"


    Screwllum replied, "Nice to meet you, Miss Lumine. I am Screwllum, and this is Miss Ruan Mei. We''re members of the Genius Society."


    Lumine let out an exaggerated "Oh!"


    "Genius Society? What kind of name is that? Sounds super chuunibyou."


    Herta shrugged. "That name was all Zandark''s idea. Anyway, go get your package. Asta, show her the way."


    Asta smiled and said, "Lumine, come on. I''ll take you to your delivery."


    Lumine was grateful. "That''s great. This is my first time here, so having you lead the way is super helpful."


    Then, Lumine followed Asta toward the delivery area at the platform scenic zone.


    On the way, Lumine was stunned by the high-tech environment. No doubt¡ªit was a space station!


    In the lab.


    Screwllum and Ruan Mei exchanged puzzled glances directed at Herta.


    Ruan Mei asked meaningfully, "This Lumine..."


    Herta gave a subtle nod. "She''s from another world. It''s normal she hasn''t heard of the Genius Society."


    Ruan Mei nodded¡ªjust as she suspected.


    After all, being able to reach Herta''s space station meant Lumine couldn''t be from some backward civilization cut off from news.


    Ruan Mei then recalled what Asta had once said while they were eating hotpot together¡ªthere were many visitors from other worlds in Ye Yun''s shop.


    Screwllum was surprised. "Visitors from other worlds?"


    Ruan Mei explained, "Asta told me before. That magical little shop has many visitors from different worlds."


    After hearing this, Screwllum bowed his head in thought. Not long after, he raised it again.


    "I have a suggestion. Let''s have Miss Lumine test the Simulated Universe. It might yield unexpected results."


    Herta replied, "You mean have an otherworldly visitor help test the Simulated Universe? That''s a new approach. Let''s wait for her to return."


    Lumine arrived at the platform with Asta. The 500 tons of food Topaz helped her buy had already been delivered.


    A massive wooden crate¡ª25 meters in length, width, and height¡ªsat on the platform.


    Seeing the size of the crate, Lumine panicked. Oh no... she bought this much, how would she move it?


    Asta noticed Lumine''s troubled expression and asked, "Lumine, what''s wrong?"


    Lumine sighed. "This crate is huge. How am I supposed to move it?"


    Asta chuckled. "That''s no big deal. I''ll call someone to help."


    Asta summoned a team of robots, instructing them to break down the giant crate.


    They ended up splitting it into 625 smaller one-cubic-meter crates.


    Asta had the robots load the crates onto cargo transports.


    "Let''s go, Lumine. I''ll have them delivered to the lab later."


    Lumine gratefully grabbed Asta''s hand. "Thank you, Asta!"


    The two returned to the lab.


    As soon as they got back, before Lumine could react, Herta dragged her over to test the Simulated Universe.


    Lumine heard the word "test" and realized she was the guinea pig. She clung to an iron railing for dear life.


    "Don''t pull me! I don''t want to be a lab rat!"


    She clung tightly to the railing and refused to let go.


    Herta let go of her hand, thought for a moment, then pulled out 1000 Star Coins.


    "1000 Star Coins¡ªhelp me test the Simulated Universe."


    Upon hearing that, Lumine instantly let go of the railing.


    "Now that''s more like it. You should''ve said so earlier! Let''s go¡ªI''ll test it."


    Herta glanced at Lumine¡ªthis girl was just like Stelle.


    "Come on, follow me."


    Lumine followed Herta to a machine. Herta pointed at it.


    "Step up."


    Lumine stepped on it without hesitation. Herta had paid¡ªshe had to treat her "sponsor" well.


    Ruan Mei and Screwllum watched Lumine intently, curious about what would happen when she tested the Simulated Universe.


    As Herta pressed the start button, Lumine immediately lost consciousness.


    When she came to, she found herself back at the platform where she had picked up her delivery.


    Just as she was about to move, a strange force surged over her, irresistible.


    Everything around her began to shift and vanish, replaced by a dazzling starry sky.


    Lumine looked up. Suspended in the sky were masks with different emotions.


    She recognized one of them.


    "Isn''t that Aha? Who are the others? Crying? Sad? Angry?"


    Then the smiling mask¡ªAha¡ªspoke.


    "HAHAHAHA! Visitor from another world! The scent of Trailblazing! Akivili! I knew you weren''t dead!!! HAHAHA!"


    What Lumine had done in the world of Genshin Impact was, in a sense, very similar to "trailblazing."


    Under the intense surge of energy, Lumine passed out again.


    When she awoke, she found herself lying on a hospital bed.


    Next to her, Paimon and Asta were watching anxiously.


    Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum were off to the side, discussing something.


    Lumine sat up groggily. Paimon, seeing her awake, burst into tears.


    "Lumine! You''re finally awake! You scared me to death!"


    Lumine patted Paimon''s head.


    "It''s okay, Paimon. I just passed out for a bit. I feel fine now."


    Seeing her awake, Herta walked over and asked seriously:


    "Lumine, what exactly did you do in the Simulated Universe just now?"


    Lumine looked innocent.


    "I didn''t do anything¡ªI just ran into Aha and then passed out."


    ***


    Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum were all stunned after hearing Ying''s account.


    Lumine had just entered, and the Simulated Universe suddenly went out of control. They had no idea what had happened inside.


    Herta stroked her chin and fell into deep thought.


    "Incredible. You actually triggered Aha the moment you entered.Did He say anything to you?"


    Lumine thought for a moment.


    "Did He say anything? Yeah, something like ''Akivili, you''re not dead?'' or whatever. Who''s Akivili?"


    Screwllum answered:


    "Akivili, the Trailblazing Aeon¡ªrumored to have fallen."


    Ying rubbed her chin and came to a realization.


    "Oh? I get it. That''s basically Star''s boss, right?"


    Herta replied:


    "Exactly. I didn''t expect you to catch Aha''s attention so quickly. Once I fix the Simulated Universe, how about going in again?"


    Lumine raised an eyebrow cheekily.


    "Got any credits? No credits, no time~"


    Having finally found a suitable lab rat, Herta wouldn''t let go that easily, so she naturally went along with Ying''s request.


    "Sure. 1,000 per run."


    Lumine was very satisfied with that. In that case, no problem.


    She glanced at the machine, which was still smoking, and got curious.


    "So, what are you guys trying to do with this thing?"


    Ruan Mei replied:


    "We want to study the Aeons through the Simulated Universe."


    Lumine instinctively responded:


    "Study the Aeons? But Aha''s right on the train."


    Her words were like a bomb, instantly shocking Herta, Screwllum, and Ruan Mei.


    Especially Ruan Mei¡ªshe couldn''t even remember the last time she had felt such shock.


    Herta grabbed Lumine''s shoulders.


    "What did you just say? Say that again!"


    Lumine felt like she might''ve accidentally revealed something big.


    "I said... Aha''s on the train. I''ve seen Him several times."


    Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum exchanged glances, confirming their suspicions.


    Herta waved her hand decisively. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s go!"


    Ruan Mei and Screwllum followed her into a teleport gate.


    Lumine, bewildered, looked to Asta.


    "Did I say something wrong? Why did Herta get so worked up?"


    Asta forced a stiff smile.


    "Maybe... Anyway, let''s get your supplies moved first."


    Lumine nodded.


    "Oh, right¡ªbusiness first."


    She got to work moving the goods.


    Selling this batch of food would be a huge profit.


    Inside the train


    Welt dragged Otto back and threw him onto the floor.


    This scene happened to be witnessed by Sparkle and Aha, who had just boarded the train.


    Sparkle ran over.


    "Wow~ Who''s this? He looks terrible!"


    She squatted down and poked Otto, who had been beaten so badly even his soul seemed to be peeking out.


    Ye Yun didn''t expect Sparkle to be in the shop.


    "Sparkle? When did you get here?"


    Sparkle saw Ye Yun and ran up to him.


    "Hehe, Aha brought me here, of course~ You guys went off somewhere, and I waited for so long~"


    Ye Yun replied:


    "We went to help someone in a fight."


    Sparkle lit up.


    "Wow~ A fight? That sounds so fun! Why didn''t you take me? I''m mad now!"


    Ye Yun was speechless.


    "How could I? What are you even doing on the train?"


    Sparkle pulled out the 1 million credits Aha had given her earlier.


    "Obviously, I''m here to shop~ Come on, Leafy~ Show me around!"


    She tugged Ye Yun toward the mini-bar, wanting him to recommend something fun.


    Ye Yun opened the touchscreen and asked:


    "What kind of stuff are you looking for?"


    Sparkle leaned over his shoulder to browse. After a while, she pouted.


    "These are all boring~ I want something fun~"


    Aha chimed in.


    "Sparkle~ Aha recommends the Coin of Fate. It''s a real hoot, hehe~"


    Sparkle shook her head.


    "Nope, yours isn''t fun. Leafy~ keep flipping."


    Ye Yun continued browsing for her.


    Half an hour later, Sparkle suddenly called out.


    "Leafy! Stop! Go back to that one¡ªI wanna see!"


    Ye Yun flipped back a few pages.


    "Which one?"


    Sparkle pointed at a castle-shaped item.


    [Item: Grand Theater Prison]


    Description: A bizarre prison built in a certain fantasy world.Inside is a large stage for prisoners. The Warden can freely assign scripts for prisoners to perform.During performances, prisoners lose control of their bodies.Price: 1,000,000 credits.


    Sparkle read the info and excitedly patted Ye Yun''s shoulder.


    "This is great! I want to run a prison, hehe~"


    She handed over the credits, and Ye Yun completed the purchase.


    A model of a grand theater wrapped in a bubble appeared in Ye Yun''s hand.


    "Here. This is your Grand Theater Prison. Find a spot and pop the bubble to activate it."


    Sparkle happily accepted it and spun around with it held high.


    After spinning a few times, she looked at Aha.


    "Aha! Come work for me! I want you to write the scripts! I''ll make the Grand Theater Prison famous across the universe!"


    Aha immediately agreed¡ªafter all, creating fun was his favorite thing.


    "At your service, Lady Sparkle. From now on, call me Scriptwriter Aha~"


    He even pulled out a fancy hat, a pen, and a notebook.


    Welt glanced at Firefly, Aha, and then Otto, and a thought formed in his mind.


    A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.


    "Sparkle, to celebrate your Grand Theater Prison''s opening, I''m giving you a prisoner.Take a look¡ªthis guy might need some repairs, but he''s still quite handsome."


    Sparkle beamed.


    "Yay~ Thank you, Mr. Welt!"


    She bounced over to Otto and crouched to get a better look at her first prisoner.


    "Little blondie~ Welcome to my Grand Theater Prison~Aha! Come carry our first prisoner!"


    Aha dashed over and slung Otto over his shoulder.


    Sparkle made a playful face at everyone.


    "See ya later, folks~ When my Grand Theater Prison opens, I hope you all come! Bye-bye!"


    Aha opened a portal. Sparkle kicked him in first, then followed.


    The portal closed behind them.


    Ye Yun shook his head slightly.Otto, falling into Sparkle''s and Aha''s hands... things don''t look good for you.


    Welt was quite satisfied. Letting the professionals handle it was best.There was only so much damage he could do with his fists.


    Leaving it to Aha and Sparkle¡ªnow that was reassuring.


    He was absolutely going to attend the opening ceremony.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113 - 113Sparkle and Aha brought Otto to a planet teeming with life.


    This planet was full of vitality, inhabited by many small animals.


    Sparkle stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the vast plains below.


    The plains were lush and green, with a large river winding its way across the entire landscape.


    Sparkle held up the Grand Theater Prison model and patted Aha.


    "Let''s go to the riverside! That spot looks perfect."


    Aha led Sparkle to the riverside. Sparkle casually tossed the model, and a prison shaped like a grand theater¡ªspanning over 5 square kilometers¡ªappeared next to the river.


    Standing at the gate of the Grand Theater, Sparkle could suddenly visualize its entire layout in her mind.


    She felt as if a single thought could give her complete control over the whole theater prison¡ªshe was its absolute ruler.


    Sparkle glanced at Otto, who was still slung over Aha''s shoulder.


    "Aha! Put him down."


    Aha tossed Otto to the ground without a second thought. With just a flicker of Sparkle''s intent, Otto vanished from sight.


    Seeing this, Aha clapped his hands in delight.


    "Oooh! The little blond guy disappeared! That''s fun! So fun!"


    Sparkle grabbed Aha and instantly teleported into a cell.


    The cell was well-furnished, decorated in the grand theater style.


    Otto looked up at Sparkle.


    "How about we make a deal?"


    Sparkle gave him a dismissive glance.


    "Little blondie, cut the cunning act. What makes you think you have the right to bargain with me? Or that you have anything that might interest me?


    You don''t. Little blondie, I don''t think you''ve realized your situation yet.


    You are now just a prisoner¡ªor, more accurately, an actor.


    Stay put. When Aha finishes writing the script, we''ll give you a copy. Memorize your lines well. I''d rather not have to force you.


    You know what''ll happen if I take over your body. It won''t be pretty~ Little blondie~"


    With that, Sparkle skipped away, going off to inspect her domain.


    Inside the cell, Otto was extremely anxious.


    But he wasn''t anxious about escaping¡ªhe was worried about finding Ye Yun to buy a resurrection item and bring Kallen back.


    However...


    He was now trapped in this Grand Theater, unable to escape.


    The next day¡ªon the Xianzhou Luofu


    The martial arts tournament was in full swing.


    Unlike before, the preliminary rounds had concluded. The current stage was the knockout rounds.


    Ye Yun and his group were seated in a private viewing box.


    Cloud Retainer sat on the edge of her seat, energetically giving advice to Shenhe and pointing out things to watch out for.


    That''s right¡ªShenhe had been selected for the first match.


    Her opponent was a martial artist from a combat-focused world.


    "Dear disciple, don''t be nervous¡ªwhatever I''ve taught you, just do that, understand?


    Also¡ª"


    Cloud Retainer kept talking and talking, to the point where Ningguang started to wonder whether it was Cloud Retainer or Shenhe who was going into the fight¡ªCloud Retainer looked even more anxious than her student.


    Shenhe calmly replied,"Yes, Master."


    Ganyu, standing nearby, added with concern,"Don''t overdo it. Just do your best."


    Soon, the announcement came over the speakers, calling Shenhe to the arena.


    She stood up and headed through the contestant tunnel.


    A few minutes later, she emerged onto the stage.


    Immediately, Stelle, March 7th, and Hu Tao stood up to cheer.


    "You got this, Shenhe! You''re the best!"


    "Shenhe! Show them what us Liyue folk are made of!"


    "Go, Shenhe!"


    She stepped onto the stage and unsheathed Calamity Queller.


    Her opponent was a large man¡ªessentially a mountain of flesh.


    "Hahaha! Didn''t expect to fight a dainty girl! Guess I''m moving on to the next round!"


    He swung his giant hammer and charged at Shenhe.


    Her expression remained ice-cold as she pulled out a talisman.


    "Divine Ice Transformation!"


    A burst of freezing energy exploded outward, instantly freezing the man solid.


    Shenhe then pierced his forehead with a single thrust of her spear.


    The audience was stunned.


    "Who is this powerhouse? I don''t remember seeing her in the prelims!"


    "Tell me about it. That mountain of meat did great in the earlier rounds¡ªhis hammer skills were impressive. But he just got one-shot!"


    "Don''t you know? Some participants skipped the preliminaries and went straight to the knockout round.


    She came from that special viewing box over there.


    I bet she''s one of those elite invitees."


    "Well, now it''s getting interesting. Looks like those folks are on a whole different level."


    After the match, Shenhe calmly stepped down from the stage.


    Cloud Retainer was thrilled, holding Shenhe''s hand as she sat her down.


    "Well done! Now take a break and rest."


    Over in Stelle, Lumine, and March 7th''s section¡ª


    Stelle looked at Shenhe with growing envy.


    March 7th teased her.


    "Ha! See what happens when you love being in the spotlight? Now you''re just a spectator, hehe~"


    Stelle didn''t argue. After all, when they had signed in, Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan had come in person to welcome them¡ª


    And told Stelle and Firefly: they were not allowed to participate.


    They were banned.


    Stelle was dumbfounded.


    She had been planning to show off in the tournament, but no¡ªJing Yuan shut her down completely.


    Now, all she could do was sit and watch, occasionally cheering for her friends.


    Lumine poked fun too.


    Stelle, remember to cheer really loud when it''s my turn, okay?"


    Stelle finally snapped.


    "You two get away from me! I''m not talking to anyone who can actually compete!"


    Then Firefly chimed in:


    "Stelle, don''t worry about them. They''re only in the tournament because they''re... average. We''re banned because we''re too strong, right?"


    That flipped a switch in Stelle''s mind.


    "Exactly! Lumine, March¡ªyou''re just too weak. This kiddie-level tournament isn''t for me¡ªit''s for you guys. Hehe."


    She gave them a smug look, making the two itch to beat her up.


    The knockout round proceeded quickly.


    Before long, the first round was over.


    March 7th and the others advanced easily.


    Their strength left the other contestants under immense pressure. No one questioned now why they''d skipped the prelims.


    At first, there were complaints about fairness¡ªwhy did they get to jump straight into knockouts?


    Now, there were no objections. Their strength spoke for itself.


    Even Yanqing was feeling the heat¡ªeven after learning the Sword Control technique from Ye Yun''s shop.


    Forget Lumine¡ªhe couldn''t even handle her.


    Lumine was stronger than him in raw power and wasn''t lacking in swordsmanship either.


    The only problem?


    She liked to brawl head-on¡ªand halfway through the fight, she''d forget her own abilities existed.


    ***


    The first round of the competition quickly came to an end.


    Lumine and March 7th were beaming with joy ¡ª they had just pulled off a spectacular win.


    Just the two of them standing there, with their shiny, sparkling titles above their heads, was eye-catching enough.


    Especially March 7th''s "Sharpshooter" title ¡ª now that sounded impressive.


    March 7th sipped from a nearby cold Coke, her foot tapping nonstop, clearly full of swagger.


    At that moment¡ª


    Kiana looked on enviously. She hadn''t signed up and couldn''t participate, which annoyed her.


    "Sigh, why can''t I go on stage too~? My Athena Valkyrie title is so cool, come on~"


    Mei tried to comfort her.


    "Kiana, we''re just here to watch. Besides, we need to head back soon ¡ª there''s still so much to do."


    Ever since Otto''s capture, the world of Honkai Impact 3rd had fallen into chaos. Theresa had been taking Kiana and the others around to quell uprisings.


    Kiana pouted unhappily.


    "Ah~ I want to join the competition. Even just being allowed to watch would be nice~"


    Stelle, hearing that, suddenly felt a lot better inside.


    See? Even Kiana can''t even watch and has to go back to do missions.


    Now that she thought about it, just sitting here, drinking cold Coke, munching on snacks, and watching matches wasn''t so bad after all.


    Yae Miko, Ayaka, and Itto were sitting next to Ye Yun.


    Itto, ever carefree, didn''t feel the least bit anxious about being in another world. On the contrary, he was thrilled.


    Just now on the field, he''d faced an equally wild opponent ¡ª both wielded spiked clubs and had a blast bashing each other. It was a satisfying match.


    Ayaka kept glancing around ¡ª the place was so modern and bustling, nothing like anything she had ever seen in Inazuma.


    Miko had been shocked at first too, but by now, she was well in control of her emotions.


    Miko turned to Ayaka.


    "Little Ayaka, do your best in the next round. Let''s try to go further in the competition."


    Ayaka snapped out of her thoughts and nodded gently.


    "Yes, Lady Guuji."


    Miko waved her fan.


    "No need to be so formal, little Ayaka. Relax ¡ª we''re here to have fun."


    Then, she picked up an empty plate beside her.


    "Could you go ask Stelle for some sunflower seeds?"


    Ayaka looked a little shy. She and Stelle had only just met.


    "Um... Guuji-sama, maybe you could go instead? I¡ª"


    Miko pretended not to hear and turned away to chat with Ye Yun.


    Seeing this, Ayaka could only gather her courage and walk over to Star.


    She approached, and just as Stelle spat out a seed shell, she turned and saw Ayaka.


    "Oh, it''s you, Ayaka! Come, have a seat."


    Ayaka sat down next to her as invited.


    Stelle glanced at the plate in Ayaka''s hands and immediately understood.


    Before Ayaka could even speak, Stelle grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and put them on her plate.


    "Here! Eat up! Help yourself ¡ª we''re friends, no need to be polite!"


    Stelle''s warmth made Ayaka feel much more at ease.


    Ayaka smiled gratefully.


    "Thank you, Stelle."


    Star waved it off.


    "No biggie, like I said ¡ª no need to be shy. Look at those girls ¡ª do they act polite with me?


    They''ve eaten half my whole bag of seeds." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle had bought a 20-kilogram bag of sunflower seeds, and by noon, most of it had already been eaten.


    There was still an entire afternoon to go, so Stelle figured she''d probably have to get more later.


    Lumine tossed another seed into her mouth.


    "Exactly, Ayaka, don''t be polite. Just take what you want."


    Stelle rolled her eyes at Lumine.


    "Didn''t you just make a big deal? Still mooching my seeds?"


    Lumine chuckled.


    "Hey~ it''s not finalized yet! Once the deal''s done, dinner''s on me."


    Lumine had hidden supplies in the wilds of Inazuma, just waiting for Yoimiya to come find her.


    "Then it''s settled ¡ª we''ll go to Belobog for a feast. I want snowfield venison hotpot."


    Lumine gave a big OK sign.


    "No problem. Let''s eat!"


    Lumine walked off with some seeds, and Stelle looked back at Ayaka.


    She saw Ayaka sitting up perfectly straight, a picture of well-mannered poise.


    While cracking more seeds, Stelle said,


    "Ayaka, isn''t this exhausting? You still have a match later.


    Come on, do what I do ¡ª grab a footrest, put your feet up, and lean back."


    Ayaka gave an awkward smile and was about to decline.


    Before she could, Stelle had already fetched a stool for her to rest her feet.


    Seeing that, Ayaka didn''t want to turn down Stelle''s kindness.


    Following her instructions, she propped up her legs and leaned back in the chair.


    It really was quite comfortable.


    Stelle lay back too, handing over a cold Coke.


    "Here, Ayaka, try this. It''s super good!"


    Ayaka took it, thanked her, and took a small sip.


    The fizzy bubbles burst in her mouth, making her let out a quiet, delighted hum.


    After swallowing, she looked at the bottle in her hand.


    "This drink..."


    Stelle grinned.


    "Nice, right? Drink as much as you want. If you run out, I''ve got more."


    She patted a large box of Coke beside her.


    To keep it cool, Eula was nearby dropping ice into it from time to time.


    Ayaka nodded slightly and fully relaxed into the chair, cracking seeds.


    This was a kind of comfort she had never experienced. The most undignified thing she''d done in the past was sneaking into the kitchen late at night to make tea over rice.


    But lounging around like this in front of everyone ¡ª this was a first.


    Still, it was undeniably comfortable.


    The afternoon matches began quickly.


    To everyone''s surprise, Ayaka was the first one called.


    Hearing her name from the announcer, she jumped up and ran to the stage.


    Her opponent was a samurai.


    Drawing her weapon, she gave a small bow and spoke with grace:


    "Pardon me. Kamisato Ayaka, heir of the Kamisato Art, here to challenge."


    After the samurai introduced himself, the duel officially began.


    He charged at Ayaka with a strong step.


    The Vision at Ayaka''s waist glowed.


    "Kamisato Art: Soumetsu!"


    A cold gust shot toward the samurai.


    He had no time to react and was struck.


    Ayaka quickly closed the distance, her blade pressed to his neck.


    Seeing this, the samurai ceased resistance. The match was decided.


    Ayaka''s elegant and poised combat style made it clear to the audience that she was a noble lady.


    And with her youthful, middle-school-like appearance, she quickly won over a large crowd.


    "Kamisato Ayaka is the best!"


    "You''re so graceful, Ayaka!"


    "Ayaka, go for the championship!"


    "Ayaka! I''m your dog! Woof woof!"


    Hearing all the cheering, Ayaka felt truly happy.


    After thanking the crowd, she returned to the stands.


    Stelle gave her a big thumbs up.


    "Nice job, Ayaka!"

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114 - 114Ayaka sat beside Stelle, naturally resting her feet on the stool.


    Soon, Ayaka and Stelle started chatting while munching on sunflower seeds.


    Before long, it was March 7th''s turn to compete.


    March 7th walked up to the stage with a swagger, hands on her hips, chest puffed out.


    "Sharpshooter! March 7th! Coming through!"


    March 7th''s entrance was met with a wave of cheers.


    March 7th was already a lively and cheerful young girl, and combined with her actual skills, she was quite popular.


    As she listened to the cheers from the crowd, March 7th glanced at Stelle in the stands and gave a little nod.


    Stelle immediately sighed and, whispering to Ayaka, teased.


    "Look at her, acting all proud now. Hmph~ If Jing Yuan hadn''t stopped me from participating, who could''ve matched the glory of my Galaxy Fire Hero?"


    Ayaka smiled and playfully agreed with Stelle.


    "Yes, yes, Stelle is the best."


    On the stage, March 7th''s opponent appeared ¡ª it was Scott.


    March 7th looked at Scott, who was standing alone on the stage.


    "Take out your weapon, let''s finish this quickly," March 7th said dismissively.


    Scott smirked slightly.


    "Alright, I''ll bring it out."


    Scott pulled out a walkie-talkie.


    "Come here."


    In the next moment, a company''s custom-made mecha descended from the sky, and Scott immediately climbed into it.


    March 7th was stunned.


    "What''s this? This is a competition! What''s with the mecha???"


    Scott sneered proudly.


    "This is my martial way! What''s the problem? In this era, fighting is just about brawling, and this mecha is part of that fight!"


    March 7th was about to argue against Scott''s twisted logic when she stopped and thought for a moment.


    "Hey, wait... you know, he actually has a point."


    Scott chuckled arrogantly.


    "See? Let''s get started then."


    As Scott prepared to control the mecha and start the fight, several light arrows suddenly flew at the mecha, piercing it through.


    In an instant, the mecha emitted loud alarms.


    Warning! Warning!


    The mecha''s limbs were pierced, and the whole thing was rendered completely useless. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scott climbed out of the mecha and pointed at March 7th.


    "You don''t follow martial ethics!"


    March 7th pointed at the referee beside her.


    "How am I not following martial ethics? The referee already said the match started. Bye!"


    March 7th shot another arrow, completely destroying the mecha.


    The referee also announced the result.


    "Congratulations to Miss March 7th for advancing to the top 8!"


    The audience cheered loudly for March 7th, especially the people from Xianzhou. They had seen the Imperial Bow Destiny weapon! It was a longbow too!


    March 7th walked off the stage amidst the cheers of the crowd.


    Next, the referee announced the upcoming match.


    "Second match of the top 16, Clara from Belobog versus Luka from Belobog!"


    Clara, sitting next to Ye Yun, was stunned.


    Luka on the other side was equally confused.


    "Clara? Really? Is it the one I know?"


    It wasn''t until he saw Clara walk up to the stage that he realized it was the Clara he knew.


    Luka was completely puzzled. How did Clara make it to the top 16?


    The murmurs from the crowd soon explained the situation.


    It turned out that Clara had entered the competition, and coincidentally, while Luka was leaving the stage, Clara had stepped up to compete.


    "Luka, Luka, please get to the stage quickly!"


    Hearing his name called from the loudspeaker, Luka snapped back to reality and hurriedly went up to the stage.


    Luka was a bit at a loss. What should he do? He didn''t want to hurt Clara.


    "Clara, when the match starts, you can hit me a few times, then I''ll trip you. Got it? The opponents ahead are strong, and I''m worried you''ll get hurt."


    Clara smiled softly.


    "No need, Brother Luka."


    As she finished speaking, a transformation device appeared in Clara''s hand.


    "Family Model No. 2! Come out!"


    In an instant, a suit of armor appeared, enveloping Clara.


    Clara glanced at Luka''s weapon ¡ª just a pair of fists.


    She decided to remove the large sword she was holding and stuck it in the ground, ready to fight in a brawling stance.


    This scene felt vaguely familiar to the watching Himeko.


    Clara jumped up and launched a flying kick towards Luka, who chose to take the hit, crossing his fists in front of his chest.


    Clara''s kick landed squarely on Luka''s fists.


    The force sent Luka flying backwards, and just as he was about to fall off the stage, he stopped.


    Turning around, Luka broke into a cold sweat.


    This power... I''m in trouble.


    Luka''s heart raced as he charged towards Clara.


    Seeing this, Clara responded.


    "Family Model No. 2, activate automatic defense mode."


    The light on Family Model No. 2''s chest changed to red.


    "Automatic defense mode activated!"


    Luka threw punch after punch at Clara, but they were all blocked by the automatic defense mode of the mecha.


    This continued for over a hundred punches, with none of them breaking through the defense.


    Exhausted, Luka gathered all his strength for one final punch.


    "Ha!"


    A burst of flames shot out, but Clara, wearing Family Model No. 2, stood perfectly unharmed.


    Clara''s voice rang out.


    "Sorry, Brother Luka."


    Clara, controlling the mecha, flew forward and knocked Luka off the stage.


    On the stands, Himeko saw this and turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, did you provide Clara with the materials for that mecha?"


    Himeko couldn''t help but think of Family Model No. 1, which had been so powerful because of the excellent materials Ye Yun provided.


    Ye Yun smiled and answered nonchalantly.


    "Of course, I gave her the best materials!"


    Himeko was speechless. As expected, the materials for Clara''s Family Model No. 2 were not ordinary.


    The Family Model No. 2 was obviously overpowered.


    Nearby, Stelle nudged Firefly.


    "Firefly, which one is stronger, Clara''s Family Model No. 2 or your Sam?"


    Firefly shook his head.


    "I''m not sure. We''ll have to see them fight to know."


    Stelle stroked his chin.


    "I wonder when I''ll get my own mecha."


    Firefly chuckled.


    "You can go buy one from Ye Yun. He probably has them."


    Welt, passing by, suddenly spoke up.


    "Isn''t the next issue of the lottery for an armor?"


    Stelle suddenly remembered.


    "Oh right, the next issue is for some Emperor''s Armor or something. I''ll buy a few tickets. I don''t believe I can''t win."


    Firefly smiled.


    "I''ll buy a few too. If we win, I''ll give it to you to play with, Stelle."


    Stelle smiled widely.


    "That''s a great idea! Now, the chances of winning just went up."


    ***


    The round of 16 ended quickly.


    And the final top 8 were:


    Clara.March 7th.Lumine.Yanqing.Yunli.And three strangers.


    When Venti saw the top 8 list, he shook his head.


    "We from Teyvat are completely wiped out."


    Zhongli remained silent. It was true¡ªTeyvat was entirely defeated.


    Lumine? She doesn''t count as a Teyvat native, okay?


    Hu Tao, Ayaka, Itto, Shenhe, and the others were all knocked out in the round of 64 to 32, the second match session in the afternoon.


    Hu Tao sat next to Zhongli, pouting unhappily.


    In her round-of-64 match, she ran into Yunli. The raw strength difference between them was just too big.


    Both Yunli and Yanqing had studied swordsmanship under Jingliu for a while¡ªtheir strength was no longer what it once was.


    "Guest Consultant, come with me to Ye Yun''s store later. I want to shop."


    Zhongli nodded slightly."Alright, I''ll accompany you."


    Hu Tao planned to buy something to enhance her strength¡ªit was time for a major power boost.


    With the top 8 announced, the day''s matches came to a close. Tomorrow would determine the ultimate winner.


    Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, and the others greeted Ye Yun and then ran off to have fun.


    Hu Tao, on the other hand, went back to the train with Zhongli and Ye Yun.


    As soon as they returned to the train¡ª


    Hu Tao ran to the small bar to browse goods. She looked through item after item but didn''t find anything she really wanted.


    Leaning on one hand, she pondered what to buy.


    She looked toward Noelle.


    "Noelle, do you have any suggestions?"


    Noelle was caught off guard.


    "Huh?"


    "I said¡ªdo you have any good suggestions?"


    Noelle looked up and thought for a moment.


    "How about opening a Golden Trash Can? That''s how Stelle and the others mostly gained their strength."


    Hu Tao didn''t seem interested.


    "That relies too much on luck. What if I get unlucky?"


    Noelle nodded in understanding.


    "Then maybe a better weapon? Or items that boost your abilities?"


    "That''s what I was thinking, but I just haven''t found anything I like."


    Noelle poured her a glass of water.


    "No rush. Take your time¡ªthere''s plenty of merchandise."


    Hu Tao continued flipping through the shop menu.


    Eventually, her gaze stopped on an item.


    [Item: Spirit of the Phoenix]Description: A spiritual entity formed from a phoenix. Grants the user control over flames. By devouring higher-grade flames, the user''s fire-controlling abilities will increase.Highly destructive against demons and evil spirits.Price: 880,000 Star Coins.


    Hu Tao really liked it.


    But¡ªshe was just a bit short. She only had 800,000 on hand.


    She was short 80,000...


    She fell into deep thought, brainstorming ways to get the extra Star Coins.


    After a while, seeing how late it was, she decided to head back to Liyue Harbor first.


    At the entrance of the internet caf¨¦, she saw Calestia personally buying food.


    "Calestia? Why are you down here buying food yourself? Don''t you usually have Nahida bring it up for you?"


    Calestia sighed helplessly.


    "Nahida and Aether went back to Sumeru, so I had to come get it myself. You eaten yet, Hall Master? Want to join me?"


    Hu Tao patted her stomach.


    "Sure, I haven''t had dinner yet either."


    Calestia pulled out 5,000 Mora and asked the boss to make another seafood fried rice.


    She handed the box to Hu Tao and noticed the gloomy look on her face.


    "Hall Master, you look kinda down."


    Hu Tao sighed.


    "I want to buy something to boost my power, but I don''t have enough money. I''m 80,000 Star Coins short."


    Calestia thought it was something serious. That''s it?


    She pulled out a small wooden box.


    "Here, Hall Master. Should be about 100,000 Star Coins in here. Take it."


    Hu Tao opened it¡ªsure enough, there were 90,000.


    "Where''d you get this from?"


    Calestia glanced sideways toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    "Don''t worry about it. Just take it. Go buy what you want. I''m heading back up to keep gaming."


    She dashed upstairs.


    Hu Tao counted the money. 90,000."That''s enough¡ªplus extra!"


    She happily headed to Wanmintang.


    Midnight.


    Zhongli returned to his room in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    He opened his storage cabinet and reached for a secret compartment out of habit.


    As he felt around, his eyes suddenly widened.


    He checked again, frowning tightly.


    He leaned in to look¡ª


    Where''s that big box?! Where are my 90,000 Star Coins?!


    He focused his senses¡ªand detected a familiar aura.


    Following the trail, he arrived at the front of the internet caf¨¦.


    One more scan¡ªand he found the culprit.


    Calestia!!!


    Taking a deep breath, Zhongli entered the caf¨¦.


    He went straight to the third floor, opened the door, and walked over with a dark face.


    Calestia was squatting on her chair, headphones on, both hands on the keyboard, munching on seafood fried rice while gaming.


    Zhongli removed her headphones.


    "Where did my Star Coins go?"


    Calestia, irritated by the sudden interruption, turned¡ªand saw it was Zhongli.


    "Oh, those? I gave them to the Hall Master. She didn''t have enough money and wanted to buy something. I saw you had some, so I took it and gave it to her."


    "You eat, drink, and wear everything on the Hall Master''s tab. What''s wrong with her taking a little from you for once?"


    Zhongli was speechless.


    If it was really for the Hall Master, then... he supposed it was fine.


    Still, those were his private savings¡ªmeant for emergencies in Liyue!


    "...I understand."


    Zhongli sighed, looking defeated as he walked out of Calestia'' room.


    Back in the courtyard, he happened to run into Hu Tao returning.


    "Guest Consultant, Guest Consultant! Look what I just bought!"


    She spread her arms¡ªflaming wings appeared behind her.


    With a small hop, Hu Tao took off and flew a short distance before landing beside Zhongli.


    "I asked Ye Yun about it¡ªthis Phoenix Spirit is super powerful~ I feel like I wouldn''t even be scared if Osial showed up again!Guest Consultant, from now on, if Liyue is in danger, let me go first! If I lose, then you step in. You''ve protected Liyue for so long¡ªit''s time you got some rest."


    Zhongli looked at the lively, cheerful Hu Tao in front of him and smiled warmly.


    "Very well. I''ll be counting on the Hall Master from now on."

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115 - 115Hu Tao suddenly asked at this moment:


    "Guest Consultant, I want to get some practice in. Do you have any good recommendations?"


    Zhongli assessed Hu Tao''s current strength. After being boosted by some heavy investments, Hu Tao had reached the level of an Archon¡ªamong the more powerful category.


    That made it difficult to find a suitable opponent. After thinking for a while, Zhongli looked toward the direction of Nantianmen.


    He took out a Qingling Pill.


    "Come on, I''ll take you somewhere. There''s someone strong enough for you to spar with."


    Hearing this, Hu Tao followed Zhongli and left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Under Zhongli''s guidance, they arrived at the Xianzhou Luofu.


    Looking at the bustling Changle Heaven, Hu Tao was a bit confused.


    "Guest Consultant, why are we in Luofu?"


    Zhongli replied calmly:


    "I just contacted General Jing Yuan. He''ll take us to see Osial.


    With your current strength, Osial should be a suitable opponent."


    Hu Tao was stunned. Didn''t she just mention Osial in passing? And now she''s actually going to fight him?


    Suddenly, she felt a little unsure of herself. What was going on?


    After all, Osial was that huge¡ªand she was just this tiny. It really didn''t seem like a fair matchup.


    At that moment, a voice called out nearby:


    "Yo~ Isn''t that Zhongli and Hu Tao? Didn''t you two go back already?"


    Hu Tao looked toward the sound and saw Stelle licking an ice cream cone as she walked over.


    Her mouth was surrounded by smears of ice cream.


    Next to her were March 7th, Firefly, Ayaka, and Lumine¡ªall also eating ice cream.


    Ayaka had originally planned to return, but Yae Miko had persuaded her to stay overnight in Luofu and watch the matches the next day before heading back.


    Hu Tao greeted them:


    "We did go back. I got what I wanted, and I asked the consultant to take me to find someone I can spar with.


    So he brought me here~ Says he''s taking me to fight Osial."


    The others perked up with interest.


    "Ohoho! A fight? Mind if we tag along?"


    Hu Tao shrugged nonchalantly:


    "Nothing to mind. Let''s go together."


    So Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and the others joined the party and followed Hu Tao and Zhongli toward the Shackling Prison.


    Inside Shackling Prison.


    Dan Heng, Xueyi, Jiaoqiu, and Moze had come here seeking a complete cure for Feixiao''s Moon Madness.


    As they walked deeper, they began to feel something was off¡ªfar too quiet. Unnervingly so.


    Just as they were preparing to go deeper, a girl suddenly came chasing a Ditin through the prison gate.


    "Stop right there! Give me back my skewers!"


    It was Yunli. She had just bought some grilled skewers and was happily eating them when a Ditin appeared out of nowhere, snatched a bunch of her skewers, and ran off. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No way she could let that slide¡ªso she gave chase, which led her right into Shackling Prison.


    Spotting Dan Heng, she yelled:


    "Quick! Help me catch that Ditin!"


    Dan Heng blocked its path and caught it.


    The Ditin struggled in his hands while the skewers fell from its mouth to the floor.


    Yunli quickly picked them up and wiped off the dirt.


    "Phew~ Thankfully they didn''t stay on the ground for more than three seconds."


    Dan Heng and Xueyi looked at her, about to ask what she was doing here, when Stelle and the others walked in through the gate.


    "Dan Heng? What a coincidence! We keep bumping into familiar faces tonight."


    Dan Heng looked at them.


    "Stelle? You''re here too? Also, wipe your mouth¡ªyou were just eating ice cream, right?"


    Stelle wiped her mouth.


    "Oh! You never miss a thing, Dan Heng. Your perception''s top-tier.


    We''re here with Hu Tao¡ªshe''s going to fight Osial for some sparring practice."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "I see."


    Stelle looked at him.


    "What about you? Why are you in this prison? Here to fight too?"


    Dan Heng shook his head slightly and looked at Jiaoqiu.


    "I was having a meal with Jing Yuan when he mentioned he had something to discuss with me. After we ate, I ran into Mr. Jiaoqiu outside the restaurant.


    He invited me to come here to search for a complete cure for General Feixiao''s Moon Madness."


    Jiaoqiu smiled with narrowed eyes.


    "Qingling Pills can suppress Moon Madness, but only suppress. To truly cure it, we must find another way."


    Stelle raised an eyebrow.


    "Well then, let''s go in together."


    With a wave of her hand, Stelle led Hu Tao and the others deeper into Shackling Prison.


    Deeper within Shackling Prison.


    They reached the depths of the prison.


    March 7th looked around, feeling a little uneasy.


    "That''s weird. Why haven''t we seen any guards this whole way?"


    The others agreed¡ªit was indeed strange.


    Dan Heng drew his Cloud-Piercing Spear.


    "Everyone be alert. Something''s not right here."


    Just then, a group of "fox people" emerged from the shadows.


    "Thanks for leading the way¡ªthanks to you, we made it inside Shackling Prison."


    At the front was Mok Tok.


    Everyone turned to look at him. Lumine asked:


    "Who are you?"


    Mok Tok let out a cold laugh.


    "Me? I''m from the great Borisin Tribe! Now die, lapdogs of The Reignbow Arbiter!"


    At his command, the Borisin tribe charged at Stelle and the others.


    Stelle shouted:


    "Don''t panic! Watch this!"


    She pointed to the sky.


    "Come forth! Trash-can King No. 1!"


    Ten Trash-can Kings appeared around her, forming a protective circle.


    She pointed forward.


    "Attack them!"


    The ten Trash-can Kings flexed their muscles and charged into the wolf tribe, each punch taking down an enemy.


    Stelle then pulled out Judgment of Shamash and began precise shots.


    This kind of trash wasn''t even worth her switching to greatsword mode.


    Moze and Xueyi weaved through the enemy ranks, each strike a clean kill.


    Zhongli stood with arms folded, exuding majestic calm.


    "Solid as a Rock!"


    A golden shield appeared over everyone''s body.


    Hu Tao pulled out the Staff of Homa, using this opportunity to familiarize herself with the Phoenix Spirit she had just purchased.


    The system-purchased Phoenix Soul instantly boosted her to the Archon level.


    With that surge of power, Hu Tao needed actual combat to adjust to it.


    As the battle began, the Borisin Tribe started to collapse.


    Seeing this, Mok Tok panicked. How are these people so powerful?!


    He looked toward the surrounding prison cells and hatched a plan.


    In one cell, Osial was lying comfortably on a bed, watching the epic fight outside, occasionally throwing in a comment.


    "Oh come on! You think you''ll win from the front? Flank him!


    Such noobs. Ten on one and they''re still going in one by one? Total rookies. Man, I wish I had some wine¡ªthis is great entertainment."


    Just then, he noticed someone approaching his cell, looking like they were about to open it.


    The door opened.


    "Wait! Stop! That little gray-haired girl is right outside! Don''t let me out!


    Don''t open that! Shut the door! SHUT IT!"


    ***


    With a ripping sound, Osial''s prison door was flung open.


    Osial immediately burst into tears. It''s over¡ªI don''t want to break out!


    Mok Tok , seeing Osial crying, thought he was simply overwhelmed with emotion.


    "Brother, don''t cry! Now''s our chance¡ªlet''s beat those guys and escape together!"


    Osial remained lying on the ground, still crying. Not a single word Mok Tok said registered with him.


    His mind was racing, trying to figure out how he was going to explain all this.


    Mok Tok patted Osial on the shoulder and went to open the next cell door.


    One by one, he opened all the prison cells, and the inmates rushed out to attack Stelle and the others.


    Among them was Luocha, who simply glanced at the fierce battle below, then returned to calmly reading his book.


    As more prisoners joined the fight, Mok Tok slipped away and entered a particular cell.


    Inside was Hoolay. Sensing the commotion, Hu Lei looked up as Mok Tok entered, bowing with excitement.


    "Warhead Hoolay! We''ve finally rescued you! Don''t worry, I''ll untie you right away!Once you return to the tribe, we''ll rise to glory once more!"


    Mok Tok freed Hoolay from his restraints. Hoolay glanced at Mok Tok, disappointment in his eyes.


    These little wolf cubs... they''ve lost their edge.


    What he had hoped for most was to see the next generation storm into Shackling Prison, pull out the Red Moon from his chest, and whisper into his ear:


    "Old man, you should''ve died long ago. The Red Moon belongs to me now. I will lead the Borisin Tribe back to the top!"


    Sadly, reality had delivered the opposite.


    After a short rest, the abundance energy surged within Hoolay, healing all of his injuries.


    As he stepped out of his cell, his overwhelming presence caused everyone nearby to stop fighting.


    The Borisin wolves, seeing their Warhead freed, were emboldened!


    "Warhead Hoolay! You''ve finally returned! Brothers! Fight! We must rescue the Warhead!"


    Stelle and Firefly exchanged glances¡ªand stopped holding back.


    Stelle called out to the group:


    "Everyone, fall back! Leave this to me and Firefly!"


    The two moved simultaneously.


    "Judgment Of Shamash, Unleashed!"


    "I shall... set the seas ablaze!"


    Stelle''s Judgment of Shamash shifted into greatsword form, unleashing a flame-swept slash.


    Firefly, piloting Sam, leapt high and delivered a fierce kick toward Hoolay.


    Hoolay raised his arms to guard his chest and took the blow head-on.


    The force of the strike sent him flying back.


    Standing up, Hoolay patted his chest, extinguishing the flames burning on his armor.


    Firefly stared coldly at him.


    "Surrender now and no one else has to get hurt."


    Hoolay snorted.


    "If it''s a fight you want, then a fight you''ll get. Beasts die on their feet, not their knees!"


    At that moment¡ª


    A strange aura rippled through the prison, followed by loud laughter.


    "Hahaha! Aha has found something fun again! Hahaha!"


    Aha materialized at the center of the battlefield.


    The next second, Sparkle stepped through a portal, holding a microphone in her hand.


    Scanning the crowd, she cleared her throat.


    "Ahem~ Good evening, everyone~ I''m Sparkle, warden of the Grand Theater Prison.


    From here on out, I''ll be your official commentator for this special exhibition match of the Martial Ceremony~"


    Stelle and March 7th looked at her, exasperated.


    March 7th leaned in to whisper to Stelle:


    "What''s Sparkle up to this time?"


    Stelle shrugged.


    "No clue. Let''s just see."


    Center stage¡ª


    Sparkle continued:


    "Let me first introduce the contestants."


    She ran up to Hoolay.


    "First up! Our powerful, imposing, awe-inspiring Warhead Hoolay!"


    Mok Tok beamed with pride.


    "Now that''s someone with vision! Our Warhead is invincible!"


    Hoolay gave Sparkle a glance.


    "You seem to know me well. Not bad."


    Sparkle smiled brightly at his cooperation.


    "Warhead Hoolay, do you feel confident about this upcoming match?"


    She held the mic to his mouth.


    Hoolay replied confidently:


    "Of course! I face every battle with full confidence!"


    Sparkle clapped dramatically.


    "Wow~ As expected from our mighty Warhead!"


    "Now then, let''s meet the other team.


    Hey! You folks up there¡ªcome on down!"


    A starskiff decloaked above the arena, revealing itself to the crowd.


    Standing on the edge were Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Huaiyan, Yanqing, and Jingliu.


    Jing Yuan saw Sparkle enthusiastically waving at him and shook his head with a sigh.


    "Let''s go down."


    The five jumped down from the starskiff.


    Hoolay, seeing Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and Huaiyan¡ªhis long-time rivals¡ªimmediately recognized them.


    He scoffed.


    "Hmph, just three generals. Nothing I can''t handle."


    Mok Tok nodded in admiration.


    "Warhead is unmatched!"


    Sparkle grinned and continued:


    "And two genius swordsmen¡ªYanqing and Yunli."


    Hoolay gave the two a glance.


    "Just two brats. I can swat them aside."


    Sparkle went on:


    "And the one and only¡ªDan Heng, the Imbibitor Lunae."


    Hoolay''s gaze lingered longer this time.


    "Hmph. Just the Imbibitor Lunae. No big deal."


    Then Sparkle said:


    "And the former Sword Champion¡ªLady Jingliu~"


    Hu Lei furrowed his brow.


    Jingliu? Who the heck is that?


    But as he focused, a chill ran down his spine.


    "Jingliu!!!"


    Sparkle still wasn''t done.


    "And also¡ªWangsheng Hall''s Master Hu Tao, the Geo Archon Zhongli, Stellaron Hunter Sam, the Kamisato Clan''s Lady Ayaka, Trailblazer March 7th, and our Galactic Heavenfire Hero, Stelle!"


    Hu Lei was dumbfounded. Wait, what?! I''m fighting... ALL OF THEM?!


    Mok Tok, oblivious, chimed in:


    "Hah! Just a bunch of nobodies! Our Warhead will crush them all!"


    His words made the expressions of Stelle, Jingliu, and the others visibly darker.


    Hoolay really wanted to slap Mok Tok. Shut up already! You''re literally charging their ult gauges!


    And sure enough¡ª


    In the next instant:


    "Judgment of Shamash! Annihilation!""Illuminate the rivers and mountains!""Heavenly Wrath!""Rain of Arrows!""I shall... set the seas ablaze!"


    Thirty minutes later.


    Shackling Prison returned to peace. The Borisin wolves who came to rescue Hoolay were all suppressed.


    Hoolay and Mok Tok lay on the ground, tightly bound.


    The surviving inmates were returned to their cells. The dead were cremated on the spot.


    Osial, witnessing the result, gloated.


    Hah, I''m the smart one. You didn''t see who was out there?The little gray-haired reaper, the martial god Zhongli¡ªjust those two alone are monsters!


    Not to mention their friends. You think their crew is normal?!


    Jing Yuan looked at Hoolay and waved his hand.


    "Lock those two back up."


    A few Cloud Knights moved to escort Hoolay and Mok Tok away.


    Just then, Sparkle and Aha ran over.


    Sparkle skid to a stop in front of Jing Yuan.


    "General Jing Yuan~ How about letting me take these two little wolves? I''m opening a Grand Theater Prison and need actors~"


    Jing Yuan looked at Sparkle and Aha.


    "That won''t be necessary, Lord Elation and Miss Sparkle."


    Sparkle tried again.


    "C''mon~ I promise I''ll never let them escape. I''ll just keep them as actors at my theater.Don''t worry! I, Sparkle, give my word! Aha won''t mess around either¡ªwe swear!"


    Aha raised four fingers.


    "Aha swears! The little mutt won''t get away!"


    Stelle spoke up.


    "General Jing Yuan, I think you can agree. Sparkle has absolute control in that theater.


    Plus, she promised Ye Yun she wouldn''t let any prisoner escape."


    Jing Yuan, hearing that, considered it.


    "In that case, fine. You two can take them."


    Sparkle and Aha beamed with joy.


    Sparkle kicked Aha.


    "What are you staring at?! Go haul those two mutts back!"


    Aha rubbed his rear.


    "Going, going! Don''t be mad, Lady Sparkle!"


    He ran over, hoisted Hoolay and Mok Tok, opened a portal, and leapt in.


    Sparkle waved.


    "Goodbye everyone~ The Grand Theater''s grand opening is in the works¡ªremember to attend!"


    With that, she hopped into the portal as well.


    The portal closed.


    Jing Yuan suddenly had a bad feeling. Was that... inhumane?


    Hoolay and Mok Tok... in the hands of Lord Elation and Sparkle... oof.


    "Stelle, when''s the theater opening?"


    "She said she''ll give us a heads-up in the group chat."


    Jing Yuan quietly pulled out his phone¡ªand muted the chat.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116 - 116Jiaoqiu felt a bit regretful. He had originally planned to take the Crimson Moon Elixir from Hoolay.


    From reading some ancient texts, Jiaoqiu had learned of the existence of the "Crimson Moon"¡ªa substance that could cure Lunar Madness.


    That was also why he had gone to the Shackling Prison.


    "What a pity."


    Moze comforted him.


    "No big deal. To treat the general, we can just go to Ye Yun."


    Jiaoqiu nodded slightly.


    "I suppose that''s all we can do."


    Stelle, March 7th, and the others looked around. The Cloud Knights were cleaning up the battlefield.


    Stelle said,


    "March, let''s walk around a bit. It''s my first time in a prison."


    With that, Stelle wandered off.


    As she walked, she spotted an old acquaintance¡ªOsail?


    Osail was hammering nails, repairing one of the prison cell doors.


    "Yo? Isn''t that Osail? Oh right! Hutao wanted to spar with you!"


    Stelle called out to Hutao in the hall.


    "Hutao! Hutao! Osail''s over here. Do you still want to fight him? If you do, I''ll help hold him down!"


    Hutao paused to think.


    "Forget it. I just finished a fight. I''m heading back with the guest consultant."


    Hearing that, Stelle raised her eyebrows and looked at Osail.


    "Well then, sit tight. Hutao doesn''t want to fight you anymore. She was originally gonna use you for some practice."


    Osail glanced at Hutao. He''d seen this little girl before, but in such a short time she had grown so strong?


    From his senses, Hutao''s energy now exceeded his own.


    However, it looked like the girl hadn''t yet mastered full control over her power.


    Osail gave Stelle a look, then glanced down at Zhongli and sighed in relief.


    Luckily, those little werewolves had already served as her training. If he really had to fight her...


    If he took it seriously, he might hurt her¡ªand then those two killing monsters might actually come for him.


    But if he didn''t fight seriously, he''d still get his butt kicked by her strength.


    Later, after a short rest at the Shackling Prison, everyone headed back home.


    Stelle and March 7th returned to the shop. Stelle patted her bag and pulled out 10,000 star coins.


    "Gonna open a Golden Trash Can before bed."


    She bought a golden trash can and opened it. A flash of golden light¡ªand a claim ticket appeared.


    Stelle calmly put the ticket away. She had decided to open one every day instead of saving them up for a big pull.


    Because she''d heard that everyone''s luck varies daily.


    Rather than going all-in at once, she figured it was better to try a little each day.


    Seeing this, Hutao wondered¡ªshould she try too?


    She rummaged through her bag and found she still had enough star coins for one Golden Trash Can.


    Stelle stopped in her tracks, curious to see what Hu Tao would pull.


    "Hutao, open it! I wanna see what you get!"


    Hutao opened the Golden Trash Can. Just one. She didn''t have high hopes.


    Suddenly!


    Everyone''s eyes widened as a red light burst forth, illuminating the whole shop.


    "No way! She pulled something? A red item from her first Golden Trash Can?!"


    Stelle felt like she was dreaming.


    When the red light faded, there was a spear, a golden ring, and a red ribbon.


    Stelle was confused.


    "You can get three items at once?"


    Firefly said,


    "Maybe those three are parts of one item? Let''s ask Ye Yun."


    Hutao picked up the three items and walked to Ye Yun''s room.


    She knocked on his door.


    "Ye Yun? Ye Yun? Are you asleep?"


    A few minutes later, the door opened. Ye Yun yawned and looked at her.


    "I was almost asleep. What is it?"


    Hutao raised her hands and showed him the three items.


    "Ye Yun~ Help me check what these are. I just got them from the Golden Trash Can."


    Ye Yun rubbed his eyes and looked.


    [Item: Nezha''s Three-Piece Set (Low-End Version)Description: The three magical treasures of a certain rebellious kid in pink.Price: 5 million star coins]


    After reading the info, Ye Yun couldn''t believe it. He rubbed his eyes and checked again.


    "HSSSS!!!"


    Ye Yun gasped sharply.


    Seeing his reaction, Hutao realized she had probably pulled something incredible.


    She asked anxiously,


    "Ye Yun, what is it? Tell me! Don''t keep me in suspense!"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "Put it this way¡ªthese items sell for 5 million star coins."


    The room fell completely silent.


    The silence lasted several minutes, until Klee, Hook, and the other little ones burst into the shop, breaking the tension.


    Klee and the kids had just washed up and, with Himeko''s permission, came to watch some cartoons.


    Klee noticed the crowd at Ye Yun''s door.


    "Eh? Brother Ye Yun? Sisters? What''s going on here?"


    Bailu shrugged.


    "No idea. Don''t worry about them. Let''s watch cartoons. Afterward, we''ve gotta sleep¡ªwe''re making potions tomorrow."


    Klee dropped her curiosity, ran to the sofa, and started watching.


    Hutao and the others snapped out of their daze.


    "HSSSS!!!" They all gasped again¡ªfive million! Five million!


    Stelle slapped herself in the face.


    "Eh? Didn''t hurt... didn''t hurt... I must be dreaming. I''m going back to sleep. Bye."


    Her face turned red from the slap. She knew she wasn''t dreaming, but she didn''t want to accept the truth.


    Nothing''s scarier than your bestie pulling a Lamborghini while you''re still on foot.


    Hutao asked,


    "Ye Yun, what exactly are these?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "These are the treasures of Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince¡ªa major deity from the Supreme Realm.


    The golden ring is the Wind Fire Wheels, the spear is the Fire-Tipped Spear, and the red ribbon is the Universe Ring.


    Just drip some blood on them, and they''ll recognize you as their master."


    Hutao did as told, dripping blood onto the three items.


    The moment the blood touched them, the artifacts came alive.


    The Wind Fire Wheels shrank and flew to her feet, lifting her off the ground.


    The Universe Ring wrapped around her, flowing with immortal energy.


    The Fire-Tipped Spear flew into her right hand.


    This power-up was downright broken. With the Phoenix Spirit and now Nezha''s gear¡ª


    Tsk tsk, Hu Tao should be the Pyro Archon of Teyvat, not Mavuika. Mavuika probably isn''t even a match for her now.


    Lumine and March 7th looked on in envy. Hutao looked so cool!


    Spinning fire wheels beneath her feet, a flaming spear in hand, and the red ribbon swirling around her like a celestial being.


    Lumine pulled out all her savings and went all-in, buying 100 Golden Trash Cans.


    When she finished, she collapsed on the floor in despair. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heh... claim tickets... all claim tickets... who''s even getting loot from these Golden Trash Cans?!"


    ***


    Inside Liyue Harbor.


    It was already midnight.


    The internet caf¨¦ was still bustling with people; more customers came to surf the net at night than during the day.


    Why? Because overnight packages were cheap! Many Liyue citizens who didn''t have to work the next day would come here to play.


    Zhongli was temporarily acting as the caf¨¦ manager at the front desk, as the staff on duty wasn''t feeling well and had just gone to the restroom.


    Suddenly, Zhongli frowned slightly and looked out toward the vast sea.


    In the distance, the sea surged violently with thunder and lightning¡ªlike a ferocious beast about to emerge.


    With a blink, Zhongli teleported to a seaside cliff, quietly observing the raging ocean.


    He wasn''t the only one¡ªNingguang, Yelan, Keqing, and all the Adepti also sensed the aura.


    Asmodeus merely glanced over and went back to playing his game. "Just a minor character, nothing worth pausing my game for."


    Ningguang activated the Jade Chamber and headed toward Guyun Stone Forest.


    She stared at the sea beast below.


    "So it''s finally here! I''ve been waiting for this moment for a long time!"


    Below was the wife of Osial¡ªthe sea beast Beisht.


    Beisht raised her three heads and roared at the Jade Chamber in the sky.


    "Return my husband to me!"


    When Osial was blasted out of his seal previously, she had already sensed it.


    Back then, the energy was too overwhelming, and her instinct for survival helped her regain her sanity¡ªso she didn''t immediately come to his rescue.


    After observing for several days and confirming that the powerful ones had left, she finally dared to show herself.


    Ba Zhe stirred up monstrous waves, and Ningguang immediately ordered the Millelith to activate the Guizhong Engine.


    But with the massive waves as cover, the Millelith lost their target and could only fire blindly.


    The giant waves surged toward the Millelith, about to sweep them into the sea.


    At that moment, a meteor suddenly crashed down onto the sea.


    A second later, a massive shockwave rippled outward from the impact point.


    The tidal waves Beisht had summoned collapsed under the force of the shockwave.


    Keqing looked toward the impact point and saw a familiar figure.


    "Hutao!"


    Hutao stood on Wind-Fire Wheels, holding the Flaming Spear, pointing straight at Beisht.


    "What monster dares to invade Liyue Harbor? Come and meet your end!"


    With a sudden burst of force from her feet, Hutao instantly appeared in front of Beisht, thrusting her spear.


    Beisht had no time to dodge¡ªone of her heads exploded before she realized she was under attack.


    Seeing the fearsome Hutao before her, Beisht gave up trying to save Osial and dove into the sea.


    Hu Tao pointed at Beisht.


    "Huntian Ribbon, go!"


    The ribbon flew out, dove into the sea, wrapped around Beisht, and dragged her back to the surface.


    Beisht twisted and struggled frantically. Hutao rushed forward and blasted another of her heads with her spear.


    In less than a minute, Beisht was down to one head¡ªon the brink of death.


    Rain began to fall. Standing high in the air on her Wind-Fire Wheels, Hutao held her Flaming Spear horizontally, ready to deliver the final blow.


    Just then, Zhongli appeared beside her.


    "Hold on, Director."


    Seeing Zhongli, Hutao paused.


    "Guest consultant, you''re still awake? Oh right, with such a powerful monster attacking Liyue, of course you couldn''t sleep."


    "Did you see my treasures? Aren''t they awesome? Hehe~"


    Hutao proudly showed off the treasures she just drew: the three artifacts of Nezha.


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "The Director is indeed formidable. These three artifacts are...?"


    Hutao explained:


    "I got them from a Golden Trash Can. Remember how I had some leftover Star Coins after buying the Phoenix Spirit? I spent them on a Golden Trash Can just for fun.


    Didn''t expect to draw these three treasures! I''m telling you, Guest Consultant, these are worth five million Star Coins combined!"


    Zhongli was genuinely surprised.


    Five million? No wonder the Director''s strength increased so dramatically.


    Zhongli looked at Beisht.


    "Director, she is a sea monster'' kin. If she dies, her body will pollute the ocean.


    Even though we''re relocating soon, this place isn''t completely abandoned."


    Hearing this, Hutao withdrew her spear.


    "Alright then, I''ll leave her to you. I''m going to bed¡ªI''m exhausted~"


    She flew away on her Wind-Fire Wheels back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Zhongli coldly looked at Beisht, summoned divine power, and restrained her, dragging her to Wanmin Hall.


    Ningguang, Keqing, Yelan, Ganyu, and the Adepti were all speechless.


    Such a fearsome sea beast¡ªcompletely crushed by Hutao just like that?


    Back at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Hutao had just returned and was about to rest when someone suddenly popped out.


    "Director, I want to discuss something with you~"


    Calestia jumped out of nowhere, grinning slyly.


    Startled, Hu Tao said:


    "It''s you, Calestia? What is it?"


    Calestia chuckled.


    "Director, would you like to become the Pyro Archon?"


    Hutao blinked.


    Become the Pyro Archon? For real?


    "Nah, forget it. I''ve still got to make Wangsheng Funeral Parlor flourish. I''m going to sleep~ I fought too many battles today."


    But Calestia wouldn''t give up.


    "Director, at least consider it?"


    Hu Tao waved casually.


    "Alright, I''ll think about it."


    Then she went to her room to sleep.


    Calestia was truly sincere about wanting Hutao to become the Pyro Archon.


    The position was vacant anyway, so why not her?


    Our Director is so strong¡ªbecoming the Pyro Archon would be a piece of cake! Beating mortals would be child''s play.


    But alas, it seemed she wasn''t interested.


    Oh well, whatever happens happens. Back to my game.


    Calestia teleported back to the esports room and resumed playing Audition Online.


    In the Shackling Prison.


    Zhongli brought Beisht there and placed her in the room next to Osial before turning to leave.


    Beisht lay on the bed recovering her strength, carefully examining her surroundings and thinking of a way to escape.


    Then, a familiar voice came from the next room.


    "Beisht? You got caught too? It''s me, Osial!"


    Hearing Osial''s voice, Beisht sat up abruptly.


    "Husband? You''re here too? I''ve missed you so much!


    Don''t worry¡ªI memorized the route here. We''ll escape together when the time comes!"


    Osial sighed.


    "Wife, let''s forget it. This isn''t Teyvat¡ªwe''re in another world.


    Our power here doesn''t count for much."


    Beisht was stunned to hear she was in another world.


    Looking around at the unfamiliar architecture, it really didn''t look like Teyvat.


    Osial continued:


    "At least here, we get a cell with space to move. Back when Morax sealed me, I couldn''t even move an inch."

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117 - 117The time came to the second day.


    Lumine, March 7th, Stelle, and the others arrived at the dueling grounds.


    Today, the final winner would be decided.


    Lumine looked at March 7th.


    "March, if we end up facing each other, don''t expect me to go easy on you."


    March 7th scoffed.


    "My Houyi Bow isn''t just for show! You better be careful not to get shot by my arrows."


    The two of them were trash-talking each other.


    Stelle, Firefly, and Ayaka sat nearby, leisurely munching on peanuts.


    They''d had sunflower seeds yesterday. Having them again today would be boring, so they switched it up with peanuts.


    These peanuts were freshly roasted from a stall on the Astral Express, and they smelled amazing.


    Yunli was sitting and eating skewers. Ever since discovering Ye Yun''s shop, she went there every day to buy skewers.


    A different flavor every day¡ªnever the same twice.


    Yanqing glanced at Yunli. He already knew who his opponent would be¡ªYunli.


    This was arranged specifically by Jingliu through Jing Yuan, to let the two of them spar and test each other''s recent progress.


    Jingliu also imposed a restriction: this duel could only use sword control techniques¡ªno other sword arts allowed.


    Yanqing had a background in sword control and had progressed slightly faster than Yunli¡ªbut only slightly.


    Yunli had caught up quickly and was now advancing even faster than Yanqing.


    To be blunt, Yanqing had developed inner doubts. After battling Dan Heng, Blade, and Jingliu, he had started questioning his own swordsmanship.


    Especially after that fight with Jingliu.


    In contrast, Yunli had a pure heart and trained with focused determination. Naturally, her progress surpassed Yanqing''s.


    Soon, the host stepped onto the stage and began the opening ceremony.


    The surrounding audience cheered loudly, shouting encouragement for their favorite contestants.


    Lumine, March 7th, Clara, and Yanqing were all raring to go. Yunli was still calmly eating her skewers.


    At that moment¡ª


    Stelle''s phone rang. She answered it.


    "Hello? Hutao? What''s up?"


    Hutao''s voice came through the line.


    "Stelle! Get back to the train right now! Today''s dungeon is insane! The prize is 100,000 star coins!"


    Hutao hadn''t planned to come watch the match on Luofu. She had only stopped by to check out what today''s dungeon was. The previous few had been pretty lackluster.


    Stelle immediately hung up and called over Firefly and Ayaka.


    "Firefly, Ayaka, pack up¡ªwe need to head back!"


    Firefly and Ayaka looked confused.


    "What''s going on, Stelle?" asked Liuying.


    Stelle replied, "Today''s dungeon reward is 100,000 star coins."


    As soon as they heard that, they jumped up to start packing.


    After a couple days here, Ayaka had also learned what star coins were worth.


    Last night, she had even visited Ye Yun''s store to browse the shop.


    A hundred thousand star coins! If she could get her hands on that, it could definitely help improve the situation in Inazuma.


    March 7th noticed Stelle frantically packing behind her.


    "Stelle, where are you all going?"


    Stelle stuffed a sack of peanuts into her storage ring, then folded up her lounge chair.


    "It''s nothing, it''s nothing~ We''re just heading out for a stroll. You all go on with your matches."


    With that, Stelle tugged on Firefly and Ayaka and rushed them out.


    Stelle, Firefly, and Ayaka reached the venue exit.


    Firefly asked, puzzled, "Stelle, why aren''t we bringing March and the others?"


    Stelle replied, "They have their matches. Besides, there are only 16 slots available this time!Come on, move it!"


    The three of them dashed off.


    March 7th saw Stelle acting all suspicious and instantly guessed she was up to something.


    Knowing Stelle, she had definitely found a money-making opportunity.


    Every time Stelle got this urgent, it meant she was about to rake in some star coins.


    Right then, the matchups were announced.


    March 7th''s opponent was Clara.


    An idea popped into her head. She ran over to the judges'' table and whispered something.


    The judges looked a little regretful but shook hands with her.


    March 7th then bolted out of the tournament grounds to catch up with Stelle.


    Soon after, the judges announced over the broadcast:


    "Contestant March 7th is feeling unwell. A hidden injury from the last match has flared up, and she has decided to withdraw.


    Therefore, contestant Clara advances directly to the next round!"


    The audience was stunned.


    They were already down to the top 8¡ªhow could someone withdraw now?


    If she won this one, she''d become famous!


    Lumine rubbed her chin, thinking.


    She had clearly seen March 7th go to the judges and then run out.


    The more Lumine thought about it, the more it didn''t sit right. Something was definitely off. In the last match, March 7th had wiped the floor with Scott in just a few arrows¡ªthere''s no way she was injured.


    There was definitely something fishy going on!


    Lumine looked around and realized Stelle, Firefly, and Ayaka were also gone!


    That confirmed her suspicions.


    Lumine started considering how she could also find an excuse to withdraw. For March 7th to leave so decisively, it had to be because of the star coin prize.


    Just as she was about to head to the judges¡ª


    The broadcast sounded.


    "Up next: the first match! Contestant Lumine versus Contestant Wang Er!" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that, Lumine decided to just act her way through it.


    She stepped onto the stage. The opponent was about to greet her with a cupped-fist salute, but Lumine impatiently waved it off.


    "Hurry up, stop wasting time. You¡ªcome punch me!"


    Wang Er was dumbfounded. What''s with this urgency? It''s like she''s rushing to reincarnate.


    He threw a punch. Ying pretended to block with her sword.


    He punched again¡ªLumine flew off the stage.


    She lost the match instantly.


    Just as Yanqing was about to help her up, Ying got up on her own, dusted off her legs, grabbed Paimon, and ran off the field.


    Yanqing frowned slightly.


    What''s with Lumine and March 7th? Something''s not right. One forfeited, the other threw the match. But they were so serious just yesterday.


    At Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Hutao was pacing anxiously near the dungeon portal, sending messages to Stelle every so often to ask where she was.


    Today''s dungeon was called [Starcraft Showdown], a large-scale event.


    [Today''s Dungeon: Starcraft Showdown]Description: All participants will play as mobile troopers defending their base against invading bug swarms.Rewards: Each Zergling kill earns points. Each point equals 10 star coins, up to 10,000 points.Points can also be used to summon reinforcements¡ªMarauders, Ghosts, Banshees, Siege Tanks, and more.Participant limit: 16 people.


    Finally, Hutao saw Stelle, Firefly, and Ayaka arrive.


    "You''re finally here! My guest officer, General Jing Yuan, Mr. Welt, plus Kafka and Silver Wolf are already inside.


    Come on, come on, let''s sign up and get in!"


    ***


    After Hu Tao finished speaking, she pulled Stelle toward the dungeon portal.


    At that moment, March 7th and Lumine also came running back.


    March 7th saw the situation and, as expected, there was Stellar Jade to earn!


    "Hey! Stelle! There''s money to make and you didn''t call me?"


    Lumine immediately followed up.


    "Exactly! Are we not sisters anymore?"


    Stelle shrugged.


    "Didn''t you two have a competition? So I didn''t call you~"


    Lumine looked at her with a disappointed face.


    "The martial arts ceremony? That''s just a match. Is that more important than money?"


    March 7th strongly agreed.


    "Exactly, Stellar Jade is the most important thing, right?"


    Stelle shrugged again.


    "Yes, yes, yes. Let''s go, let''s get into the dungeon first."


    The group then signed up and entered the dungeon.


    A few beams of light flashed, and Stelle and the others were teleported into the instance.


    Inside the dungeon.


    On a barren planet, a high-tech military base was perched on a high ground.


    All around it, swarms of Zerg-like creatures surged in from every direction.


    From the base, streams of firepower blasted out, killing the incoming enemies.


    Stelle and the others were teleported into a preparation room.


    An NPC was already waiting for them.


    "You''re finally here. Grab your weapons and head to the front lines immediately!


    Remember! Be very careful¡ªreviving costs 50 points if you die."


    The NPC pointed at the rifles on the table, and everyone quickly grabbed one.


    They stood upright and gave a salute.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Everyone got into character quickly, rushing out with their rifles.


    As soon as they stepped outside, Stelle felt a rush of adrenaline.


    Explosions roared all around; both sides were locked in brutal combat.


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "Go, go, go! Charge!"


    She rushed ahead straight to the front-line trenches.


    A leaping bug suddenly lunged at her, but Stelle reacted quickly. Her electromagnetic rifle fired, killing it.


    When her bullets hit the bug, she thought she saw a health bar above it.


    She shot again, confirming it¡ªthere was a health bar.


    "Health bars? That makes this easy. Let''s go!"


    Stelle pulled the trigger nonstop, gunning down bug after bug.


    March 7th, Lumine, and Ayaka joined the battle.


    They held the trench together, fending off the swarm.


    But something was wrong. The number of bugs breaching the defenses kept increasing, and their firepower was falling short.


    March 7th asked,


    "Should we fall back a bit?"


    Lumine shook her head.


    "We can''t get out. These bugs are too fast, and we''re nerfed to normal human stats in the dungeon¡ªwe can''t outrun them."


    Stelle gritted her teeth.


    "Then let''s fight to the end! Earn as many points as we can!"


    She went full auto, her rifle spitting fire endlessly.


    Just as the swarm was about to overwhelm them, a teasing voice rang out.


    "Yo, yo, yo~ isn''t this Stelle? Haven''t seen you in a bit and you''re already struggling? Your Lord Silver Wolf is here to save you!"


    Stelle turned to see Silver Wolf carrying a Gatling gun.


    She had a cigar in her mouth, one foot up on a rock, and opened fire on the swarm.


    "Hahaha! Hell yeah! Rattatatatat!"


    With Silver Wolf''s suppressive fire, the swarm was pushed back again.


    She jumped into the trench and pulled a cigar from her jacket, handing it to Stelle.


    "Stelle, want one?"


    Stelle wrinkled her nose.


    "No thanks, I don''t smoke. That stinks."


    Silver Wolf explained,


    "This is a dungeon¡ªit''s just a cosmetic item. No taste or smell at all."


    Hearing that, Stelle took the cigar and held it in her mouth.


    And sure enough, it felt different¡ªcooler, more badass.


    With the cigar in her mouth, she propped up her rifle and kept blasting bugs.


    Lumine''s eyes sparkled¡ªthis was cool!


    "Silver Wolf, give me one too!"


    Silver Wolf tossed her a cigar. Lumine caught it and copied Stelle.


    March 7th, however, was eyeing Silver Wolf''s Gatling gun.


    "Where''d you get that? We only have these dinky rifles, and you''ve got a big machine gun?"


    Silver Wolf replied,


    "You can buy it with points¡ª100 points each, at the prep room. Just ask the NPC."


    March 7th looked at her points¡ªonly 67. Still far from enough.


    Silver Wolf added,


    "I''m actually a bit slow. Zhongli already has a mech suit, with a grenade launcher that wipes out a whole crowd in one shot."


    Upon hearing that, Stelle was instantly fired up.


    No way! I''ve got to get one of those badass weapons too!


    They kept fighting off the swarm.


    Silver Wolf handed out cigars to everyone¡ªeven Ayaka got one.


    At first, Ayaka was reluctant, but after Stelle and Lumine told her how cool it was, she eventually gave in.


    Once she held the cigar in her mouth, she felt different too.


    Looking at Silver Wolf laughing and firing the Gatling gun, Ayaka made a decision in her heart.


    The High Priestess was right. In Inazuma, she was the Kamisato clan''s lady.


    But here, she was just a normal girl. She could do whatever she wanted, without worrying about others'' opinions.


    Soon...


    Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Firefly, Silver Wolf, Ayaka, and Hu Tao all had cigars in their mouths, one foot on the trench wall, gunning down the bugs.


    Before long, Stelle had earned enough points and rushed back to the prep room.


    She found the NPC.


    "I wanna spend my points!"


    The NPC hit a button, a wall slid down, and a weapon vault appeared.


    Stelle''s eyes lit up at the dazzling array inside.


    "Wow~ these weapons are awesome!"


    She and the others browsed and bought a Gatling gun like Silver Wolf''s¡ªit was perfect for killing bugs.


    No matter how fast they were, firepower solved everything.


    Stelle hefted her Gatling gun, feeling invincible.


    "Come at me, you bugs!"


    Then a heavy thud sounded behind her.


    She turned to see Silver Wolf stepping out in a heavy mech suit.


    Strutting over to Stelle, she said smugly,


    "Hey Stelle, check out my Raider Mech¡ªcool, right?"


    Stelle looked on enviously. That mech was awesome! Just look at that cannon¡ªbigger than her head!


    They headed back to the front.


    Silver Wolf launched a grenade. The explosion cleared out a whole section of bugs.


    She immediately earned over 30 points.


    Seeing that, Stelle made up her mind.


    That''s it! I''m getting the Raider Mech too! Even if it''s just for one awesome moment, it''ll be worth it.


    They continued playing and enjoying the dungeon.


    Back at the martial arts ceremony.


    The final match had begun: Yanqing vs Clara.


    Clara''s robot, Svarog, was just too strong. None of the previous contestants could break through its defenses.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118 - 118The battle between Yanqing and Clara ultimately ended in Yanqing''s victory.


    Although Clara''s guardian, Number Two, was powerful, Clara herself couldn''t bring out its full potential due to her limited combat experience.


    Yanqing relied on his own extensive combat experience to secure the final win.


    Holding the trophy in his hand, Yanqing didn''t feel as accomplished as he had imagined.


    That was because of March 7th and Lumine.


    One had withdrawn from the match, and the other had played dishonestly¡ªmaking Yanqing feel that his trophy wasn''t entirely deserved.


    Aboard the train.


    By now, it was evening.


    Today''s dungeon event had ended, and everyone who participated had earned about 100,000 credits.


    Hutao and Stelle had each opened a golden loot barrel again, but unfortunately, neither got any rare items¡ªonly two claim cards.


    Afterward, everyone went home to rest.


    Yae Miko took Ayaka back to Inazuma, with Lumine and Paimon tagging along.


    Lumine and Paimon still needed to get back to their RV.


    Ayaka, Lumine, and Paimon said goodbye to Yae Miko and headed down the mountain.


    Ayaka held a stack of photos in her hands¡ªpictures taken during today''s dungeon run with everyone.


    Soon, the three arrived at the Kamisato estate gate. Suddenly, Lumine remembered something.


    "Oh, right! Ayaka, don''t forget to go to Ye Yun''s shop tomorrow¡ªthe lottery results come out then."


    Ayaka smiled and nodded in agreement.


    "Okay, I''ll go."


    After saying goodbye to Lumine and Paimon, Ayaka returned home.


    As soon as she entered the main hall, she noticed Kamisato Ayato working on documents nearby.


    "Brother? You''re still up this late?" Ayaka asked with concern.


    Ayato smiled.


    "Just finishing up some work. How was your visit with Lady Miko?"


    Ayato wasn''t aware Ayaka had gone to another world. He only knew she had spent two days at the Grand Narukami Shrine.


    Ayaka nodded slightly. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was fun. Lady Miko introduced me to lots of new friends."


    She wanted to show Ayato the photos she had taken but changed her mind, thinking about how she looked in them.


    Ayato was a bit surprised.


    "Oh? New friends? Why not invite them over sometime?"


    Ayaka replied, "Next time, Brother. You should rest soon¡ªI''m heading to bed."


    Ayaka ran off to her room. Seeing this, Ayato picked up the pace and finished his work so he could rest too.


    As for Lumine and Paimon, when they returned to the RV, they found Yoimiya had been waiting for quite some time.


    "Lumine! Paimon! You''re finally back!" Yoimiya greeted them excitedly.


    Lumine nodded slightly. "Yeah, had something to take care of. Yoimiya, did you make the arrangements?"


    Yoimiya nodded. "All done! The ship to Watatsumi Island is ready tonight. We just need to load the supplies."


    Lumine responded, "Great. And you told them I only accept primogems, right?"


    Yoimiya patted her chest. "Yep! I told them¡ªdon''t worry."


    Lumine was finally at ease.


    "Let''s go. I''ll take you to pick up the goods."


    Lumine climbed into the RV and called Yoimiya up.


    Then she started the RV and headed toward the location where she had hidden the supplies.


    Yoimiya leaned by the window, admiring the scenery. It was her first time seeing Inazuma City from this perspective.


    Driving along, the three soon arrived at the hidden supply location¡ªan abandoned old temple.


    Lumine went inside, checked everything, and only relaxed once she confirmed nothing was missing.


    "Yoimiya, go bring them over now¡ªthey can help carry the goods."


    Yoimiya, who had been staring in awe at the stockpile, snapped back to reality.


    "Okay, I''ll go right away!"


    She dashed off quickly.


    Roughly ten minutes later, Yoimiya returned stealthily with a group of people.


    Lumine sat on a few stacked sacks of rice, surveying the newcomers.


    Leading them was Gorou. Since the shipment was large and crucial to Watatsumi Island''s welfare, Kokomi had sent Gorou herself.


    "Back so soon, Yoimiya?"


    She nodded. "Yep. Lumine, this is Gorou¡ªthe one in charge of this transaction."


    Hearing that, Lumine''s eyes gleamed like a money lover as she looked at Gorou.


    "Oh~ Hello, hello! Gorou, right? All the goods are here. Want to check? It''s 500 tons in total."


    Gorou replied, "Nice to meet you, Lumine. We''re really grateful you''re willing to sell to us in these hard times."


    Lumine waved it off. "No problem. Did you bring the primogems?"


    At her question, Gorou gestured, and two soldiers brought over a big chest.


    He opened it.


    "There are 2,000 primogems in total. Yoimiya didn''t mention your asking price¡ªdo you think this is enough?"


    Seeing the sparkling pile of primogems, Lumine licked her lips.


    Jackpot! What a deal!


    She said, "It''s enough, more than enough. You all can move the goods now¡ªI''m heading out."


    With that, Lumine grabbed the chest of primogems and ran back to the RV.


    She jumped into the driver''s seat, popped her head out, and waved at Yoimiya.


    "Yoimiya, I''m leaving first~ See ya~"


    She quickly shut the door and floored the gas pedal, speeding off toward Ritou.


    Gorou and Yoimiya didn''t say much¡ªafter all, the deal was done. Gorou began directing the soldiers to move the cargo.


    Since they were near Inazuma City, they had to work in small batches to avoid alerting the Shogunate troops.


    Inside the RV.


    Paimon was very confused.


    "Lumine, where are we going? Aren''t we heading back to Inazuma City?"


    Lumine shook her head.


    "What for? To get arrested? We just made a deal with the rebels! We need to run!"


    Paimon understood and hurriedly urged Lumine to speed up.


    Little did they know, Yae Miko had seen the entire transaction.


    She shook her head. "Sigh~ My fault. I went to Luofu these past few days and forgot to talk to Kokomi."


    She called over a shrine maiden.


    "Go issue a wanted notice¡ªput a bounty on the Traveler Lumine and Emergency Rations Paimon. Big reward."


    The shrine maiden left to carry out the order.


    Yae Miko didn''t truly intend to arrest Lumine¡ªshe just wanted to prank her.


    Two thousand primogems? That''s only 20,000 credits¡ªnothing worth mentioning.


    She had earned 100,000 today alone and wasn''t concerned about the cost.


    She was curious how Lumine would escape.


    After watching Gorou and his team move supplies for a while, she turned around and left.


    She''d let Gorou deliver this batch¡ªWatatsumi Island really was in a tough spot.


    Ritou.


    Lumine and Paimon were crouched in some bushes, observing the port.


    The shrine maidens had worked fast¡ªby the time Lumine arrived, wanted posters were already up.


    Thankfully, she had spotted them early and hidden.


    Her plan now was to lie low until Beidou arrived, then drive the RV straight onto the Alcor.


    ***


    Liyue, The Chasm.


    Aether and Nahida stood at the border between the Chasm and Sumeru.


    Passing through a tunnel, the two entered the lands of Sumeru.


    As soon as she returned, Nahida sensed the connection between herself and this land.


    Aether, wearing a white hooded windbreaker, looked around.


    "Nahida, we''ve arrived at Gandharva Ville."


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "Finally, I''ve returned to this land. I hope everything goes smoothly from here."


    Aether added from the side:


    "Don''t worry, I''ll help you, Nahida."


    Nahida smiled gratefully.


    "With your words, I feel much more at ease. Thank you, Aether."


    Aether nodded gently.


    "Let''s go. Let''s take a look at Gandharva Ville ahead."


    The two moved forward, passed by the Statue of The Seven, and arrived at Gandharva Ville.


    Most of the residents here are forest rangers, responsible for ensuring the safety of the forest ¡ª marking withering zones and clearing monsters.


    Aether and Nahida arrived at the gates of Gandharva Ville, where two forest rangers stopped them.


    "Stop. Please show your identification."


    Upon hearing this, Aether took out his ID.


    The forest ranger frowned slightly after examining it, looked at Aether, then at the document in his hand.


    "Sir, please turn back. This ID is clearly fake."


    He flipped the ID and pointed to the expiration date.


    Aether facepalmed in frustration ¡ª he had forgotten that ever since joining the Abyss, his ID had never been updated.


    The one he pulled out was from 500 years ago, back when he was traveling across Teyvat.


    As for Nahida, no doubt she was also undocumented.


    Poor Nahida ¡ª even as the ruler of this land, she couldn''t enter her own city without documentation.


    Standing a bit away from the gate, Nahida said:


    "How about I handle it? They''re all wearing Akasha Terminals."


    She had already noticed that the forest rangers were all wearing Akasha devices on their ears.


    She could use the system to create fake identities for herself and Aether.


    Given how reliant Sumeru citizens were on Akasha, they wouldn''t notice a thing, nor raise any questions.


    Aether immediately objected. What? He, the Traveler, former Prince of the Abyss, couldn''t even get past a city gate?


    Impossible! Absolutely not!


    "Watch and learn, Nahida. I''ll show you the art of human social interaction."


    Aether patted his pocket and pulled out a bag of Mora, weighing it in his hand.


    He returned to the gate. The two forest rangers were about to shoo him away again when Aether grabbed one ranger''s wrist.


    "Wait, bro. I''m just here sightseeing in Sumeru. I''m a good guy! Just forgot my ID this time. Can you cut me some slack?"


    As he spoke, Aether sneakily slipped the bag of Mora into the ranger''s pocket.


    The ranger felt the bag, then gave a mysterious smile.


    Aether smiled back with equal mystery.


    He turned to Nahida and raised an eyebrow as if to say, "See that? Problem solved. This is the art of social interaction~"


    "You dare bribe a forest ranger? That''s an added offense! The bribe is confiscated! Come with us for questioning!"


    Aether''s smug expression froze. What the heck! This wasn''t how it was supposed to go!


    He quickly let go, scratched the back of his head, and laughed awkwardly:


    "What bribe? That was just some tea money for you guys! I''ve got things to do ¡ª see ya!"


    Aether fled back to Nahida''s side, defeated.


    Nahida looked up at him with her big eyes.


    "This is your so-called art of human social interaction? It didn''t seem very effective."


    Aether couldn''t argue ¡ª he had completely failed.


    Nahida sighed. Was it really a good idea for Lord Calestia to send Aether? She felt like Lumine might''ve been more reliable.


    "I''ll handle it."


    Nahida began to connect to the Akasha System to register fake identities for them both.


    Her hair faintly glowed, divine power slowly rising from beneath her feet.


    Suddenly! Someone yanked her back, snapping her out of the Akasha link.


    Aether wasn''t ready to give up.


    "Wait! I still have an idea! If the main road doesn''t work, we''ll take a side path! Wait here ¡ª I''ll scout ahead!"


    Aether looked at the cliff beside them and jumped down.


    Ten minutes later¡ª


    Aether returned, looking utterly miserable. His hat was stained with bird droppings, leaves were stuck to his clothes.


    That''s right.


    Aether had tried to climb trees into Gandharva Ville, only to be spotted by patrolling rangers and knocked down into a river valley.


    Thankfully, he landed in a bush. If he''d fallen in the river... yikes.


    Nahida looked at him.


    "Got any more ideas?"


    Aether shook his head.


    Nahida said:


    "Then don''t move. Let me do it."


    She connected to the Akasha System and registered new identities for them both.


    Afterward, she picked up two leaves from the ground and turned them into ID documents.


    "Let''s use another entrance."


    She handed Aether his new ID, and he took it, dejectedly following her.


    This time¡ª


    They entered the city smoothly. Nahida strolled through Gandharva Ville, curiously observing everything.


    Once, she could only see Sumeru''s scenery by sending her consciousness into birds.


    Now, she could witness it all with her own eyes ¡ª naturally, she was delighted and didn''t want to miss a thing.


    As they wandered, Nahida''s gaze was drawn to a green-haired girl with short hair.


    A sorrowful expression crept into her eyes.


    The little girl had Eleazar.


    That girl was Collei, who had just come from her master, Tighnari.


    She had just taken a special herbal remedy Tighnari prepared for her.


    Though it couldn''t cure her Eleazar, it helped ease the symptoms.


    Aether, chewing on a grilled mushroom skewer, noticed Nahida''s odd expression and followed her gaze to Collei.


    "Nahida, what''s wrong?"


    Nahida replied,


    "That little girl has Eleazar."


    Aether thought for a moment.


    "Oh, that thing tied to forbidden knowledge?"


    Nahida asked,


    "Aether, do you know about forbidden knowledge?"


    Aether replied confidently:


    "Did you forget who I was? I''m a noble prince!"


    Nahida continued:


    "Then do you know how to cure Eleazar?"


    Aether shrugged.


    "No idea~" he said, taking another bite of his mushroom skewer.


    Nahida was speechless.


    Right... so much for being a prince. Better stick to running your bubble tea shop.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119 - 119Aether swallowed the grilled mushroom in his mouth.


    "I don''t know about that, but it''s no problem. You can go find Ye Yun. He definitely has a solution."


    Nahida thought it made sense, but it was troublesome to go back and forth.


    "We''ll do it later. We''re in Sumeru now, and to get to Ye Yun''s place, we''d have to go all the way to Liyue Harbor."


    Aether hummed a little.


    "This is simple. No need to go. Just watch me."


    Aether raised his voice and shouted.


    "Humming~ Venti! Come here!"


    Aether yelled out loudly, and people around them looked at him strangely. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aether didn''t mind at all. His strategy was all about thick skin ¡ª who cares what others think, as long as things get done.


    After a short while.


    Venti descended like a breeze.


    "Aether? Why did you call me?"


    Aether pointed to Nahida.


    "Nahida wants you to buy something for her."


    After saying that, Aether sat down on a wooden step and continued eating the grilled mushroom skewers.


    Nahida spoke to Venti.


    "Barbatos, I need a favor. Could you go to Ye Yun''s shop and see if there''s anything that can cure Eleazar Disease?"


    Venti readily agreed.


    "Sure, sure. I''ll go check. See you in a bit."


    Venti was about to leave when Aether suddenly grabbed him, eyeing him suspiciously.


    "You''re not right~ Something''s off~"


    Venti, confused, asked.


    "Off? What''s wrong with me?"


    Aether said.


    "You didn''t ask for a delivery fee! Last time, when you helped me get some Mondstadt Sweet Flowers to make syrup, you charged me 10,000 Mora as a delivery fee."


    Venti immediately fell silent. Was he really that greedy?


    Nahida, hearing this, added.


    "Barbatos, thank you. I''ll pay you the delivery fee later."


    Venti waved his hand dismissively.


    "Forget it, forget it. I needed money for wine last time, but I don''t need it now. No charge."


    Nahida smiled and thanked him.


    "Thank you, Barbatos."


    Aether, hearing this, chimed in.


    "Does this mean if I ask you to help me buy something in the future, you won''t charge me a delivery fee?"


    Venti decided not to talk to Aether and transformed into a breeze, flying away.


    Aether shook his head.


    "Cheapskate. It''s just helping with a bit of shopping. Not that much."


    Venti was curious why Aether didn''t buy things from Liyue.


    Aether explained that the quality of Mondstadt Sweet Flowers was great.


    Venti asked why they were better, and Aether''s answer was that Mondstadt''s ecosystem was more primitive.


    Venti was left speechless.


    High EQ: The ecosystem is more primitive.


    Low EQ: Mondstadt is more backward.


    Venti arrived at Ye Yun''s shop.


    At this moment, Ye Yun was having breakfast with the six little ones.


    Each of the six little ones was nibbling on a milk bun, taking bites and sipping on soy milk.


    Qiqi was sitting on a bench, holding a bun in her mouth but not eating it.


    Hook, seeing this, asked.


    "Qiqi, why aren''t you eating?"


    Qiqi took the bun out of her mouth.


    "Qiqi is full, but this bun Qiqi has already bitten, so I can''t waste food."


    Bailu, hearing this, took the bun from Qiqi''s hand.


    "Then I''ll eat it for you. I''m still hungry."


    Bailu took a bite of the bun, chewed it, and then drank some soy milk.


    Then, Bailu covered her mouth, shook her head wildly to mix the bun and soy milk, and swallowed.


    Bailu finished the bun quickly and touched the plate on the table.


    "Eh? That''s weird, there was one more bun earlier."


    She looked around and noticed that the last bun was now in Venti''s mouth.


    Bailu was immediately upset.


    "Venti! What are you doing with my bun? I''m not full yet!"


    Venti casually waved his hand.


    "As the saying goes, breakfast should be hearty, lunch should be filling, and dinner should be light.


    You''ve already eaten so much. Take a break. Don''t overeat. I''ll take care of the last bun."


    Ye Yun shot a disdainful look at Venti.


    "How shameless can you be? Stealing a child''s breakfast."


    Venti gave a mischievous grin.


    Ye Yun shook his head. Venti had no shame at all.


    Ye Yun asked.


    "Weren''t you going to find Dvalin? Why are you here?"


    Venti explained.


    "I''m running an errand. Nahida wants to buy something that can cure Eleazar Disease. Do you have anything here?"


    Ye Yun pondered for a moment.


    "Eleazar Disease? If I remember correctly, that disease is related to the Great Mercy Tree King."


    The Great Mercy Tree King had once been tainted by the forbidden knowledge from the King Deshret, and Eleazar Disease was a result of this contamination.


    To cure it, all they needed to do was purify the forbidden knowledge within the Great Mercy Tree King.


    However...


    Ye Yun had a medicine that could directly treat Eleazar Disease.


    Ye Yun flipped through some items and found one called "Fairy Spring Water."


    This item could purify curses and heal wounds.


    It cost 100 Star Coins per bottle, and one bottle would be enough to treat an Eleazar Disease patient.


    Ye Yun bought a few bottles and was about to hand them to Venti.


    At that moment, Ye Yun noticed the little ones, including Klee and Bailu, eating breakfast.


    "Klee, Bailu, Hook, do you want to go play in the woods?"


    When Klee heard this, she cheered.


    "Yay~ Klee wants to pick mushrooms~"


    The other little ones also agreed.


    Ye Yun looked at Venti and said.


    "Venti, you can go back now. I''ll deliver it to Nahida later. I''ll also take Klee and the others to Sumeru for some fun.


    I was just thinking I had nowhere to go today."


    Venti was happy to hear that Ye Yun would help deliver the goods.


    "Then I''ll leave it to you. I''m off to find Dvalin."


    Venti turned into a breeze and flew away.


    After the six little ones finished breakfast and cleaned up, Ye Yun led them toward the teleportation portal.


    At the Wanmin Restaurant.


    Ye Yun took the six little ones to Wanmin Restaurant, and before long, they found Nahida and Aether.


    "Nahida."


    Ye Yun called out to Nahida, who was chatting with Collei.


    To prevent Collei from running off, Nahida had taken the initiative to talk with her.


    Aether had wanted to go, but Nahida had refused, saying he''d probably scare Collei off.


    Klee, Diona, and the other little ones also shouted.


    "Nahida, Klee''s here to play with you~"


    "Nahida, long time no see."


    "Nahida, we''re going to pick mushrooms later, want to join?"


    Nahida smiled at the little ones running toward her.


    "Klee, Diona, Balu, Hook, Yaoyao, Qiqi, long time no see.


    And Ye Yun, you too, long time no see."


    Ye Yun smiled, took out the Fairy Spring Water, and handed it to Nahida.


    "Here, this is the medicine you asked Venti to buy."


    ***


    Nahida took the Fairy Spring Water.


    "How much is this, Ye Yun?"


    Yeyun held up one finger.


    "One bottle, 100 star coins. Single dose."


    Nahida took out her small wallet and handed Ye Yun a few 100-star-coin bills.


    Ye Yun handed the potion to Nahida.


    "Nahida, give it a try. If it doesn''t work, I''ll replace it with another medicine for free."


    Nahida smiled and nodded, then handed a bottle of Fairy Spring Water to Collei.


    "Collei, this is a medicine for treating Eleazar. Give it a try."


    Collei was shocked.


    Treat Eleazar? Seriously?


    And she was also confused¡ªshe had only just gotten to know Nahida, yet Nahida was already willing to offer such a precious medicine to treat her.


    It made Collei suspicious¡ªwas Nahida perhaps a bad person?


    Seeing Collei looking warily at her and Nahida, Aether said,


    "Don''t worry. Nahida would never hurt you. She''s your god in Sumeru¡ªthe Dendro Archon, the Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    Collei was even more shocked upon hearing that.


    What?! Nahida is the Dendro Archon? No way!


    Collei stared at Nahida, carefully examining her. She did resemble the statue of the Seven.


    Collei often cleaned the Statue of the Seven, so she was very familiar with its appearance.


    "Are you really the Dendro Archon?"


    Nahida smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, Collei. I remember once when you were cleaning the Statue of the Seven in Gandharva Ville, you got hungry and sat under my statue to eat a pocket pie.


    While eating, you accidentally dropped it, and you cried because of it."


    Collei blushed in embarrassment. Oh no! Her image in front of the Dendro Archon was completely ruined!


    But now she believed Nahida''s identity¡ªonly she knew about that incident.


    Back then, she had just arrived in Gandharva Ville and was still young. Because she was afraid her teacher would scold her for eating at the statue, she insisted she wasn''t hungry and ended up going without dinner that night.


    Nahida handed the Fairy Spring Water to Collei.


    "Collei, try this medicine and see if it works."


    Collei carefully took the bottle, opened the cap, and sniffed it¡ªit smelled like some kind of fruit.


    Then she drank it all in one gulp.


    After Collei took the Fairy Spring Water, Nahida asked anxiously,


    "Collei, how do you feel?"


    Collei rolled up her sleeve. The black scales on her arm were visibly fading at a speed noticeable to the naked eye.


    Collei lit up with joy¡ªher Eleazar was truly cured!


    She felt lighter and more energetic than ever.


    "My... my Eleazar is gone!"


    Nahida also felt happy for her.


    "Congratulations, Collei. You won''t have to suffer from Eleazar anymore."


    Collei said gratefully,


    "Thank you, Dendro Archon, for giving me such a precious medicine."


    Nahida gently shook her head.


    "No need to thank me, Collei. In fact, I should thank you for helping to maintain the Statue of the Seven all these years."


    Collei shook her head.


    "That''s just my duty.


    Dendro Archon, are you here to inspect Gandharva Ville? I can show you around."


    Nahida smiled.


    "Then I''ll trouble you, Collei. Please give me a good tour of Gandharva Ville."


    Collei was delighted and led Nahida, Yeyun, and the six little ones around Gandharva Ville.


    Gandharva Ville wasn''t very big¡ªafter all, it was originally just an outpost, not a full town.


    As they wandered, the group encountered Tighnari.


    Upon learning Nahida''s identity, Tighnari brought everyone to his room.


    Tighnari gave a small bow.


    "Student Tighnari, greets the Dendro Archon."


    Nahida helped him up.


    "No need to be so formal. I know you¡ªTighnari, the outstanding student of the Akademiya."


    Tighnari was surprised the Dendro Archon actually knew who he was.


    "Dendro Archon, you''ve always remained in the Sanctuary of Surasthana¡ªI didn''t expect you to know me."


    Nahida smiled.


    "I learned about you through the Akasha."


    Tighnari nodded in realization.


    That made sense.


    Tighnari then asked,


    "Dendro Archon, what brings you to Gandharva Ville this time? If there''s anything I can help with, please let me know."


    Nahida said,


    "I''m just here for a walk. After all, this is my first time truly stepping out of the Sanctuary of Surasthana to explore Sumeru."


    Tighnari was silent for a moment.


    "Dendro Archon, why have you stayed out of the public eye all this time? Is it because of the Akademiya...?"


    Not everyone in the Akademiya blindly worships authority.


    There were still people like Tighnari and Alhaitham¡ªpeople who knew how to think.


    Tighnari had always found it suspicious that the Dendro Archon never appeared publicly. Something didn''t add up.


    Teyvat is an age of divine rule¡ªeach nation governed by its Archon.


    Aether smirked.


    "Why else? A newly-born god got tricked¡ªkept thinking she wasn''t qualified to be a proper Archon~"


    Nahida looked at Aether, puzzled.


    "Aether, how do you know that?"


    Aether raised his eyebrows.


    "I used to be the prince of the Abyss Order. Back then, you were one of my targets¡ªI definitely had people researching you."


    Nahida was momentarily stunned. Well... that actually makes sense.


    Tighnari tensed up upon hearing Aether had been with the Abyss Order.


    "You were part of the Abyss Order?"


    Aether took a bite of his apple and chewed noisily.


    "Yup. Or more accurately, I used to be the prince of the Abyss Order.


    Now you can call me Aether the bubble tea shop owner¡ªor just Traveler Aether.


    Don''t worry, I''m on your side now. I came to help Nahida this time."


    Nahida added,


    "Yes, Aether was once deceived by the Abyss, but he''s changed now."


    Hearing even Nahida say this, Tighnari finally relaxed.


    "In that case... Dendro Archon, do you need me to help coordinate any personnel?"


    Nahida shook her head.


    "No need, Tighnari. I''ve already planned the next steps.


    If you really want to help, then please gather the Eleazar patients in Gandharva Ville for me."


    Tighnari was puzzled.


    "Eleazar patients? Why?"


    Nahida replied,


    "I have medicine that can treat Eleazar."


    Her words struck Tighnari like thunder.


    "A cure for Eleazar... Collei?!"


    Collei smiled.


    "Master, my Eleazar has already been cured by the Dendro Archon."

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120 - 120Tighnari carefully examined Collei and confirmed that her Eleazar disease was truly cured. Overjoyed, he exclaimed:


    "That''s wonderful! Collei, your Eleazar is finally cured!"


    He turned and bowed slightly toward Nahida.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, thank you for your healing. Collei is my student, and I''ve always been very worried about her illness."


    Nahida smiled gently.


    "No need to thank me. First, could you help me gather the other Eleazar patients?"


    Tighnari quickly agreed and ran outside to gather the patients from Gandharva Ville.


    Once Tighnari left, Nahida turned to Collei.


    "Collei, do you know how many people in Gandharva Ville are suffering from Eleazar?"


    Collei thought for a moment.


    "Let me see... The last count was 137 people. Excluding me, that''s 136."


    Hearing this, Nahida nodded and took out her small purse. She counted out 13,600 star coins and handed them to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, please help me buy 136 bottles of Spirit Spring Water."


    Ye Yun agreed and bought the 136 bottles.


    At that moment, Aether sneakily leaned closer to Ye Yun.


    "So, you''re that mysterious shop owner?"


    Ye Yun looked at Aether.


    "Yeah, what about it?"


    Aether chuckled.


    "I want to buy something from you¡ªsomething that can boost my strength. It doesn''t have to be super strong, just strong enough to beat my annoying little sister."


    Ye Yun couldn''t help but feel amused. As expected, siblings really are each other''s biggest enemies when there''s no external danger.


    "Of course I have something. Do you have star coins?"


    Aether fell silent.


    He knew about star coins and that they could be exchanged for Primogems. But... all the Primogems in Liyue Harbor had already been collected by Zhongli, Ningguang, and the others.


    Aether had tried searching for more, but couldn''t find even a single one.


    Frustrated, he slunk away and returned to eating his grilled mushroom skewer.


    Soon after, Tighnari returned.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, all the Eleazar patients have been gathered."


    Nahida smiled.


    "Thank you for your effort, Tighnari."


    Tighnari quickly shook his head.


    "It''s my duty."


    Nahida stepped outside.


    "Let''s go distribute the medicine."


    She, Tighnari, and Collei walked to a spacious area.


    The gathered Eleazar patients were puzzled¡ªwhy had they been called here?


    One curious patient couldn''t hold back and asked:


    "Lord Tighnari, may I ask why we''ve been gathered here? Could it be... you''ve developed a cure for Eleazar?"


    As he spoke, the man grew emotional.


    Many people in Sumeru knew Tighnari had been researching a cure for Eleazar. That''s why these patients had come to Gandharva Ville.


    Tighnari shook his head.


    "I haven''t found one, but... you are saved.


    The Lesser Lord Kusanali has brought medicine that can cure Eleazar. My student Collei has already been healed."


    With that, he stepped aside, revealing Nahida and Collei to the crowd.


    "The Lesser Lord Kusanali? Isn''t our god the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?"


    "What are you talking about? The Greater Lord was the former Dendro Archon. The Lesser Lord Kusanali is the current one."


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali! Did you really bring a cure for Eleazar?"


    Nahida waved her hand, and several vines emerged from the ground.


    "Collei, place the medicine here."


    Collei obeyed and placed the Fairy Spring Water bottles on the vine-woven table.


    Nahida looked around at the crowd.


    "Everyone, you''ve suffered for so long. I''ve brought medicine that can truly cure Eleazar. Please line up and don''t crowd. Come receive it one by one."


    The patients quickly lined up, eyes filled with hope, staring at Nahida.


    She beckoned to the first in line.


    "Come, take your medicine."


    Tighnari stepped forward and bowed slightly.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, allow me to handle this. You can rest."


    Nahida smiled and shook her head.


    "It''s fine. I''ll do it."


    She picked up a bottle and handed it to the patient.


    "Drink it, and you''ll recover."


    The patient opened it and drank it down in one gulp.


    Was he worried it might be poisonous? Of course, there was some fear, but it wasn''t strong. Eleazar brought immense suffering. Death would almost be a release.


    As the first patient drank, the others watched with curiosity.


    Soon, the patient''s expression turned to shock. He felt his body recovering.


    Excited, he tore open his shirt and saw the black scales fading.


    "Hahaha! I''m really cured! Thank you, Lesser Lord Kusanali, for this divine medicine!"


    Nahida helped him up.


    "Go rest over there and make room for others, alright?" she said kindly.


    The patient looked at her with awe and gratitude.


    "Yes, thank you, Lesser Lord Kusanali!"


    Nahida continued handing out the medicine.


    One by one, the patients were cured, each tearfully thanking Nahida.


    Once the vine table was empty, Nahida smiled happily.


    At last, she had truly done something for the people of Sumeru.


    Just as she was about to retract the vine table, a hand reached out. It had black scales drawn on with marker.


    "Ah~ Lady Nahida, I''m a patient too. May I have a bottle?"


    Nahida looked up¡ªit was Stelle!


    Beside her were March 7th and Firefly.


    "Stelle? March? And this is...?"


    Nahida didn''t recognize Sparkle.


    Sparkle smiled.


    "Hello, Nahida. I''m Firefly.."


    Nahida smiled back.


    "Hello, Firefly. Nice to meet you."


    March 7th rolled her eyes at Stelle.


    "Stelle, are you faking it again?"


    Leaning weakly on the vine table, Stelle protested:


    "What are you saying! Look at these black scales on my arm!"


    Nahida chuckled, waved her hand, and the "black scales" vanished from Stelle''s arm.


    "All done. You''re cured~"


    Stelle grinned and pulled down her sleeve.


    Ye Yun looked at the three, curious.


    "What brings you to Sumeru?"


    Firefly replied:


    "We got a little bored on the train, so we came here to have some fun. Heard you brought Klee and the others."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Ah, I see. Then let''s go together. If I let you three roam on your own, I''d be afraid you''d set the rainforest on fire."


    ***


    Over half an hour later.


    Nahida, Ye Yun, Bailu, Qiqi, the six little ones, Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Tighnari, Collei, and Aether were all gathered in Tighnari''s home resting.


    Tighnari asked, Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, is there anything I can help you with later?"


    Nahida thought for a moment.


    "No need for help. I''m planning to make a trip to the desert to improve the lives of the people there."


    Tighnari understood what she meant.


    What Nahida wanted was to win hearts and earn the desert people''s loyalty.


    For so many years, Sumeru had been ruled by the Akademiya, which led to many citizens not recognizing Nahida as their Archon¡ªthey only recognized the Akademiya.


    Nahida could certainly suppress the Akademiya with overwhelming strength, but that would inevitably stir up dissent among the people.


    Tighnari thought for a bit.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, if you''re going to the desert, I have someone I''d like to recommend. With her help, your journey will be much easier."


    Nahida paused and lowered her head in thought.


    "You mean the Flame-Mane Lioness, Dehya?"


    Tighnari looked a bit surprised.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, how did you know who I was thinking of?"


    Nahida replied,


    "In the entire desert, the only one with good character and the ability to aid me is the well-known Dehya.


    I doubt you''d suggest any of the more violent or infamous ones."


    Tighnari was impressed by her analysis.


    That level of logic¡ªworthy of being the Dendro Archon.


    "That''s right, it''s her. Right now she''s working as Dunyarzad''s bodyguard.


    They''re very close. If you''re willing to offer medicine to treat Dunyarzad, Dehya would definitely be happy to help."


    Nahida was momentarily stunned at the mention of Dunyarzad.


    "Dunyarzad..."


    Dunyarzad was essentially Nahida''s first true friend.


    Nahida said,


    "Tighnari, please contact Dehya and ask her to bring Dunyarzad here."


    Tighnari nodded and left to carry out the task.


    The others stayed in the room to rest, while Collei arranged for lunch.


    Aether glanced at Nahida and quietly slipped out.


    What he didn''t know was that Stelle had seen everything.


    Stelle stealthily followed him.


    "Hey, Lumine''s brother, where are you sneaking off to?"


    Aether didn''t want to respond to that nickname.


    Lumine''s brother? He had a name, thank you very much.


    He sighed.


    "My name is Aether, not Lumine''s brother. I''m going to spread some information to sway the hearts of the people in Aaru Village.


    We gave out so much medicine today¡ªit shouldn''t go to waste."


    Stelle grew interested.


    "Oh-ho? Sounds fun. What are you planning to say?"


    Aether spread his hands.


    "What else? Obviously expose the Akademiya''s crimes.


    Like how they imprisoned Nahida, which made the people suffer from Eleazar for so long."


    Stelle replied,


    "I''m coming too! Gossiping behind people''s backs¡ªnow that''s fun."


    Aether nodded.


    "Alright, let me tell you a few of the Akademiya''s crimes first, then we''ll split up."


    After Aether listed the misdeeds, Stelle ran off eagerly to spread the rumors.


    At a small square, a few older ladies were chatting.


    Stelle approached and whispered mysteriously,


    "Hey, did you know? The Akademiya has been conducting evil human experiments! You ask me how I know? Well, my cousin''s third brother-in-law''s second aunt''s son works there, and he told me.


    But I''m only telling you. Don''t go spreading it around, okay?"


    That last line was something Aether specifically told Stelle to say¡ªthe more you say "don''t spread it," the more it spreads.


    Soon enough,


    Rumors of the Akademiya''s wrongdoings spread through Aaru Village. People were outraged.


    "How could the Akademiya be so cruel? Lesser Lord Kusanali had already developed a cure for Eleazar, but they still locked her up!"


    "And now we find out they were doing human experiments?!"


    Especially those who had suffered from Eleazar¡ªupon hearing this, they grabbed their tools and prepared to go confront the Akademiya.


    After all, Nahida had saved their lives.


    However, these angry villagers were stopped by Tighnari''s forest rangers.


    Nahida listened to Collei''s report and turned her gaze to the missing-for-over-an-hour Aether and Stelle.


    The two of them were now happily sipping juice.


    Nahida didn''t even need to think¡ªclearly, those two were behind it.


    Still, she knew they did it for her.


    Back in Liyue, she had heard Zhongli talk about something called a "public opinion war."


    In Sumeru City


    The messenger sent by Tighnari found Dehya, who was accompanying Dunyarzad on a stroll.


    "Dunyarzad, we should head back. If your father finds out you''re not home, he''ll worry."


    Dunyarzad didn''t really want to go home¡ªshe enjoyed being outside.


    "I just want to stay out a little longer, Dehya, just a little bit."


    Dehya sighed.


    "Dunyarzad, your illness..."


    Dunyarzad smiled.


    "I know. It''s okay, Dehya. Just a bit longer."


    At that moment, the messenger walked up.


    "Are you Dehya?"


    Dehya turned to him.


    "I am. Who are you?"


    The messenger said,


    "I was sent by Master Tighnari of the Forest Rangers to ask you and Miss Dunyarzad to come to Aaru Village.


    He also said, if you want to cure Dunyarzad''s Eleazar, you should go."


    Dehya had been planning to refuse¡ªtaking Dunyarzad all the way to Aaru Village was risky for her health.


    But when she heard the second part, she hesitated.


    "Cure Eleazar? That''s supposed to be incurable. Tighnari can do that? Sounds like a joke."


    The messenger replied,


    "I understand it may be hard to believe. But you can see for yourself¡ªhis student, Collei, has already been cured."


    Dehya fell silent.


    She knew Collei¡ªand knew she had Eleazar.


    If that was true, then maybe it was worth the trip.


    At worst, she could carry Dunyarzad on her back the whole way.


    "Dunyarzad, what do you think?"


    Dunyarzad agreed right away¡ªshe''d always wanted to see Aaru Village, but never had the chance.


    Cure or not, she wasn''t going to miss the opportunity.


    "Sure! Let''s go now."


    Dehya nodded and lifted Dunyarzad onto her back.


    The three of them then headed toward Aaru Village.


    Unbeknownst to them, someone had overheard their conversation¡ªAlhaitham, who happened to be passing by.


    "Tighnari developed a cure for Eleazar? Now that''s interesting."


    He glanced in the direction they left and followed.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121 - 121As the sun was about to set, Dehya finally arrived at the city of Caravan Ribat, carrying Dunyarzad on her back.


    "Dehya, put me down, we''ve already arrived."


    Dehya, slightly out of breath, lowered Dunyarzad from her back.


    Dunyarzad had wanted to walk on her own for a while, but Dehya refused and insisted on carrying her the whole way.


    Dehya took out a water flask and gulped down some water.


    "Let''s go, Dunyarzad. Let''s head into the city."


    With a messenger leading them, the two entered Caravan Ribat.


    Unlike Sumeru City, Caravan Ribat was not as bustling. The sun was setting, and many people had already returned to their homes.


    Soon, Dehya and Dunyarzad met Tighnari.


    Tighnari was writing letters to reliable classmates, inviting them to Caravan Ribat.


    Nahida had already informed Tighnari about the Grand Sage''s plan to create a god using the Akasha System.


    Tighnari planned to gather his classmates in Caravan Ribat, remove the Akasha System altogether, and free themselves from the Grand Sage''s control.


    "You''re Tighnari? Do you really have medicine for Eleazar?" Dehya asked bluntly.


    Tighnari nodded slightly.


    "Of course. Her Highness the Little Lord Kusanali has brought us a cure for Eleazar."


    As soon as Tighnari finished speaking, Nahida walked out from a small house nearby.


    She stared at Dunyarzad without blinking.


    "Dunyarzad, long time no see."


    Hearing the familiar voice, Dunyarzad covered her mouth in disbelief.


    "It''s... it''s you..."


    Her emotions grew more intense. The figure from legend was now standing before her in reality.


    Nahida smiled at her.


    "Yes, it''s me, Dunyarzad."


    Dunyarzad trembled with excitement.


    "It''s really you! Lesser Lord Kusanali!"


    Nahida took out a vial of Fairy Spring Water.


    "Dunyarzad, this is the medicine to cure Eleazar. Take it."


    Dunyarzad took the elixir and drank it without a moment''s hesitation.


    Shortly after, her body began to recover, and her whole demeanor became lively and energetic.


    "I... I''m really cured! This isn''t a dream, is it? I came to Caravan Ribat, met Her Highness the Lesser Lord Kusanali, and even my illness is cured!"


    Nahida clasped her hands behind her back.


    "It''s all real~"


    Dehya was happy for Dunyarzad.


    "Congratulations, Dunyarzad."


    Dunyarzad nodded gently.


    "Dehya, you promised me that once I was cured, you''d take me around Sumeru."


    Dehya patted her chest.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep my promise."


    Just then, Tighnari suddenly said,


    "Dehya, you might need to leave Dunyarzad for a while."


    Dehya looked at him with curiosity.


    Tighnari explained,


    "Her Highness the Lesser Lord Kusanali is heading into the desert to improve the lives of the people there. I''d like you to be her guide."


    Dehya agreed immediately.


    "Oh, that''s it? Consider it done! I''ll protect Her Highness with everything I''ve got!"


    Nahida replied,


    "I''ll be counting on you, Dehya."


    Dehya asked,


    "When are we leaving?"


    Nahida answered,


    "Right now. We need to reach the desert as soon as possible."


    Dehya hesitated.


    "Can we leave tomorrow? I need to escort Dunyarzad back first."


    At that moment, the door opened and Alhaitham entered.


    "I suggest that Dunyarzad stay here in Caravan Ribat."


    Nahida looked at him.


    "You''ve been eavesdropping long enough. Finally willing to show yourself?"


    She had already noticed him but didn''t expose him. Alhaitham was different from the rest of the Akademiya.


    In Nahida''s future plans, Alhaitham played an important role.


    Alhaitham closed his book and bowed slightly.


    "Alhaitham, at your service, Your Highness Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    Dehya asked,


    "Why do you say that? Why can''t Dunyarzad go back?"


    Alhaitham explained,


    "Eleazar is considered a terminal illness in Sumeru. If people find out that Dunyarzad was cured, it will cause a lot of trouble.


    Not to mention, the Akademiya will definitely take her for research.


    And worst case, it could jeopardize Her Highness''s plan.


    Sumeru City is the domain of the Akademiya."


    Dehya understood and turned to Dunyarzad.


    "Dunyarzad, you''ll have to stay in Caravan Ribat for a while."


    Dunyarzad smiled and shook her head.


    "I don''t mind at all. I actually like it here."


    Dehya nodded.


    "Alright then, let''s go, Your Highness."


    Nahida led the group out of Tighnari''s house and under a large tree.


    Aether and Stelle had just returned from exploring the area and caught a Shroomboar.


    They were enthusiastically roasting it over a campfire.


    The aroma of grilled mushrooms mixed with the scent of roasted meat filled the air.


    Nearby, a cage held three small Shroomboars.


    Stelle crouched in front of the cage, grinned, licked her lips, and tossed in a cabbage.


    "Hehe~ come on, eat up! The more you eat, the fatter you get. Once you''re nice and plump, into my belly you go~ hehe~"


    The three little Shroomboars trembled with fear¡ªutterly terrified! You''re saying that right in front of us? You demon!


    Meanwhile, the six little ones were pestering March 7th and Firefly for adventure stories.


    March 7th said,


    "Let me tell you, that Doomsday Beast was huge¡ªsuper fierce! But it had to listen to me. I told it to come down, and it had to come down!"


    Klee clapped her hands in admiration.


    "Wow~ March 7th is so amazing!"


    With the chorus of praise, March 7th''s storytelling grew even more animated.


    Ye Yun quietly sat nearby, watching the lively scene unfold.


    Nahida approached with Dehya and the others.


    "Everyone, we need to get ready to leave."


    Hearing this, Stelle turned around to look at Nahida.


    "Right now? Can''t we wait a bit, at least until this boar is done roasting?"


    Nahida glanced at the sizzling Shroomboar on the grill.


    "This is called a Shroomboar. It does smell delicious."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up in realization.


    "Ohhh¡ªFeelings Pig. A pig with feelings."


    Nahida was speechless. She decided it was best not to correct her.


    Nahida sat down with Dehya and the others.


    Tighnari had arranged for Collei to look after Dunyarzad for the next few days.


    Nahida turned to Alhaitham.


    "Will you be coming with us?"


    Alhaitham nodded slightly.


    "Of course."


    ***


    Not long after,


    The Shroomboar was roasted, and after everyone had their fill, they set off toward the desert.


    On Dehya''s suggestion, they chose to travel through the rainforest to reach the desert.


    Although it was a longer route, it offered better concealment and would avoid being detected by the Akademiya.


    Stelle walked casually along the path, carrying three little Shroomboars in one hand and gnawing on a piece of roasted pork chop in the other.


    The three Shroomboars lay motionless in the cage, seemingly resigned to their fate.


    As they walked, the group suddenly stopped. Ahead of them, a girl was surrounded by several fungus beasts, and her situation was dire.


    Seeing this, Kong stepped forward, summoning the Sword of the Descender and slashing down several mushroom beasts in one blow.


    Ye Yun and the others arrived at the scene.


    The girl stood up and thanked them.


    "Thank you for saving me. I''m Rana, a trainee forest ranger."


    Hearing her name, Ye Yun thought to himself, Uh-oh.


    Rana! Aranyaka! Arana! Yikes¡ª


    Ye Yun glanced at Aether. Sorry, Aether.


    "Aether, this girl may still be in shock from the attack. Why don''t you escort her back? We''ll head to the desert first¡ªyou can catch up with us once you''re done."


    After speaking, Ye Yun quickly pulled Stelle and the others away, leaving Aether standing in a daze.


    Come on¡ªif we don''t run now, when will we?


    Stelle, March 7th, and Nahida were confused.


    "Ye Yun, why are you rushing us off like this?"


    Ye Yun looked back and, seeing they had gotten far enough, breathed a sigh of relief.


    "You''ll find out later. Let''s keep going."


    He deliberately kept it vague, successfully piquing the curiosity of Stelle, March 7th, and Nahida.


    The three of them caught up and kept pestering Ye Yun with questions.


    Meanwhile, Aether had already arrived at Rana''s village.


    He thought the matter was settled, not realizing this was only the beginning.


    Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, night had fallen.


    The six little ones were tired after a day of playing around.


    Ye Yun opened a portal and brought everyone back to the train to rest, planning to resume their journey early the next morning.


    To Nahida, it didn''t feel like a journey at all¡ªmore like a vacation. There was no sense of danger.


    Especially with Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly.


    They would climb trees to pick Rukkhashava Mushrooms, or jump into streams to catch fish.


    Sometimes, they''d even catch a few mushroom beasts just to tease them.


    Especially those small, jet-spraying ones. The airflow they released wasn''t harmful¡ªjust pleasantly cool when blown on the face.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly each caught one and used it like a handheld fan.


    Elsewhere¡ª


    In the underground chambers of the Sanctuary of Surasthana in Sumeru City.


    "It''s almost time! Soon, Sumeru will welcome our true god!"


    Grand Sage Azar stared madly at the large mech below.


    Having failed to obtain the Electro Archon''s Gnosis, Azar and Dottore were forced to use the Dendro Archon''s instead.


    Scaramouche stood inside the mech, his back riddled with thick energy conduits.


    In his chest, the Dendro Gnosis glowed brilliantly.


    Dottore looked on with satisfaction¡ªhis god-making plan was nearly complete.


    Even though the god-form Scaramouche would only be mid-tier among god-level powers, it was still god-level.


    At that moment, a Fatui soldier approached.


    "Executor, we''ve received news from Aaru Village¡ªLesser Lord Kusanali was spotted there."


    Dottore became interested.


    "Oh? What happened?"


    The soldier reported:


    "According to intel, the Lesser Lord Kusanali and her companions showed up in Aaru Village and distributed medicine that cured the patients suffering from Eleazar.


    They''ve already left, but their destination is unknown."


    Dottore smirked.


    "Interesting... so you''ve finally shown yourself, Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    He glanced at the manic Azar before leaving the underground lab.


    Dottore arrived secretly at Aaru Village. Sure enough, he sensed a strong Dendro elemental force.


    Especially in the square where Nahida had handed out the medicine¡ªthe elemental energy was most concentrated there.


    Dottore stood up and looked in the direction Nahida and the others had gone, following the elemental traces.


    On the train, in Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    "Stupid rabbit! Let go of me!"


    "Where did this stray cat come from?! Let go!"


    Yes, the stray cat was Elio.


    Elio had just landed the ship on the train when he ran into Pom-Pom.


    Pom-Pom thought it was a stray cat and tried to chase him off.


    Thus¡ª


    The two started brawling. Elio was furious after being mistaken for a stray, and Pom-Pom wasn''t backing down.


    Misha and Kafka were nearby, cheering them on from opposite sides.


    "Go, Pom-Pom Captain! Yes! Bite him!"


    "Elio, don''t lose face for the Stellaron Hunters!"


    Pom-Pom and Elio tussled, fur flying everywhere.


    Noelle stood nearby with a small broom, sweeping up the fur as it fell.


    Silver Wolf and Kafka silently filmed a video and sent it to the group chat.


    Silver Wolf: Video ¡ª "Shocking! Stellaron Hunter boss and Train Team leader in a brawl!"


    Bronya: Oh, this...


    Seele: LMAO, amazing!


    Xiangling: Speaking of which, I just learned a recipe for shredded rabbit. How about we have that tonight?


    Silver Wolf: Like!


    Kafka: Like +1


    Blade: Like +1


    Jing Yuan: I truly didn''t expect... the leaders of the Stellaron Hunters and Train Team to be...


    Feixiao: Fight! Go hard! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huaiyan: I''ll go check it out in person. Anyone coming?


    Welt: Elder Yan coming to the train? Perfect¡ªI just bought some tea online. Let''s taste it together.


    Huaiyan: Excellent. I''m coming now.


    Jing Yuan: Count me in.


    Topaz also saw the message in the group chat.


    She watched the scene with great interest. She never expected that two galaxy-famous leaders would turn out to be a rabbit and a cat.


    At this moment, the portal shimmered and Ye Yun and the others returned to the train.


    The moment Stelle landed, she saw Pom-Pom and Elio brawling.


    "Whoa~ Pom-Pom''s in a fight?! What''s going on?"


    Firefly recognized Elio too.


    "Elio? Why are you fighting with Pom-Pom?"


    Firefly stepped in to separate the two.


    Elio pawed at Firefly.


    "Let me go, Firefly! I''m going to teach that stupid rabbit a lesson today!"


    On the other side, Pom-Pom, held by Himeko, wasn''t backing down.


    "Bring it on! Pom! Who''s scared of who?! Pom! Stupid cat! Pom!"


    Hearing Pom-Pom shout "Pom!" that many times showed just how angry he was.


    Himeko sighed.


    "Alright, alright¡ªyou two settle down."

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122 - 122Himeko and Firefly forcibly separated the two, finally bringing Pom-Pom and Elio''s bickering to an end.


    Xiangling noticed the cage Stelle was holding and came over.


    "Stelle, is that a shroomboar in the cage?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yeah, there are shroomboars in here. Super tasty. I''m planning to raise these three little guys in my realm.Once they grow up... hehe, slurp~"


    Xiangling also started drooling at the sight of the shroomboars in the cage.


    She knew about these ¡ª she''d eaten one before, and the taste was indeed amazing, the meat infused with a rich mushroom flavor.


    "Great! I''ll help you cook them when the time comes. Guaranteed to be delicious!"


    Stelle patted her chest and pointed at Xiangling.


    "No problem. I trust your cooking skills."


    Xiangling smiled happily.


    "Come on, let''s go put them in your forest."


    The two ran into Stelle''s realm carrying the little shroomboars.


    Topaz noticed the mushroom creature in March 7th''s arms.


    The little shroom was limp and spiritless, looking completely worn out.


    "March, what is that thing in your hands?"


    March 7th replied,


    "This? We caught it in Teyvat today. It''s super fun ¡ª watch this. If you squeeze it like this, it puffs out air!"


    She squeezed its belly, and the mushroom creature, clearly annoyed, spit a bubble right at March''s face.


    The bubble didn''t have much force ¡ª it just made her hair flutter a bit.


    Topaz thought the little thing was quite fun, cute in appearance with vivid expressions.


    "March, could you help me catch one tomorrow? I want to raise one too."


    March 7th readily agreed.


    "Sure, no problem. We''re going back there tomorrow anyway, I''ll grab one for you."


    Topaz grinned.


    "Thanks! When you''re back, drinks are on me ¡ª pick anything from the company''s online store."


    March''s eyes lit up.


    "Awesome!"


    Meanwhile, Dehya and Alhaitham were curiously looking around.


    Dehya was in total shock.


    "Whoa... Ye Yun, you guys are actually from another world? This isn''t a dream, right?"


    Nahida smiled.


    "You''re not dreaming, Dehya. This really is another world."


    Alhaitham was also surprised that the Lesser Lord Kusanali knew people from another world.


    It reaffirmed his belief ¡ª letting her take the reins was the right call for Sumeru. And it allowed him to access even more fascinating knowledge.


    Himeko approached Nahida.


    "Nahida, are you all staying here tonight?"


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "Yes, could you please arrange three rooms for us?"


    Himeko nodded. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure. There are plenty of vacant rooms in Stelle''s realm. You and Dehya can stay there. As for this gentleman, I''m afraid he''ll have to make do with a small room on the train."


    Alhaitham shook his head.


    "No problem. Just having a place to sleep is already enough. Thank you."


    The six little ones returned yawning and exhausted, all looking sleepy.


    Ye Yun picked up the drowsy Klee and gently tapped her little nose.


    "Ready for bedtime?"


    Klee nodded softly, eyes barely open as she rested on Ye Yun''s shoulder.


    Ye Yun patted her back.


    "Hang in there a bit longer. You need a bath before bed."


    He brought the six kids back to their room to rest.


    After they all washed up and changed into pajamas in the bathroom, they climbed into their beds.


    They''d had a great time that day, but it had worn them out ¡ª after all, they had traveled a long distance on foot.


    Qiqi, in her laurel-patterned pajamas, was the first to fall asleep.


    When Ye Yun had bought pajamas for the six, Qiqi hadn''t known what she liked, so he simply got her the same kind Yaoyao wore.


    Klee stretched and hugged her plush Dodoco toy.


    "Huck~ turn off the light~"


    Hook, whose bed was nearest the door, reached over and turned off the light.


    The six of them snuggled under their blankets and quickly fell asleep.


    The next day arrived.


    Ye Yun and the others got up early. After breakfast, they returned to Sumeru''s rainforest to continue their journey.


    Just as they set out, they saw someone standing not far ahead ¡ª the Doctor.


    Nahida frowned upon seeing him.


    "It''s you! Fatui Harbinger, the Doctor!"


    The Doctor was surprised to see Nahida and the others appear out of nowhere.


    "Oh! Lesser Lord Kusanali, there you are. Come with me quietly, and no one has to get hurt."


    Bailu, hearing that, was reminded of when she had been captured in the past.


    "Why should we go with you? You creepy weirdo! You obviously aren''t a good guy ¡ª get lost or I''ll make you suffer!"


    Klee and Hook chimed in.


    "Yeah! Get lost or I''ll hit you with my bombs!"


    "Move it! Good dogs don''t block the road! The mighty Hook is getting angry!"


    The Doctor noticed Bailu.


    "Interesting... horns? A tail? You''d make a fascinating research subject."


    Hearing this, Stelle showed a mysterious smile and quietly pulled out her phone to start recording.


    "What did you just say? You want to take Bailu for experiments?"


    The Doctor glanced at her.


    "Of course. If the little girl agrees to be my test subject, I might let the rest of you go."


    Stelle stopped the recording and tugged Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, open a portal. I need to go back for a bit."


    Seeing her expression, Ye Yun understood what she had in mind.


    He waved his hand and opened a portal. Stelle darted in without another word.


    Back on the train, she pulled out her phone and opened the group chat.


    Star:@RealNameOnly @ColdFacedDragon @DemonicShadow @BladeBro, check this out ¡ª [Video Attached]


    The four tagged quickly opened the video.


    Within minutes, Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Blade, and Dan Heng ¨C Imbibitor Lunae appeared before her.


    Jingliu asked in a cold tone:


    "Where is he?"


    Stelle pointed at the portal and gestured politely.


    "This way. He''s right through there."


    The four dashed into the portal, and Stelle followed, grinning.


    Hehe, time for a good show~


    Right behind her, Aha and Sparkle also rushed through.


    "Hurry! Sparkle! We''re about to get a new employee!"


    In the rainforest, the four ¡ª Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Blade, and Dan Heng ¡ª locked eyes on the Doctor.


    Stelle pulled out her phone again, pointed with her small finger.


    "That''s him! The guy who tried to kidnap Bailu!"


    She even thoughtfully paused the video on the Doctor''s face for easy comparison.


    Before the Doctor could react, Jingliu and Blade moved instantly.


    They leapt into the air.


    "All rivers converge!""Burial beyond the shore!"


    With their combined strikes, the Doctor had no chance to flee ¡ª razor-sharp swordlight shredded him into dust-like pieces.


    Ye Yun spoke up.


    "This guy''s different. What you just destroyed was only a clone ¡ª he sliced himself into fragments at every stage of life."


    Hearing this, the four quickly responded.


    "I''ll go north, Jingliu east, Blade west, Dan Heng south ¡ª one direction each," Jing Yuan ordered.


    The others nodded and scattered.


    March 7th looked at the pile of dust.


    "Tsk tsk. He messed with the wrong person ¡ª poor guy. Let''s keep going. Dan Heng and the others will handle this."


    And with that, Ye Yun and company continued on their journey toward Aaru Village.


    ***


    Snezhnaya, inside the Tsaritsa''s palace.


    The Doctor was having a meeting with the Cryo Archon Tsaritsa, The Jester, and The Maiden.


    Tsaritsa spoke.


    "Jester, have you contacted the captain? Tell him to stop collecting the Gnosis."


    The Jester nodded slightly.


    "I''ve already contacted him, but that guy has his own plans."


    Tsaritsa frowned slightly at that.


    "Go to him personally. This is a serious matter. All Fatui operations must be halted, especially those involving the Gnosis."


    The Jester nodded again.


    "Understood."


    Suddenly, all four of them simultaneously drew their weapons and launched an attack at the ceiling of the palace.


    At some point, a crescent-shaped sword aura had appeared above the palace, descending rapidly.


    Even with the combined efforts of the four, they were only able to slightly alter its trajectory.


    The sword aura still struck the palace¡ªjust not directly on them. It was slightly off.


    The palace roof was shattered, and Jingliu appeared in the sky above.


    Tsaritsa frowned deeply¡ªthis person was incredibly powerful! Why had he never heard of her before?


    Jingliu pointed her Ice sword at the Doctor.


    "I''m only here to take the Doctor''s life."


    With that, she struck again with her sword.


    This strike was even more forceful than the last. The Doctor had no time to resist and was killed instantly.


    Tsaritsa, the Jester, and the Girl didn''t even have time to react.


    By the time they came to their senses, the Doctor had already been shredded by the sword aura, reduced to a mist of blood that slowly drifted to the ground.


    After taking care of the Doctor, Jingliu turned and left.


    Tsaritsa thought for a moment.


    "Jester, Girl, I''m going to Liyue. Take care of Snezhnaya while I''m gone."


    The Jester and The Maiden accepted the order.


    Tsaritsa flew into the sky, heading toward Liyue Harbor.


    She wanted to ask Calestia about the mysterious woman just now¡ªsomeone that powerful, there was no way Calestia wouldn''t know her.


    Meanwhile, with Ye Yun and the others...


    After a full day of travel, the group arrived at the border between the desert and rainforest.


    Stelle stood on a high point, looking down at the endless desert.


    "Wow~ So this is the desert? It looks hot already."


    Dehya said:


    "During the day it''s scorching, but at night it gets freezing. We''ll head down from here, and after passing through a canyon, we''ll reach Aaru Village."


    Ye Yun suggested:


    "Want to go sandboarding? This place is perfect for it¡ªit''d be so fun."


    March 7th looked around. They were standing on high ground, and all the way down led straight into the canyon.


    In other words, they could ride all the way down by sandboard.


    "I''m in! Ye Yun, quick! Get the boards out!"


    Ye Yun bought several sandboards designed specifically for sand surfing. These boards resembled small boats, with curved fronts and backs to help them glide over the sand.


    Stelle grabbed a board excitedly, immediately sitting down with her feet on it, urging the others to get ready.


    Ye Yun strapped in all six of the little ones and gave the command:


    "Go!"


    As soon as she heard the signal, Star gave a strong push, launching her board down the slope.


    "Woohoo~!"


    She held onto the board as it sped downward, feeling the thrill of the ride¡ªthis was her first time trying something so exhilarating.


    Bailu quickly got her board into position on the slope and held on tight.


    "I''m coming too~!"


    Ye Yun, Nahida, March 7th, and Alhaitham followed.


    Although Alhaitham wasn''t particularly interested in sandboarding, it was clearly an efficient way to travel.


    If there''s a better option, why not take it?


    The group charged downhill on their boards, kicking up clouds of sand behind them.


    Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the canyon.


    Stelle, satisfied, packed up her board. That exhilarating slide had been a blast.


    Over twenty minutes of uninterrupted downhill fun.


    Klee stood up, ran over to Ye Yun, and tugged at his clothes.


    "Ye Yun-gege~ Klee wants to go again!"


    Klee still wasn''t done¡ªshe wanted another round.


    Ye Yun patted her head gently.


    "Klee, we still need to keep moving. I''ll bring you back to play again next time, okay?"


    Klee nodded.


    "Okay! Let''s keep going!"


    They continued on their journey and soon reached their destination¡ªAaru Village.


    Village chief Candace welcomed them.


    At Candace''s home:


    Dehya introduced Ye Yun, Nahida, and the others to Candace.


    After hearing their identities, Candace looked solemnly at Nahida.


    The Lesser Lord Kusanali?


    "I am Candace, the chief of Aaru Village. Greetings, Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    Nahida helped her up.


    "Candace, no need for such formality."


    Candace straightened up and asked:


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, what brings you to Aaru Village?"


    Nahida replied:


    "I''ve come to improve the lives of the desert people."


    Candace was stunned.


    Had she heard that right? The Lesser Lord Kusanali just said she wanted to improve the lives of the desert folk? Was that real?


    Nahida looked at Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, do you still have that item I asked you to hold on to?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    "What you asked me to keep? Hmm... Oh, right! The Tree of Life? I''ve got a bunch. Want to buy one?"


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "I want to plant a Tree of Life in Aaru Village."


    Ye Yun looked at the item''s description:


    [Item: Tree of Life]Description: A divine tree from an elven world in a fantasy realm. Wherever it grows, a forest will follow.Function: Improves soil and creates forests.Price: 180,000 Star Coins.


    After reading that, Ye Yun immediately understood Nahida''s intent.


    She was planning to transform the desert into a forest. If she pulled that off, most desert dwellers would surely follow her.


    After all, forested land is something desert people dream of¡ªand Nahida could give it to them.


    With a wave of her hand, Nahida produced a pouch of Primogems.


    "There are exactly 18,000 Primogems here. Ye Yun, please help me buy a Tree of Life."


    Ye Yun was curious¡ªwhere did she get so many Primogems?


    "Where did you get all these? Weren''t you staying in Liyue all this time?"


    Nahida smiled.


    "I gathered them through the Fungi across Sumeru by linking with them."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Ah, I see."


    Indeed, Nahida had that kind of authority¡ªshe could link to animals or puppets and control them.


    Ye Yun accepted the pouch and purchased the Tree of Life for her.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123 - 123Ye Yun bought the Tree of Life, which at this time was still just a seedling.


    The seedling was wrapped in a bubble. Ye Yun handed it to Nahida.


    Nahida took it, examined it briefly, then looked toward Candace.


    "Candace, take me to the plaza."


    Candace obeyed and led Nahida and the others to a plaza.


    Along the way, many villagers of Aaru Village noticed Nahida and her group, casting curious glances.


    Some recognized Dehya and came over.


    "Dehya, who are these people? Where are you all going?"


    Dehya pointed at Nahida.


    "That''s the Lesser Lord Kusanali. She''s about to give us desert folk something we''ve dreamed of. Come have a look, everyone.


    A miracle has finally come to the desert."


    The one who asked was shocked by Dehya''s words¡ªthis!!! The Lesser Lord Kusanali!


    Although most desert folk harbor resentment toward the Dendro Archon, at the same time, there''s also awe¡ªfor she is still a god.


    Word quickly spread, and villagers as well as some mercenaries resting in the village began to gather at the plaza.


    Nahida held the seedling of the Tree of Life in both hands and looked up at the sky. Bright sunlight poured down, illuminating her.


    Nahida popped the bubble around the seedling and personally dug into the hard rocky ground to plant the Tree of Life.


    As she filled in the soil around the seedling, she softly chanted:


    "A tree is a bridge between earth and sky, a witness and guardian of life.A tree is the birth of life, nature''s gift.It gives people soil to live on, and provides shade and fruit for little ones.We grow together on this land and should share in the blessings of life."


    When she finished, Nahida extended her small hand toward the seedling, releasing divine power from her entire body.


    "Just as the rainforest people do, so should the desert folk. Today, I plant the Tree of Life here, and from now on, may there be only Sumeru''s people."


    Her divine power flowed into the seedling.


    It began to glow green and grow rapidly before everyone''s eyes.


    In just over ten minutes,


    the once tiny seedling had become a towering tree, estimated to be sixty or seventy meters tall.


    Stelle was stunned.


    "Whoa! Is this what a miracle looks like? Damn, this is awesome!"


    Now Stelle understood why people in more primitive civilizations worship gods.


    With a display like this, who wouldn''t be impressed?


    The villagers, desert mercenaries, Dehya, Alhaitham¡ªall were in a state of awe.


    Nahida gently floated up, sitting on the thickest branch of the Tree of Life, gently stroking its bark.


    A breeze passed through, rustling the leaves. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, the Tree of Life burst into a radiant light. The intense brightness caused everyone to shut their eyes.


    When they opened them again, a true miracle appeared before them.


    From the base of the tree, the once-barren rocky ground was instantly transformed into grassland.


    The grass quickly spread, soon covering all of Aaru Village and continuing outward.


    The village, located between four mountains, saw the grass spread halfway up the slopes before stopping.


    Then,


    countless flowers and tall trees sprang up from the grass. A spring burst forth at the foot of the Tree of Life, its waters flowing to form a waterfall in the canyon between Aaru Village and the Statue of the Seven.


    A desert mercenary knelt down in disbelief, touching the grass.


    "This is real! This is real grass!"


    His words brought the others who witnessed the miracle back to their senses.


    "Water! There''s water! So much water! Amazing! We''ll never have to worry about running out again!"


    "Mommy, this flower is so pretty! Can I take it home?"


    "No, sweetheart. These flowers will wither if taken from the soil. Let''s leave them here and you can come see them every day, alright?"


    "Thank you, Lesser Lord Kusanali!"


    The surrounding villagers and mercenaries all expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Nahida.


    But at that moment, due to overexerting her divine power, Nahida had fallen into a deep sleep on the tree branch.


    Aether saw this and stepped to the base of the Tree of Life, shouting loudly:


    "Everyone! Quiet! The Lesser Lord Kusanali is resting. Please don''t disturb her."


    Hearing this, the villagers and mercenaries immediately fell silent, afraid to make a sound.


    Then, an elderly man asked a question from the bottom of his heart:


    "Why?! Why didn''t the Lesser Lord Kusanali come sooner? If she had come earlier, we wouldn''t have lost so many loved ones!Those whose lives were taken by the wind and sand, or by hunger!"


    Aether then told everyone how the sages had imprisoned Nahida and explained that her return this time was to reclaim her position as Archon.


    The mercenaries were furious upon hearing this.


    So it was you damned sages who did this!You locked up someone as kind as the Lesser Lord Kusanali?!


    Seeing the crowd''s emotions reaching a peak, Aether raised his arm and shouted:


    "Everyone! Will you help the Lesser Lord Kusanali reclaim her rightful place as a god?!"


    The crowd roared in agreement!


    Especially the mercenaries.


    "Hell yes! I''m going back to gather reinforcements! The Lesser Lord Kusanali gave us land to survive on! She''s our greatest benefactor!"


    "Exactly! We desert folk never forget a debt! Let''s go!"


    The mercenaries left Aaru Village in small groups to gather reinforcements.


    Ye Yun watched all this, clicking his tongue.


    "Incredible... Aether really is a ''top student'' of the Abyss Order. His pyramid-scheme-like charisma is unbeatable¡ªjust a few words and people are ready to risk their lives. What a sneaky fox."


    The next day arrived.


    Nahida had woken from her slumber. As she slowly opened her eyes, she found herself still lying on the Tree of Life.


    Beside her, the six little Klee girls were playing on the branches.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly were taking photos with cameras.


    Dehya saw Nahida awaken.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, you''re finally awake."


    Nahida rubbed her eyes and looked around.


    The once sparsely populated Aaru Village was now packed with people.


    Mercenaries filled the entire village¡ªall of them had arrived overnight.


    Aether was organizing defenses with several mercenary leaders.


    He had long known the Aranara, and had taken responsibility for all 76 of them.


    He completed the "Book in the Woods" in just one day and returned to Aaru Village.


    After all, unlike Lumine in the original story, he already knew those little guys.


    Meanwhile, the 30-person group from Caravan Ribat had already heard about the miracle the day before.


    Naturally, Azar had received the news too. He had gathered most of the Thirty''s forces and was heading toward Caravan Ribat, planning to attack Aaru Village and recapture Nahida.


    ***


    Aether looked toward Rahman, the leader of the largest mercenary group in the desert¡ªpersonally recruited by Aether himself.


    Last night, Dehya mentioned that Rahman''s group was the biggest. If they could be brought over, it would greatly strengthen their side.


    Unfortunately, Rahman had always believed in the Scarlet King and thought the death of the Red King was caused by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.


    After hearing Dehya''s explanation, Aether made a personal trip.


    He knew the truth. He took Rahman to the High Priestess''s tomb and showed him the truth.


    It turned out that the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was not an enemy, but a benefactor.


    Rahman then informed all his mercenaries of the truth, and the entire group decided to help Nahida to repay the Greater Lord''s kindness.


    "Rahman, I''ll leave the main road to you. Your group is the strongest."


    Rahman patted his chest.


    "Don''t worry! If anyone wants to harm Lesser Lord Kusanali, they''ll have to step over our dead bodies first!"


    Then he turned to his men and asked:


    "Brothers, am I right?"


    His men shouted in unison:


    "Right!"


    Aether nodded in relief.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll fight alongside you."


    Rahman was overjoyed.


    "Even better! That gives me even more confidence!"


    After that, Aether assigned the remaining defense zones to the other mercenary groups, who accepted without hesitation.


    They had come prepared to die.


    The desert had finally seen hope¡ªit couldn''t be lost now.


    Most of them had become mercenaries out of desperation, living a life of licking blood off knives.


    They didn''t mind dying, but they didn''t want the next generation to live like them.


    Even if it meant death¡ªthey would protect the Lesser Lord Kusanali and the Sacred Tree.


    The Sacred Tree was what the desert people called the Tree of Life.


    Yesterday, Aether had explained the Tree of Life''s properties to them.


    As the tree grew, it would expand the oasis. One day, it might even cover the entire desert.


    Nahida looked down at the bustling village below, a little stunned.


    "Why are there so many people here?"


    Dehya chuckled.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, they''re here to support you, to help you deal with the Grand Sage."


    Hearing this, Nahida smiled with relief.


    At that moment, Stelle spoke.


    "Honestly, Nahida, want me to just go cut that Grand Sage down? I can totally do it."


    Alhaitham replied.


    "No. The Lesser Lord Kusanali needs this war to establish her authority.


    Killing Azar outright won''t solve anything. If he''s gone, another Grand Sage will just take his place.


    What she needs is the people''s will¡ªto defeat the Grand Sage''s faction fair and square."


    Stelle shrugged.


    "I don''t get why you guys make it so complicated. I could just take one swing."


    March 7th agreed.


    "Yeah! Why not just fight them head-on?"


    Nahida smiled.


    "Stelle, March, thank you for the thought. When the time comes, I''ll definitely ask for your help."


    Stelle nodded.


    "Alright. We''ll be hanging around in Sumeru for now. Just give us a shout if you need us."


    Then she pulled March 7th and Firefly along.


    "March, Firefly, let''s borrow a few of those beasts from the mercenaries.


    How about a racing match on mounts?"


    March 7th and Firefly were intrigued.


    "Let''s go check it out!"


    The three of them jumped down from the Tree of Life and ran toward Rahman.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly found Aether and Rahman.


    "Aether, can we borrow three of those beasts? We want to ride them for fun."


    Aether looked at Stelle, exasperated. These guys had ditched him the day before.


    If he hadn''t already known the Aranara and explored almost every cave in Sumeru, he''d still be out running errands for those little guys.


    "You really left me hanging yesterday!"


    Stelle gave a sheepish laugh¡ªthey already knew what had happened.


    Basically, Aether had ended up on a tough errand, crawling through all the tunnels in Sumeru.


    Now they understood why Ye Yun had told them to get out of there fast.


    "Hey, it''s not my fault! Ye Yun told us to go¡ªwe didn''t know anything!"


    She immediately pointed the blame at Ye Yun.


    Aether sighed and turned to Rahman.


    "Rahman, lend them three beasts. They''re friends of the Lesser Lord Kusanali, and they''re here to help."


    Rahman agreed heartily.


    "No problem! Friends of the Lesser Lord Kusanali are friends of mine. I''ll have someone take you to choose."


    Stelle cupped her hands in thanks.


    "Much appreciated."


    After each of the three picked a beast, they rode out into the desert beyond the village.


    The beasts were huge and heavy, and when they ran, they thundered across the sand.


    They galloped past a Statue of The Seven and arrived in the desert between Caravan Ribat and Aaru Village.


    Stelle tugged the reins hard and shouted:


    "Yah! Yah! Faster! Charge!"


    Her mount sped up in response.


    March 7th and Aether followed, racing after her.


    Without realizing it, they had arrived at Caravan Ribat.


    At that moment, the place was under lockdown.


    At the gate, a few members of the Eremite Thirty spotted them.


    "Halt!"


    Stelle pulled her reins, and her beast stopped.


    "What''s the matter?" she asked.


    One of the mercs said:


    "Caravan Ribat is under lockdown¡ªno one from the desert is allowed in!"


    Stelle pouted and turned her mount.


    "Alright, we''ll head back to Aaru Village."


    But as soon as she mentioned Aaru Village, the mercs alerted their comrades.


    "They''re from Aaru Village! Seize them!"


    Stelle was baffled.


    What the heck? Why are they trying to arrest us?


    She suddenly remembered something March 7th had said:


    "Every few worlds, we end up on a wanted list."


    Stelle thought, Is this one of those times again?


    Well, getting arrested was not an option.


    She thought about pulling out her Judgment of Shamash weapon¡ª


    ¡ªbut realized these guys were too weak. That weapon would be overkill.


    Instead, she jumped off her mount and taunted the mercs.


    "Come on, all of you at once."


    The mercs rushed her.


    In less than ten seconds, they were all on the ground, defeated.


    Stelle clapped her hands.


    "Done and dusted. March, Firefly, let''s go."


    At that moment, a voice rang out:


    "You''re not leaving just yet."


    Stelle looked up and saw a boy wearing a jackal-head helmet step forward.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124 - 124The young man was none other than the General Mahamatra, Cyno.


    Cyno had originally come here following the trail of Alhaitham.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived, he received a notice from the Akademiya: Aaru Village had rebelled, and a large number of desert mercenaries were gathering there in preparation for war.


    Compared to capturing Alhaitham, Cyno figured it was more important to deal with the mercenaries first.


    Stelle sized up Cyno and noticed the dog-head hat on his head, letting out a sudden laugh.


    "Hahaha! March, look! Someone''s actually wearing a dog-head hat! Hahaha!"


    March 7th and Sparkle also hadn''t expected such a sense of fashion from anyone.


    Cyno was furious at Stelle''s mockery.


    "You''ll pay for your words!"


    Cyno launched a full-force attack toward Stelle.


    But with just one hand, Stelle easily blocked it with Judgment of Shamash.


    With a strong push, Cyno was sent flying. In a flash, Stelle appeared behind him and landed a knife-hand strike to his neck.


    "Hiya! Take my dizzying karate chop!"


    With that, Cyno''s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.


    Stelle looked around to confirm there were no more enemies, then stored away her Judgment of Shamash and jumped onto a pack beast.


    Firefly glanced at the unconscious Cyno on the ground.


    "Let''s bring him back. This guy is considered pretty strong in Teyvat. Maybe Nahida can get some intel out of him."


    Stelle agreed and tied Cyno securely onto the pack beast with some sturdy rope.


    In the village chief''s house of Aaru Village.


    Cyno was tied to a stool, and across from him, Alhaitham sat quietly in a chair reading a book, flipping pages occasionally.


    Cyno slowly opened his eyes and looked around.


    Where is this?


    Why am I here?


    Noticing Cyno had awoken, Alhaitham closed his book.


    "You''re awake."


    Cyno looked toward him.


    "It''s you, Alhaitham! Where is this?"


    Alhaitham glanced at him.


    "This is Aaru Village. You''ve been captured."


    Cyno frowned at the mention of Aaru Village.


    "Alhaitham, are you part of the rebellion too?"


    Alhaitham shook his head.


    "Rebellion? No, I''m setting things right."


    Cyno snorted¡ªhe clearly didn''t believe Alhaitham.


    Seeing this, Alhaitham untied the ropes around Cyno.


    "Come with me. Once you see what Aaru Village is now, you''ll understand who''s really on the side of justice."


    With that, he pushed open the door. Cyno hesitated, but eventually followed.


    As soon as he stepped outside, he froze in shock.


    A massive tree towered not far from him. Though it was already night, the grass was lit up by glowing blue plants, illuminating the village.


    Under the tree, many villagers and desert mercenaries were drawing water from a spring.


    Everywhere in sight was grass, trees, and flowers¡ªfull of life.


    Children''s laughter echoed through the streets, and once-barren houses were now covered in lush greenery, transformed from desolate ruins to a natural paradise.


    Cyno even saw a few chefs under a shed cooking large pots of food.


    Mercenaries lined up with bowls in hand, chatting and laughing while waiting their turn.


    Among them were the six little ones, each holding a small bowl and joining the fun.


    The chefs naturally recognized them¡ªthey were all friends of Lesser Lord Kusanali.


    Each of the six received a big bowl of meat from the chef.


    "Eat lots of meat, kids! That''s how you grow strong!"


    Even the mercenaries in line had no objections and were asking if there was enough to go around.


    Alhaitham looked toward the Tree of Life.


    "This tree was planted yesterday by the Lesser Lord Kusanali. It''s what turned Aaru Village into what you see now.


    There are two reasons why these desert mercenaries have gathered here.


    One of them is to protect this sacred tree."


    Cyno was puzzled.


    "Protect it? The Akademiya wouldn''t destroy a place that''s transformed like this in just a day. They''d send scholars to study and manage it. There''s no need for mercenaries to protect it."


    Alhaitham looked back at him.


    "Were you even listening? I said this tree was planted by Lesser Lord Kusanali.


    And for years, the Grand Sage''s faction has imprisoned her.


    Do you understand now?"


    Cyno finally understood.


    He''d already had doubts about the Grand Sage''s claims regarding Lesser Lord Kusanali.


    Now, considering the Akademiya mobilizing troops at Caravan Ribat and these mercenaries, what Alhaitham said must be true.


    The Grand Sage''s faction had imprisoned Lesser Lord Kusanali!


    No wonder Alhaitham reacted so strongly when Cyno accused him of treason¡ªturns out the real traitors were the ones at the Akademiya.


    This side, they were the rightful ones.


    Alhaitham looked at Cyno.


    "Take off the Akasha Terminal. That thing lets the Grand Sage control you."


    Cyno did as told, removing the device.


    Alhaitham took it, threw it on the ground, and smashed it.


    "Whether you stay or leave is up to you. Just don''t side with the Akademiya."


    With that, Alhaitham walked away.


    He had things to do. Right now, he, Candace, and Aether were the busiest in the village.


    He handled intelligence, Candace handled logistics, and Aether handled military affairs.


    Nahida oversaw everything.


    Inside Nahida''s temporary office, the Aranara gathered.


    "Tree Lord! Here''s your pen!"


    These little guys had been brought back by Aether the day before and had stuck by Nahida ever since, guarding her.


    Nahida took the pen they handed her and smiled.


    "Thank you."


    The Aranara twirled around happily.


    "You''re welcome~"


    Only Aether could''ve brought them back so easily¡ªanyone else would probably still be stumbling through the forest.


    Just then, Stelle walked in.


    "Nahida, you called?"


    As soon as she entered, she noticed the room full of Aranara.


    "Yo~ so this is where you all were. No wonder I didn''t see you all day."


    Nahida smiled and nodded.


    "Yes. I have a favor to ask."


    Stelle sat down across from her, grabbing one of the Aranara and squishing it in her arms.


    "What''s up?"


    Nahida explained,


    "I''d like your help dealing with that mech. The one Azar and his people have been secretly building.


    It''s inside Sumeru City, and I''m afraid if I can''t stop it quickly, it might harm the citizens."


    Stelle thought it''d be something serious¡ªjust a fight? Easy.


    "Sure, no problem. Is that all? March, Firefly, and I were thinking of checking out the canyon area. I heard it''s popular."


    The Tree of Life had created a waterfall that formed a canyon below Aaru Village.


    The whole valley was illuminated by those glowing plants¡ªvery beautiful. Many villagers and mercenaries were down there having fun.


    Stelle had just finished eating and was planning to join in.


    Nahida gave a gentle smile.


    "That''s all. Thank you, Stelle. You''ll be well rewarded."


    Stelle wasn''t concerned about rewards.


    "Don''t worry about that. You can give me something small or nothing at all. We''re friends, no need to be formal."


    Stelle was greedy, sure, but when it came to helping friends, she never charged.


    ***


    After Stelle left, Nahida summoned Alhaitham.


    Alhaitham walked into the room.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    Nahida gestured for Alhaitham to sit down.


    "Alhaitham, once we return to Sumeru City and defeat the faction of the Grand Sage, I want you to become the new Grand Sage."


    Alhaitham immediately refused upon hearing this.


    "Better not. I prefer studying and doing research on my own rather than running a nation."


    Nahida, having anticipated this response, took out a textbook she had bought from Clara.


    The book had been used by Clara herself. It mainly taught how to grow trees in various extreme environments, turning them into habitable soil.


    "Take a look at this book."


    Alhaitham took it and opened it, and was instantly drawn in by the contents on the first page.


    Nahida continued.


    "I want you to be the new Grand Sage primarily to help govern the desert and turn it into an oasis.In doing so, you can put the theories in this book into practice and help me manage Sumeru while you''re at it. What do you think?"


    After a moment of thought, Alhaitham agreed. That didn''t sound so bad.


    He then left the room.


    Nahida stood up and stretched her body before heading out to walk around the village.


    In the ravine near Aaru Village¡ª


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly had already arrived.


    Walking along the path, they saw Sparkle chasing a Dendro Crystalfly.


    "Sparkle!"


    Stelle called out. Huohuo stopped and looked over.


    Seeing that it was Stelle, she beamed with joy and ran over.


    "Stelle! You guys are here too~"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yeah, just strolling around. What about you? Weren''t you chasing someone?"


    Firefly reminded her.


    "The Doctor."


    Stelle snapped her fingers.


    "Oh right, the Doctor. How did it go?"


    Sparkle confidently placed her hands on her hips.


    "I''m the invincible Sparkle! I caught five of his segments¡ªChild, teen, young adult, middle-aged, and elderly. That''s five new actors! I can write a brand-new play!"


    March 7th was curious.


    "What about those two you already had? What play are you planning?"


    Sparkle wiped her nose proudly.


    "Of course it''s already written! Our Grand Theatre Prison''s Chief Playwright Aha tailored a play just for them~"


    Aha chuckled from the side.


    "Hahaha, Aha wrote a script titled ''The Beautiful Love Story of Little Blondie and Little Wolfie'', hee hee~" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing the title made Stelle shiver.


    Yikes¡ªtwo grown men acting out a love story... just the thought was a bit hard to handle.


    Still, she felt strangely intrigued. It was bound to be entertaining.


    Sparkle asked,


    "Stelle, where''s Ye Yun? I need him to open the portal back."


    Stelle replied,


    "Go look around the village up ahead. He''s in there somewhere, but I''m not sure exactly where."


    With that, Sparkle and Aha headed toward the upper village.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly exchanged glances, then began exploring the ravine.


    The entire ravine was bathed in soft blue light, the river water crystal clear. Stelle could see small fish swimming about.


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    A flash from the portal drew the attention of Himeko, Welt, Clara, and Kafka, who were eating.


    Soon after, Furina jumped out of the portal.


    "Tada~ The great Furina has made her dazzling entrance!"


    Furina appeared in high spirits. Himeko smiled and greeted her.


    "Furina, it''s you. Have you eaten yet? Want to join us?"


    Furina shook her head and patted her belly.


    "I just ate tons of little cakes~ Thanks for the offer, Himeko.I''m here to find Stelle and the others. Are they on the train?"


    Welt responded,


    "They''re not here. They went to Teyvat, to Sumeru. You know it?"


    Furina replied,


    "Sumeru? Of course! It''s right next to me. What are they doing there?"


    Himeko explained,


    "They''re helping Nahida reclaim what''s rightfully hers. Last I heard, they''re in a village out in the desert."


    Furina''s curiosity was piqued.


    "The desert, huh? Got it. I''ll go check it out. Nighty night, everyone~"


    With that, Furina jumped back into the portal and returned to Fontaine.


    Upon returning, she shouted at the door,


    "Lancelot! Gather the knights¡ªwe''re heading to the desert to find Nahida!"


    Lancelot opened his door and left to carry out the order.


    Soon, all the knights of the order had assembled at the gates of the Opera Epiclese.


    Furina gracefully exited the palace shortly after.


    She waved her hand.


    "Sea-horse carriage!"


    With a spell, two human-sized seahorses appeared pulling a carriage.


    Lancelot walked over to open the door and extended a hand.


    Furina took his hand and stepped into the carriage.


    Fontaine''s citizens gathered around, murmuring.


    "Where''s Lady Furina heading this late?"


    "Don''t ask me¡ªI''ve got no idea."


    "Isn''t it dangerous at night?"


    "Ha! You''re joking, right? Lady Furina is the Hydro Archon! And you think the knights are weaklings?I saw them with my own eyes¡ªone swing, just one, took down a giant Hilichurl king."


    "Mommy, those knight big brothers are so cool! Can I join them when I grow up?"


    "Of course, sweetheart. But you''ll need to eat well and grow big and strong if you want to join them and protect Lady Furina."


    "Okay! I''ll eat all my food!"


    Furina''s carriage soared through the air, heading toward the desert with Lancelot and the knight order.


    At first, Furina was excited, sipping tea by the window and admiring the scenery.


    The seahorse carriage could fly, so they traveled through the skies.


    But as they went on, she grew bored¡ªendless sand and desert rocks, nothing new.


    After two hours of flying, they finally reached Aaru Village.


    Naturally, their arrival startled the mercenaries in the village.


    "Something''s up! Get your weapons!"


    Furina and the knights descended under the Tree of Life.


    She hopped off the carriage and looked around.


    "Wow~ The scenery here is really pretty~"


    She admired the peaceful and lively village.


    A mercenary stepped forward.


    "Who are you? What are you doing in Aaru Village?"


    Before Furina could respond, Nahida stepped out from the crowd.


    "No need to panic, everyone. This is a friend of mine."

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125 - 125Upon hearing Nahida''s words, the mercenaries finally lowered their weapons.


    Nahida turned to look at Furina.


    "Furina, it''s been a while."


    Furina was delighted to see Nahida.


    "Nahida! Long time no see!"


    Furina ran over to Nahida, picked her up, and spun her around. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nahida blushed, flailing her little hands at Furina.


    "F-Furina, put me down!"


    After spinning a few times, Furina set Nahida down.


    Alhaitham glanced at Furina and asked Nahida,


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, who is this?"


    Nahida responded by introducing her,


    "This is my good friend, the Archon of Fontaine, the Hydro Archon Focalors."


    Hearing Nahida''s introduction, Furina placed a hand on her hip and snapped her fingers.


    "Rejoice! Cheer! Be glad to witness the arrival of the mighty Archon Focalors!"


    Everyone present was shocked.


    What! The Hydro Archon?!


    This girl was the legendary God of Justice, Her Majesty Focalors¡ªthe Archon of Hydro!


    Furina sneaked a glance at the crowd and was quite pleased with their reaction.


    Wahahaha! I, Furina, am the greatest! See? Just saying my name leaves them speechless in awe.


    Nahida asked Furina,


    "Furina, why are you here?"


    Furina replied,


    "I came to help you. I just stopped by Ye Yun''s shop and heard from Himeko that there was going to be a battle here, so I came to lend a hand.


    And of course, I also get to hang out with Stelle and the others for a bit. Things in Fontaine have been so boring lately~"


    Nahida was thrilled to hear that Furina had come to help.


    "Thank you, Furina."


    Furina slung her arm around Nahida''s shoulder and pulled her closer.


    "Hey~ don''t mention it, we''re good friends~ Where''s Stelle and the gang? I wanna go hang out with them."


    Nahida smiled.


    "They''re in the valley. I''ll have someone take you there."


    Furina agreed and followed a villager from Aaru Village toward the valley.


    Nahida then looked at everyone present.


    "Everyone, disperse. It''s getting late¡ªrest up early."


    The surrounding mercenaries began to scatter.


    They were still murmuring among themselves.


    "I Didn''t expect for the Lesser Lord Kusanali and the Hydro Archon to be so close."


    "Yeah, yeah, even the Hydro Archon came personally to help us¡ªthis war is as good as won!"


    "That''s right! Let''s all work harder. When Lesser Lord Kusanali returns to Sumeru City, we''ll finally have good days ahead."


    "Exactly! That dumb Grand Sage should step down. He''s the one who made life so hard for us desert folk."


    Furina''s arrival had greatly boosted the morale of the mercenaries.


    With two Archons on their side, what could Azar possibly fight them with? He was going to get his head bashed in.


    Soon after, Furina found Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly.


    The four of them sat on small folding stools in the valley, munching on snacks and cakes while chatting.


    Lancelot stood guard nearby with a few knights.


    Ye Yun was playing around the village with the six little ones.


    The six quickly made friends with the village children.


    A large group of children ran joyfully through the village, laughing and playing.


    Under a big tree, Ye Yun had set up a tea table and was leisurely sipping tea.


    At that moment, Ye Yun sensed someone approaching and looked up.


    It was Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Blade, and Jingliu.


    "Yo, you''re finally back."


    Jing Yuan casually pulled out a small stool, sat beside Ye Yun, and poured himself a cup of tea from the table.


    "Yeah, we''re done. Aside from the five taken by Sparkle and Lord Elation, the rest have been humanely destroyed."


    Jing Yuan sipped the tea.


    "Mmm~ This tea tastes better than usual, doesn''t it?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "Of course, this tea cake cost me a full 10,000 credits."


    Jing Yuan was a bit surprised.


    "This tea is that expensive? Mind sharing some?"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes.


    "Aren''t you a general? You seriously want to mooch tea off me?"


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "People don''t understand how expensive daily necessities are until they manage a household. I stretch every coin like it''s two."


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow, took out a box, and put a quarter of the tea cake inside.


    "Here, this should last you over half a month."


    Jing Yuan happily accepted it.


    "A month wouldn''t be a problem! With tea this good, I''ve got to savor it."


    Jingliu glanced at them and asked,


    "Ye Yun, is Bailu here?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, she''s playing over at the plaza."


    Jingliu gave a slight nod and headed toward the plaza.


    Dan Heng and Blade considered it and decided to stay behind, each dragging over a stone to sit by the tea table and sip tea.


    The next day arrived.


    The thirty-man group of mercenaries from Caravan Ribat marched out toward Aaru Village.


    Upon receiving the report, Aether immediately ordered all desert mercenaries to gather and intercept.


    The two forces met in the desert. The leader of the thirty-man group scanned Aether and the others.


    "As expected. Desert folk can''t be trusted. Men, charge! Capture them all!"


    The thirty-man group charged toward the desert mercenaries.


    Seeing this, Rahman hoisted his greatsword onto his shoulder and looked at Aether.


    "Aether, give the order."


    Aether looked skyward.


    "No rush."


    Rahman followed his gaze.


    High above the battlefield, Nahida and Furina floated in the air.


    Nahida didn''t want to see mass bloodshed¡ªthese mercenaries were just following Azar''s orders.


    "This is... the Hall of Wisdom!"


    Nahida unleashed her divine power, and a massive palace of Dendro energy materialized above the battlefield.


    Then, countless thick vines erupted from the ground, binding the thirty-man mercenaries.


    Furina swung her staff.


    "Sing my praises! Forbidden Spell¡ªDeep Sea Prison!"


    A giant cage of flowing water appeared out of nowhere, imprisoning all of the thirty-man mercenaries inside.


    Aether shouted,


    "Thirty-man mercenaries! These two are Lesser Lord Kusanali and the Hydro Archon, Lady Focalors!Will you continue to resist? Lay down your weapons, and Lesser Lord Kusanali will pardon your offenses!"


    Hearing this, most of the thirty-man group dropped their weapons¡ªfaced with such divine power, they knew resistance was futile.


    Seeing this, Aether turned to his desert mercenaries.


    "Everyone! Lesser Lord Kusanali has given them a chance! For those who still resist¡ªleave no one alive! Attack!


    For Lesser Lord Kusanali! For Sumeru!"


    At Aether''s command, the desert mercenaries charged forward shouting.


    Just as Aether said, Nahida had already given them a chance. Those who surrendered would be forgiven.


    As for those who chose to keep fighting¡ªtoo bad for them.


    ***


    Under the leadership of Aether and Dehya, the remaining Thirty Mercenaries who had stubbornly resisted were completely wiped out.


    At this moment, everyone was cleaning up the battlefield.


    Furina, accompanied by several knights, walked toward Stelle and the others.


    "Stelle! Wasn''t I super cool just now? Hmph hmph~"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Cool as hell! But... there were a few flaws.


    Come, let me tell you¡ªif you''re going to show off, then do it to the max!


    Think about the lines you just said. Didn''t they sound a bit low-level? What if you changed it to something like..."


    Stelle and Furina put their arms around each other''s shoulders, analyzing the shortcomings of Furina''s dramatic performance.


    Suddenly! A supposedly dead mercenary behind Furina sprang up, slashing at her with a broadsword.


    Just as the mercenary thought he would succeed, a flash of cold light appeared.


    A knight blocked the strike with his rapier, deflecting the mercenary''s broadsword.


    With a twist of the wrist, the knight thrust forward, piercing the mercenary''s heart, then kicked the body away.


    Other knights quickly surrounded Furina, shielding her in the center.


    Seeing this, Aether was alarmed and immediately ordered Rahman:


    "Rahman! Take your men and search again! Be thorough!"


    Rahman, equally shocked by the ambush, cursed internally¡ªthese bastards are sneaky!


    Luckily, Lady Furina wasn''t harmed. If that little bastard had succeeded, it would''ve been a disaster.


    "Brothers! Anyone lying on the ground¡ªcut their throats just to be sure!"


    The desert mercenaries responded and began rechecking the corpses.


    Furina, still shaken, glanced at the fallen mercenary''s body with lingering fear.


    Lancelot walked over.


    "My lady, I have failed you. Forgive me for letting you be frightened."


    Furina shook her head.


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. You all did very well."


    Lancelot gathered all the knights to guard closely around Furina.


    Over an hour later.


    With the battlefield cleared, Aether led the army toward Sumeru City.


    Furina summoned her seahorse carriage again, taking Ye Yun, the six little ones, and Nahida with her.


    At the same time in Sumeru City, inside the laboratory beneath the Sanctuary of Surasthana¡ª


    A mercenary burst into Azar''s office in a panic.


    "Bad¡ªbad news!!!"


    Annoyed, Azar glanced at the mercenary.


    "Such rudeness. Don''t even know how to knock? Get out and come in properly."


    The mercenary awkwardly exited, knocked, and waited.


    Only then did the tension on Azar''s brow ease.


    "Come in."


    The mercenary entered and saluted.


    "Report! The front line has suffered a crushing defeat! Caravan Ribat has fallen! The desert mercenaries are on their way to Sumeru City!"


    Azar jumped up in fury, eyes wide.


    "What?!"


    The mercenary repeated.


    "Caravan Ribat has fallen, Lord Azar!"


    Azar waved his hand angrily.


    "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I stationed 50,000 soldiers there¡ª50,000! Even if they were being slaughtered like pigs, it wouldn''t be over in one day!


    Guards! Drag this lying spy out of here!"


    Hearing the order, two guards rushed in and grabbed the reporting mercenary.


    The mercenary struggled and protested.


    "Lord Azar! I''m telling the truth! The desert mercenaries will be at the gates any moment now!"


    Azar snorted coldly and waved his sleeve.


    What a joke¡ªif the desert mercenaries could take Caravan Ribat in a day, they''d have turned the world upside down years ago.


    As for Nahida, to Azar, she was just a child.


    Nahida had been imprisoned for 500 years. During that time, the people of Sumeru hadn''t seen a single divine sign.


    Thus, both the people and Azar forgot one crucial thing: the terror of the Archons.


    He didn''t understand what an Archon represented in Teyvat¡ªit meant the power to change the fate of an entire nation.


    Even if Nahida wasn''t skilled in combat, she still had the strength to overturn a battlefield.


    After the mercenary was taken away, Azar thought for a moment and decided to visit the factory.


    As long as the God-Creation Project succeeded, he could lead Sumeru back to its prime.


    At that point, even Liyue and Snezhnaya would be rivals he could challenge.


    Azar left the office and headed toward the factory.


    At this moment, Scaramouche was just one step away from becoming a god.


    His eyes were filled with malice, and his body radiated resentment.


    "Baal... Just wait! I''m coming for my revenge!"


    In Liyue Harbor¡ª


    Barnabas arrived at the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor''s internet caf¨¦.


    At the entrance, temporary net admin Zhongli was leisurely sipping tea.


    Tsaritsa entered the caf¨¦ and noticed Zhongli.


    Zhongli glanced at him and said:


    "She''s still in the esports room."


    Tsaritsa nodded slightly in thanks and went straight to the third floor.


    She brought Childe and La Signora with him. As VIPs of the internet caf¨¦, the staff let them pass without issue.


    Tsaritsa stopped outside Calestia''s room and said to Childe and Signora:


    "You two wait here¡ªI''ll go in alone."


    She pushed the door open and went inside.


    Childe and Signora exchanged glances.


    "Milady," Childe asked, "what''s wrong with Her Majesty? She seems to be in a bad mood."


    Signora nodded.


    "Indeed. But I don''t know the reason either."


    In the esports room¡ª


    Tsaritsa quietly waited for Calestia to finish her game.


    She had a rule: if she was gaming when someone came to talk business, they had to wait until she finished.


    Calestia won first place in that match and was in high spirits.


    She turned and looked at Tsaritsa.


    "Alright, speak. What brings you here?"


    Tsaritsa reported the incident¡ªJingliu storming into Snezhnaya and killing the Doctor.


    Calestia frowned, not sure what was going on either.


    "I''m not sure. I''ll ask someone."


    She pulled out her phone and called Hu Tao.


    "Hey? Boss, where are you?"


    Hutao''s voice came quickly.


    "I went to Wuwang Hill last night. I''m on my way back with Huohuo now.


    Let me tell you, Huohuo is amazing. She caught a bunch of ghosts this time."


    Calestia replied:


    "Got a question. Do you know why Jingliu went after the Doctor?"


    Of course Hutao knew¡ªshe loved lurking in chat groups and collecting gossip.


    "You didn''t hear? The Doctor tried to kidnap Bailu for experiments.


    Then Stelle filed a report, and General Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Blade, and Jingliu went to hunt him down."


    Calestia nodded in understanding.


    "Alright, got it. I''m hanging up¡ªsafe travels!"

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126 - 126Just as Calestia was about to hang up the phone, Hutao suddenly asked,


    "Calestia, don''t go downstairs to buy food tonight. Let''s eat on the train. Xiangling said we''re having a feast tonight."


    Calestia immediately agreed.


    "Alright, alright~ Another feast, perfect~ Hanging up now, come back soon~"


    Calestia poked the hang-up button with her index finger and then stuffed the phone into her pocket.


    "I''ve got all the details now. Tsaritsa, that doctor under your command is really something!"


    Calestia chuckled and gave Tsaritsa a thumbs-up.


    Tsaritsa looked utterly confused.


    "Uh? What do you mean, Lady Calestia?"


    Instead of answering directly, Calestia asked back,


    "You know Bailu?"


    Tsaritsa thought for a moment.


    "Yes, that little dragon girl from the Xianzhou Luofu."


    Calestia nodded.


    "Good. That doctor of yours wanted to capture her for research, and well, this got found out by General Jing Yuan and Dan Heng.


    You probably don''t know them, but they''re all heavy hitters¡ªthe general of the Luofu, the swordmaster, a Stellaron Hunter, and a member of the Astral Express.


    And Bailu, well, she''s their reverse scale¡ªso yeah, now you get it?"


    The Tsaritsa nodded blankly. Though she didn''t know Jing Yuan and the others personally, she was familiar with the Luofu, the Stellaron Hunters, and the Express Crew¡ªall extremely powerful forces.


    Looking at it this way, Lady Calestia wasn''t wrong. That doctor of hers really was bold to provoke all of them.


    Calestia glanced at Tsaritsa.


    "You might as well disband the Fatui. Keeping it around is just asking for trouble. You''ve got nothing but lunatics in there."


    Tsaritsa thought for a moment and then agreed.


    She could still clearly recall how Jingliu had descended from the sky and effortlessly killed the doctor right in front of her.


    Seeing that Tsaritsa had made her decision, Calestia started to shoo her away.


    "Alright, anything else? If not, go on. I want to get back to my game."


    Tsaritsa left Calestia'' room.


    La Signora and Childe approached her.


    La Signora asked,


    "Your Majesty, you don''t look well. Did something happen?"


    Tsaritsa looked at them¡ªthese two were the most well-behaved of the Fatui.


    "Take your subordinates and start dividing the Fatui.


    From now on, the Fatui will cease to exist."


    With that, Tsaritsa headed for the exit of the internet caf¨¦.


    La Signora and Childe were both shocked. What? Disband the Fatui?


    Though confused, they still followed orders.


    At the Interastral Peace Corporation headquarters, in the high-level meeting room of the Strategic Investment Department, a trial for Aventurine was underway.


    The outcome would determine whether Aventurine could remain in the department.


    Jade and Topaz were naturally present for the meeting.


    Topaz, sitting by the window, glanced at the calm Aventurine in the room.


    "This guy''s not scared at all of being kicked out? I swear, I''ll vote to kick him out!"


    Jade chuckled.


    "Oh? Little Jelena, you dislike Aventurine that much?"


    Topaz nodded.


    "Of course, he''s so annoying."


    As she spoke, Topaz looked out the window¡ªand her pupils widened in shock, as if she''d seen something terrifying.


    Jade followed her gaze.


    They saw Sparkle and Aha standing across the street with a huge recruitment sign.


    Jade took a closer look.


    [The Theater of Joy is Hiring! Requirements: Former corporate executives, those with shattered Heartstones, socialites, former slaves.]


    Sparkle and Aha thought the name "Prison Theater" sounded bad, so they changed it to "Theater of Joy."


    Even Jade couldn''t hold back a reaction at this point.


    Seriously? You wrote all that? You might as well just write "We''re hiring Aventurine!"


    And you guys from the Path of Elation are openly poaching talent outside the company building? Really?


    Where are the security guards?


    Oh right, Aha hung them up on the lamppost like drying clothes.


    Topaz swallowed hard, turned to look at Aventurine in the room, and suddenly stood up.


    "I vote Aventurine is innocent! He must be innocent!"


    Topaz was panicking¡ªkeeping Aventurine in the department was better than letting him join Sparkle''s side. She couldn''t imagine the chaos that would come with Aventurine joining the Path of Elation.


    Innocent! He must be innocent!


    Diamond interrupted.


    "Topaz, the vote hasn''t even started. No need to rush."


    Topaz still had her hand raised.


    "No! Aventurine must be innocent!"


    Jade gently tugged on Topaz''s sleeve.


    "Little Jelena, calm down. Sit down first."


    Only then did Topaz sit back down.


    The trial for Aventurine officially began.


    Aventurine addressed the room.


    "In the plan, Aventurine''s death was inevitable¡ªa necessary part.


    The breaking of the Heartstone brought the company shares from Penacony. A fair trade, wouldn''t you say?"


    He then pulled out the broken Heartstone.


    "And besides, it can be fixed, right?"


    He took out 10 [Enhancement Scrolls] and slapped them onto the Heartstone without hesitation.


    "Everything, or nothing!"


    A burst of light followed.


    When the light faded, the Heartstone had been perfectly restored¡ªstronger than before.


    The energy within it faintly reached the level of a Harmony Eidolon.


    Topaz saw this and declared,


    "Since the Heartstone has been restored, isn''t the trial over now?"


    Diamond shook her head.


    "No, the trial must proceed. The shattering of the Heartstone was real, and that action cannot be forgiven!"


    Jade smiled.


    "Then let''s vote. I vote not guilty."


    The vote was soon underway.


    7 votes not guilty, 3 guilty.


    Jade was very pleased with the result.


    "Everyone has cast their vote.


    Aventurine, not guilty!"


    Ten minutes later. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aventurine, Topaz, and Jade walked out of the Strategic Investment Department building.


    Sparkle, who had been waiting across the street, looked disappointed.


    She ran over to them.


    "Little Peacock, are you sure you don''t want to join my Theater of Joy?


    Look at you, risking your life for them, and all you got was a trial.


    But with me, it''s different~ Great benefits~"


    Aventurine smiled.


    "No need, Masked Fools. I''ll pass on joining, but we can discuss cooperation.


    Like doing some promotions for you, maybe help develop some merchandise?"


    Sparkle perked up.


    "Oh? Interesting. Come, let''s find a place to talk."


    ***


    Aventurine and Sparkle sat down at a caf¨¦ for a detailed discussion.


    Jade and Topaz also followed them over.


    Eventually, Sparkle signed a cooperation agreement with Aventurine¡ªhe would be responsible for developing the area around the Theater of Joy.


    That included things like hotels, spaceship docks, and other tourism-related infrastructure.


    Sparkle, in return, would receive 30% of the shares from these industries.


    After all, it was a bit too monotonous for such a large life-bearing planet to have only a single Theater of Joy.


    Sparkle looked at the contract, then stuffed it into Aha''s chest.


    Even though they hadn''t recruited any new employees this time, it was still a worthwhile trip.


    Satisfied, Sparkle nodded and gave Aha a nudge with her foot.


    "Let''s go, time to head back."


    Aha brushed off his backside, opened a portal, and took Sparkle with him through it.


    After they left, Topaz nudged Aventurine''s side with her elbow.


    "Hey, are you really going to work with Sparkle?"


    Aventurine raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on his lips.


    "Why not? Come on, let''s visit the Astral Express."


    The three of them then boarded a ship and headed to Penacony, where the Express had currently returned.


    After the martial arts ceremony ended, Himeko had received an invitation from Robin to visit Penacony.


    Meanwhile, in Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Ye Yun returned with the six little ones.


    Aether was leading the desert mercenary army on the road. At nightfall, they set up camp in a rainforest.


    Though the night forest was nice, Ye Yun still preferred bringing the six little ones home to sleep and would return tomorrow.


    Klee suddenly dashed forward and hugged Ye Yun''s leg, staring up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.


    "Brother Ye Yun~ Klee wants to watch some cartoons~"


    Ye Yun patted her little head and checked the time.


    "Alright. You all can watch for one hour today. After that, it''s bedtime, understood?"


    Klee cheered and ran off to the sofa area, turning on the TV.


    Bailu and Hook ran to their rooms to grab snacks, then laid them out on the carpet. The six little ones huddled together and watched intently.


    Ye Yun smiled at the sight and said to Rios nearby to keep an eye on them before heading to his room to freshen up.


    Over half an hour later, Ye Yun came out feeling refreshed.


    Just then, he saw Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Furina return.


    March 7th spotted him.


    "Yo~ Still up, Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun replied, "It''s still early. You all staying the night?"


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Why would I sleep in a tent when I have a comfy big bed at home? What am I, stupid?"


    She took Furina''s hand.


    "Come on, Furina, you''re staying in the room next to mine tonight. It''s empty."


    The four of them stormed into the Serenitea Pot.


    Ye Yun glanced at the six little ones happily watching cartoons on the couch and decided to take a stroll inside the Pot as well.


    The time was still early, so why not?


    Inside the Pot, the sky mirrored the outside¡ªtonight, a full moon hung in the sky with stars scattered all around, lighting up the darkness.


    As soon as Ye Yun entered, he saw Dan Heng sitting in a field studying something.


    Dan Heng held a tablet in one hand and gently touched a plant with the other.


    Ye Yun waved and called out, "Dan Heng!"


    Dan Heng looked up and saw him at the entrance.


    "Ye Yun, it''s you."


    Ye Yun walked over, grabbing a Sunset Fruit from a nearby tree and taking a bite.


    "You''re still working this late?"


    Dan Heng nodded slightly.


    "Yeah. We got a lot of new plant species today. I''m marking them for study.


    By the way, how''s that Sunset Fruit taste? That one''s from Mondstadt. Give me a flavor report¡ªI''m taking notes."


    Ye Yun took another bite, chewed thoughtfully, and described the taste. Dan Heng recorded everything in detail on his tablet.


    They chatted for a while.


    Soon, Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Furina each came over carrying small baskets.


    Ye Yun looked on curiously.


    "Stelle, what''s in the baskets?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "Oh, these? Food for the three little piggies.


    Move aside¡ªdon''t block the path¡ªI''m feeding the pigs."


    Ye Yun looked around and noticed a pigsty not far away.


    It was enclosed with a stone wall. The girls were now tossing food over the wall.


    Stelle had brought carrots. After spending a day in their new environment, the three little pigs had already adapted.


    They were lying on the ground, happily munching on carrots with snorts of contentment.


    Stelle was very pleased.


    "That''s it¡ªeat more! Gotta get nice and plump!"


    After wandering around for a bit, Ye Yun returned to the train and took the six little ones to wash up and sleep.


    Meanwhile, in the rainforest outside Sumeru City¡ª


    Cyno stood atop a large tree, quietly watching the distant city.


    By tomorrow morning, Aether and the desert mercenaries would launch an assault on Sumeru City.


    The city was already locked down, and Azar had been informed of the Thirty''s defeat.


    Azar was currently urging his researchers to accelerate their progress¡ªhe wanted the God-Making Project completed tonight.


    Just then, a voice came from below.


    "What''s your plan?"


    Cyno looked down and saw Alhaitham.


    "I will personally capture Azar and deliver him to the Lesser Lord Kusanali for judgment."


    Alhaitham looked up meaningfully at Cyno.


    "As long as you''ve made up your mind."


    With that, Alhaitham walked off and returned to his tent.


    Morning came quickly.


    Ye Yun, the six little ones, and the others regrouped with the main force.


    After breakfast in the rainforest, the army moved out and began its attack on Sumeru City.


    The desert mercenaries quickly broke into the city and clashed with the Thirty.


    Soldiers from the Doctor''s Fatui forces also joined the battle.


    Their addition gave the Thirty just enough strength to hold the city walls, preventing the mercenaries from advancing further.


    But¡ª


    With top-tier fighters like Aether, Stelle, Furina, March 7th, and the Knights of Lancelot joining the fight, the balance quickly tipped.


    Rahman led the desert mercenaries behind Aether, steadily advancing. The Thirty couldn''t withstand the assault.


    Soon, the Thirty and the Doctor''s modified Fatui soldiers were forced into retreat, suffering heavy casualties.


    Aether struck down one of the Thirty with a single blow.


    "Rahman, I''m heading in to catch Azar. You keep pushing forward!"


    Rahman shouted his agreement.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127 - 127"Alright! I''ll take care of things here."


    The battlefield situation was in favor of the desert mercenaries¡ªmainly because the Doctor''s Fatui had joined the battle.


    Otherwise, it would''ve been a completely one-sided fight.


    Aether slightly bent his legs and leapt into the air.


    He summoned his wings of light and flew toward the Sanctuary of Surasthana.


    Before long¡ª


    Aether arrived at the Sanctuary, just in time to encounter Azar coming out of the underground factory.


    At this moment, Azar didn''t look flustered at all. On the contrary, he looked extremely excited.


    Because, just moments ago, the "God Creation Plan" had finally been completed. The new god was about to make his debut!


    He came out just to admire his "masterpiece."


    Aether looked at Azar.


    "Well, the rat from the sewers finally crawled out?"


    Azar heard that and immediately recognized his identity¡ªone of the little Dendro Archon''s subordinates.


    "Attack!"


    Azar waved his hand, and several guards charged at Aether.


    Aether slashed with his sword, the sword energy instantly devouring the guards.


    Azar was stunned. He hadn''t expected the little Archon''s subordinate to be this powerful.


    "You''re the subordinate of that useless god, aren''t you? What''s even worth pledging loyalty to in that failure?


    Rather than follow her, why not serve me?


    I''m the one who led the God Creation Plan to success! The new god is about to rise, that useless god and those desert bumpkins are all about to perish.


    If you''re smart, you''ll know what to do."


    As Azar finished, the ground began to rumble. Aether looked outside the Sanctuary.


    A massive mech over thirty meters tall burst from underground and began indiscriminately attacking its surroundings.


    Azar''s face twisted with fanatic glee at the sight.


    "See! This is the true power of a god!


    Submit to me! And your future will be glorious!"


    Aether looked at Azar like he was an idiot.


    That big hunk of metal outside? Never mind Stelle and Firefly, even he could handle it easily.


    It was barely at the early Archon level¡ªhow arrogant could this guy get?


    Then again, it made sense. Sumeru hadn''t seen divine miracles for over 500 years.


    Just then, Aether noticed two flashes of fire in the distance and realized the mech''s fate was sealed.


    He instantly appeared behind Azar and knocked him out with a hand chop.


    Then, he tied him up with a rope.


    Meanwhile, on the battlefield¡ª


    Scaramouche was controlling the giant mech, destroying everything around him.


    "HAHAHAHA! So this is the power of a god! Magnificent!


    Beelzebul! I have ascended!"


    His wild laughter echoed from the mech and was heard by those far behind¡ªlike Stelle, Nahida, and others.


    Hearing the name Beelzebul, Nahida''s expression changed.


    "Beelzebul? The person piloting that mech knows Ei?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s right. That guy inside is a puppet Ei made long ago. But... he got misled and now holds a grudge, always plotting revenge."


    Nahida nodded in understanding.


    She turned to Stelle.


    "Stelle, would you take care of this for us?"


    Stelle sprang up nimbly and hoisted Judgment of Shamash onto her shoulder.


    "Ohoho~ Finally my turn! That big mech, right? Looks kinda cool."


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "Yes, but Stelle, please hold back a bit¡ªthe one inside seems to have a connection with Ei."


    Stelle nodded.


    "Got it! Leave it to me! Judgment of Shamash, unsheathe!"


    Stelle leapt forward and charged toward Scaramouche at high speed.


    In just a few steps, she was already at the base of the mech.


    She jumped high, and the sword in her hand began gathering energy.


    Scaramouche noticed Stelle.


    He felt a deadly threat emanating from her.


    He was stunned for two seconds.


    What? I''ve already ascended¡ªhow could someone still make me feel danger?


    No! It must be an illusion! My mindset just hasn''t fully transitioned yet!


    He threw a punch at Stelle.


    Stelle raised her sword and slashed downward.


    The moment the mech''s fist touched Judgment of Shamash, it began to melt.


    Scaramouche was horrified and tried to dodge.


    But it was too late.


    Stelle''s slash melted half the mech''s body. It lost balance and collapsed.


    Inside the cockpit, Scaramouche looked terrified.


    He got one-shot!


    Stelle located the cockpit and lightly scraped it open with her sword, revealing Scaramouche inside.


    "There you are. Come quietly, alright?


    I heard you know Ei? I''ll send you back to her."


    Hearing this, Scaramouche''s face changed dramatically. He struggled to escape.


    Stelle saw this and grabbed his right leg to pull him back.


    To her surprise, she pulled off his whole leg.


    Scaramouche fell again, having lost a limb. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle froze, looking at Scaramouche, then at the leg in her hand.


    What the¡ª? Is your body made of cheap junk?


    I barely pulled, and it just came off? Seriously?


    Just then¡ª


    Nahida, Firefly, and the others arrived.


    Everyone noticed the leg in Stelle''s hand.


    March 7th was stunned, a drop of cold sweat forming on her forehead.


    "Uh, Stelle, weren''t you told to hold back?"


    Stelle tossed the leg aside and shrugged innocently.


    "I did hold back! Otherwise, he''d be dead.


    How was I supposed to know his body was such poor quality? I barely tugged. Totally not my fault."


    Nahida spoke up.


    "It''s fine. He''s a puppet anyway. I''ll find someone to reattach it.


    Thank you, Stelle."


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "No problem, all settled?"


    Nahida nodded.


    "Yeah. Kong has already captured Azar¡ªSaino is guarding him now.


    The remaining Fatui soldiers and the thirty mercenaries in the city have all been taken care of."


    Stelle smiled.


    "Perfect. If that''s all, we''ll head back."


    Nahida asked,


    "Leaving already? Want to stick around a bit? I was planning to treat you all to dinner tonight."


    Stelle shook her head.


    "No need to be so polite, Nahida. The third lottery drawing is happening soon¡ªI gotta see if I win anything!"


    March 7th remembered.


    "Oh right! The lottery! Ye Yun, open the portal, we''re heading back!"


    Ye Yun opened a portal¡ªhe had nearly forgotten about that too.


    They all bid farewell to Nahida and returned to the shop.


    At that moment, the shop was packed with people.


    The Luofu group.


    The Liyue group.


    The Mondstadt group.


    The Inazuma group.


    The Belobog group.


    They''d all gathered here, waiting for the lottery results.


    Kiana and Calestia were curled up on a couch, each with a bag of chips, chatting.


    ***


    Seeing Kiana walking over, Stelle greeted her with a grin.


    "Yo~ if it isn''t Kiana! What''ve you been up to lately? Haven''t seen you at the shop."


    Kiana placed her hands on her hips proudly.


    "Hmph~ I''ve been having a blast these past few days! I''m now the number one Valkyrie of Schicksal! Hahaha!"


    In recent days, Kiana had been busy quelling Honkai outbreaks and actively working on the front lines.


    Naturally, she became famous among the Valkyries.


    Soon after, Durandal approached her.


    Durandal informed Kiana that she was a clone¡ªK423¡ªan experimental subject created by fusing Durandal''s and Herrscher of the Void Sirin''s Herrscher cores.


    At the time¡ª


    Kiana couldn''t handle the revelation. Late at night, she secretly ran to Ye Yun''s shop and cried her heart out.


    Ye Yun, being a light sleeper, was woken by her sobbing.


    After asking a few questions, he learned what had happened.


    He poured her a glass of water, and the two of them talked for a long time.


    In the end, Kiana regained her usual cheerful energy.


    Ye Yun had comforted her, saying:


    "Whether you''re a clone or not, you are your own person.


    Your experiences, your memories¡ªthese are unique and belong only to you.


    You are Kiana, a living, breathing person.


    You know Mei, you know me, you know Stelle. That Durandal doesn''t.


    That makes you unique¡ªsomething Durandal doesn''t have.


    You are you, silly Kiana~"


    "I''m not silly! You are the big dummy, Ye Yun! I''m the embodiment of wisdom! I''m the incarnation of Athena!"


    Back to the present¡ª


    Stelle understood now.


    "No wonder I haven''t seen you lately. So, are you still busy?"


    Kiana shook her head.


    "Not for now. Aunt Theresa said things have stabilized¡ªI can take some time off.


    Where are you guys going tomorrow? Take me with you!"


    Calestia chimed in,


    "Wanna go to the internet caf¨¦ tomorrow? It''s super fun."


    Kiana''s eyes lit up.


    "Sure! Let''s hit the caf¨¦ tomorrow!"


    Seeing this, Stelle and March 7th thought about it and decided to join in too.


    They had nothing else to do anyway, and going online sounded fun.


    Meanwhile, over on Ye Yun''s end¡ª


    He had been dragged off by Herta.


    That''s right.


    Today, Herta showed up, bringing Ruan Mei and Screwllum aboard the train.


    Following Herta''s suggestion, the two each bought a lottery ticket. Who knows¡ªthey might get lucky.


    "Ye Yun, let me introduce you to some people.


    This is Ruan Mei, and this is Screwllum. They''re from my club."


    Ruan Mei curiously examined Ye Yun. So this man was the owner of the magical little shop?


    Screwllum gave a slight bow.


    "Hello, Mr. Ye Yun. I''m Screwllum. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''ve heard about you often from Miss Herta."


    Ye Yun returned the greeting with a smile.


    "Hello, Screwllum. Nice to meet you."


    Their conversation broke Ruan Mei''s train of thought.


    "Hi, I''m Ruan Mei. I heard from Herta that your shop can sell anything?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Yes, Miss Ruan Mei. In this shop, as long as you''ve got Stellar Jade, you can buy anything you desire."


    As soon as Ye Yun said that, Ruan Mei immediately asked,


    "Then... do you sell Aeons here?"


    Her question stunned both Herta and Screwllum.


    You want to buy an Aeon? Is that even possible?


    But... it was the kind of thing Ruan Mei would ask.


    Ye Yun gestured.


    "Let''s take a look over there. The screens can display images and details of the products."


    The four headed to the little bar area.


    Venti and Feixiao were chatting nearby.


    "Ye Yun, come drink with us!" Venti, holding a bottle of Flying Moutai, called out drunkenly.


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "You two go ahead, I''ve got guests."


    Seeing that, Venti and Feixiao made room and moved to a booth to continue drinking.


    Ye Yun opened the touch screen and typed in "Aeon."


    Soon, several items appeared on the display. Ye Yun turned to the three.


    "Yes¡ªI do sell Aeons here."


    Herta''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Seriously? You actually have Aeons for sale?


    She shoved Ye Yun aside and plopped onto the barstool, eyes locked on the screen.


    [Item: Aeon of Destiny Divinity CoreDescription: Use this to instantly become the Aeon of Destiny in a certain sci-fi world.Price: 1 Gold Stellar Coin]


    [Item: Aeon of Creation Divinity CoreDescription: Use this to instantly become the Aeon of Creation in a certain sci-fi world.Price: 1.5 Gold Stellar Coins]


    Herta thought she had seen everything in the universe¡ªnothing shocked her anymore.


    Until today.


    Ruan Mei and Screwllum came closer for a look and were also stunned.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun was communicating with the system in his mind.


    "Hey, System¡ªwhat''s this Gold Stellar Coin?"


    [Notification! 100 million Stellar Jades = 1 Gold Stellar Coin]


    Ye Yun nearly choked. 100 million?!


    At this rate, he figured he might not see even one Gold Stellar Coin in his lifetime.


    Herta pointed at the price tag.


    "Ye Yun, how does one get Gold Stellar Coins?"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "One hundred million Stellar Jades per coin."


    Herta immediately gave up on the idea of buying an Aeon Core.


    One hundred million? Yeah, right. Who can afford that?


    Afterward, the trio browsed other items.


    Ruan Mei bought a small world tree sapling¡ªonce grown, it could open up a space of 1,000 cubic meters.


    She spent exactly all the Stellar Jades she''d brought.


    Screwllum bought a few scout drones similar to Dummy No. 1.


    He planned to cultivate them¡ªhe believed they had great potential.


    Soon¡ª


    It was time for the lottery draw. Everyone gathered in the lottery shop.


    With everyone''s eyes filled with anticipation, Ye Yun took out a ball and opened it.


    He pulled out the slip inside, read the number, and announced:


    "Number 99! Who''s number 99?"


    The crowd looked around at each other.


    Finally¡ª


    Zhongli, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, silently raised his hand.


    Seeing it was Zhongli, Ye Yun couldn''t help but imagine him striking a dramatic pose and shouting some overly theatrical catchphrase.


    He burst out laughing with a pfft.


    He couldn''t hold it in! Just the mental image was hilarious.


    Zhongli walked over, and Ye Yun handed him an Emperor Armor Transformer.


    "Congratulations, Zhongli! You''ve won the grand prize!"


    Zhongli took the device and asked,


    "How does this thing work?"

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128 - 128Ye Yun waved his hand, and Zhongli leaned over. Ye Yun whispered:


    "First, you have to strike these poses. Then, just say this line."


    After hearing it, Zhongli''s face immediately darkened.


    The poses Ye Yun mentioned just now, along with that line... No way, there''s no way he''d use something like that.


    At this moment, Hutao came over.


    "Guest Consultant, I just heard from Stelle that this thing can summon armor. Come on, try it!"


    Zhongli looked at Hutao''s eager little eyes and found it hard to refuse.


    "I''ll try it later."


    Hutao pouted and tugged at Zhongli''s clothes.


    "Nooo~ I want to see it now!"


    Calestia also chimed in.


    "Do it! Morax, hurry and try it, I want to see too!"


    Zhongli was practically paralyzed¡ªthose poses, that line, it was just too...


    Fortunately, Ye Yun stepped in to help.


    "No rush. We''ve already got the item. You can watch it later when we''re back. Let''s take a look at the next prize first."


    Hearing this, Hutao and Calestia temporarily gave up and turned to look at the big screen.


    [Next Prize: Resurrection Card Set]Description: One set includes 6 resurrection cards, capable of reviving the following beings.Price: 6 million star coinsCountdown to draw: 6d23h59m59s


    Seeing the next prize, everyone was instantly stirred.


    A resurrection card! And a set! Six cards!


    Ei urgently looked at Yae Miko.


    "Miko..."


    Yae Miko smiled and fanned herself.


    "I know."


    She took out all the star coins she had saved¡ª200,000 in total.


    Without hesitation, she bought 200 lottery tickets.


    Ei treated the tickets like precious treasures and carefully stored them away.


    Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Dan Heng, and Blade each bought 100 tickets.


    Zhongli gazed at the screen showing the resurrection cards, his thoughts drifting back to the early days of Liyue.


    Guizhong: "Morax, if you can open this lock, I''ll agree to an alliance."


    Venti, for once, showed a serious expression and used all his star coins to buy 150 tickets.


    Kiana also spent 100,000 star coins to buy 100 tickets.


    She often had a dream, in which her mother cuddled with her on the couch, gently telling her stories to lull her to sleep.


    Hutao just sat quietly watching it all.


    Xiangling came over and sat next to her.


    "Hutao, aren''t you buying any? Your grandpa..."


    Hutao smiled generously.


    "I won''t buy any. Even though I''d love to see Grandpa again, our family runs the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Life and death are part of fate. Yin and yang have their order. The dead pass to the underworld, and the living remain in the light.


    Grandpa probably wouldn''t want me to bring him back either."


    March 7th overheard Hutao and remembered how Hutao took over as director at age 13, and the first funeral she presided over was her own grandfather''s.


    March 7th suddenly hugged Hutao tightly and burst into tears.


    "Hutao, you''re so pitiful! Let me hug you!"


    Amber also hugged Hutao while sobbing.


    "Hutao, I feel so bad for you! How did you make it through all these years? Waaa~"


    Hutao''s mouth twitched. She wasn''t crying yet, but March and Amber had already started bawling.


    Afterward, everyone stayed in Ye Yun''s shop for a while.


    That evening, Ye Yun invited everyone to dine in the store.


    It had been a long time since everyone gathered together to eat, and the store had felt a bit cold lately.


    Naturally, everyone agreed. With teleportation gates, it was only a few steps back home after the meal.


    Kiana even made a special trip to bring Mei, Aunt Himeko, and Bronya over.


    Ye Yun and Xiangling handled the cooking.


    Noelle, Guoba, Himeko, Jean, Supreme Guardian Bronya, Natasha, Keqing, Ganyu, and Ningguang helped wash and prep the ingredients.


    Ye Yun even called Blade over to help clean and cut fish.


    Ye Yun had bought a 200-jin (100kg+) bluefin tuna to make sashimi.


    Blade, holding a kitchen knife, silently filleted the fish.


    Deboning, cleaning, slicing¡ªhe was surprisingly skilled.


    Furina, Stelle, Amber, Eula, Hutao, Seele, and Qingque sat around the long dining table, each holding a phone and playing online games together.


    Among them, Furina shouted the loudest¡ªand she was also the worst at the game, since it was her first time playing.


    Jing Yuan, Welt, and the other older members went to their usual lounge to drink tea and chat.


    Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum also stayed.


    Ruan Mei squatted beside the little spirits¡ªFire Monkey, Mika, Bub Flower¡ªobserving them. Herta said they were all creatures from other worlds.


    Screwllum joined the elders, chatting with Jing Yuan, Zhongli, and the rest.


    As for Herta, Ye Yun paid her 500 star coins to tutor Clara, and now she was upstairs in the lab giving Clara a lesson.


    Ye Yun looked around at everyone¡ªhis shop was bustling with joy and laughter.


    He smiled in contentment. The reason he often cooked for everyone was for moments like this.


    Everyone sitting together, enjoying good food, sipping fine wine, chatting and joking, sharing stories from their lives¡ªthat''s the simplest, yet happiest kind of life.


    Good food, good wine, and dear friends.


    Ye Yun picked up the spatula, lit the stove, and started stir-frying!


    The six little ones were playing house in the lounge area, with five playing sheep and one as the Big Bad Wolf.


    This time, Bailu was the Big Bad Wolf.


    Bailu bared her little teeth and let out a cute roar:


    "Awwooo~ I''m the mighty Big Bad Wolf! Little sheep, where are you going?! Awoo~"


    Hook quickly shouted:


    "Oh no! It''s the Big Bad Wolf! Run, everyone!"


    The six kids ran all over the shop, chasing each other.


    Two hours later.


    A huge feast was ready. As usual, everyone had their own tray, and the dishes were placed in large bowls on the long table for self-service.


    After getting their food, they found a seat and dug in.


    Ye Yun and Xiangling prepared 30 dishes in total¡ªit was exhausting for just two people.


    Thirty dishes might not seem like much, but with 60¨C70 people, each one had to be cooked in a massive pot.


    Ye Yun shouted:


    "Come on, haven''t you all eaten here enough to know how it works? Just dig in already¡ªwhat are you waiting for? Dinner time!"


    Himeko chuckled.


    "No way. You and Xiangling cooked so much for us. We can''t eat without you¡ªit just doesn''t feel right."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Alright, alright, let''s eat.


    Klee, do you want some grilled saury?" As he spoke, Ye Yun gently patted Klee''s head as she stood beside him with a tray waiting for food.


    "Yes! Klee wants fishy-fish~"


    Ye Yun smiled and put a piece of grilled saury on her tray.


    ***


    Bailu ran over to a sofa booth with a full plate of food, her feet tapping lightly on the floor.


    She stood on tiptoe to place the tray on the table, and with a big leap, she jumped onto the sofa, sliding herself in.


    "Klee! Hook! Diona! Qiqi! Yaoyao! Over here! Hurry, I''ve got the best spot!"


    Qiqi, hearing this, emotionlessly carried her plate over and sat down at the booth.


    The six little ones squeezed together in the booth, three on one side.


    Hook grabbed a large chicken drumstick and took a big bite.


    "Mmm~ this chicken leg is so good~"


    Klee took a bite of the pan-seared mackerel.


    "This fish is also delicious~"


    Diona took a bite of the braised fish.


    "Where should we go to play tomorrow?"


    Bailu scooped a bite of rice mixed with braised pork gravy.


    "I don''t have time tomorrow, I have to go back to Luofu. The general wants me to distribute the pills we made, the Qingling Pills."


    Yaoyao, upon hearing this, responded.


    "Let us help you! More people means more strength!"


    Bailu happily agreed.


    "Alright! Tomorrow we''ll go together to distribute the Qingling Pills."


    Ye Yun and Zhongli sat at a table nearby.


    Ye Yun suddenly thought of something.


    "Zhongli, did Jing Yuan give you the Qingling Pill?"


    Zhongli remembered after hearing Ye Yun''s question. He had asked Jing Yuan for a Qingling Pill before.


    But they had been too busy collecting Stellar Jades in Penacony to remember it.


    "Not yet."


    At that moment, Jing Yuan, holding a tray, sat down next to Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun pointed at him.


    "Jing Yuan, didn''t you promise to give Zhongli a Qingling Pill? Did you forget?"


    Jing Yuan slapped his forehead.


    "Oh, right, right! I''ll get it to you now."


    He reached into his storage ring and took out a Qingling Pill, handing it to Zhongli.


    "Here you go, Mr. Zhongli."


    Zhongli accepted it and gave Jing Yuan a grateful look.


    "Thank you."


    Jing Yuan waved it off.


    "No need to thank me. By the way, Mr. Zhongli, what are you planning to use this pill for?"


    Zhongli didn''t hide anything and wasn''t shy about it.


    "I have an old friend, who, according to your descriptions, has lost his sanity and fallen into madness."


    Jing Yuan understood immediately.


    "Oh, I see. I thought you were using it for yourself."


    Ye Yun asked.


    "When do you plan to treat Azhdaha?"


    Zhongli was mildly surprised that Ye Yun knew about Azhdaha, but soon understood. Ye Yun''s shop had been connected to Teyvat for a long time, and these things might have been overheard by someone from Teyvat.


    Not to mention Barbatos, the drunkard, who might have spilled it during one of his drunken rants.


    "I''ll go later."


    Ye Yun grinned.


    "Mind if I come along to watch?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Sure."


    Everyone continued eating, drinking, and having fun.


    They played until around 9 PM, when everyone started to disperse.


    The six little ones, who had to go to Luofu the next day, went back to their rooms early to sleep.


    Stelle, March 7, and Luling fed the little shroomboars before heading back to their treehouse.


    Ye Yun followed Zhongli to the southern gate of Liyue.


    After more than half an hour, they arrived at Azhdaha''s sealing site.


    As soon as they entered, they heard Azhdaha shouting loudly.


    "Morax! Come meet me! How can you repay a thousand years of hatred?!


    Morax! You old fool! You shamelessly teamed up with so many immortals to attack me!


    Why not fight me one on one?! Is this how a god of war fights? How dishonorable! Shameless!"


    Morax! Come face me! We''ll fight to the death!"


    Zhongli and Ye Yun stood at the entrance of the sealing site. Ye Yun tried hard to suppress his laughter, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.


    Zhongli''s face darkened, as he realized Azhdaha''s insults had been heard by both of them.


    Silently, he put away the Qingling Pill.


    Well, he had originally planned to treat him directly, but it seemed Ruotuo needed to learn a lesson first.


    Zhongli opened the seal, and as soon as Azhdaha saw him, he charged at him.


    Zhongli stood with his hands behind his back.


    "I will have order!"


    A meteor crashed into Azhdaha, knocking him to the ground, with the immense force creating a large crater in the ground.


    Azhdaha smashed through the meteor and was about to retaliate when Zhongli summoned another meteor.


    "I will have order!"


    Azhdaha got back up, but the meteor fell again.


    Inside the sealing site, Zhongli repeated the chant.


    "I will have order!"


    "I will have order!"


    "I will¡ª"


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue, impressed.


    Tsk, tsk, dragons really do have thin skins, don''t they?


    Azhdaha too, couldn''t keep his mouth shut¡ªnow look, he got a beating. Trouble really does start with the mouth, doesn''t it?


    Two hours later.


    Zhongli and Ye Yun brought a bruised and battered man back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Yes, the man was none other than Azhdaha.


    After enduring 100 "I will have order!" attacks, Zhongli finally fed Azhdaha the Qingling Pill.


    How could Azhdaha remember all those exact details in his delirious state?


    Well, that''s simple¡ªYe Yun was counting beside him, of course.


    Zhongli slammed one meteor, Ye Yun took note.


    The three of them sat in the small courtyard of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, sipping tea and admiring the moonlight.


    At that moment, the sound of a door opening was heard, and Hutao, riding her windwheel, yawned as she entered, followed by Huohuo.


    "Ah~ I''m so tired, the Head wants to sleep."


    Hutao walked into the small courtyard and noticed Zhongli and Ye Yun.


    "Hey? Ye Yun? It''s rare to see you drinking tea here in my Wangsheng Funeral Parlor courtyard."


    She then looked at Azhdaha.


    Zhongli spoke slowly.


    "Hall Master, this is my old friend, Azhdaha."


    Hutao''s eyes lit up as she understood.


    "Oh! I know, I know. Azhdaha, the earth dragon who followed you on those southern and northern campaigns, right?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Yes, Hall Master. I want Azhdaha to stay here at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."


    Hutao eyed Azhdaha.


    Azhdaha grinned at Hutao.


    "Sure, sure, the net cafe could use a security guard. Old Liu and the others are just ordinary people, so they can''t handle the more troublesome customers."


    Azhdaha patted his chest.


    "Don''t worry, Head, as long as I''m here, no one will dare cause trouble."


    Hutao was very satisfied with Azhdaha''s attitude.


    "Good, good~ Once you''re at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, we''ll be family. Come on, I''ll take you to the staff dorms."


    "There are no guest rooms available at the moment, but you can stay in the dorms first, and I''ll find someone to build you a small courtyard."


    Azhdaha laughed heartily.


    "No need for all that trouble, Hall Master. Is there any open land?"


    Hutao led Azhdaha to the back gate of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, where Lumine had previously parked her car.


    "How about here?"


    Azhdaha smiled.


    "Good enough, rise!" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a powerful punch, Azhdaha struck the ground. The ground trembled, and a two-room, one-living room structure made of rocks appeared.


    Hutao and Huohuo couldn''t help but applaud.


    "Oh! Impressive! You know, I thought being a security guard was too much of a waste for you. How about becoming a guest official instead? Help me with funeral arrangements, what do you think?"


    Azhdaha agreed.


    "Sure, Hall Master. Whatever you say."

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129 - 129Hu Tao chuckled mischievously.


    "Azhdaha, guest consultant, come on, time for work!


    Huohuo, go get some incense and joss paper."


    Huyao led Azhdaha and Huohuo straight to Wuwang Hill.


    The three arrived at Wuwang Hill.


    Azhdaha asked,"Master Hu, what do you want me to do?"


    Hutao giggled again."Dig holes!"


    Just like that, Hutao led Azhdaha all over Wuwang Hill, digging holes.


    Hutao was in charge of directions, Azhdaha did the digging, and Huohuo offered incense and burned joss paper to appease any disturbed spirits.


    Several spirits that had been drifting around in slumber were awakened by the commotion.


    "Isn''t that Master Hu? What''s she doing now? Why so many holes?"


    Some spirits floated over to Hutao."Master Hu, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"


    Hutao glanced at the spirits."I''m digging holes. Listen, from now on, no more sleeping wherever you want! You have to sleep in a pit. You keep drifting around when you''re asleep."


    The spirits nodded repeatedly in agreement.


    At the same time¡ª


    In Sumeru City.


    Nahida was holding a meeting in the Sanctuary of Surasthana.


    Those attending included Alhaitham, Tighnari, Cyno, Kaveh, Rahman, Candace, and Tighnari''s mentor, Sage Naphis.


    Naphis was the only one of the sages who hadn''t been involved in Azar''s schemes.


    Naphis focused entirely on academic research and stayed out of politics.


    Nahida looked over the group.


    "Everyone''s here. The meeting will now begin. Feel free to speak your minds."


    Naphis immediately stood up.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, I heard you planted a sacred tree in Aaru Village. I request to lead a team to observe and document it!"


    Nahida nodded with a gentle smile."You may, but let''s wait until Sumeru has stabilized first.


    The former Grand Sage Azar and the other five sages have already been arrested. For now, you''re the only one left among the sages."


    Naphis pointed at Alhaitham."Isn''t Alhaitham still here? I wholeheartedly support him becoming the next Grand Sage! Who''s with me?"


    Nahida replied,"Sage Naphis, I know you''re eager, but please be patient. There will be many strange and wonderful plants for you to study in the future."


    Hearing that, Naphis sat down, though he kept grumbling under his breath.


    Next, Candace stood up and gave a slight bow."Lesser Lord Kusanali, may I ask what plans you have for the desert people?"


    Nahida replied,"The desert people? They will cease to be a separate group. From now on, there will only be the people of Sumeru¡ªone nation, whether from the desert or the rainforest."


    Alhaitham added,"I discussed this with the Lesser Lord Kusanali last night. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among the desert mercenaries, those who haven''t committed serious crimes will be pardoned.


    All minors from the desert will be eligible to attend the Akademiya.


    Over the next year, the Lesser Lord Kusanali will nurture the Tree of Life to turn the desert into a forest.


    Additionally, we will send large amounts of supplies to the desert to support the people there during this transition."


    Nahida nodded slightly.


    "Candace, I understand you and Rahman might worry about being discarded once you''re no longer useful, but please rest assured¡ªI would never do that."


    Rahman nodded."Of course we trust you. After all, you planted the sacred tree in Aaru Village. That alone speaks volumes.


    Leave the mercenaries to me¡ªI''ll weed out the truly wicked ones."


    To Rahman, the fact that Nahida planted the sacred tree in Aaru Village rather than Sumeru City showed her commitment.


    After all, people in Sumeru City worship the Great Tree King, and such a miracle would make 99% of the rainforest folk follow Nahida.But instead, she chose the desert.


    Nahida smiled and turned to Cyno."Cyno, take your matras and lend a hand."


    Cyno nodded in agreement.


    Tighnari then pulled out a chart.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, I''ve compiled a list of all the Eleazar patients in Sumeru. Please take a look."


    Nahida accepted the list¡ªit contained over 5,000 names.


    "Good. I''ve reviewed it. Tell them not to worry. I will heal them."


    Tighnari bowed slightly and sat down.


    A silence fell over the room.


    Nahida looked around."Any other questions? If not, I''ll speak on a few matters."


    Everyone at the table straightened up, paying close attention.


    Nahida cleared her throat."First:


    Regarding immigration across Teyvat. I''ve already held a meeting with the other Archons and the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Lady Calestia.


    All of Teyvat''s population will be relocated to a new world."


    Everyone¡ªexcept Alhaitham, who already knew¡ªwas stunned.


    Naphis muttered to himself,"So that''s why she said there''d be new plants to study... Now I understand."


    Nahida continued,"At that time, Lady Calestia will descend upon Sumeru and transport both the people and the land to the new world.


    So during this period, everyone must prepare and reassure the public. Understood?"


    All responded in agreement.


    Nahida nodded with satisfaction and went on:


    "Second, the matter of Azar and the five other sages'' sentencing. I will take them to a special prison in the new world."


    Naphis interjected,"Lesser Lord Kusanali! You can''t just let those guys off easy! Death penalty! They must die!"


    Nahida raised a hand."Don''t be hasty, Sage Naphis. That prison is very special. Azar and the others will receive the punishment they deserve."


    Naphis sat back down but kept mumbling that it was too lenient.


    Nahida continued,"And finally, the last matter¡ª


    The Sabzeruz Festival."


    Everyone suddenly remembered¡ªright, it''s almost time.


    Alhaitham spoke up."I recommend we focus our efforts on the upcoming Sabzeruz Festival, Lesser Lord Kusanali.


    Though the people of Sumeru now know the truth, they haven''t seen you in person.


    Through this festival, we can establish your authority."


    Cyno and the others expressed agreement.


    Nahida nodded."Alright. Over the next few days, work closely with Alhaitham. I''ll be inviting many special guests to the festival, so we mustn''t make any mistakes."


    Everyone responded affirmatively.


    Then, Nahida and the others discussed the festival details.


    The meeting lasted until midnight.


    Afterward, the group walked out to the plaza in front of the Akademiya.


    Cyno asked,"Alhaitham, do you know who these ''special guests'' are?"


    Alhaitham shook his head."Not exactly. But they must be important people.


    Like the ones who helped us defeat Azar last time¡ª


    Aether, Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Ye Yun, and so on."


    ***


    Candace, hearing that, suddenly remembered¡ªthey indeed hadn''t seen Stelle and the others since the battle ended.


    "So it was them."


    Alhaitham glanced at everyone.


    "Go back and rest. See you later."


    He tidied up the meeting notes he had just taken and walked off.


    Candace, Cyno, and the others also left one after another.


    Luofu, Alchemy Commission.


    Early this morning, the Alchemy Commission was already packed with many people from the Xianzhou.


    These people shared a common trait¡ªthey were all elderly, with gray temples.


    The first batch of Qingling Pills that Bailu refined totaled 100,000 pills.


    Thanks to the combined efforts of the six little ones and their top-notch equipment, they managed to make that many pills in just one day.


    However, after this batch was completed, the raw materials were nearly depleted.


    After discussing with Feixiao and Huaiyan, Jing Yuan decided to pause pill refining until the herbs planted by the Alchemy Commission matured.


    If they had to rely solely on buying materials with starcoins, Jing Yuan and the others would feel heartbroken.


    To prevent any incidents, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and Feixiao personally oversaw operations at the Alchemy Commission.


    Not only that, Jing Yuan also deployed a large number of Cloud Knights to guard the area¡ªalmost ensuring nothing could go wrong.


    Pill Distribution Site.


    The six little ones each sat at a desk, behind them boxes of Qingling Pills stacked high.


    Besides them, several other medicinal points were also set up.


    Rios, Jingliu, and Dodo-Co stood guard around the six, protecting their safety.


    Everyone who received Qingling Pills was required to take them on the spot.


    After taking the pills, they clearly felt physically better and noticeably more energized.


    Jing Yuan stood on a starskiff, quietly observing from above.


    Yanqing walked over and saluted.


    "General, a large group has gathered outside the Alchemy Commission demanding pills for themselves as well."


    Jing Yuan remained expressionless¡ªhe had anticipated this scenario.


    For the people of the Xianzhou, Qingling Pills were practically life itself. Taking them delayed the onset of Mara.


    "Yanqing, arrest the ones causing the most trouble and detain them for a few days.Then publish a statement saying that the pills are scarce, but the Alliance is ramping up production.All Xianzhou citizens will eventually receive their share."


    Yanqing took the order and left.


    Outside the Alchemy Commission, he drew his sword.


    "Cloud Knights! Arrest those stirring up the most trouble!"


    The worst offenders instantly felt a chill down their backs and broke into a cold sweat.


    One of them even tried to resist.


    "Why are you arresting us? We''re just standing up for our rights!We''re all Xianzhou citizens¡ªwhy do they get pills and we don''t? Am I right, everyone?"


    He was smart enough to try rallying the crowd.


    Unfortunately, Jing Yuan had already prepared for this. The public statement Yanqing issued was meant to cool down the masses.


    Yanqing leapt forward, pressed the troublemaker''s head to the ground with one hand.


    Then he looked around.


    "The General has ordered: All Xianzhou citizens will receive the pills.They''re scarce, but the Alliance is working hard to produce more.Anyone who causes further trouble will be thrown into the Shackling Prison!Cloud Knights! Watch them¡ªanyone who stirs up trouble, send them to the Shackling Prison!"


    The surrounding Cloud Knights responded in unison:


    "Yes!"


    The crowd quickly calmed down.


    There was nothing to gain from causing trouble¡ªand they might even get arrested.


    Didn''t the General just say it? As long as you''re a Xianzhou citizen, you''ll definitely get the pills.


    Forget it. Better to wait.


    The gathering crowd gradually dispersed. The unrest was squashed before it even got going.


    Liyue Harbor.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Kiana, and Calestia were playing games in an internet caf¨¦.


    To facilitate team play, Calestia rented a five-person private room on the first floor today.


    Thanks to Stelle''s recommendation, Calestia got into a new game¡ªPUBG.


    Calestia and Kiana were duoing.


    "Kiana! I''m fully geared! Let''s go fight!"


    "Okay! I picked up two M249s! You drive, Calestia¡ªwe''ll hunt down cars, and I''ll shoot them!"


    They left Pochinki in a jeep, swaggering down the road.


    Calestia cheerfully drove, honking the horn like crazy, acting extremely cocky.


    "Beep beep! Beep beep! Anyone there? Come out and fight!"


    Seeing this, Kiana had her character peek out the window and wildly fired the M249 in all directions.


    While shooting, she even added sound effects.


    "Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat!"


    What they didn''t know was that nearby, a camping player had set up with a rocket launcher right in their path.


    A few seconds later¡ª


    BOOM!


    With a loud explosion, the screen turned gray before their eyes.


    Calestia was furious.


    "What?! People use rocket launchers in this game?!"


    Kiana was just as indignant.


    "How unlucky can we be? We finally had great gear and got taken out by a rocket launcher!"


    Stelle took a sip of her iced cola and made a suggestion.


    "Why don''t you guys just play rocket launcher-style too? Drive around hunting cars and blow them up."


    Kiana and Calestia''s eyes lit up like they''d discovered a new world.


    "Right! Isn''t that even more fun?""One rocket, one kill! Wipe out the whole team in a blast!"


    They quickly started another match.


    This time, they landed at the Steel Plant, and somehow found eight rocket launchers there.


    Kiana drove over in a jeep, carrying two herself, and stored the remaining six in the car.


    "Let''s go! Calestia! Time to blow up some cars. I''ll fire first¡ªthen it''s your turn!"


    The circle landed on the Airport, and they planned to camp the bridge.


    Calestia again drove with flair, honking as they cruised along the M-town road.


    Two teams hiding in M-town panicked and started fighting just from the noise¡ªcompletely baited out by Calestia.


    Just as they reached the bridge, a small car suddenly sped up from the slope.


    Kiana''s eyes lit up¡ªshe instantly pulled out a rocket launcher and fired a perfect shot.


    BOOM!


    The car exploded on the spot, dropping four loot crates and four bodies.


    "Wahoo! So fun! Rocket launchers are awesome! Your turn, Calestia!"


    But right as Kiana finished her sentence, the table shook.


    She looked over¡ªStelle had slammed her fist down.


    "Stelle, what''s wrong?"


    Stelle gritted her teeth.


    "I just got blown up by a rocket while driving! Damn it! I''m playing rocket launcher style too!"


    Firefly poked her.


    "Stelle, look here."


    She pointed at the kill feed.


    Stelle saw¡ªand was instantly speechless.


    [Kiana used a rocket launcher to kill Firefly]


    Stelle almost choked¡ªwas this karma?


    She had just given Kiana the idea¡ªand became the first victim?


    Tragic!

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130 - 130Stelle, March 7th, and Kiana spent an entire day in the internet caf¨¦, losing all track of time while online.


    Especially when they were having fun¡ªwhat felt like a short while would turn out to be hours in the blink of an eye.


    After a busy night shift, Hutao got up in the evening.


    At this moment¡ª


    Hutao was having dinner on the third floor of the internet caf¨¦ with Stelle, March 7th, and the others.


    Today, Lumine also returned to Liyue from the Astral Express in the afternoon.


    Paimon was standing on a chair, wolfing down food, while Lumine took out her lottery ticket and asked:


    "March, what were the winning numbers yesterday?"


    March 7th looked up and said:


    "Oh, right! I totally forgot about the lottery. Why didn''t you go to the shop yesterday? Weren''t you in Inazuma?Yae Miko and the Raiden Shogun were both there¡ªwhy didn''t you go with them?"


    Lumine shrugged helplessly.


    "Sigh~ I didn''t really have a choice. Here''s what happened..."


    Lumine then explained the circumstances of her being wanted to Stelle and the others.


    Only then did Stelle understand why Lumine had avoided the shop¡ªshe was trying to avoid running into Ei and Miko.


    "Lumine, you really are something¡ªdoing business like that without a care."


    Lumine tossed a golden shrimp ball into her mouth.


    "Why not? As long as I make some credits, I''m good, hehe~"


    Just then, a voice came from the entrance.


    "So here you are, Lady Calestia."


    Everyone turned to the door and saw Nahida walking in.


    They were all surprised.


    "Nahida? What are you doing in Liyue Harbor? Didn''t you just finish fighting a war over there?" Hutao asked, clearly puzzled.


    Stelle added, "Yeah, exactly!"


    Nahida replied:


    "I came to invite all of you to participate in Sumeru''s most important festival of the year."


    After dinner, Kiana, Stelle, and the others left Liyue Harbor.


    Kiana returned to St. Freya Academy.


    Her room was quiet. The night sky was clear, and the bright moon hung high above.


    Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow in the dark room.


    Kiana knocked lightly on her own forehead.


    "Sirin, you still don''t want to talk to me?"


    Ever since fusing with Sirin, Kiana had been trying to reach out to her.


    But other than a single response when she first called her name, Sirin had been silent ever since.


    Kiana had always wanted to talk to her¡ªafter all, they now shared the same body.


    Deep within Kiana''s mind¡ª


    Sirin stared gloomily into the distance, at a valkyrie wielding a shield and spear, with wings on her back¡ªher face obscured.


    This figure had suddenly appeared in Kiana''s mind not long ago.


    Any time Sirin tried to communicate with Kiana, this valkyrie would attack her.


    Hearing Kiana''s call, Sirin grumbled:


    "You talk about communication¡ªthen get rid of that thing first! How am I supposed to talk with her standing guard?"


    Kiana, getting no response again, gave up thinking about it and grabbed her keys to go out for a walk.


    She strolled through the academy, greeted by many students who looked at her with admiration.


    Even emperor-class Honkai beasts couldn''t match her¡ªKiana could easily take them down solo.


    With the title "Athena Valkyrie" floating above her head, Kiana had gained a new nickname.


    Many now referred to her as "Athena."


    But Kiana didn''t really like that. She preferred to be called the "Strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal!"


    Meanwhile, at Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Ye Yun returned from the Luofu with the six little ones. They had worked up quite a sweat today, so Ye Yun told them to go take a bath.


    "Klee, Bailu, go take a bath. You were sweating a lot just now¡ªdon''t catch a cold."


    Hook stood with her hands on her hips. "Hook the Black won''t catch a cold!"


    Himeko walked over and flicked Hook on the forehead.


    "Hook, be good and take a bath."


    "Ow!" Hook cried out, holding her forehead."Hook is going~"


    The six little ones, cowed by Himeko''s flick, scurried off to bathe.


    Ye Yun walked into the kitchen and saw Xiangling simmering soup.


    She was stirring with one ladle while twirling another around in the pot.


    Just as Ye Yun entered the kitchen, a magic circle suddenly appeared under Xiangling''s feet.


    Ye Yun quickly pulled her away.


    "Watch out!"


    The magic circle flared, and a blonde snake girl with a red bow and apron appeared in the kitchen.


    Ye Yun was stunned for a moment.


    Wasn''t that Jashin-chan?


    Jashin-chan¡ªa main character from a certain slice-of-life anime, Dropkick on My Devil!.


    She had immortality, could regenerate from a single cell, and had anti-angel combat abilities.


    She called herself the violent and bratty Jashin-chan, had an intense love for food, and unmatched culinary talent.


    She liked playing pinball, gacha, and bullying little angels.


    But deep down, she was actually very kind.


    Jashin-chan rubbed her butt.


    "Ow~ that hurt!"


    Her sudden appearance caught Himeko''s attention.


    Himeko walked over and helped her up.


    "You okay?"


    "I''m fine, I''m fine~" Jashin-chan said, brushing dust off her skirt."But where am I? Wasn''t I just cooking in the kitchen?"


    Xiangling explained what had just happened.


    After listening, Jashin-chan scratched her head.


    "Ah~ I see. I must''ve accidentally created a teleportation magic circle with my ladle."


    Ye Yun quickly grasped what had happened.


    In the original series, Jashin-chan had once done exactly this¡ªsinging while stirring soup and accidentally time-traveling.


    Xiangling must have reproduced that scene, and Jashin-chan got pulled through.


    Ye Yun said,


    "Jashin-chan, welcome to another world. This is my shop. I''m the owner¡ªYe Yun."


    Jashin-chan didn''t seem fazed by the otherworldly part¡ªwhat caught her attention was what Ye Yun called her.


    "Oh! You can speak our language? Have you been to our world?"


    In the anime, her friends all called her "Jashin-chan."


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Never been. I just heard about it."


    Himeko caught on to something.


    "Ye Yun¡ªJashin-chan isn''t from our world, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Correct. She comes from a world of both magic and technology. She''s a demon."


    Xiangling gasped.


    "A demon?! You''re a demon, Jashin-chan?!"


    Jashin-chan, seeing Xiangling startled, had a mischievous idea.


    "Hehehe~ I''m the invincible, temperamental little demon¡ªtremble before me, fear me, humans!"


    She clawed the air and crept toward Xiangling.


    Reacting on instinct, Xiangling whipped out her spear and smacked Jashin-chan, sending her flying.


    Jashin-chan hit the wall and slowly slid down, a deep crack forming in her now-flattened belly.


    ***


    The little demon goddess slumped against the wall, looking as if she was about to ascend to the heavens.


    "Ugh... help me..."


    Xiangling snapped back to her senses and rushed over to her in a panic.


    "Jashin-chan! Are you okay?!"


    A ghost popped out of the little demon goddess''s mouth, her eyes rolled back, and¡ªflop!


    Xiangling burst into tears, grabbing her and shaking her desperately.


    "Jashin-chan! Don''t die! Wake up!"


    Himeko was just about to comfort Xiangling when Ye Yun stopped her.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No rush. Take a look¡ªJashin-chan isn''t dead."


    Himeko looked over at her.


    Click!


    There she was¡ªthe little demon goddess sneakily taking a photo with her phone of Xiangling crying.


    Himeko was speechless. Great, another little rascal.


    Xiangling also heard the shutter. She looked up and saw the little demon goddess grinning at her.


    Then she looked at the phone in her hand¡ªthe camera pointed right at her.


    She instantly realized what was going on. She''d been tricked again!


    "JASHIN-CHAN!!!"


    The little demon goddess was happily admiring the photo she''d just taken, totally unaware of the punch about to come her way.


    Ten minutes later.


    The little demon goddess was sitting on the couch with an ice pack on her face.


    Bruised and swollen, she''d just been thoroughly "taken care of" by Xiangling.


    Xiangling looked at her in confusion. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Jashin-chan, your stomach looked so bad earlier... are you really okay?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need to worry. She''s immortal. As long as even one cell survives, she''ll recover completely."


    Xiangling was instantly dumbfounded.


    "Jashin-chan! You''re that amazing?!"


    The little demon goddess looked at Xiangling''s admiring gaze and patted her own arm.


    "I''m the invincible, irritable little demon! Wahaha!"


    Ye Yun gently poked the bump on her forehead with a finger.


    The little demon goddess jolted like she''d been electrocuted.


    "Ow ow ow! Ye Yun, what the heck?!"


    Ye Yun said:


    "Even though Jashin-chan is immortal, her combat strength is pretty average."


    Xiangling nodded in understanding.


    At that moment, the little demon goddess''s stomach growled.


    Seeing this, Xiangling said,


    "Jashin-chan, are you hungry? I''ll go make you something."


    She got up and walked into the kitchen.


    The little demon goddess followed behind.


    "Xiangling, what are you making?"


    Xiangling pointed to a pot of beef stew.


    "Just made this beef stew. I''ll serve it with some rice. Sound good?"


    The little demon goddess sniffed.


    "Beef stew? Maybe add some potatoes¡ªit might taste even better."


    Xiangling considered it and agreed it made sense.


    Then the two began chatting about cooking in the kitchen.


    Soon, the meal was ready, and Kafka, Blade, and the others returned to the shop.


    Ye Yun, the six little ones, the Express crew, the Stellaron Hunters¡ªall sat together for a meal.


    After eating their fill, the little demon goddess lay on the couch, rubbing her belly with a satisfied smile.


    "Ahh~ So delicious~ I haven''t had beef in ages... it''s so expensive~"


    Xiangling was confused.


    "Expensive? I thought beef was pretty reasonable. At least, in Teyvat, or where Kiana and the others are from, and even here¡ªit''s not that bad."


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Jashin-chan lives on an island country. Supplies are scarce, so it''s naturally expensive."


    Xiangling understood.


    "I see. Jashin-chan, do you want to bring some beef back with you?"


    The little demon goddess''s eyes sparkled.


    "Really?! Can I?!"


    Xiangling patted her chest confidently.


    "Of course. I''ll pack it for you."


    Hearing that, the little demon goddess leapt up from the couch.


    "Yay! Let me see~"


    Xiangling walked over to the bar fridge, took out a large piece of steak, and packed it in a bag for her.


    The little demon goddess accepted it excitedly. So much beef¡ªthis would last a while.


    Most importantly, she wouldn''t need to buy as many groceries. The money saved could go into pachinko!


    With one hand carrying the beef and the other holding a bubble-wrapped teleportation gate, the little demon goddess stepped into the portal.


    "See ya, everyone!"


    Her figure disappeared into the magic array. If not for the used dishes on the table, it would''ve felt like she was never there.


    Back home.


    As soon as the little demon goddess returned, she felt a chill behind her.


    She turned around¡ªYurine stood silently behind her with a chainsaw, speaking in a cold tone.


    "Jashin-chan~ You went out and left the stove on again."


    The little demon goddess quickly explained:


    "W-wait! I can explain! I went to Ye Yun''s shop and..."


    She recounted the whole story to Yurine.


    After hearing it, Yurine believed her.


    After all, the little demon goddess couldn''t afford that much high-quality beef on her own.


    "Fine, I''ll let it go this time. But next time¡ªyou know what happens~"


    The little demon goddess gulped and nodded furiously.


    "Got it!"


    In Fontaine.


    Furina brought the Knights of Lancelot to the seaside for some fun.


    Also with them¡ªClorinde.


    Lancelot approached and bowed slightly.


    "My liege, there''s a house nearby. I''ve checked it¡ªit''s safe."


    Furina nodded in satisfaction.


    "Well done, Lancelot. I''ll go change into my swimsuit now."


    Humming a tune, she entered the house to change.


    Lancelot stood guard at the door, letting no one enter.


    Soon, Furina came out in her swimsuit and eagerly ran to the sea, jumping in.


    The cool water brushing against her skin felt incredibly refreshing.


    "Lancelot! Is my fruit ready?!"


    Lancelot looked over at the fruit she brought.


    "Yes, my liege. Right away."


    He tossed the fruit into the air, drew his sword, sheathed it.


    The sliced fruit fell perfectly into a plate floating on a swim ring.


    He placed it beside Furina, who took a piece with a fork.


    "Mm~ Delicious~"


    Furina swam over to Clorinde.


    "Clorinde! Come join us!"


    Clorinde glanced at the water.


    "The sea''s risen again. Last year, this area was still beach."


    Furina froze, remembering the prophecy.


    Thankfully, the relocation was soon to begin.


    Calestia promised the first batch of migrations would start in half a month.


    Once they reached the new world, she wouldn''t have to worry about the prophecy anymore.


    Come to think of it, maybe she should go talk to her "mirror self" and tell her not to worry either.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131 - 131In Liyue Harbor.


    While browsing the internet, Childe suddenly heard a voice near his ear¡ªit seemed to be calling him.


    He took off his headphones and looked around.


    Everything around him appeared normal; nothing seemed out of place.


    But the voice grew louder, and the feeling within him became stronger.


    A hint of worry appeared between his brows, and gradually, he heard two words.


    "Fontaine!"


    Childe shut down his computer and prepared to make a trip to Fontaine.


    Three days later.


    In Sumeru City.


    "Klee, slow down!"


    Ye Yun was playing around the city with six little ones, who were chasing and laughing through the streets.


    Today was the Festival of the Blooming God in Sumeru. Ye Yun and the others had come at Nahida''s invitation.


    The whole city was filled with laughter and joy as people celebrated the grand occasion.


    In the past, due to Azar''s rule, the Blooming God''s festival had never been properly held.


    At most, some people organized private celebrations without official support.


    This time was different¡ªit was backed by the authorities, making it grander than ever before.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Amber, Eula, and others strolled through the streets.


    They came across a small stall displaying various flower crowns. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Firefly picked up a pink one, clearly enchanted by it.


    Seeing this, Stelle pulled out some Mora to buy it for her.


    "Boss, how much is this?"


    "2,000 Mora each."


    Stelle counted out 2,000 Mora and handed it to the vendor, who grinned with satisfaction.


    Firefly looked at Stelle.


    "Thank you, Stelle."


    Stelle replied, "Don''t mention it. Didn''t you treat me to oak cake rolls back in Penacony?"


    Firefly put the flower crown on. A gentle breeze blew past, and sunlight shone down on her, magnifying her beauty.


    March 7th, Amber, and the others also each bought a flower crown and placed it on their heads.


    Stelle couldn''t quite understand¡ªwhy were March 7th and Firefly so into flowers?


    Personally, she still thought mechas were cooler.


    Thinking of this, she turned to Hutao.


    "Hutao, did you bring Zhongli''s Emperor Knight transformation device?"


    Hutao pulled it out with a grin.


    "The guest consul gave it to me directly. He said he doesn''t need it. Hehe~"


    Stelle rubbed her hands together.


    "Can I play with it for a bit?"


    Hutao handed over the transformation device.


    Stelle took it and held it high.


    "Ohhh! I can finally play with a giant mecha!"


    She placed the device on her waist and struck a transformation pose, stretching out her right hand and spinning in a circle.


    "Emperor Knight! Combine!"


    The device immediately emitted a digital voice:


    "Emperor Armor! Combine!"


    A phantom of armor appeared around Stelle, then suddenly materialized and clamped onto her body like magnetic pieces.


    Transformation complete, Stelle excitedly ran to a nearby pool to check her reflection.


    "Whoa! This armor is amazing! Why wasn''t I the one who won this? If I had known, I would''ve bought more lottery tickets... sob..."


    She struck a few cool poses, clearly enamored with the Emperor Knight armor and reluctant to return it.


    After some time touring the city, everyone gathered at the gates of the Sanctuary of Surasthana.


    Nahida stood at the entrance, looking into the distance, waiting to see if her flower carriage had arrived.


    Himeko, seeing this, knelt down to help Nahida straighten her collar.


    "Don''t worry."


    Nahida smiled and nodded. She had waited so long for this moment¡ªuntil now, it had only happened in dreams she crafted herself.


    This time, she was finally riding the flower carriage in the real world.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun couldn''t help but recall a song:


    The flower carriage rocks and sways~ Nahida opened her eyes~ She said, her birthday is today~


    Ye Yun remembered that song vividly. It began so beautifully, but by the third verse, the tone grew grim: Nahida was dragged away roughly by the Grand Sage and imprisoned in the Sanctuary.


    Soon, a flower-covered carriage arrived. Aether, dressed as the Flower Attendant, gave a slight bow.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, it''s time to depart."


    To select the Flower Attendant, Alhaitham even conducted a citywide poll in Sumeru.


    Surprisingly, Aether won by a landslide.


    Though it was unexpected, it also made perfect sense¡ªhe had contributed greatly to Nahida''s return.


    Clearing the Withering Zones, helping Nahida earn trust, leading the Desert Mercenaries... All these achievements led to his election.


    Nahida joyfully boarded the flower carriage, which slowly headed toward the Grand Bazaar.


    On both sides of the street, the people of Sumeru erupted in cheers the moment they saw her.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali! I finally get to see you!"


    "She''s so adorable! Azar''s a monster¡ªfor imprisoning someone this cute!"


    "Exactly! She''s the rightful ruler!"


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali! I''m your loyal dog!"


    Nahida smiled and waved to the crowd.


    She sat inside the carriage, filled with joy.


    It seemed the people of Sumeru truly welcomed her. She had worried they might not.


    Ye Yun, Stelle, Himeko, Zhongli, Venti, Calestia followed behind the carriage.


    As it reached the entrance of the Akademiya, loud bangs suddenly echoed from the square.


    Petals filled the sky, igniting excitement among the waiting crowd, who cheered nonstop.


    Qiqi, carrying a small basket, bent down to collect the fallen petals.


    Klee asked, "Qiqi~ why are you picking up all these flowers?"


    Qiqi replied calmly, "They''re pretty. Qiqi likes them."


    Klee beamed. "Klee will help you!"


    The flower carriage continued forward and soon reached the Grand Bazaar.


    Under everyone''s gaze, Nahida stepped onto the stage.


    Below, Nilou bowed slightly.


    "Lesser Lord Kusanali, please enjoy the dance I''ve prepared for you."


    Nilou began dancing gracefully, her elegant moves drawing cheers from the crowd.


    Gradually, the citizens of Sumeru joined in, mimicking her steps.


    Even a few desert mercenaries clumsily waved their limbs, awkward but happy.


    Venti couldn''t hold back any longer. He grabbed his lyre, flew to Nilou''s side, and began playing a joyful tune.


    Seeing this, Stelle exclaimed, "Let''s go, girls! Time to party!"


    Stelle, Hu Tao, March 7th, Firefly, Amber, and Eula joined the dancing crowd.


    Everyone held hands and circled around Nahida, celebrating her birthday.


    Even Nahida, swept up by the mood, happily danced along.


    The flower carriage rocks and sways~ Nahida opened her eyes~ Nahida, happy birthday.


    ***


    Furina dashed out from the crowd, grabbed Nahida''s hand, and spun around.


    Nahida and Furina danced joyfully in the center, while the Lancelot knights stood guard on nearby rooftops, protecting Furina''s safety.


    Zhongli and Welt sat at a nearby caf¨¦.


    Welt looked out at the lively scene, a slight smile appearing on his lips.


    Under the table, his foot unconsciously tapped along with the rhythm of the music.


    Seeing this, Zhongli smiled and teased:


    "Mr. Welt, there''s no need to stay with me. If you want to go dance, feel free."


    Welt snapped out of it and chuckled.


    "Better not. I''m too old to be dancing now."


    The two gently clinked their teacups, took a sip, and continued to quietly watch the bustling scene.


    Inside a restaurant in the Grand Bazaar, Ye Yun and the others were having their meal.


    This restaurant was reserved solely for them, specially arranged to host their group.


    Though the peak of the festivities had passed, people on the streets were still singing and dancing joyfully.


    Asmodeus sat next to Nahida and remarked:


    "Nahida, your beautiful dream of so many years has finally come true~"


    Nahida smiled gently.


    "Yes, it feels wonderful."


    March 7th felt a chill just thinking about Nahida being locked up for 500 years.


    If it were her, she''d probably go mad being trapped in a small room for so long.


    "Nahida, how did you survive those 500 years?"


    Nahida thought for a moment and replied seriously:


    "I kept dreaming. Sometimes, I would possess small animals to see the outside world through their eyes."


    Hearing this, March 7th felt even worse for Nahida.


    Nahida then looked at Calestia.


    "Your Grace Asmodeus, when exactly are we migrating? The first wave of migrants on my end is already prepared."


    Calestia turned to Zhongli.


    "Morax, bring out the map."


    Zhongli waved his hand, and a map appeared in the center of the court.


    It was a topographic map of the planet they were about to migrate to.


    Furina studied the map carefully and noticed a problem.


    "Uh... what are we calling our new land?"


    Calestia replied:


    "We haven''t named it yet. How about we come up with one now and settle this?"


    Zhongli suggested:


    "How about ''New Teyvat''?"


    Venti shook his head.


    "Old man, let''s not. You''re just slapping a ''New'' in front of Teyvat. That''s way too lazy."


    Nahida, however, thought it was fine.


    "I think there''s nothing wrong with that name. Even if we migrate, this world is still where we were born.


    Naming it New Teyvat will remind future generations that our roots came from a world called Teyvat."


    Furina gave her own opinion:


    "But aren''t we bringing all the land over? We can still live on it!


    I say, let''s call it ''Planet of Justice''! Heehee! That way, people from other planets will know we''re righteous just by hearing our name!"


    Tsaritsa was a little dumbfounded.


    Uh... maybe not.


    Meanwhile, Ei was on the side eating a freshly baked flower pastry, completely uninterested in the discussion.


    Yae Miko, seeing this, sighed and shook her head.


    Her dear Ei really doesn''t care about anything anymore unless it''s related to Primogems.


    Poor little fox herself had to go negotiate with that little priestess on Watatsumi Island and deal with all the political chaos in Inazuma. Sigh~


    Yae Miko now just hoped to win the lottery in the next draw, and once her big sister revived, she could go back to her laid-back life.


    She really envied Stelle and the others, who could play without worries every day and occasionally save the world like heroes.


    The Five Archons and Calestia continued discussing the name of the new planet.


    Stelle, lying on the carpet after eating her fill, was feeling a little bored.


    March 7th and the others felt the same way.


    "March, want to go for a walk?"


    March 7th responded:


    "Sure, let''s go take a stroll."


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and the others left the restaurant and wandered the streets of Sumeru City.


    They were just aimlessly walking, chatting occasionally.


    But Stelle still felt a bit bored.


    Life was getting a bit too dull, and the Astral Express wouldn''t be heading to the next planet for a while. She needed to find some fun.


    Fun... fun... that''s it! The Theater of Joy!


    "March, Firefly, want to go find Sparkle?"


    March 7th raised an eyebrow.


    "Find her? Aren''t you afraid she''ll mess with you?"


    Stelle replied:


    "I mean go to her Joyful Theater. We haven''t been there yet."


    Lumine was immediately interested.


    "Sounds good! I''ve never seen a prison-style theater before."


    Amber and Eula had been away from the shop for a while, so they didn''t know Sparkle had opened a Joyful Theater.


    "What are you talking about? Are we going to a show?" Amber asked.


    Stelle nodded.


    "Something like that. Let''s go ask Ye Yun to open a portal."


    They returned to the restaurant and found Ye Yun, asking him to open a teleportation gate back to the Astral Express.


    Stelle, Amber, Hu Tao, Firefly¡ªthese young girls stepped through the portal and returned to the train.


    Back on the train, March 7th raised a question:


    "One thing¡ªhow do we get there? Do you know where the Joyful Theater is?"


    Stelle patted her chest confidently.


    "Easy. Just one phone call."


    She pulled out her phone and called Sparkle.


    Soon, Sparkle''s voice came through:


    "Hello? Little Gray-Hair, what''s up?"


    Stelle said:


    "We want to go hang out and check out your Joyful Theater. Is that cool?"


    Sparkle didn''t even hesitate to agree.


    "Of course! I''ll send Aha to pick you up.


    Aha!!!


    I''m here, Lady Sparkle~


    Go fetch Stelle and the others! Our first guests are coming to visit!


    Got it! Aha is on it!"


    "Little Gray-Hair, Aha''s on the way. See you soon~"


    Sparkle hung up.


    Just as Stelle put her phone away, a portal opened in front of them, and Aha jumped out.


    "Dear audience, Aha has come to escort you to the theater~"


    Stelle and the others stepped into the portal and arrived at the Joyful Theater.


    Their vision briefly went black, and once it cleared, they found themselves on a beautiful plain.


    Next to a river stood a grand theater.


    Around it were many shipping containers with company logos, and lots of staff were busy unloading goods.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132 - 132Aha pulled out a little megaphone.


    "Ahem ahem~ Welcome, everyone, to the Joyful Little Ball!


    Right now, we''re at the first attraction of the Joyful Little Ball: the Scenic Overlook!


    Here, you can take in the endless beauty of the great plains and feel the wonder of nature.


    Also, our Joyful Little Ball has already partnered with many companies to launch a ''Bundle Plan'' for development. We''ll be creating a series of tourist attractions that blend perfectly with nature around the Joyful Grand Theater."


    Lumine looked a little confused.


    "Aha, what does ''Joyful Little Ball'' mean?"


    Aha replied:


    "This planet has been officially named ''Joyful Little Ball'' by the invincible Lady Sparkle! And just to let you know, this name is officially registered with the company~"


    Everyone finally understood¡ªit was the name of the planet.


    Well... that was very much Sparkle''s style.


    Stelle glanced at Aha.


    "Aha, we''re here to tour the Joyful Grand Theater, not sightsee. Why''d you bring us here?"


    Aha grinned cheerfully.


    "This is Lady Sparkle''s official Joyful Little Ball tour plan! Come on, let''s move to the next stop. Aha will lead the way!"


    Just as Aha finished speaking, a small airship flew over.


    The airship was mostly made of wood, with a very retro design, powered by aerodynamic vortex engines.


    There were four small vortex engines underneath the airship, and one large engine on each side.


    The airship slowly landed in front of them. Aha pulled out a tour guide''s flag and waved it a few times.


    "Come on, everyone! Let''s board the ship! Next stop: the Joyful Grand Theater!"


    Stelle and the others got on the airship. It wasn''t particularly fast, and it took over half an hour to reach the theater entrance.


    As soon as they disembarked, they saw a familiar face.


    Stelle walked over with hands on her hips.


    "Yo~ isn''t that Aventurine?"


    Aventurine turned to look at Stelle, and after seeing who it was, smiled.


    "Well, well~ Friends! You''re here too? Didn''t think you still remembered me."


    Stelle nodded.


    "Of course we remember.


    I''m here to bet!"


    Lumine quickly added:


    "I''m here to gamble!"


    Hu Tao jumped in:


    "I''m here to win!"


    Suddenly, Sparkle popped up from somewhere.


    "I am the spinning wheel of fate! From death, I rise!"


    All four of them spoke in unison:


    "All hail the Amber King!"


    They stood in formation, placing one hand over their chest and pointing the other skyward at a 45-degree angle.


    Aventurine wasn''t angry that they were using his own meme.


    "That''s right, all hail the Amber King!"


    Aha chimed in from the side:


    "All hail the Foolish King! I still don''t get why you all follow such a fool.


    Build walls, build walls, all he ever did was build walls!


    Back then, I even thought I could find fun in a rock. Thinking about it now, Aha was really dumb.


    Hahahaha! Aha was so dumb!"


    Aventurine''s mouth twitched at Aha''s evaluation of the Amber King.


    Ugh... if anyone else had dared say that in front of him, he''d definitely make them regret it.


    But this guy? The literal god of joy and chaos? Best not to mess with him.


    Stelle looked at Aventurine.


    "So Aha said the Joyful Grand Theater is in partnership with the company. Turns out you''re the connection?"


    Aventurine nodded slightly.


    "Yep, it''s a good deal. Come on, friends, I''ll show you the future plans for this place."


    Stelle looked at Firefly and the others. Sparkle said:


    "Sure, let''s go check it out. We''ve got nothing better to do anyway."


    Aventurine gave everyone a tour around the Joyful Grand Theater and even thoughtfully handed out guidebooks to help everyone follow his explanations.


    "Over here, I''m planning to build a karaoke bar¡ªwith the best equipment money can buy.


    And here, I want to build a hotel. To match the Joyful Grand Theater and the surrounding natural beauty, it''ll be entirely wooden and shaped like a Ferris wheel.


    And over here..."


    As they listened to Aventurine''s descriptions and looked at the images in the guidebook, Stelle and the others grew genuinely interested.


    If it all turned out like the plans, this place would be amazing.


    March 7th asked:


    "Aventurine, is this place expensive?"


    Aventurine smiled, pulling out a stack of black cards.


    "Here, my friends. With this card, you can use any of my properties for free."


    His rich aura was so dazzling, Stelle had to squint.


    "What is this! What is this! Could this... be the legendary aura of a true tycoon?!"


    Stelle accepted the card with both hands, overflowing with gratitude.


    "Boss! You''re the real big shot!"


    March 7th watched this scene and thought Stelle was being a little dramatic. So what if it''s free? It''s not like she couldn''t afford it herself.


    Aventurine added:


    "Also, this card gives you access to the company''s internal network, where you can buy goods at the lowest possible prices. It''s valid forever."


    As soon as he said that, March 7th froze. She quickly pulled out her phone, entered the card number, and logged into the network.


    "It''s real! Miss Robin''s signed photo is only 999! I saw it for 99,999 before!"


    Lumine shook her head when she heard that.


    "Tsk tsk, I''ve really been too kind. I only charged Watatsumi Island a tiny bit of Primogems for their supplies. I took a huge loss!"


    Stelle pulled out her phone and checked the big group chat, trying to add Aventurine as a friend.


    Then she noticed¡ªAventurine wasn''t in the group?


    "Aventurine, aren''t you in the ''One Big Happy Family'' group chat?"


    Aventurine looked puzzled.


    "What group is that?"


    Hutao explained:


    "It''s a group Ye Yun created. Anyone who''s ever shopped at his store gets added."


    Aventurine replied:


    "Oh? That so? Mind adding me?"


    Stelle pulled up her QR code.


    "Here, scan me. I''ll add you to the group."


    Aventurine added Stelle as a friend, and Stelle pulled him into the group chat.


    Aventurine looked around the group¡ªthere were over 70 people.


    Aventurine: "Hello, everyone. I''m Aventurine. Please take care of me."


    Actual Wolf: "Aventurine? Oh~ That''s the little peacock Sparkle mentioned."


    Lady Sparkle: "Silver Wolf~ You''re the best! You actually remembered what I said~ hugs~"


    Executor: "Group rule: New members must contribute something. [image of someone counting money with fingers]"


    Aventurine: [Red envelope]


    Galactic Fire Hero: "Whoa! Rich bro! That''s a huge red packet! Terrifying!"


    Igniting the Stars: "Terrifying!"


    Hall of Rebirth Boss: "Terrifying!"


    Little Angry Demon: "Terrifying! Wait... who''s Terrifying?"


    Miss Camera: "Jashin-chan! You''re here!"


    Little Angry Demon: "Yeah~ I just came to the fridge to grab some veggies, hehe~"


    Knight of Waves: "Yurine gave you grocery money and you spent it on pachinko again? You''re seriously not afraid of getting smacked, huh."


    Little Angry Demon: "No no, it was capsule toys this time. But hey, there are veggies here, right? I''ll just grab some from here, hahaha!"


    ***


    Miss Camera: "6, as expected of you, you hot-tempered trash jam."


    Little Angry Demon: "Question! What can you buy with 100,000 credits?"


    Number One Chef of the Three Realms: "Sandwich, remember the beef I gave you the first time? You can buy 10 servings."


    Little Angry Demon: "Masaka! Surprised.jpg"


    Back to reality.


    After chatting in the group for a while, Stelle, March 7th, and the others followed Aha and Huohuo into the Theater of Joy.


    The entire theater was divided into three areas: the stage area, the prison area, and a square.


    Aha waved a small flag and led Stelle and the others into the interior of the theater, arriving at the stage area.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the most recommended spot in our Theater of Joy¡ªthe Grand Stage!Next, we will present two performances for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to rate them afterwards~"


    Upon hearing this, Stelle and the others sat in the front row of the audience area.


    Scaramouche came running out pushing a small cart, which was loaded with various snacks.


    "Sunflower seeds, soda, bottled water, peanuts, beer, chicken legs¡ªmust-have snacks for watching a show! Regret guaranteed if you don''t buy~


    Dear audience members, would you like some snacks?"


    The tone was cheerful, but Scaramouche''s face showed deep disgust and anger.


    Sparkle pulled out a spiked club.


    "Hey little puppet~ who are you scowling at? Is this how I taught you to greet customers? Smile for me!"


    Scaramouche snorted and spat in Sparkle''s direction.


    Seeing this, Sparkle wasn''t angry¡ªin fact, she was delighted.


    "Little puppet~ you brought this on yourself~"


    She snapped her fingers. Suddenly, Scaramouche felt his body out of control, and a beaming smile spread across his face.


    "Dear audience~ would you like some snacks? This little puppet is happy to serve you~"


    Inside his mind, Scaramouche''s soul started retching violently.


    How could he say such things? Happy to serve you¡ªugh!


    This was the special feature of the Theater of Joy¡ªit could disgust a prisoner''s soul by forcing them to watch their body do things they couldn''t accept.


    Stelle took out her phone and grinned at Scaramouche.


    "Hey, you there, Dumbouch, right? I think I got your name right. I want to buy something."


    March 7th tried hard to recall.


    "Yup, Dumbouch, you remembered correctly."


    Firefly looked like she wanted to say something. Wait, wasn''t the name Scaramouche? But whatever, as long as Stelle''s happy.


    Scaramouche''s soul tried desperately to regain control of his body, but it was all in vain.


    His body skipped over to Stelle, holding out a QR code with a bright smile.


    "Dear customer, what would you like to order~?"


    Stelle checked the prices.


    Cola ¨C 30 credits.Sunflower seeds ¨C 50 credits per pack.Peanuts ¨C 60 credits per pack.


    Not bad! Stelle waved her hand generously.


    "I''ll take everything! How much? Help me divide them among everyone."


    Scaramouche smiled and gave the total. Stelle paid, and he distributed the snacks and drinks to everyone. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sparkle waved her little hand, and Scaramouche pushed the cart away from the audience area.


    Stelle opened a pack of sunflower seeds and popped one in.


    "Sparkle, when does the show start?"


    Hearing this, Sparkle took out a walkie-talkie and took a deep breath.


    "Aha! Not ready yet? The audience is getting impatient!"


    "Coming right out! No need to rush, Lady Sparkle~"


    As Aha finished speaking, the stage lights dimmed.


    Spotlights lit up from both sides, focusing on the stage.


    In the light stood Aha, dressed in formal attire.


    "Ahem~ dear audience, dear guests, we are honored to welcome you to the Theater of Joy.


    On behalf of all our staff, I extend a warm welcome to you all!Now, let''s begin with a tragic love story~"


    The lights dimmed again. Romantic, elegant music began to play, and a narrator''s voice sounded.


    "Long, long ago, on a planet called Azure Star...


    This planet was constantly ravaged by a force called the Honkai.


    And on this planet, a boy known as Little Blond secretly fell in love with a girl named Little Wolfie~


    Little Wolfie was unaware of Little Blond''s feelings¡ªor maybe she just didn''t reciprocate.


    Time passed, and as they grew up, Little Wolfie perished in battle against the Honkai.


    Little Blond was grief-stricken. He vowed to build a world where Little Wolfie existed.


    A sack of rice can carry how many floors, a sack of rice can carry the second floor, a sack of rice has so many floors... blah blah blah¡ªwho gave you a sack of rice, geez!


    Little Blond orchestrated a grand scheme and eventually made a deal with the Honkai God, trading his own life to bring Little Wolfie from another timeline back to life.


    Under the mercy of the invincible Lady Sparkle, Little Blond was also resurrected and sent to the world where Little Wolfie now lived.


    And thus, the story begins!"


    The lights came back on.


    The scene on stage had changed.


    Otto and Hoolay stood beside a lovely fountain.


    Otto looked deeply into Himeko''s eyes.


    "Little Wolfie~ I''ve finally found you again."


    Hoolay turned his head and studied Otto with a puzzled look, revealing a smile full of fangs.


    "Hello? Who are you? You know my name... I feel like I''ve seen you somewhere before, but I can''t remember."


    Otto smiled gently, a small twitch at the corner of his eye.


    "Maybe we have met... but that doesn''t matter.


    Allow me to introduce myself. I''m Little Blond. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Hoolay extended her hand.


    "Nice to meet you, Little Blond. I''m Little Wolfie."


    Suddenly, a sharp alarm rang out.


    [Honkai reaction detected! All Valkyries, prepare for battle!]


    Hoolay heard the voice and smiled at Otto.


    "Little Blond, I''m going to fight the Honkai. Goodbye."


    He ran off the stage.


    Otto watched her leave and whispered:


    "This time... I won''t let you go."


    The lights dimmed. When they brightened again, the stage had transformed into a battlefield wreathed in smoke.


    Hoolay looked up at the countless starships above with despair in his eyes.


    "This time, it''s a Emperor-class Honkai!"


    He gritted His teeth.


    "No! Little Wolfie, you must stay strong. The Werewolf Clan needs you!"


    His eyes filled with resolve.


    Just then, a powerful explosion tore through the enemy fleet.


    Otto appeared before Hoolay, gazing at him with warmth.


    "Don''t worry. I''m here."


    The lights dimmed one final time, and Aha''s voice came through.


    "Dear audience, thank you for watching. The first part of the beautiful love story between Little Blond and Little Wolfie ends here~"

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133 - 133The lights came back on, and Aha appeared, bowing alongside Huolay and Otto.


    Stelle and the others in the audience quickly applauded.


    "Bravo! That was great!"


    "Such fun! Really entertaining!"


    "Two grown men performing that was kinda weird, but I still really wanted to see where it would go!"


    "Encore! Encore!"


    Otto and Huolay exited the stage. Aha straightened his collar and calmly picked up the microphone.


    "Such enthusiasm from our audience! Seems like everyone thoroughly enjoyed our performance of Little Blond and Little Wolfie.


    I heard many of you shouting ''Do it again!''¡ªbut unfortunately, that''s not possible.


    Here at the Theater of Joy, we never overwork our staff. Each performer only takes the stage once per day.


    But worry not, dear guests¡ªanother splendid drama awaits you.


    Now, let us present... The Loving and Harmonious Family! "


    The lights dimmed again.


    The narrator''s voice returned.


    "In a small town, lived a family of five: Old Man Bo, Old Lady Bo, Doctor Bo, Wife Bo, and Son Bo.


    Old Man Bo liked gambling and drinking, Old Lady Bo loved perms and manicures, Wife Bo worshipped wealth and despised poverty, and Son Bo had a negative IQ.


    Only Doctor Bo was a hardworking man, earnestly making money to support the family."


    As the narration faded, the lights came up.


    The stage had turned into a small, cramped home. From the layout, it was clearly tight and messy.


    Doctor Bo, the head of the household, sat at the dinner table with a face full of worry.


    He sighed.


    "Dad lost at gambling again. The creditors have come knocking."


    Wife Bo, applying a face mask nearby, glanced at him with disdain.


    "What? And that''s Dad''s fault? Isn''t it because you''re useless and can''t earn enough? If you had money, Dad wouldn''t need to borrow, and the creditors wouldn''t be coming after us."


    Doctor Bo sighed.


    "I''m doing my best to make money."


    Wife Bo finished her mask.


    "Tch¡ªyour best? Then why are you still sitting here? Look at Old San next door¡ªhe works 20 hours a day. That''s real effort. You only work 18 and you dare say you''re trying?


    I''m done with this poor, miserable life. I''ve decided to marry Uncle Rich Rooster. He can support me. I''m moving out tomorrow."


    Doctor Bo looked at her and sighed inwardly.


    "...Okay."


    He got up and returned to his room, gazing at his drooling, vacant-eyed son.


    He sighed again.


    "Son, Dad will take good care of you from now on. Your mom''s leaving."


    Son Bo gave a silly giggle.


    Wife Bo packed up and slammed the door on her way out.


    After putting Son Bo to sleep, Doctor Bo walked to the living room, opened a beer, and chugged it.


    At that moment, a knock came from the door. He opened it.


    Old Man Bo and Old Lady Bo had returned.


    Old Man Bo barged in, rummaging around.


    "Where''s the money? Where did it go?"


    Doctor Bo handed over an envelope.


    "Here, Dad. It''s the last of my savings."


    Old Man Bo took it, checked inside, and left contentedly.


    Old Lady Bo followed him out.


    "Hey, give me half¡ªI''m going to get my nails done."


    Doctor Bo downed the rest of his beer.


    Life was too hard¡ªhis wife left, the money was gone, his son was disabled, and his parents were spendthrifts.


    The lights dimmed again. When they came back up, the scene had shifted from night to day.


    Doctor Bo awoke in bed, disbelief on his face.


    Wife Bo, Old Man Bo, and Old Lady Bo were all smiling warmly at him.


    Wife Bo wrapped her arms around his.


    "Darling, I''ve made up my mind. I''ll stay with you after all.


    As long as you''re willing to sell a kidney to Uncle Rich Rooster, he''s ready to pay a big sum for it. Isn''t that wonderful~?"


    Old Man Bo added cheerfully:


    "Son, with that money, we can all live in luxury."


    Old Lady Bo chimed in:


    "That''s right! For our comfortable future, we''re counting on you!"


    Doctor Bo looked at his "caring" family, feeling a strange warmth in his heart.


    "Alright! I''ll do it. I''ll go sell a kidney right now, and we''ll live a good life! If that''s not enough, I still have one more!"


    In unison, Old Man Bo, Old Lady Bo, and Wife Bo exclaimed:


    "We''ll all live happily together!"


    The play ended, and Aha returned to the stage.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today''s performance! Thank you for coming, and we hope to see you next time!


    We''ll have even more exciting plays prepared for your enjoyment!


    See you then!!!"


    As his words ended, confetti cannons fired on both sides of the stage, raining colorful streamers down from above.


    Stelle and the others clapped and cheered. What could they say? Only at the Theater of Joy could you see such wild and bizarre performances. It truly was in a league of its own.


    With the show concluded...


    Stelle and her group, led by Sparkle, visited the prison section, where they saw the broken-spirited Otto, Hoolay, Doctor Bo and his four family members, and Scaramouche.


    After the tour, Aha escorted the group back to the train. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment they returned, Stelle smelled something delicious.


    She looked toward the kitchen. Little Evil God was busy cooking.


    Stelle walked in.


    "Jashin-chan, what are you making that smells so good?"


    Little Evil God glanced around, confirmed Lilybell wasn''t nearby, then smirked wickedly and leaned close to Xing''s ear.


    "Hehehe~ Yurine said she wanted beef stew. I''m making it for her¡ªbut I poisoned it. Once she drinks it... hehehehe~ Wahahahaha! Freedom! Sweet freedom!"


    Stelle''s mouth twitched.


    "Uh... should I wish you luck?"


    Jashin-chan patted Stelle on the shoulder.


    "Thanks! I''m off!"


    She picked up the big pot of beef stew and stepped through a portal.


    Moments later, she was flung back through the portal, landing in a heap beside the group playing Ludo on the carpet.


    The sudden crash startled everyone.


    Jashin-chan looked like she was about to die. A mosaic-covered wound on her belly was still spurting blood.


    She stretched out a trembling hand, barely conscious.


    "Help me... Stelle... ugh... help..."


    Before Stelle could ask what happened, the portal flashed again. Out stepped Yurine, holding a barbed iron rod, smiling "gently" at everyone.


    "Ah, everyone''s here. Sorry for the disturbance¡ªI''ll be taking Jashin-chan back with me for the next few days."


    She hooked the rod into Jashin-chan''s back and dragged her back through the portal.


    March 7th was stunned.


    "Um... what''s that saying again?"


    Firefly reminded her:


    "Those who bring trouble on themselves deserve what they get."


    March 7th snapped her fingers.


    "Right, that''s the one. Jashin-chan brought this on herself. If she''d behaved, she wouldn''t have gotten whacked."


    Lumine added:


    "I guess that''s a form of persistence, too? Jashin-chan never once gave up."


    ***


    Half an hour later.


    Jashin-chan was crying and sitting behind Yurine, who was happily playing chess with Stelle and the others.


    After a game of Ludo, Firefly looked at the time.


    "Everyone, it''s getting late. We need to go to the Grand Bazaar to watch Nilou''s performance."


    Stelle heard this and called everyone to put away the Ludo game.


    March 7th glanced at Yurine and the little evil god.


    "Yurine, Jashin-chan, do you want to come play in Sumeru?"


    Yurine nodded in agreement.


    "Sure."


    Then, everyone stepped through the portal.


    At the Grand Bazaar.


    Stelle and the others returned to the restaurant, and Ye Yun and the others were also preparing to head out to watch Nilou''s performance.


    According to previous records, the Flower God''s birthday was a day-long celebration.


    Calestia, Zhongli, and Furina had already decided on the name for the new planet.


    "New Teyvat."


    That''s right, they had thought of hundreds of names, but in the end, they chose the one Zhongli suggested at the beginning.


    The names they proposed afterward were all ridiculous, one more absurd than the next.


    In the end, they just stopped suggesting and went with "New Teyvat."


    Stelle and the others arrived at the restaurant.


    March 7th was explaining to Yurine.


    "Yurine, this is Sumeru. That person over there is Nahida, the ruler and God of Wisdom of this city."


    "Today is her birthday, and we''re here to celebrate."


    Yurine bowed slightly.


    "Hello, Nahida. I''m Yurine. Happy birthday."


    Nahida smiled in return.


    "Thank you for coming."


    At this moment, the little evil god was stroking her chin, sizing up Nahida from top to bottom.


    "You''re the God of Wisdom? So small? Is that real? I don''t believe it."


    Yurine''s face darkened as she looked at the little evil god.


    "Jashin-chan, haven''t I taught you to be polite?"


    The little evil god clicked her tongue.


    "Huh? Politeness? I''m a little demon, politeness? No such thing, okay~"


    Yurine smiled at Nahida and said,


    "Nahida, I need to handle something, I''ll come find you later."


    Yurine grabbed the little evil god by the back of her neck and walked out of the restaurant.


    A few seconds later, a scream echoed from the alley behind the restaurant.


    "Ah!!!! It hurts!!!!"


    Nahida heard the scream and broke into a cold sweat.


    "Uh, is Jashin-chan alright?"


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "She''s fine, she''s fine, she has an immortal body."


    Nahida stiffly nodded.


    Ye Yun picked up Klee.


    "Let''s go, everyone. We''re going to watch Nilou''s performance!"


    With Ye Yun''s shout, everyone left the restaurant and headed toward the Grand Bazaar.


    The little evil god had a band-aid on her face. Earlier, Yurine had been pulling her face so hard that it broke the skin.


    When they arrived at the Grand Bazaar, the little evil god took off the band-aid right in front of everyone.


    The little evil god''s wound had fully healed, which left Furina staring in shock.


    Just now, the little evil god''s face had a large wound, bleeding like crazy, and after just putting on a band-aid, it was all healed?


    March 7th couldn''t help but recall when she first saw the little evil god''s terrifying healing ability.


    That time was even worse than this. The little evil god had eaten all the meat prepared for hotpot, and Yurine used a cleaver to chop her tail into meat slices.


    In just half an hour, she had fully healed.


    Everyone arrived at the back of the Grand Bazaar''s stage and met Nilou.


    Nahida was now standing next to Nilou, chatting with her.


    Nilou was very excited, thinking to herself, "I''m actually talking to the Lesser Lord Kusanali! This is something I never could have imagined before!"


    Soon, it was Nilou''s turn to go on stage.


    Everyone clapped as they watched Nilou''s performance. As expected of Nilou, her dance was beautiful.


    It was already nighttime, but Sumeru city was still lively.


    If this had been in the past, it would have been completely impossible.


    Late at night, Ye Yun and the others returned to the Sanctum of Wisdom with Nahida.


    Xiangling personally cooked a huge cake for Nahida. While everyone sang, Nahida made a wish.


    Then, everyone presented their gifts, and Nahida was surrounded by presents, unsure which one to open first.


    Stelle looked at Ye Yun and raised an eyebrow.


    "Ye Yun, where''s your gift?"


    Ye Yun smiled and put Klee down.


    "My gift is definitely the best."


    Ye Yun smiled and shouted toward a corner of the room.


    "Come out, Rukkhadevata."


    Everyone turned to look toward a corner of the Sanctum of Wisdom.


    A woman who resembled Nahida walked out of the corner.


    Calestia, Zhongli, Venti, and Tsaritsa were all stunned when they saw her.


    "Rukkhadevata? Is that really you?"


    That''s right, Ye Yun''s gift for Nahida was the revival of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.


    When the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata saw Zhongli and the others'' shocked expressions, he covered his mouth and chuckled.


    "It''s been a long time, everyone."


    Calestia rushed in front of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.


    "Rukkhadevata, is it really you! That''s great! With you helping me, I''ll have it much easier from now on!"


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata smiled at Calestia.


    "Your Excellency Calestia, you want me to work right after I''ve just been resurrected?"


    Calestia nodded.


    "Of course, you used to be my personal secretary. We''re moving Teyvat, a lot of things to do, get to work quickly, help me out."


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata nodded in agreement. Ye Yun had already explained the recent events to him.


    Nahida looked at the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata in front of her, and a tear slid down her cheek.


    "Is it really you, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?"


    Greater Lord Rukkhadevata noticed Nahida and walked up to her, kneeling down in front of her.


    "Nahida, I''ve returned. You''ve worked hard during this time."


    Greater Lord Rukkhadevata gently wiped the tear from Nahida''s face.


    Nahida lowered her head.


    "I''m sorry, I''m not a good god. I couldn''t manage Sumeru properly. I''ve been foolishly staying in the Sanctum of Wisdom while the Great Sage faction caused trouble in Sumeru."


    Greater Lord Rukkhadevata hugged Nahida and gently patted her head.


    "No, Nahida, you''ve done great. Thanks to your efforts, the desert and the rainforest have reconciled. And didn''t you defeat the Great Sage faction?"


    "Nahida, you''re excellent."


    Nahida looked up at the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata after hearing this.


    "I''ll work even harder. I want to become a great god like you."


    Greater Lord Rukkhadevata smiled and cupped Nahida''s face in both hands.


    "Alright, Nahida, you''ll try your best. During this time, I''ll teach you how to manage a country."


    Nahida nodded.


    "I will learn seriously."


    At this moment, Lumine suddenly asked.


    "Nahida, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, are you two mother and daughter? You look so alike."

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134 - 134The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata spoke.


    "Not quite. Nahida is my reincarnation¡ªI am her, and she is me.


    Nahida is the purest branch I picked from the World Tree.


    We are the same in essence, and naturally, we look the same too."


    Hearing this, Stelle said:


    "Oh, I see. So if you pluck another branch, can you make another Nahida?"


    Stelle''s words left both the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nahida speechless.


    Two are enough¡ªwhat would you do with more?


    Ye Yun chuckled and said:


    "Alright, alright, let''s cut the cake. We haven''t done that yet."


    Hearing this, Xiangling pulled out a knife and handed it to Nahida.


    Nahida took the two-meter-long broadsword with both hands and sliced the cake, handing out a piece to everyone present.


    After everyone finished eating, they left the Sanctuary of Surasthana to give Nahida and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata some space¡ªthey had much to talk about.


    After leaving the sanctuary, the group strolled around Sumeru City.


    Jiaxinjiang ran to the restaurant that was hosting Ye Yun and the others and ordered a large case of beer, which she chugged with some barbecue.


    Ye Yun opened a portal inside the restaurant and took the six little ones back first to wash up and rest.


    Not long after, Stelle, March 7th, and the others also returned to the Astral Express through the portal.


    Yurine, slightly drunk, brought the tipsy little Jashin-chan back to her apartment.


    As soon as Jashin-chan got back, she collapsed on the floor and started snoring.


    Yurine, seeing this, found a cup and placed it over Jashin-chan as a blanket, then went to the bathroom to wash up.


    As soon as Yurine turned on the tap, Jashin-chan groggily sat up and let out a drunken burp:


    "Beer~ I want more beer~"


    She checked the fridge and, not finding any beer, decided to go out and buy some.


    She arrived at a convenience store, bought a bottle of beer, and started wandering around.


    Wandering aimlessly, she ended up in the plaza where Pekora and her group lived.


    Pekora was the archangel sent to eliminate Jashin-chan.


    Unfortunately, Jashin-chan counterattacked and shattered her source of power¡ªthe Angel''s Halo.


    Jashin-chan may be weak, but she has a natural advantage against angels¡ªshe''s specialized in defeating them.


    Pekora, without an ID, could only take on shady jobs to barely earn enough to eat.


    After a sip of beer and a look around, Jashin-chan realized she had arrived at Pekora''s "home."


    Pekora''s home was a large cardboard box. There were many similar boxes in this plaza¡ªhome to many drifters.


    Jashin-chan walked up to the box and lifted the flap.


    "Pekora~ You home? Come drink with me~ Angel~"


    Looking around and seeing no one, she said:


    "Not home, huh? Guess I''ll drink alone."


    She downed the beer in one go, reached her limit, and collapsed on the cardboard.


    Pekora''s home instantly caved in.


    More than ten minutes later, Pekora returned, carrying a bag of bread and some bottled water bought with today''s earnings from odd jobs. Upon seeing the wreckage, her world collapsed.


    Her home was completely gone, with Jashin-chan sleeping soundly on top.


    "Jashin-chan!!!!"


    Pekora sat on the ground. Tonight''s evening breeze was chilly, but her heart was even colder.


    Meanwhile, back with Ye Yun¡ª


    He was blow-drying Klee''s hair.


    Klee sat on a small stool while Ye Yun used a hairdryer to gently dry and fluff her hair.


    Nearby, the other five little ones waited in line for their turn.


    Yaoyao was watering the potted plants on the windowsill.


    Bailu and Hook were playing Angry Birds on their phones, with Bailu even providing voice-overs for the birds:


    "Shoo~ fly off~ boom!"


    Qiqi opened the fridge, took out a bottle of coconut milk, inserted a straw, and sat by the bed sipping slowly.


    After being cured, Qiqi regained her sense of taste. Having tried coconut milk, she developed a strong liking for it, and now she must drink three bottles before bed.


    If she didn''t drink three bottles, she couldn''t fall asleep. Initially, she drank even more¡ªhalf a case a day.


    Eventually, she got it under control and reduced it to five bottles a day.


    One in the morning, one at noon, and three before bed.


    After drying the six girls'' hair and putting them to bed, Ye Yun turned off the lights and left their room.


    Back at the shop¡ª


    Stelle was chatting with Welt.


    Ye Yun walked closer and overheard:


    "Uncle Yang, we went to the Joyful Grand Theater today, hehe."


    Welt perked up with interest.


    "The Joyful Grand Theater? You went to see a show? Wasn''t it still closed?"


    Stelle replied:


    "We went for a preview, just browsing around, caught two performances.


    Uncle Yang, that guy you brought in? He was on stage today. Damn, his acting¡ªabsolutely explosive."


    Hearing this, Welt considered visiting the Joyful Grand Theater tomorrow.


    But after a moment''s thought, he decided to wait¡ªif it was opening soon as Stelle said, there''d be time.


    Just then, Himeko came over and said:


    "Tomorrow, Miss Robin invited us to a family Harmony Gala on the Fluorite Vessel. Let''s rest early."


    March 7th was confused.


    "Huh? A family gala? On a Sunday again?"


    Himeko shook her head.


    "No, this time it''s hosted by Miss Robin herself. As for Sunday... he''s been missing lately, no idea where he went."


    March 7th responded:


    "Oh, that''s fine then. I''ll go rest. Goodnight, Himeko."


    Everyone dispersed to their own rooms for the night.


    The next day¡ª


    The Astral Express crew, along with Jade and Topaz, boarded a ship headed for the Fluorite Vessel.


    The ship sped off from the port, arriving in just over an hour.


    The Fluorite Vessel, being the most luxurious entertainment facility owned by the family, was extravagantly decorated.


    Stelle looked toward Topaz.


    "Topaz, the family invited you too? I thought your company and the family were sworn enemies?"


    Topaz looked at Jade, who nodded slightly, and then replied:


    "That''s true, we are enemies. We''re here to demand answers¡ªa senior company executive died in Penacony, and the company must investigate."


    Stelle nodded.


    "I see."


    Soon, the ship docked, and the group disembarked.


    As soon as they got off, Stelle spotted Robin already waiting nearby.


    Stelle waved and greeted her.


    "Hey~ Long time no see, Miss Robin."


    Robin smiled in return.


    "Long time no see, everyone."


    Stelle asked: sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Robin, did you invite us here because there''s something you want to talk about?"


    Robin replied:


    "Yes, I do have something to discuss. But I also genuinely wanted to invite you to enjoy the Fluorite Vessel."


    At this moment, Jade said:


    "Miss Robin, time is valuable. Let''s find a place to sit and talk properly."


    Robin smiled.


    "Miss Jade, I won''t be the one talking to you this time¡ªit''s the other head of the family."


    ***


    Jade heard this and had already guessed who it was.


    "It''s that old Oti, right?"


    Robin chuckled lightly.


    "Miss Jade truly lives up to being a company executive. That''s right, it''s Mr. Oti. He''s waiting for you in the meeting room."


    Upon hearing this, Jade headed toward the meeting room with Topaz in tow.


    Seeing this, Himeko followed them. Yes, she was also here to attend the meeting.


    After the three left, Robin turned around to face Stelle, March 7th, and the others.


    "Everyone, this way please. Let me show you around the Glimmerstone."


    Robin led Stelle and the others on a tour, and then suddenly asked:


    "Stelle, I heard there''s a magical little shop on your train. Is that true?"


    Stelle looked at Robin in surprise.


    "Who told you that? It''s true, though."


    She was quite puzzled¡ªhow did Robin know about Ye Yun''s shop? She was sure none of them had mentioned it.


    They had only casually chatted the last time they met.


    Robin explained:


    "My brother told me. He got the intel in a trade.


    I heard that in this shop, you can buy anything you want. Is that right?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "That''s true. As long as you have enough starcoins, you can buy anything you want in Ye Yun''s shop."


    Robin asked again:


    "Starcoins? How do you get those?"


    Stelle pulled out a 100-starcoin note.


    "One Stellar Jade can be exchanged for 100 starcoins. Do you have any Stellar Jade?"


    Robin responded:


    "You mean the kind that comes from treasure chests? I remember there are a lot of those on Penacony. I''ll send people to collect them. Thanks for telling me, Stelle."


    Hearing that Robin was going after treasure chests made Stelle uneasy.


    Most of the treasure chests in Penacony had already been looted by them. If Robin found out... yikes!


    Stelle tugged on March 7th''s sleeve and whispered:


    "March, time to bail!"


    March 7th looked confused.


    "Huh? Bail? Why?"


    Stelle said:


    "Did you forget who looted the Penacony treasure chests?"


    March 7th''s eyes widened in realization.


    "Run!"


    Just as Stelle was about to come up with an excuse to slip away, Robin''s words shut it down completely.


    "Everyone, I''ve had some lovely refreshments prepared. Let''s go sit down."


    Stelle tried one last time:


    "Um... Robin, we''ve got something to do¡ª"


    Robin smiled.


    "Don''t worry, it won''t take long. I just want to treat you to some tea and snacks."


    As she spoke, she took Stelle''s hand.


    "I want to thank you all properly for helping Penacony. If it weren''t for you, my brother might have gone down a dark path."


    Nearby, Lumine heard the words "dark path" and shook her head internally.


    Dark path? What a way to put it! That''s the great Sunday we''re talking about! She, for one, fully supported Sunday.


    Think about it¡ªdoing nothing, just obeying the law and living a carefree life with everything provided for you. How wonderful is that?


    Stelle couldn''t find a reason to refuse Robin''s hospitality.


    "Alright, let''s go then."


    Robin brought everyone to a lounge for tea and chatted with them as they sat around.


    March 7th took out a photo¡ªone she took with Robin on her first visit to Penacony.


    "Miss Robin, can I get your autograph?"


    Robin took the photo and signed her name, also writing a little note of blessing.


    [Wishing March 7th a smooth journey and a joyful life.]


    March 7th looked at the signed photo and was deeply touched.


    "Wow! Robin, you even wrote me a blessing! I love you so much!"


    Furina, visiting Penacony for the first time, was curious.


    Why did March 7th seem just like her fans?


    "Robin, are you a celebrity?"


    Before Robin could answer, Firefly jumped in:


    "Miss Robin is a world-renowned singer in our world. Her voice is incredible."


    Hearing that, Furina''s eyes sparkled.


    "Oh~ So you''re a celebrity too! What a coincidence! I''m also one¡ªthe most famous star in Fontaine, and a singer too~"


    Robin was surprised to learn that Furina was a fellow performer.


    "Didn''t expect that among you, there''d be someone in the same profession. We should definitely talk more sometime and exchange musical insights."


    Furina agreed immediately.


    "Sure! Let''s add each other now. I''ll message you later."


    Robin took out her phone and added Furina.


    She didn''t put the phone away but showed her QR code to everyone.


    "Let''s all add each other. That way we can hang out together sometime."


    Everyone scanned the code and added Robin on Chat.


    At that moment, Stelle asked:


    "Robin, what meeting did Himeko go to? Can you tell us?"


    Robin looked puzzled.


    "You don''t know?"


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly all shook their heads in unison.


    "Nope, Himeko didn''t tell us."


    Robin explained:


    "They''re discussing the distribution of Penacony''s shares. This time, the Astral Express helped Penacony a lot. And since Mr. ''Clockmaker'', the founder of Penacony, is part of the Express crew, we''re going to give some shares to the Express members."


    Stelle and March 7th were dumbfounded, staring blankly at Robin.


    A few seconds later, they both shouted:


    "WHAT!!!"


    Their voices were so loud it made everyone''s ears hurt.


    Stelle pointed at herself.


    "So that means... I''m a shareholder of Penacony now?"


    March 7th also pointed at herself.


    "So that means... I''m rich now?"


    Robin thought for a moment, then nodded.


    "That''s right. As shareholders, you''ll receive annual dividends from Penacony."


    Then Robin dropped an even more shocking bombshell.


    "Also, this ship we''re on¡ªthe Glimmerstone¡ªI plan to give it to Stelle."


    Stelle gasped and slapped herself.


    "Ouch, ouch, it hurts! I''m not dreaming. Holy crap, I''m rich!"


    It took Stelle and March 7th more than half an hour to fully process these two bombshell announcements.


    Stelle still remembered¡ªjust not long ago, she was a broke scavenger doing odd jobs at Herta Space Station.


    Now, she was a shareholder of the most developed entertainment hub in the galaxy, and the owner of a luxurious amusement ship.


    Stelle felt dazed for a moment.


    Robin stood up.


    "Come on, Stelle. Let me show you around more¡ªget you familiar with the Glimmerstone."

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135 - 135Robin led Stelle and the others to the control room.


    "This is the control room. There are two modes for navigation: automatic and manual. For automatic mode, the route needs to be pre-loaded."


    Stelle walked up to the control panel with her hands on her hips.


    "Automatic mode!"


    An artificial intelligence appeared on the display screen of the control panel.


    "Automatic mode activated. Please select a route."


    Stelle looked through the routes. Currently, only routes within Penacony were available.


    That made sense, considering the Glimmerstone was an entertainment-focused ship.


    After playing around in the control room for a bit, the group, led by Robin, went out onto the deck.


    At that time, Himeko, Jade, Topaz, and old Oti had finished their meeting.


    To Himeko''s surprise, the Astral Express team was granted 20% of the shares.


    Originally, Himeko had estimated they''d get around 10%.


    Last night, Topaz, Jadeite, and Himeko had already discussed it briefly¡ªthe company was aiming for 30% of the shares.


    To maintain control over Penacony, the family needed at least 51%, with 60% being the safest.


    Unexpectedly, the family handed out 20% to the Express team.


    If the Express and the company were to join forces, their combined 50% would be enough to stand up to the family.


    Himeko walked over to Robin.


    "Miss Robin, there''s something I''d like to discuss with you."


    Robin, who had been chatting with Furina about music, brought Himeko to a nearby refreshment area.


    "Ms. Himeko, what would you like to talk about?"


    Himeko expressed her concern.


    "Isn''t 20% too much for the family to give away?"


    Robin smiled.


    "Not at all. Granting the Express 20% was a carefully discussed internal decision.


    Honestly, after this incident, the family has been at a disadvantage in its conflict with the company.


    Many of the family''s industries have suffered suppression from the company.


    To bring both sides to an equal footing, we had to bring in a strong ally.


    And the Astral Express is our choice.


    The Express is renowned throughout the galaxy, and every member is formidable."


    Himeko smiled and asked a critical question.


    "Aren''t you afraid that the Express might side with the company?"


    Robin replied calmly.


    "Aren''t the Express members all heroes at heart? To quote how Stelle described her life lately:


    Wandering around the galaxy, occasionally saving a world or two along the way.


    The family believes that noble-hearted people like you wouldn''t take advantage of us or kick us while we''re down."


    Himeko smiled and stood up.


    "Alright, that clears things up. Thank you for the explanation, Miss Robin."


    Robin nodded slightly.


    "After the opening ceremony, would it be alright if I visit the train?


    I''ve never seen it before¡ªand I''d love to check out that magical little shop on board."


    Himeko agreed.


    "Of course. The train never refuses anyone who wants to board."


    Shortly after, Himeko and Robin returned to the deck, and the opening ceremony began.


    Robin gave a speech, announcing the shareholding partnership between the company and the Astral Express in Penacony.


    She also announced that the Glimmerstone ship would be gifted to Stelle.


    Topaz was a bit surprised when she heard this and nudged Stelle with her elbow.


    "Stelle, you''ve struck gold! The Glimmerstone earns over ten million credits a day. How about treating us to a meal later?"


    Stelle patted her chest heroically.


    "No problem! Tonight''s expenses are all on me¡ªthe one and only Galactic Blaze Knight!"


    Hearing that, Lumine quietly took out her phone, called Xiangling, and said, right in front of Stelle: S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello~ Xiangling? Yes, it''s me, Lumine. Has tonight''s menu been decided yet? No? Perfect! Stelle is treating us to dinner tonight¡ªshe''s covering all the food expenses.


    Yes, yes, you''re so smart. I''d like to place an order: one Snowfield Deer, roasted.


    And that Millennium Spirit Chicken we didn''t buy last time¡ªyes, one of those, stewed. That''s all from me. Ask the others too."


    After hanging up, Lumine said:


    "Stelle the generous! Thanks for treating us to such a feeeast~"


    Stelle was instantly speechless.


    Snowfield Deer¡ªif she remembered correctly, Bronya''s place was out of stock, meaning she''d have to buy it herself at Ye Yun''s shop.


    And that Millennium Spirit Chicken was also a product from Ye Yun''s store, advertised as extending lifespan and boosting strength, with a price tag of 3000 starcoins each!


    March 7th, seeing Stelle flustered, came over with a mischievous grin.


    "Stelle, I won''t place an order¡ªjust surprise me. But my expectation is at least 300 starcoins per person, alright?"


    Hutao stepped in with righteous flair and patted March 7th on the shoulder.


    "Standing in front of you is none other than the captain of the Glimmerstone, one of Penacony''s shareholders, the fifth member of the Express, the mighty Galactic Fire Hero!


    Only 300 starcoins per person? That''s an insult! 500 minimum per person, or it''s not worthy!"


    March 7th realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself.


    "Yes, yes, my bad¡ªshort-sighted and lacking awareness. Lady Hutao is right."


    But that wasn''t all. Topaz held up her phone in front of Stelle, showing the flood of messages in their group chat.


    Three Realms'' Top Chef:Everyone, Stelle''s treating us to dinner tonight. Tell me what you want so I can buy the ingredients.


    Angry Little Demon:Beef! I want beef!


    Wangsheng Hall''s #1 Guest Advisor:Anything is fine.


    Wangsheng Hall''s #2 Guest Advisor:As long as there''s wine.


    Unbeatable Lord Calestia:Can I get takeout? I don''t wanna leave my computer.


    Real Name Online:How about some tea eggs? Made with that 500 starcoin-per-gram tea?


    Little Dragon Girl:I want braised pork!


    Little Sun:Klee wants grilled fish!


    Little Zombie:Qiqi wants coconut milk.


    Little Immortal:Thank you for the meal, Big Sis Stelle~ Yaoyao appreciates it!


    Big Hook:Hook wants spicy stir-fried pork!


    Little Kitty:Grilled fish!


    Stelle, upon seeing all the messages, practically fainted.


    "Xiangling! Why did you post in the group chat and let everyone order?! Oh no, my starcoins!"


    Robin walked over and saw the disheartened Stelle.


    "What''s wrong with Stelle?"


    March 7th replied:


    "Oh, nothing. She just said she''s treating us to dinner."


    Robin''s interest was piqued.


    "Really? Mind if I tag along? I was just telling Ms. Himeko I wanted to visit the train."


    Stelle nodded in agreement. Things had already escalated¡ªone more person wouldn''t make a difference.


    After playing around on the Glimmerstone for a bit, everyone returned to the train.


    Himeko walked over to Stelle and patted her shoulder.


    "Stelle, just do what you can. Everyone was just joking."


    Stelle had recovered by now.


    "I know. Still, I should treat everyone. After all, I''m now the captain of the Glimmerstone and just came into a huge windfall."


    ***


    Himeko smiled.


    "Good, as long as you understand."


    After returning to the train, the group saw Xiangling and Jashin-chan handling a Snowfield Deer.


    Seeing Stelle return, Xiangling grinned.


    "Stelle, I just bought a Snowfield Deer¡ªmake sure to reimburse me~"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Sure, no problem. You handle that first. I''m going to get some groceries.


    March, Firefly, come with me!"


    March 7th asked curiously.


    "Where are you going?"


    Stelle replied.


    "Grocery shopping!"


    With that, Stelle led March 7th and Firefly into the realm.


    At the pigsty, Stelle looked at the three little Shroomboars, her eyes flashing gold.


    "Raising pigs for days, using pigs for a moment¡ªit''s your time to shine!"


    The three little Shroomboars were terrified by Stelle''s greedy gaze and huddled in a corner, shivering.


    Soon, the three each came out carrying a pig.


    Stelle tossed her pig to the ground.


    "Xiangling, these three little guys are yours."


    March 7th and Firefly placed theirs down as well.


    Stelle then waved his hand grandly.


    "Let''s go, next stop!"


    Stelle led March 7th and Firefly through a portal to Sumeru.


    Just as they arrived, Nahida, who was working, tried to greet them¡ªbut the three had already dashed out of the Sanctuary of Surasthana.


    Stelle led them straight into the rainforest.


    More than an hour later¡ª


    Stelle carried a large Shroomboars, March 7th had a basket of wild vegetables, and Firefly held a large crate of mushrooms as they returned.


    Nahida asked.


    "What''s all this?"


    Stelle replied.


    "Nahida, come eat with us later. Dinner''s on me tonight."


    She carried the big pig into the portal.


    Another hour passed.


    Everyone was seated at a long table, covered with meat dishes.


    Yes¡ªtonight was an all-meat feast.


    The menu: three little Shroomboars, one large Shroomboar, and one Frostland Deer.


    Stelle waved her hand grandly.


    "Eat! Everyone eat! My treat tonight¡ªeat your fill!"


    Lumine gave him a thumbs up.


    "Nice, you really know how to save money."


    Except for the Frostland Deer, everything else cost no credits. Stelle couldn''t help but admire his own brilliance.


    Hehe~ Look at this huge spread, quality ingredients, all wild-caught. Absolutely delicious.


    Robin sat next to Furina, looking a bit reserved¡ªit was someone else''s house, after all.


    Seeing this, Furina filled her bowl with a generous helping of venison.


    "Robin, don''t be shy. Around here we go with the flow¡ªwhatever''s comfortable."


    Yunli, mouth full of meat, nodded.


    "Yeah, totally. Just grab what you want¡ªfighting over food makes it taste better. Paimon! Put down that wrap trotter! Let go! Let go!"


    Himeko smiled.


    "Miss Robin, no need to be so reserved. Here, try some coffee I brewed myself."


    At that moment, everyone who had been happily eating froze and turned toward Himeko with horrified expressions.


    Robin felt something was off. Why the big reaction? It''s just coffee, right?


    She smiled and reached for the cup.


    Furina panicked¡ªshe and Robin had just planned to do a concert together in a few days! If Robin drank that coffee, her voice might not survive...


    She remembered how, in her youthful ignorance, one sip of Himeko''s coffee had left her hoarse for days!


    What to do?!


    She steeled herself and lunged for the coffee to drink it herself.


    But a hand suddenly reached out from behind.


    It was Lancelot. He snatched the cup and drank it in one gulp.


    The coffee went down smoothly¡ªbut seconds later, Lancelot looked poisoned, face turning purple, hands clutching his throat.


    Moments later, he foamed at the mouth and collapsed.


    Furina cried out in anguish.


    "Lancelot! MY LANCELOT!!!"


    Bailu rushed over with a pill.


    "Quick! A stomach-cleansing pill! Give it to him now!"


    Furina fed him the pill.


    Over ten minutes later, Lancelot finally stabilized, slumped on the couch, breathing weakly.


    Robin shuddered. If she had drunk that coffee... just thinking about it gave her chills.


    Himeko awkwardly turned away.


    After that, the group resumed eating.


    After the meal, Robin found Ye Yun.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, I heard you can get anything a person wants."


    Yeyun smiled and nodded.


    "Yes. Noelle."


    Noelle, who had been washing dishes in the kitchen, ran over.


    "Mr. Ye Yun, you called me?"


    Ye Yun said,


    "Yes, this is Miss Robin. Please help her pick out some items. I need to take Klee and the others to Mondstadt¡ªthey want to fly on a dragon and look at the stars."


    Noelle bowed slightly.


    "Understood, Mr. Yeyun. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of her."


    Ye Yun had full confidence in Noelle''s capabilities.


    He looked at Robin.


    "Apologies, I''ve got something to do. This is Noelle, one of our best employees. She can help you find what you need."


    Robin smiled.


    "Alright, go ahead."


    Yeyun nodded and called toward the bar.


    "Klee, Bailu, are your hands clean yet? We''re heading out~"


    The six little ones had each just finished a pork trotter, hands greasy.


    Hearing Ye Yun''s call, they hurried to wash up and ran over to line up.


    Ye Yun took Rios, Dodo-co, and the six kids through a portal¡ªheading to find Dvalin.


    Time to take the kids for a flight through the skies to look at the stars.


    Noelle turned to Robin.


    "Miss Robin, I''ll be your guide. Please let me know what you''re looking for, and I''ll help you choose the best items."


    Robin replied,


    "Thank you, Noelle."


    Noelle led her to the bar and briefly explained how to use the touchscreen.


    Some guests didn''t know how to use it, so Noelle always gave a quick tutorial to those she personally assisted.


    Robin browsed the items and quickly found one she liked.


    Item: Heart-Calming ViolinDescription: Plays music that soothes the soul.Price: 50,000 Star Credits


    Robin handed 500 Stellar Jade to Noelle.


    "I heard from Xing that one Stellar Jade is worth 100 star credits. This is 500¡ªshould be enough for the violin, right, Noelle?"

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136 - 136Noelle reached out her hand as a gesture.


    "This is the Exchange Scale. If you place your Stellar Jades here, you can exchange them for Star Coins."


    Upon hearing this, Robin placed all of her Stellar Jades on the Exchange Scale and exchanged them for a total of 78,000 Star Coins.


    She took out 50,000 of them and handed them to Noelle, who received the coins and inserted them into the coin slot.


    After the 50,000 Star Coins were consumed, a beautifully crafted violin wrapped in a bubble appeared in front of Robin.


    Robin placed her hand on the bubble, which instantly burst, and the violin slowly landed in her hands.


    She tried playing the violin and found that the tuning and everything else were already perfectly set.


    So, Robin placed the violin on her shoulder and began to play.


    The usually noisy group around Stelle immediately fell silent upon hearing the music.


    Everyone quietly sat where they were, enjoying the violin performance brought by Robin.


    Even the mischievous little Fire Monkey quieted down, lying on Mika''s body while listening to the music.


    As the piece ended, Robin opened her eyes and looked around, finding that everyone had fallen asleep.


    Some were lying on the tables, some on the sofas, and others were just sprawled out on the carpet.


    Robin walked over and gently shook March 7th to wake her.


    March 7th slowly opened her eyes, still half-asleep, and looked at Robin.


    "Hmm~ Robin, weren''t you singing? Why are you here?"


    Robin found March 7th''s drowsy expression very cute and smiled.


    "You all fell asleep just now."


    March 7th looked around and realized everyone else was asleep too.


    Her eyes widened.


    "Why is everyone asleep?"


    She suddenly realized Robin had just woken her up and made a guess.


    "No way! We fell asleep listening to your violin playing?! Robin, you''re amazing! You play the violin so beautifully!"


    Especially Lumine¡ªwho even had a "Dizziness Resistant" title above her head¡ªhad also fallen asleep. And Lumine was supposed to have resistance to that kind of effect!


    Robin smiled and pointed at the violin in her hands.


    "It''s not just my skill. This violin, the Soothing Heart Violin, was bought at Ye Yun''s store. It has a calming effect on the heart.


    I think the reason you all fell asleep was because you were already tired from playing all day. The music simply relaxed and soothed you, leading you to fall asleep."


    March 7th replied, "I see. Let''s wake everyone up then."


    She woke the others, and when they learned the truth, they were all very surprised.


    They couldn''t believe they had actually fallen asleep listening to music. The Soothing Heart Violin was impressive¡ªand so was Robin''s playing.


    Stelle looked toward the tavern.


    "I''m going to take a look too, see if there are any fun little gadgets."


    She ran into the tavern and searched for props. In an instant, a bunch of prank gadgets popped up on the screen.


    Things like boxes that spring out spiders when opened¡ªall priced cheaply, just 1 Star Coin each.


    Without hesitation, Stelle went on a shopping spree, stuffing them one by one into her storage ring.


    After spending some time on the train with everyone, Robin said goodbye and left.


    Before leaving, she confirmed her concert schedule with Furina¡ªit was set for the day after tomorrow at the Golden Theater, and she invited Furina to be her guest singer.


    In concerts, the main performer usually invites a few fellow singers to help out, giving them time to rest and change outfits.


    During those moments, someone would always be singing on stage, preventing any awkward silence.


    Misha pushed open the door and walked into the shop.


    "Hi~ You''re all still awake."


    Stelle waved at him.


    "Hi~ Mikhail-senpai, we were just about to head back."


    Mikhail said, "Pom-Pom asked me to help check¡ªdo you all know when you''re departing for the next stop, and have you chosen the destination?"


    Stelle scratched the back of her head.


    "Not yet~ We''ll reply to Pom-Pom tomorrow. I''ll talk it over with Himeko and Uncle Yang."


    Misha nodded.


    "Alright, no rush. Just decide when you have time. I won''t disturb you any longer¡ªI still need to go check on the train."


    Since Misha rejoined the train crew, maintenance work had been handed back to him from Himeko.


    Originally, Himeko wanted Misha to be the navigator since he was an experienced senior.


    But Misha refused. Now, he just wanted to be a train mechanic, traveling across the galaxy with the train, exploring one world after another¡ªthat was enough for him.


    After Misha left, Stelle, March 7th, and the others said their goodbyes and returned to their rooms.


    Topaz, Jade, Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly went back to the treehouse.


    Topaz''s room was at the innermost part of the first floor. She had brought in many pieces of furniture from her company, decorating her room to be very cozy.


    Numby immediately jumped into the hanging basket and lay down to rest.


    Topaz sat by the floor-to-ceiling window and opened her laptop to check today''s stock market.


    Due to her company acquiring 30% of Penacony''s shares, all the stocks she held had surged in value.


    She was very satisfied with this, stretched lazily, and looked out the window.


    The forest at night was very quiet, and a family of five birds lived in the tree just outside the window.


    Three baby birds stood in the middle, sleeping peacefully under the protection of their parents.


    Topaz closed her laptop, grabbed her pajamas, and went into the bathroom to wash up.


    As for March 7th¡ª


    The first thing she did upon returning to her room was hang up the photos she took today on the wall.


    By now, her walls were full of photos she had taken in just one month.


    Every part of the room except for the windows was covered in pictures. She was already starting to worry¡ªwhere would she hang new photos in the future?


    The next morning. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle, Ye Yun, Kafka, and others were having breakfast in Ye Yun''s store.


    Last night, Ye Yun had come back very late with the six little ones.


    They had worn poor Dvalin out, making him fly for four or five hours straight.


    Only after tiring themselves out did they finally let him go.


    Stelle peeled a boiled egg and popped the whole thing into her mouth.


    As she ate, she looked around at everyone at the table and suddenly felt something was off.


    Looking more carefully, her eyes fell on the end of the table¡ªand she rubbed them in disbelief.


    "Acheron!!!"


    Her loud shout drew everyone''s attention.


    They looked to the end of the table and saw Acheron sitting there.


    Acheron looked at everyone and asked:


    "Have we... met before?"


    March 7th heard this and said:


    "Yup, she lost her memory again. Stelle, help her remember."


    Stelle nodded and started recounting their experiences with Acheron in Penacony¡ª


    How they met, what they did together, and so on.


    ***


    After listening to Stelle''s story, Acheron began to recall something.


    "I think I remember a bit. We do know each other."


    Hearing that, Stelle took a sip of milk to moisten her throat.


    "Good to hear. At least all that talking wasn''t in vain."


    She put down the milk and asked:


    "Acheron, how did you end up on the train?"


    Acheron replied:


    "I followed a feeling. I kept sensing a voice guiding me here."


    Stelle raised an eyebrow.


    "I see. Well, since you''re here, join us for breakfast. Have you eaten yet?"


    Acheron shook her head.


    "Not yet. Thank you."


    Firefly brought her a set of utensils. Acheron accepted them gratefully and began to eat.


    After breakfast, Stelle and the others got ready to visit Fontaine.


    Stelle asked:


    "We''re heading out to have some fun. Want to come?"


    Acheron shook her head.


    "No need. I''ll just sit here for a while."


    Stelle didn''t press the matter and walked into the teleportation gate with March 7th and the others.


    Ye Yun took the six little ones to play in Mondstadt.


    After they left, only Welt, Dan Heng, Blade, and Noelle¡ªwho was washing dishes in the kitchen¡ªremained in the shop.


    Xiangling and Guoba, having finished making breakfast, had returned to Wanmin Restaurant to continue cooking. Xiangling was on duty today.


    Ever since she obtained a new recipe, Wanmin Restaurant''s reputation had completely surpassed Second Floor, becoming Liyue''s number one restaurant.


    Because of this, Ningguang allocated the land around the restaurant to Xiangling for expansion.


    Master Mao was supervising the construction, which was progressing on schedule¡ªLiyue''s workers were highly efficient.


    Unlike Mondstadt, where, if not for the Knights of Favonius, many projects would take forever to complete.


    Craftsmen in Mondstadt were all about earning enough for the day and then going off to drink. Working overtime? Impossible! Absolutely not!


    Kafka and Himeko had grown close recently and often went shopping together.


    As for Silver Wolf, she had gone off to game with Calestia.


    Kiana, too, now spent her free time at the Wangsheng Hall internet caf¨¦, determined to climb to the highest gaming rank and prove herself a gaming prodigy.


    Acheron sat quietly on the couch, holding a cup of hot tea.


    After a while, the teleportation gate flickered, and Feixiao stepped out.


    Having just finished her morning training, she came looking for breakfast. The meals here were quite rich.


    She looked toward the kitchen.


    "Noelle, got anything left?"


    Noelle turned around upon hearing someone call her.


    "General Feixiao, good morning. Haven''t eaten yet? There''s still some soy milk and a few buns. I''ll heat them up for you."


    After washing her hands, Noelle put the remaining food into the microwave.


    Feixiao found a seat, wiped off her sweat, and glanced around, noticing Acheron sitting in a booth.


    Isn''t that the Emanator of Nihility? So she''s here too.


    Soon, Noelle brought over the warmed soy milk and buns.


    "General Feixiao, it''s ready. Please enjoy."


    Feixiao bit into a bun with satisfaction.


    "Thanks, Noelle. Appreciate it."


    Noelle smiled.


    "No need to thank me. It''s my duty. I''ll get back to the dishes."


    She rolled up her sleeves and returned to the kitchen.


    Feixiao took the food and sat across from Acheron.


    "Hey~ long time no see."


    Acheron looked at her.


    "Hello. You know me?"


    Feixiao nodded.


    "Of course. We met in Penacony."


    Hearing that, Acheron recalled a little.


    "Seems familiar."


    Feixiao was a bit puzzled.


    "Do you have memory issues?"


    Acheron nodded.


    "Yes, I often forget things."


    Feixiao responded:


    "I see, so it''s more of a mental thing. But you''re from the Nihility path, so that''s not too surprising."


    Suddenly, an idea struck her.


    "I have a pill that might help. Want to try it? It should be effective."


    Acheron looked at her.


    "Sure, I''ll give it a try."


    Feixiao handed over a Qingling Pill.


    Acheron took it, swallowed it, and closed her eyes as if savoring the effect.


    Feixiao asked expectantly:


    "So? Feeling any different?"


    After a while, Acheron opened her eyes.


    "It works. I remember a lot more now, and I feel much lighter. Thank you.


    As thanks, if you ever need help, I''ll give you a slash."


    Feixiao waved it off casually.


    "No need to be so formal. Just spar with me sometime. Help me hone my skills."


    Acheron nodded.


    "Sure, I''ll spar with you. But the promise of helping you still stands. That pill really helped me a lot."


    Feixiao asked:


    "Any plans for where you''re going next?"


    Acheron thought for a moment.


    "I''ll probably head back the way I came. I''ve fulfilled an old friend''s last wish."


    Feixiao offered:


    "Want to visit the Xianzhou? You''re alone anyway. Come have some fun."


    Acheron considered it.


    "Alright, I''ll go with you."


    Feixiao was delighted¡ªfinally, she had a training partner.


    Neither Jing Yuan nor Yanqing ever agreed to spar with her. They always had excuses.


    Feixiao quickly finished her buns and soy milk, then sprang up from the couch.


    "Let''s go, sister! I''ll take you to Xianzhou for a tour.


    Oh right, I heard you once used the name ''Galaxy Ranger''?"


    Acheron nodded slightly.


    "Yes. It was to draw out the Galaxy Rangers and return a relic to them."


    Feixiao suggested:


    "Why not join the Xianzhou? Our benefits are great. A strong fighter like you? You''d get land and housing, and the job''s easy."


    Even though Acheron wasn''t from the Hunt path, there was no reason to turn away such a powerhouse.


    Just imagine her charging in and slashing away during a battle against the Abundance''s aberrations¡ªwouldn''t that be glorious?


    Why send in the Cloud Knights to fight and die?


    Meanwhile, in the Op¨¦ra Epiclese in Fontaine¡ª


    Furina had cleared the theater. Lancelot weakly approached her.


    "My lady, after our inspection, it seems a soul resides within this machine."


    Furina nodded.


    "Good work. You all may leave. Lancelot, take some rest."


    Lancelot shook his head.


    "It''s fine, my lady. We''ll stay here. We must protect your safety."


    Furina accepted his decision.


    She approached the Judgement Nexus, inspecting it and gently touching its surface.


    "Mirror-dweller, I know you''re in there. Come out, will you? I''d like to talk."

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137 - 137As Furina''s voice fell, the Oratrice Mecanique d''Analyse Cardinale emitted a soft blue glow that enveloped her, pulling her consciousness into a mysterious space.


    Furina opened her eyes and found herself in a theater.


    However, this theater was different¡ªit was brightly lit, unlike the often dim Op¨¦ra Epiclese.


    Looking around, Furina noticed someone not far away who looked exactly like her¡ªexcept for the hair.


    "Hi! Mirror girl! Long time no see!"


    Furina waved and jogged over to Forcalos.


    Focalors smiled gently and reached out to tidy Furina''s messy hair.


    "Long time no see, Furina."


    Furina grabbed both of Focalors''s hands excitedly.


    "I have great news¡ªwe don''t have to worry about the prophecy anymore! Fontaine is about to move out of Teyvat!"


    Focalors was stunned by Furina''s words.


    "Move out of Teyvat? What do you mean?"


    In response, Furina told her everything that had happened recently.


    After listening, Focalors looked completely shocked¡ªand very moved.


    If everything was as Furina said, then she wouldn''t need to carry out her original plan anymore.


    She glanced at the great sword suspended above her. That thing was no longer needed.


    To further convince her, Furina mentioned Calestia.


    "If you don''t believe me, I can take you to meet Lady Calestia. She''s in Liyue Harbor now, working as a guest consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."


    Focalors nodded in agreement.


    "Alright, I''ll go with you."


    At that moment, Furina remembered something.


    "By the way, after all this time, I still don''t know your name. What''s your name? And why do we look so much alike?"


    Focalors answered:


    "Let me introduce myself properly. I''m Focalors, the Hydro Archon.


    As for why we look alike, it''s because we are the same person.


    You are my human side; I am your divine side. Back then, to counter the prophecy, I¡ª"


    Focalors proceeded to tell Furina everything¡ªher entire plan, including her intention to ultimately die and return her authority to Neuvillette.


    Upon hearing that, Furina immediately shouted that Lancelot should dismantle that "stupid sword" right away.


    Deeply moved, Focalors held her back gently.


    "Alright, we''ll dismantle it soon. Let''s leave this place first."


    Focalors led Furina out of the conscious realm.


    Back in the real world, inside the Op¨¦ra Epiclese¡ª S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furina''s consciousness returned to her body. She looked around but didn''t see Furcalos.


    "Focalors? Are you there?" Furina called out a few times.


    Then, Focalors''s voice echoed in her mind.


    "Furina, I''m inside your body. I''m the divine part, so I don''t have a body. I''ll just borrow yours for now~"


    Hearing that, Furina relaxed and patted her chest.


    "Live here as long as you want!"


    Just then, Lancelot approached.


    "My lady, we''ve received intelligence that Mr. Ye Yun and his companions have arrived in Fontaine and are currently strolling around the city."


    Furina brightened.


    "Ohoho~ Finally! They''ve come to Fontaine. Let''s go, Lancelot! Let''s find them and have some fun!"


    Lancelot accepted the order and had a carriage prepared to return to the city.


    Focalors''s voice sounded again.


    "Furina, who is this? I''ve never seen him before, but his power is incredible."


    Furina proudly put her hands on her hips.


    "Hmph~ That''s Lancelot, my knight captain~ He''s great! I''ll have him chat with you another day."


    Focalors was slightly surprised.


    "Sounds good~"


    Furina climbed into the carriage heading back to the city and chatted with Focalors all the way.


    In Fontaine City:


    Stelle, Lumine, March 7th, and Liuying had their attention caught by a certain girl.


    Stelle stroked her chin with interest.


    "Wow! This cat girl¡ªshe''s so cute!"


    March 7th, holding her starry camera, eagerly asked:


    "Hey kitty lady~ Can I take a picture with you?"


    Firefly also stared curiously at the catgirl.


    "Kitty... very cute."


    Lumine, meanwhile, fixated on the catgirl''s tail.


    "Can I touch your tail?"


    That''s right¡ªthe catgirl was Lynette.


    Lynette was speechless. She was just having a quiet tea at a caf¨¦, only to be surrounded and stared at.


    "Photos are fine. But if you try to touch my tail, I''m calling the guards."


    Hearing that, March 7th quickly posed with Lynette for a photo.


    Stelle and Firefly also squeezed in.


    Lumine looked disappointed. Sigh¡ªshe just wanted to pet the tail. Was that really a crime?


    Shaking her head, she joined the group for a five-person photo.


    After the photo, March 7th asked:


    "Hi, what''s your name? I''m March 7th."


    Lynette took a sip of her tea calmly.


    "Lynette."


    March 7th continued:


    "Lynette, are you a local?"


    Lynette nodded.


    "Sort of. You folks from out of town?"


    March 7th nodded.


    "Yeah. Could you recommend some famous sights? It''s our first time here, and we don''t know what''s fun."


    Lynette replied:


    "First, you have to visit the Op¨¦ra Epiclese. They often have performances, and you might even see the Hydro Archon Furina herself perform.


    Second, try the little cakes in Fontaine¡ªthey''re delicious.


    Third, head southwest from the city to Seafoam Village. It''s home to a unique Fontaine race, the Melusines. Worth a visit.


    Also, there''s an underground street worth exploring."


    March 7th responded gratefully:


    "Thanks, Lynette!


    Oh, do you know how to get to the Mermonia Palace?"


    Lynette pointed to the tallest building in Fontaine.


    "That''s the one. Head to the transit hub¡ªthere''s an elevator to the top."


    With that, March 7th and the group waved goodbye and headed toward the transit hub.


    As she walked away, Lumine gave Lynette''s swaying tail one last longing look.


    That tail... isn''t it just teasing me?!


    Meanwhile, in Neuvillette''s office:


    He was working when Clorinde entered.


    "Neuvillette, Lady Furina needs your help with something."


    Neuvillette put down his documents.


    "What is it?"


    Clorinde explained:


    "Lady Furina''s friends have come to Fontaine for a visit. She''s on her way back and asked you to greet them first."


    Neuvillette nodded in understanding.


    "Understood."


    Just then, Neuvillette''s little secretary¡ªa cheerful Melusine¡ªbounced into the office.


    "Lord Neuvillette! There are some people at the door asking for Lady Furina!"


    ***


    "Speak of the devil," Neuvillette said.


    "Please escort them to the reception room and serve some refreshments. I''ll be there shortly."


    Melusine responded and bounced off on her short legs, leaving Neuvillette''s office.


    Neuvillette quickly finished reviewing the documents on his desk, then got up and walked toward the reception room with Clorinde.


    Inside the Palais Mermonia reception room.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Sparkle arrived at a reception room under Melusine''s guidance.


    Melusine served them several cups of black tea and some snacks.


    "Please rest for a bit. Lord Neuvillette will be here shortly to receive you."


    Lumine asked in confusion:


    "Neuvillette? We came to see Furina."


    Melusine explained:


    "Lady Furina went to the Op¨¦ra Epiclese today. She''s on her way back but may take a while. Lord Neuvillette is receiving you on her behalf for now."


    Just as Melusine finished speaking, the door to the reception room opened, and Neuvillette and Clorinde walked in.


    Stelle immediately greeted Clorinde.


    "Clorinde! Long time no see. Weren''t you Furina''s bodyguard? Why aren''t you with her?"


    Clorinde was initially happy to see Stelle and the others¡ªthey had met during the Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue and knew each other.


    But upon hearing the latter part of the question, her mood darkened.


    Furina''s security was now entirely under the control of the Knights of Lancelot, and Clorinde had been excluded.


    Recently, she had been working with the city guard, helping handle various cases.


    Sigh... Furina''s safety used to be her responsibility.


    But now, she stood no chance. Any one of those knights could easily defeat her.


    She had challenged them before¡ªthey not only had powerful sword techniques but also a bizarre ability.


    Every time they launched a "thrust" attack, her own attacks would become ineffective.


    That was the true strength of the Knights of Lancelot: one second of invincibility during a thrust.


    Lancelot had once used that very move to defeat a Harbinger unscathed.


    "Stelle, March... I didn''t expect it to be you."


    Neuvillette saw how familiar Clorinde was with them and asked:


    "And these guests are?"


    Clorinde snapped back to attention and explained:


    "Let me introduce you¡ªthis is Neuvillette, Chief Justice of Fontaine, responsible for adjudicating cases and assisting Lady Furina in governing."


    Then she continued:


    "Neuvillette, these are friends Lady Furina met in Liyue Harbor."


    Neuvillette nodded slightly and studied them carefully, then asked:


    "You''re not from Teyvat, are you?"


    Stelle nodded, owning up to it.


    "That''s right. You have a sharp eye¡ªwe''re indeed not from Teyvat."


    Neuvillette, having confirmed his suspicions, asked:


    "I have a question. How did you manage to bypass The Heavenly Principles''s surveillance and enter Teyvat?"


    March 7th casually dropped a bombshell:


    "The Heavenly Principles? Who''s that?"


    Lumine downed her tea in one gulp.


    "She means Calestia''s former boss¡ªthe one who turned herself into the False Sky to protect Teyvat."


    March 7th recalled:


    "Oh! Right, right! I remember Calestia mentioning her.


    She''s dead now, isn''t she? Why would she still try to stop us?


    Besides, we''re friends with Calestia. We''re all on the same side¡ªwhy would they stop us?"


    Neuvillette''s face finally revealed a rare trace of shock.


    "The Heavenly Principles... is dead?"


    Stelle added:


    "Well, not completely. The False Sky is still up there, right? Maybe Ye Yun has something that could revive her."


    Neuvillette turned to Clorinde.


    "Clorinde, please take good care of our esteemed guests. I have something I need to attend to."


    With that, Neuvillette left the reception room, needing time to process the news.


    His mortal enemy¡ªthe one who once single-handedly suppressed the dragon clans of Teyvat¡ªwas dead.


    And according to what he just heard, she died willingly, to protect Teyvat.


    And Calestia¡ªif memory served, that was the Heavenly Sovereign of Space, one of the rulers of Teyvat.


    Neuvillette decided that once Furina returned, he''d talk to her in detail. These people had come for Furina, so she must know more than he did.


    Back in the reception room.


    After resting for over an hour, the door opened again, and Furina burst in cheerfully.


    "Ta-da! I''m back! Sorry for keeping you waiting~"


    Everyone lit up upon seeing her.


    "Furina, finally! I''ve already had six pots of tea!"


    Furina replied:


    "Aiya, I had important business to take care of. Oh right¡ªwhere''s Ye Yun? Didn''t he come with you?"


    Firefly responded:


    "Ye Yun took a few of the kids to the beach. Do you need him for something?"


    Furina nodded enthusiastically.


    "Mhm! I''ve got urgent business with him. Let''s go find him! I''ll take you to the sea while we''re at it.


    Let me tell you¡ªFontaine''s underwater scenery is absolutely gorgeous~"


    Furina led the group out of the Palais Mermonia and found a yacht to head out in search of Ye Yun.


    After more than an hour of searching, they found him on a beach near Meropide Bay.


    Ye Yun was playing in the shallows with six little ones.


    Klee dived into the water, quickly grabbed a fish, and held it up high.


    "Yay~ Klee caught a fish~ Heeheehee!"


    As they got closer, the group noticed something strange.


    Klee and the others could actually breathe underwater!


    Stelle ran to Ye Yun and tugged on his sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, how are Klee and the others breathing underwater?"


    Lying on a beach chair, Ye Yun glanced at her and tossed over a few pearls.


    "These are Water Repelling Pearls. Wear one, and you can breathe underwater. Go have fun."


    Stelle beamed as she accepted them¡ªthis thing was great!


    She handed one out to each person, and they all put one on.


    At that moment¡ª


    Furina walked over to Ye Yun, slapping a stack of Star Coins in her hand.


    "Ye Yun! I want to buy something. Can you make a body? The kind that can hold a soul."


    Ye Yun looked at Furina, sensing the anomaly¡ªthere was another soul inside her.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, it was Focalors.


    "Yeah, I''ve got them. It''s for the other soul inside you, right?


    There are three models:


    Puppet version¡ª30,000. Can host a soul.


    Realistic version¡ª80,000. Can host and stabilize a soul.


    Human version¡ª100,000. Indistinguishable from a real person. Customizable appearance."

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138 - 138Focalors took a look.


    "Furina, didn''t you say we could buy anything from this Mr. Ye Yun using star coins? How about we save some money and just buy that puppet version?"


    Furina shook her head.


    "No, no, the puppet is too ugly! You''re as beautiful as I am, we can''t settle for less.


    Let''s get the most expensive one! I want a custom design!"


    Furina pulled out her little wallet and counted out 100,000 star coins to hand to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, make a custom one based on me!"


    Ye Yun put away the star coins, ready to purchase the body.


    [Notice: With the purchase of this product, you may select one elemental spirit for free, and significantly enhance the body''s natural affinity.]


    Ye Yun was surprised. "There''s such a benefit now? Why wasn''t there anything like this before?"


    [Notice: Some products include bonus perks.]


    Hearing that, Ye Yun turned to Furina.


    "Furina, I''ll throw in a little extra for free. You can choose one elemental spirit, and I''ll enhance this body''s natural elemental affinity for you."


    Furina brightened.


    "Ooh! A bonus? That''s awesome! Wait¡ªwhat''s an elemental spirit?"


    Ye Yun explained:


    "Elemental spirits increase the affinity of their owner with a specific type of elemental magic.


    For example, a water elemental spirit increases your affinity with water magic.


    Combined with enhanced natural affinity, it''ll be twice as effective with half the effort."


    Furina nodded in understanding.


    "I see. Let me ask real quick, hang on."


    Furina consulted Fukalos in her mind.


    "Focalors, did you hear that? Which element do you want?"


    Focalors responded:


    "I''ll go with the water element. Oh, and the appearance should look exactly like me! Well, maybe a little different."


    Once the element was confirmed, Ye Yun bought the body for Furina.


    He selected a body based on his memory of Focalors''s appearance.


    Focalors looked exactly like Furina, with one key difference:


    Furina had a blue right eye and a black left eye.


    Focalors had a blue left eye and a black right eye.


    Also, Focalors had long hair, while Furina had short hair.


    Furina closely examined the body lying on the beach and was very satisfied after a moment.


    "Mm-mm-mm~ I really am beautiful! Focalors, try it out!"


    Focalors''s spirit left Furina''s mind.


    From Ye Yun''s perspective, a glowing orb emerged from Furina''s head.


    The orb floated over to the body, and before long, the body stood up¡ªFocalors had returned to the physical world!


    Focalors opened her eyes, looked around, and raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun''s rays.


    She felt the sea breeze brush across her skin, a refreshing coolness washing over her.


    Focalors then looked at Furina, who was staring blankly at her.


    "Furina?"


    Furina snapped out of it and ran over to Focalors, circling her while inspecting.


    "Wow~ So pretty! Focalors, you''re so beautiful!"


    Standing in front of her, Furina compared their heights and noticed something off.


    "Wait a minute! You''re taller than me! That much taller!" Furina gestured with her fingers.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Furina, you did say there should be some differences."


    Furina replied,


    "It''s fine. This is perfect. Even though Focalors and I are the same person, she came into this world before me.


    She''s the older sister, I''m the younger sister. It''s totally normal that she''s taller.


    Focalors, let''s go buy clothes tonight¡ªlet''s go to Chizuru''s shop. They''re really good at making clothes.


    Oh, and tomorrow I''m performing in another world¡ªlet''s go together, okay? Please?"


    Furina held both of Focalors''s hands and pouted sweetly.


    Focalors looked at her dotingly.


    "Sure~ I''ll go with you tomorrow.


    But for now, let''s go swimming. I can''t even remember the last time I swam in the sea."


    Furina grinned and pulled Focalors toward the ocean.


    The two ran hand-in-hand toward the blue sea under the bright morning sun.


    They played and splashed in the waves.


    Soon, Stelle and March 7th joined them.


    Stelle pulled a sneak attack¡ªdiving under the water and leaping up near Furina and Focalors, sending a huge splash their way and soaking them.


    Furina immediately retaliated.


    "Hey! Stelle, how dare you ambush us! Focalors, let''s team up on her!"


    Focalors agreed cheerfully, and the two splashed water wildly at Stelle.


    Stelle laughed and plunged her hands into the water, throwing up a massive splash.


    "Hehe~ Furina, this is how you water fight!"


    Furina fell back under the onslaught. Seeing this, Bailu jumped in.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll help you!"


    Bailu joined the battle, and Klee, Hook, and the other little ones also joined, helping Furina and Focalors against Stelle.


    Seeing the tide turn, Stelle dove into the water and swam down.


    Furina pointed and shouted,


    "Go! Let''s catch her!"


    She dove in first, and the others followed.


    The six little ones eagerly joined in, swimming into the deeper sea.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun called on Lios and Dodoco to follow them and ensure their safety.


    The group chased and played until they reached the deep sea without realizing it.


    Stelle swam hard and slipped through a narrow crevice in the rocks¡ªwhat she saw on the other side left her stunned.


    Furina, Focalors, and the others followed, and once through, they too froze in place.


    Above them, sunlight pierced through the rippling surface, casting rays down to illuminate the seafloor.


    Below, vibrant coral reefs stretched in every direction, with unknown little fish swimming about, searching for food.


    Seagrass swayed with the current like elegant dancers.


    A few stingrays glided past, one small ray even stopping to curiously observe the group before rejoining the others.


    The six little ones were enchanted by the scene.


    Bailu swam over to a large turtle, grabbing onto its shell and letting it carry her.


    Klee, Hook, and Yaoyao followed suit, latching onto other turtles and enjoying the ride.


    This was a brand-new experience for the six of them¡ªsomething they''d never done before.


    Focalors looked around, a sense of familiarity washing over her as she took in the view.


    ***


    Focalors looked around and spotted a giant clam under the sea.


    Oh, right¡ªwasn''t this the place where she once pondered how to resolve the prophecy?


    She swam over to the giant clam and gently embraced it, her thoughts drifting back to when she had just taken over the position of Hydro Archon.


    Back then, she was constantly annoyed, racking her brain every day trying to figure out how to deal with the prophecy.


    It was here that she found the solution.


    Furina and the others also swam over.


    Star looked at the giant clam.


    "Wow~ this clam is huge! There''s definitely a pearl inside. Let me feel around~"


    Saying that, she reached her hand into the gap of the giant clam and started feeling around.


    Suddenly, it seemed like Stelle touched something. Her expression lit up with excitement, and she gave it a hard tug.


    The clam, feeling pain, snapped shut and clamped down on Stelle''s hand.


    Stelle let out a shriek and began shaking the clam violently.


    "Ow ow ow! Let go!"


    The clam refused to open. Seeing this, Focalors gently patted the shell and said:


    "Let her go, big clam."


    As soon as she spoke, the giant clam calmed down, opened its shell, and let Star retrieve her hand.


    Steller rolled up her sleeve to see a bright red mark on her arm.


    Despite that, she was still tightly clutching a large pearl.


    She opened her hand to reveal a pearl the size of her palm.


    March 7th gasped.


    "Wow! That pearl is huge!"


    Stelle said, "There are tons more inside. I felt a bunch just now, but they were kind of out of reach and hard to pull out."


    March 7th looked a little disappointed.


    A pearl that big would look amazing at home.


    Seeing her expression, Focalors patted the shell of the clam.


    "Can I have a few pearls?"


    The clam seemed to understand her words and opened its shell wide, allowing Focalors to easily take the pearls.


    Focalors carefully picked some out¡ªsince they were formed naturally, taking them gently wouldn''t hurt the clam.


    She handed the pearls to March 7th, Firefly, and Furina.


    March 7th''s joy was written all over her face as she held the large pearl in both hands.


    "Thank you, Focalors!"


    Focalors smiled.


    "You''re welcome. Let''s go explore some other places."


    Focalors led Furina and the others to catch up with the six little ones, swimming through the sea alongside the big sea turtle.


    Slowly, more and more fish began gathering around Focalors.


    When they reached an open area of the sea, a few large sea turtles separated from the group and headed deeper toward the seafloor.


    Focalors and the others paused, only to realize that a huge number of fish had followed them.


    The fish swam around Focalors as if they were escorting their queen.


    Furina was curious.


    "What''s going on?"


    Ye Yun said, "It''s probably due to Focalors'' physique. Her body has a very strong natural affinity, so these fish are likely attracted to that."


    Surrounded by the fish, Focalors slowly floated upward.


    A few Bubbly Seahorse gathered around her, patting their bellies and making "pom-pom" sounds.


    Focalors reached out to stroke one of them, and the little creature nuzzled its head into her palm.


    Looking at Furina and the others, Focalors waved her hand. The fish instantly split into a team and swam toward Ye Yun and the others, lifting them up and guiding them to Focalors.


    The school of fish carried the group through the ocean, eventually arriving near Fontaine''s court.


    Everyone came ashore at a nearby beach, chatting and laughing as they headed toward Fontaine.


    Inside Fontaine:


    Upon hearing that Furina had returned, Neuvillette asked his secretary Melusine to invite her over.


    Melusine found Furina and Focalors in the guest room, eating little cakes.


    When the secretary saw Focalors, she froze for a few seconds.


    Two Lady Furinas!?


    "Lady Furina, Lord Neuvillette has asked to see you."


    Furina was confused. Why was Neuvillette looking for her? Was it for official duties?


    Oh no, just thinking about that stuff gives her a headache.


    "Did he say what it''s about?"


    The secretary shook her head.


    "I''m not sure. He only said he wanted you to come."


    Furina thought for a moment and decided to go anyway.


    She brought Focalors along and followed the secretary toward Neuvillette''s office.


    With a wave of his hand, Lancelot summoned six knights to escort Furina and Focalors for their protection.


    Furina had already given an order: from now on, the knights of the Lancelot Order were to treat Focalors as they would her.


    Furina and Focalors arrived at Neuvillette''s office.


    Furina kicked open the door.


    "Neuvillette, what do you want? I''m in the middle of entertaining my friend."


    Neuvillette was just about to invite her to sit when he spotted Focalors behind her.


    His expression turned to confusion. What was going on? Two Furinas? Was he seeing things?


    He was only 500 years old¡ªstill a young dragon¡ªnot old enough to be going senile.


    Focalors found his expression amusing and covered her mouth with a giggle.


    "Hehe~ Neuvillette, I still like that look on your face. It''s so entertaining."


    Neuvillette looked at Furina.


    "What''s going on?"


    Furina explained everything about Focalors to him.


    After processing the information, Neuvillette looked up at Focalors.


    "So... it was you who invited me to Fontaine all those years ago?"


    Focalors smiled and nodded.


    "That''s right~ Long time no see, Neuvillette."


    Neuvillette nodded slightly and didn''t dwell too much on the matter.


    "So all these years, you''ve been hiding within the Oratrice, gathering energy, waiting for the day you could kill yourself to return the authority to me¡ªso I could resolve the prophecy?"


    Focalors nodded gently.


    "Yes~ But now it seems that won''t be necessary anymore. With Teyvat''s migration underway, we don''t need to worry about the prophecy." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Neuvillette raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you mean?"


    Furina raised her hand.


    "Let me explain. Lady Calestia had me attend a meeting earlier.


    They talked about the upcoming migration. The entire Teyvat population is going to move to Stelle and March 7th''s world.


    The new habitat has already been fully renovated. The other nations are now organizing their people and resources for the move."


    Neuvillette asked:


    "Why didn''t you tell me something this important?"

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139 - 139Furina whistled when she saw the situation.


    "Didn''t I already send someone to compile the list? I just forgot to tell you."


    Neuvillette sighed lightly.


    "How far along are we?"


    Upon hearing this, Furina had Lancelot call over the staff who had been assigned to compile the list.


    When the relevant staff entered, Neuvillette began taking over the task. This was such an important matter that he decided to handle it personally, as he didn''t trust anyone else to do it.


    Furina saw that Neuvillette was in work mode and leaned close to Focalors'' ear.


    "You''re really clever, inviting Neuvillette over to help us out with the work."


    Focalors smiled.


    "Let''s go, we won''t disturb Neuvillette. Let''s go play with Star and the others."


    Saying that, Focalors grabbed Furina''s hand and was about to leave Neuvillette''s office.


    At that moment, Neuvillette''s voice came from behind.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    Neuvillette looked at the two of them with a resentful expression, one filled with the strong resentment of a worker.


    Furina was fine, she didn''t understand these things. Letting her handle these documents would only slow things down.


    But Focalors was different. The fact that she had come up with this plan showed how sharp her mind was.


    Neuvillette stood up and walked over to Focalors.


    "You''ve had 500 years of rest. It''s time to get to work. You''re the Hydro Archon!"


    Neuvillette grabbed Focalors and instantly teleported her to the desk, sitting her down on the chair.


    Focalors was a bit dazed, and Neuvillette placed a file in front of her.


    "Let''s go, start working."


    Focalors blinked, a question mark appearing above her head.


    "Isn''t this your job?"


    Neuvillette said calmly, "No, this is your job. As the ruler of a nation, you should be the one to review and approve the various affairs.


    Furina didn''t understand these things before, so I handled them for her.


    But now that you''re back, I naturally have to return these responsibilities to you.


    After all, my position is as the Chief Justice, and I only handle judicial matters!"


    Focalors was stunned.


    "No way! I just got back! Do I really have to work already?"


    "Nooooo! I''m not ready yet!"


    Neuvillette glanced at the door, then approached Furina.


    "Lady Furina, you can go ahead and play with your friends for a while. Lady Focalors has some official duties to attend to."


    After saying that, Neuvillette pushed Furina out of the office and closed the door behind her.


    Furina stood outside, confused, looking at the closed door.


    "Huh??"


    A few hours later...


    Focalors sat in front of the desk with a face full of despair. Her head hung low on the table, her arms weakly sprawled out on the desk.


    This was insane¡ªhow did such a small place like Fontaine come with so many tasks?


    After several hours, the pile of unfinished documents had only been reduced by a small portion.


    Neuvillette had instructed that all the official documents from this period be brought over.


    Neuvillette set up a new desk beside his own, with only the materials for the cases he was going to review the next day on his desk.


    He even, for the first time, took out some red tea leaves that Furina had given him, brewing himself a cup of tea.


    He leisurely sipped his tea while carefully reviewing the case details.


    For the first time, Neuvillette thought that work wasn''t so bad.


    He thought back to the past, when he had to deal with documents as soon as he woke up.


    Now, he could brew tea and carefully review cases at his own pace. There was plenty of time.


    Fontaine people had strong legal awareness, so there were at most ten cases a day.


    Focalors sighed and picked up the pen to continue reviewing documents.


    It wasn''t until 10 PM that Focalors finally returned to Furina''s room.


    The next morning...


    Furina jumped out of bed, full of energy, and did a flip.


    "Ta-da! The great Lady Furina is awake!"


    Her noise woke Focalors, who groggily opened her eyes.


    Furina sat beside Focalors and gently shook her shoulders.


    "Focalors, wake up! Today I''m going to be a guest performer at Miss Robin''s place!"


    Focalors sat up, still a little groggy, and yawned, leaning on Furina''s shoulder.


    Furina shook her shoulder again to wake her up.


    "Hey! Wake up! Wake up!"


    Focalors rubbed her eyes and fully woke up.


    The two of them went to the bathroom to wash up.


    After washing up, they stood in front of the mirror. Furina was picking out clothes for her performance that day.


    After choosing, she decided to wear a dress and take her elegant little cane.


    Just then, there was a knock at the door.


    Furina opened the door to see Neuvillette walk in.


    Yesterday, Focalors had told Neuvillette that she would be taking a day off to attend Furina''s concert.


    Neuvillette decided to go as well, curious to see what the other world was like.


    Furina saw that Neuvillette had arrived.


    "Let''s go! Everyone''s here, let''s head out!"


    At Penacony, backstage at the Grand Theater...


    Robin was chatting with Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and the others.


    Hutao snuck over to peek at the scene and was shocked by the huge crowd.


    "Robin, you have so many fans! You wouldn''t believe it, I just went up to the front, and it''s packed!"


    March 7th said, "Of course, Robin is the best star!"


    At that moment, Furina walked in with Focalors and Neuvillette.


    Furina waved happily to Robin.


    "Robin! I''m here!"


    Furina jogged up to Robin and grabbed her hand.


    Robin smiled and said, "Furina, you''re finally here. You''re fourth in line, the first three are my songs." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furina waved her hand. "You handle the schedule. Oh, by the way, let me introduce you. This is Focalors, also me¡ªbut from my divine side."


    Focalors smiled and waved at Robin.


    Robin returned the smile.


    She looked around at everyone present.


    "I''m so happy that everyone could attend my concert today. Not only do I have Furina and Barbara as my guest performers, but we also have six cute little ones who will sing along with me later!"


    That''s right¡ªwhen Amber heard about the concert, she mentioned it to Jean and the others.


    Jean thought about it and decided to bring Barbara along to watch. Surprisingly, after Barbara interacted with Robin, Robin immediately invited her to be a guest performer.


    And the six little ones¡ªafter hearing they would be part of the concert, they couldn''t sleep, excited to sing on stage too.


    In the end, Ye Yun went to ask Robin for permission.


    Robin readily agreed.


    So, Ye Yun gave the six little ones a song, "Let the Wind Tell You."


    ***


    The six little ones stood in a row, holding hands and practicing their song.


    They sang while gently swaying their bodies.


    This scene attracted the attention of the surrounding staff.


    Especially a few female makeup artists, who kept exclaiming in surprise.


    "Oh!!! Oh My Aeons, that little girl in the middle is just too cute!!! What''s her name again? Klee? Klee! Mommy loves you!"


    "Bailu, our little dragon girl, go for it! Big sis is cheering for you!"


    "Qiqi! Come on! You have to keep up with the rhythm!"


    "Hook, smile even more! Yes! Just like that!"


    Barbara was nervously practicing her song too, with Jean by her side offering encouragement.


    Kaeya, Diluc, Lisa, and others all came over when they heard Barbara would be performing, giving her their support.


    Soon, Robin led the performers to the dressing room for makeup and costume changes.


    Neuvillette stood there, unsure where to go.


    There were no empty seats outside, and he couldn''t very well sit in the aisle, could he?


    Welt noticed Neuvillette and walked over.


    "Sir, I saw you arrived earlier with Furina, correct?"


    Neuvillette turned around when someone spoke to him.


    "Yes, I came with Furina."


    Welt gave a slight nod.


    "Hello, let me introduce myself¡ªI''m Welt, a Nameless on the Astral Express."


    "I''m Neuvillette. A pleasure to meet you, sir," he replied.


    "Mr. Neuvillette, come with us. We have a designated viewing area."


    Neuvillette responded, "It would be my honor. Thank you."


    Welt led Neuvillette and followed Welt to their private viewing room.


    The room was about 100 square meters in size.


    Zhongli, Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Natasha, and Serval had already been there for a while.


    They were all there to cheer for the six little ones.


    People like Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Blade, and Dan Heng came specifically to watch Bailu''s performance.


    Natasha and Serval were there for Hook¡ªHook''s dad was also brought along, sitting on the couch eagerly waiting for his beloved daughter''s appearance.


    Jean and the others soon arrived as well, with Kaeya marveling at the luxury of Penacony along the way.


    "Compared to this place, Mondstadt is nothing at all."


    Diluc glanced at Kaeya.


    "You''ve been going on and on about it¡ªcan you be quiet for a bit? When did the Cavalry Captain turn into a nagging aunt?"


    Still, even Diluc had to admit, Penacony was far more advanced than Mondstadt.


    Ye Yun chuckled and said to Kaeya, "Of course. Penacony is one of the top destinations in this universe."


    Lisa looked at Jean.


    "Looks like we''ll be quite busy after relocating here~ There goes my lady-like afternoon tea time."


    Jean, who had just come from the port, was also overwhelmed by Penacony''s extravagance.


    Even someone as wealthy as Ningguang was stunned.


    If it could be summed up in one phrase: opulent decadence, gold everywhere.


    Yae Miko had dragged Ei along. Ei didn''t care much about these things¡ªshe just sat and quietly ate her donuts.


    Since she sat down, the waiter had already brought her three plates of donuts.


    Then Hutao and the others came in.


    Kiana was super excited¡ªit was her first time attending a concert of this scale.


    With 500,000 people in the audience, just imagine how overwhelming that is¡ªa tidal wave of cheers.


    Kiana dragged Mei over to the sofa, eager to watch the show.


    As Ye Yun looked at the stage, a thought suddenly popped into his head:


    Should I form a Teyvat girl group?


    Bring in Furina, Barbara, Ayaka, and Nilou.


    Let them develop their careers here in this universe.


    It would give them exposure and also help their respective nations, which are about to relocate here, gain a large sum of credits for development.


    The more Ye Yun thought about it, the more promising the idea seemed. He decided to talk to them about it afterward and get their opinions.


    More than half an hour passed.


    Suddenly, all the lights went out¡ªincluding the ones in Ye Yun''s VIP room.


    Kiana sat on the sofa, hugging a bucket of popcorn, excitedly kicking her feet.


    "Yay yay! It''s starting! It''s starting! Finally!!"


    After about ten seconds of silence, a lively piece of music blasted out.


    "Mend your pace sway to the beat!


    Hands up Embrace who you wanna be!"


    The stage lit up instantly, with a powerful spotlight shining on Robin.


    Flames burst from the edges of the stage, instantly igniting the entire venue''s excitement.


    The roar of the audience came in wave after wave.


    Inside the VIP room¡ª


    March 7th, Stelle, Kiana, and Hutao were bouncing to the beat of the music.


    "Woo! Woo! Go Robin!!!"


    Robin, known across the galaxy as a famous singer, had a beautiful voice. Even Ei put down her donut and quietly listened.


    Backstage¡ª


    Furina, Barbara, and the others were dumbfounded.


    They had expected a big crowd, but not this big.


    Half a million people cheering for Robin was just too intense.


    To be honest, they''d probably never seen this many people in their entire lives.


    Barbara whispered to herself, trying to muster up courage.


    "Barbara! You can do it! You''ve got this!"


    Focalors also comforted Furina, chatting to calm her nerves.


    "Furina, go for it! This is your first step on the interstellar stage! Someday, you''ll be a superstar like Robin!"


    Furina clenched her tiny fists and stomped the ground.


    "Let''s go! Let''s go! I want to be a cosmic superstar!"


    On stage, Robin continued to sing naturally, occasionally dancing along to the rhythm and matching the beat.


    Ye Yun suddenly noticed something interesting.


    In the third row closest to the stage, he spotted Sunday.


    Even though Sunday was wearing a mask and sunglasses, Ye Yun recognized him instantly.


    Sunday was holding a colorful glowstick, waving it wildly in support of Robin.


    Ye Yun couldn''t help but laugh.


    Has Sunday completely let loose now that he''s stepped down?


    Ye Yun nudged Welt with his elbow.


    "Hey, look over there. See who that is."


    Welt looked in the direction Ye Yun pointed. Once he saw clearly, he was also a little surprised.


    "It''s him. I didn''t expect to see him again."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "It''s his little sister''s concert¡ªof course he''d be here."


    But that wasn''t important. For now, it was time to enjoy the show.


    Soon, Robin began her second song: "To Mend a Broken Heart."

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140 - 140Robin sat on a swing entwined with flower garlands, gently swaying.


    From her lips flowed a beautiful melody that enchanted the audience below. The crowd swayed with the rhythm, waving glowsticks in their hands, creating a brilliant sea of color.


    Inside the VIP room¡ª


    Kiana gazed at Robin on stage with admiration.


    "Robin''s singing is so beautiful! I wish I could sing like that too."


    Mei chuckled softly.


    "Kiana, your singing is lovely too. I like it very much."


    Jing Yuan also sighed in appreciation.


    "For a great Xianzhou like ours, we''ve never had such an outstanding vocalist as Miss Robin."


    Acheron stroked her chin.


    "When Miss Robin sings, her voice carries the power of Harmony. It allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in the melody¡ªsomething beyond what ordinary singers can achieve."


    Zhongli added calmly, "In Liyue, we also have a renowned opera performer whose performances I enjoy very much."


    "If the stage style today were more suitable for her genre, I would have invited her along."


    The concert was progressing smoothly. With Robin''s opening of three songs, the atmosphere had already reached a climax.


    Holding her mic, Robin waved to the audience.


    "Everyone, recently I met a new friend¡ªher musical talent is just as impressive."


    "And tonight! I''ve invited her here to share her voice with you all!"


    "Let''s welcome... Furina!"


    With a sweep of Robin''s hand, a rising platform slowly lifted Furina onto the stage.


    Furina took a deep breath, then exhaled gently.


    She looked out at the crowd and raised both hands high.


    "Good evening, everyone!!"


    As her words rang out, colorful bubbles materialized beneath her feet, filling the entire venue.


    These bubbles shimmered under the lights and floated through the air. Curious audience members reached out to poke them, only for them to burst gently¡ªleaving behind a cool mist.


    Furina exchanged a glance with Robin, who then left the stage, leaving it entirely to Furina.


    Gripping the microphone, Furina took a moment to steady herself.


    The audience looked at her with curiosity¡ªmany had never seen her before and were wondering who she was and where she came from.


    Furina took a deep breath. A gentle, lingering melody began to echo throughout the grand concert hall.


    "Ah~ If I could return to the water once more,Would the world be as beautiful as before?Please forgive our faults, O Mother,As life follows the murmuring stream,Reviving our city with hope once more."


    She sang in the language of Teyvat, but thanks to the Synesthetic Beacons, the audience understood the lyrics with ease.


    The song she performed was her most famous¡ªLight Ripples.


    As the audience listened, they felt as if they had been transported to a fantastical ancient world.


    There¡ª


    They saw a city built beside the waters, a colossal court of justice, a people governed by strict law, and a pale-haired girl sitting alone on a throne.


    Furina''s song continued.


    "Love~ may this sweet dream be buriedBeneath the flowers of parting.You and I, through joy and sorrow,Bear witness to the wonders of this world!"


    As Furina''s voice reached the climax, the audience was swept up by the raw emotion and beauty of her performance.


    Cheers and shouts of support erupted from the crowd.


    In the VIP room¡ª


    Neuvillette watched the scene with deep satisfaction.


    There she stood, Furina, radiant and resplendent, showcasing her talent to the fullest. In this grand Golden Theatre, she sang a song she had written herself.


    Stelle and March 7 were stunned.


    "No way! Furina sings that well? I never noticed before!" Stelle was completely confused.


    March 7th raised her hands. "Same here! She''s amazing!"


    Zhongli commented calmly, "Furina is widely known in Teyvat¡ªprimarily because her performances are always this exceptional."


    Neuvillette added, "Indeed. In the Court of Fontaine, Furina holds weekly fan meetups. The waiting list is booked out for an entire year."


    Stelle and March 7th were floored. A year-long wait? That''s some star power!


    Backstage, behind the curtain¡ª


    Focalors watched Furina intently, not blinking once.


    Her eyes softened, and a slight smile formed on her lips.


    "Furina, you''ve worked so hard all this time. From now on, please live a happy life as a human¡ªjust as I once dreamed. Go and embrace a future that belongs to you."


    At that moment, the Furina on stage was exactly the person Focalors had once envisioned.


    Meanwhile, Robin sat quietly in the dressing room as a few makeup artists touched up her makeup.


    She watched Furina on stage with deep happiness in her heart.


    Through the years, Furina had become her closest friend¡ªeven though they had only known each other for less than a week.


    And yet, Robin already considered Furina a kindred spirit. They always had endless things to talk about.


    Sometimes fate worked in mysterious ways.


    It could be a single sentence, or just a glance¡ªand two souls would instantly connect, becoming inseparable friends.


    Robin whispered softly to herself.


    "Go for it, Furina."


    On stage, Furina''s performance was reaching its end.


    As the final line of the song faded, she bent her knees slightly, turned her palms upward, and gave a graceful bow to the audience.


    The music stopped.


    And the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and deafening cheers.


    Furina''s performance had completely won them over, giving them a short but unforgettable moment of joy.


    "This was so worth coming to! Not only did we hear Robin sing live, but we also got this amazing surprise!"


    "No wonder she''s friends with Robin. That voice was stunning!"


    "Anyone know where to download this song? I want it as my alarm tone."


    "Same here!"


    "Count me in!"


    "+2!"


    "+16666!"


    Furina straightened up and bowed once more.


    "Thank you all for listening, and thank you for your warm applause.


    I''m so happy to have stood on this stage tonight.


    First, I''d like to thank my dear friend, Robin. Without her, I wouldn''t be here today.


    And I want to thank everyone who supported me just now¡ªthank you from the bottom of my heart!


    Now! Let''s welcome the next performers¡ªour six adorable little ones, along with our three famous singers xx, xx, and xx¡ªfor their song Let the Wind Tell You!"


    Backstage, in the waiting area¡ª


    Focalors gently pushed the six children forward. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, little ones. It''s your turn now!"


    Excited, the six youngsters ran onto the stage. The three guest singers followed close behind to join them.


    ***


    The six little ones walked onto the stage, hand in hand, standing in the center.


    The three supporting singers stood on either side.


    The audience below was immediately captivated by their adorable appearances.


    "Oh my god! Where did these little cuties come from?!"


    "Isn''t that Dragon Lady?! Why is she performing on stage? Someone! Change my support sign right now! I''m cheering for Dragon Lady! Dragon Lady is forever the queen!"


    "Wow! There''s even a little cat girl! Oh my god! They''re so cute I could die!"


    "What are their names?! Does anyone know?"


    "Today is just full of surprises!"


    On stage.


    At the cue of one of the guest singers, the six little ones began introducing themselves one by one.


    Klee jumped forward, smiling brightly as she held a microphone as thick as her arm.


    "Hello everyone~ My name is Klee, a Knight of Favonius from Mondstadt. I''ll be singing a song for all the big brothers and sisters~"


    As soon as Klee finished her introduction, the audience erupted.


    "Klee! My precious daughter''s name is Klee!"


    "Klee Support Group established!!!"


    "Support group? No, it''s Klee''s Mom Club!"


    "You''re forming a Mom Club? Then we''re forming a Dad Club!"


    Klee giggled as she hopped back to her spot.


    Next was Hook.


    Hook held the mic in one hand and put her other hand on her hip.


    "Wah~ I am the great dark Hook!"


    Her self-introduction also drew loud cheers.


    Next up was Qiqi.


    Qiqi didn''t react until Yaoyao gave her a push, prompting her to speak up.


    The audience wasn''t annoyed by her slow reaction ¡ª instead, they found her dazed demeanor absolutely adorable.


    Qiqi held the mic and spoke slowly.


    "I''m Qiqi, a zombie. Umm~ what was I supposed to say next? Qiqi forgot."


    The audience immediately responded with caring voices.


    "Qiqi, sweetie, don''t worry. It''s okay to forget, just take your time."


    "That''s right, our little Qiqi is the cutest!"


    "What do you mean ''your'' Qiqi? She''s obviously mine!"


    After Qiqi''s introduction, Yaoyao stepped forward with graceful little steps.


    "Good evening, dear audience. I''m Yaoyao. Pleased to meet you~"


    She even gave a small curtsy.


    Once again, the audience responded with heartfelt cries.


    "Gosh! Yaoyao is so elegant!"


    "She makes me feel like such a brute by comparison!"


    "Yaoyao is the most polite sweetie ever. Go Yaoyao!"


    Then came Diona.


    "My name is Diona, not Diao-na! Got it?!"


    She gave a tiny but fierce growl at the end.


    Rather than being frightened, the audience found her "ferocious cuteness" completely irresistible.


    Lastly, it was Bailu.


    Bailu stepped forward and raised her little hand.


    "I am the Dragon lady from the Xianzhou Luofu! I bet many of you already know me?"


    The audience instantly erupted.


    "Dragon Lady! Over here! I''m your loyal servant!"


    "Dragon Lady! You''ve got this! Make the Luofu proud!"


    Then came the turn of the three guest singers.


    These three were brought in by Robin, specifically because "Let the Wind Tell You" included male vocals.


    The trio were well-known singers across the galaxy.


    After receiving Robin''s invitation, they rushed straight to Penacony.


    After all, this was Robin''s concert ¡ª the venue alone had over 500,000 live attendees, not to mention over a trillion watching online.


    In the livestream, virtual gifts were flying everywhere.


    After the introductions, the music began.


    The six little ones swayed in rhythm, hand in hand, just like they practiced.


    Klee picked up the mic.


    "When your skies suddenly turn gray with rain,That''s me blowing up the clouds for you."


    After singing, she tossed a tiny Dodoco bomb into a pre-designated spot, creating a small mushroom cloud.


    The audience went wild.


    "OH!!!! Oh My Aeons! I''m dying! Klee! You''re too adorable! Oh my god!"


    "How can a smile be so bright?! She''s practically the sun!"


    Next up was Hook.


    "When your hair gently blows in the wind,That''s me thinking of you from afar."


    As she sang, a gentle breeze swept through the arena, drifting over the crowd.


    Next came Bailu''s lyrics.


    "Are you busy? Or just slacking off?Let me see... wow, that''s a big one!Um, can I touch it? Then maybe let Klee blow it up too."


    As soon as she finished, the audience exploded.


    "Dragon Lady! I''m the biggest fish in Luofu! Come touch me!"


    "What?! Let Klee blow me up?! No way! Once isn''t enough¡ªmake it ten! I can take it!"


    "Dragon Lady! Slurp slurp! Come touch me!"


    Then it was Yaoyao''s turn.


    "You look down,Though I don''t know why,Let''s eat first and think later."


    Next came a chorus:


    "Troubles go away, troubles go away.Overtime go away, overtime go away.Slimes go away, slimes go away!"


    The six little ones waved glowsticks in sync as they sang.


    Then it was time for the guest singers.


    As expected of Robin''s picks, their vocals were impeccable.


    Then came the rap part.


    To everyone''s surprise, Qiqi was in charge of the rap!


    In her slow, dreamy voice, she sang:


    "Are you busy?Or just slacking off?Let me see... wow, that''s a big one.Can I touch it? Then maybe let her blow it up.Umm... can''t finish the line."


    Qiqi''s slow, dazed delivery left her "moms" in the crowd both laughing and crying.


    "Qiqi sweetie, could you be any cuter?"


    "Don''t worry if you can''t finish, we''ll love you just the same."


    The six little ones and the three guest singers continued their joyful performance on stage.


    Their innocent voices soothed the restless hearts of the audience.


    Backstage.


    Barbara watched the show draw to a close, growing increasingly nervous.


    Jean gently placed a hand on her shoulder.


    "Barbara, relax. It''s going to be fine."


    Barbara smiled and nodded.


    "Thank you, sister."


    The two had reconciled during this period. Now Barbara no longer addressed her by title, but simply as "sister."


    Soon, the six little ones stepped offstage to enthusiastic cheers from the audience.


    Furina, Focalors, and Robin were waiting.


    Robin gathered the six around her.


    "Little ones, you all did an amazing job~"


    Furina and Focalors also gave their praise.


    Klee noticed Jean and Barbara running over.


    "Captain Jean! Sister Barbara! Klee was so happy just now!"


    Jean affectionately patted Klee''s head.


    "Klee, you were fantastic!"


    Overjoyed by the praise, Klee turned to Barbara.


    "Sister Barbara~ you''re up next! Klee''s cheering for you!"

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141 - 141Barbara nodded.


    "Okay!"


    Soon, it was Barbara''s turn to take the stage.


    Barbara walked onto the stage and looked at the large audience below, feeling panicked all of a sudden.


    At that moment, a voice came.


    "Don''t worry, Barbara, I''m here to help you."


    Barbara looked to her side and saw Venti standing next to her with a lyre in hand, smiling at her.


    "Lord Barbatos!"


    Venti nodded slightly.


    "Let''s start singing. We mustn''t keep the audience waiting."


    With Venti by her side, Barbara''s confidence greatly increased.


    "Hello everyone, I''m Barbara, and I''ll now perform a song called Wind of Freedom for you all."


    Inside the private room.


    Ye Yun looked at Venti on the stage and teased:


    "Tsk tsk, Venti actually doing something serious for once?"


    Zhongli followed up:


    "Although Barbatos usually seems unserious, he is quite dedicated when it comes to important matters. Otherwise, the people of Mondstadt wouldn''t hold such sincere faith in him."


    Hearing this, Diluc was touched.


    Indeed.


    Though their drunken wind god acted frivolously most of the time, he truly cared about serious things.


    With Venti''s help, Barbara successfully completed her performance.


    As soon as she stepped off the stage, she ran straight to Jean and hugged her tightly, trembling.


    She had been extremely nervous earlier. If not for Lord Barbatos being there, she might have been too anxious to sing.


    Jean gently stroked Barbara''s hair.


    "It''s okay now, Barbara. The performance is over, no need to be nervous anymore.


    And you did a wonderful job."


    Venti chimed in beside them.


    "That''s right, Barbara. You sang beautifully. Keep it up!"


    Barbara gave Venti a grateful look.


    "Thank you, Lord Barbatos. If you hadn''t helped me back there, I probably..."


    Venti shook his head.


    "Have faith in yourself, Barbara. You have a beautiful voice.


    You''re just not used to such big stages yet. I believe next time you''ll be much more composed and natural."


    Barbara smiled and nodded.


    At this moment, Klee came running over.


    "Captain Jean~ Klee wants to go play with Big Brother Ye Yun~"


    Jean nodded and agreed.


    "Alright, I''ll take you there."


    Jean led the six little ones, along with Furina, Focalors, and Venti, to cheer on Robin, then headed toward the private lounge where Ye Yun and the others were.


    Before long.


    They arrived at the private room. As soon as they opened the door and entered, they heard Stelle''s teasing voice.


    "Well well well! Isn''t that our superstar Furina and six little stars? Come on, give me an autograph."


    As she spoke, Stelle pulled out a small notebook and handed it to Furina.


    "I don''t need much, just one book for now. I''ll sell it later for some credit points, heh heh~"


    Furina was speechless¡ªsign a whole book? That''s exhausting!


    March 7th suddenly pulled out another notebook and pushed Stelle aside with a plop.


    "Furina, I''m not as greedy. Just sign half a book for me."


    Hearing this, Furina froze. She had thought March 7 just wanted a few signatures.


    You''re not much better! Half a book!?


    But Furina was in a good mood today. She took out a pen and signed one book each for March 7th and Stelle.


    After signing, both of her hands were numb.


    In the following time, everyone chatted while enjoying Robin''s performance on stage.


    During the climax, Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, and others even got up to dance.


    Stelle even put on sunglasses, looking very cool.


    Over an hour later.


    The concert ended.


    Ye Yun, Zhongli, Jing Yuan, Stelle, Himeko, Neuvillette, Robin, and the rest gathered at the port.


    In front of them stood the Lazurite.


    After receiving the Lazurite as a gift, Stelle had docked it here at the port.


    She took out a key and opened the entrance to the ship''s cabin.


    "Let''s go, everyone!"


    Tonight, they were going to celebrate here and throw a party.


    Stelle went to the cockpit and pressed the main power button, causing the Lazurite to light up four times.


    She set a route for it to hover above the Golden Hour.


    The Lazurite slowly ascended into the air, and everyone began having fun onboard.


    Under Robin''s guidance, Furina registered a WeMicroBlog account.


    On WeMicroBlog, Furina could interact with her fans.


    After registering, Robin used her own account to post a message and tagged Furina.


    Robin: "Thank you @Furina for being my guest vocalist today. My dear friend, thank you. (Attachment: Furina and Robin backstage photo.jpg)"


    After Robin tagged her, Furina''s account started gaining followers rapidly. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within just ten minutes, her followers surpassed one million.


    Below her posts, tens of thousands of comments appeared.


    Topaz came over to take a look. Most comments were asking Furina to release an audio track so they could download the song she just sang.


    "Furina, your fans are all asking you to release a song."


    Furina looked puzzled.


    "Huh? Release a song? Like, hold a concert?"


    Topaz explained:


    "No, just record it and upload it online. Want me to help? I can get you into a recording studio."


    Robin chimed in with advice:


    "Furina, I think you should accept Director Topaz''s help. The company''s technology is top-notch¡ªthey can help you produce flawless music."


    Robin had originally wanted Furina to record at her place.


    But on second thought, it was better for Furina to work with Topaz.


    There were too many people from her family involved at her place.


    To be honest, Robin was essentially a PR tool for her family''s harmony.


    She didn''t want Furina to get dragged into family affairs.


    With Topaz''s help, the promotion wouldn''t be any less effective than with Robin.


    The company''s reach across the universe was far greater than the family''s.


    Furina accepted Robin''s suggestion and reached a deal with Topaz.


    Topaz pulled out a contract and both of them signed it.


    "All set. From now on, we''re business partners, Furina.


    I''ll form a professional team to support you.


    In return, I''ll take 5% of your entertainment revenue as my commission."


    Furina agreed right away.


    "Great! It''s a deal!"


    Topaz nodded and shared her plan:


    "Furina, you''re starting on a different level than other celebrities. Your debut was already on Robin''s stage.


    Your fan count has surpassed one million, so you can skip the early stage of releasing free songs to build a base.


    However, you''re still a newcomer, so your first song shouldn''t be too expensive.


    How about this¡ªfor good luck, let''s set it at 666 credits per download?"


    ***


    Furina was surprised.


    "666 credits?"


    Topaz saw Furina''s confused expression and explained:


    "Let me put it this way, for a regular employee in our company, their monthly salary is only around 100,000 credits."


    Hearing this, Furina nodded.


    "Oh~ I see. Alright then, let''s go with that."


    Afterward, Topaz helped Furina post the announcement on her microblog.


    Furina: Thanks to @Robin''s invitation, darlings~ my new song will be released soon! I''m going to record it tomorrow!


    Venti saw this and thought for a moment.


    "Topaz, do me a favor, can you sign that same kind of contract with Barbara too? I want her to develop her career here."


    Topaz agreed without hesitation.


    "Sure, just have her come and sign it."


    Venti was overjoyed and immediately called Barbara over.


    Barbara signed the contract with Topaz as well.


    After signing, she returned to Jean and Kaeya.


    "Lord Barbatos, why did I just sign that contract?"


    Venti explained:


    "By signing that, Topaz will help you assemble a team and start releasing songs to earn credits.


    We''ll be moving Mondstadt here soon, and we''ll need a lot of credits to build New Mondstadt.


    The songs you release will bring in lots of credits for us. Do your best, Barbara!"


    When Barbara heard she could help her sister and contribute to Mondstadt''s development, she was full of determination.


    "I''ll do my best! I''ll go talk to Miss Topaz right now!"


    Lisa stopped her.


    "Don''t be in such a rush, Barbara. Let''s talk tomorrow. Tonight is our celebration party¡ªeveryone''s enjoying themselves."


    Barbara looked around.


    Everyone was already having fun.


    The six little ones, along with Little Fire Monkey, Mika, Bubu Flower, and Numby were playing a game of "Eagle Catches Chicks."


    Numby used its round body to shield Little Fire Monkey from catching Klee and the others behind it.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, March 7th, Lumine, Firefly, Hutao, and Amber gathered around a long table to play "Three Kingdoms Kill."


    It was a game introduced to them by Ye Yun.


    Sparkle and Aha also came over and joined the game.


    The group decided the first three to lose would be punished by having sticky notes placed on their faces.


    Currently, Aha, Stelle, and Amber each had a sticky note on their faces.


    Neuvillette and Zhongli were chatting by the window.


    "Mr. Zhongli, is the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles really in your Liyue?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Yes, she''s at our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor internet caf¨¦."


    Neuvillette asked with a hint of concern:


    "Aren''t you afraid she might destroy Liyue like she destroyed Khaenri''ah?"


    Zhongli shook his head.


    "I''m not worried. You don''t know the truth of what happened back then.


    That time, Lady Calestia didn''t lead us to destroy Khaenri''ah ¡ª she led us there to clean up the mess.


    Back then..."


    Zhongli recounted the truth behind the Khaenri''ah War, and Neuvillette began to understand.


    So that''s how it was. If that''s true, then Calestia wasn''t a killer ¡ª she was Teyvat''s savior.


    But the Calestia Zhongli described was completely different from the one in his own memory. He wasn''t sure which version to believe.


    Zhongli saw Neuvillette''s hesitation and said:


    "Seeing is believing. You can go to Liyue Harbor yourself and meet Lady Calestia.


    But if you fight her, it can''t be inside Liyue Harbor ¡ª otherwise, I''ll intervene."


    Neuvillette nodded slightly.


    "Understood."


    He planned to visit Calestia after returning.


    Ye Yun and Himeko were sitting by a bar, drinking.


    Ye Yun asked:


    "Himeko, where are we heading next? Have you decided?"


    Himeko shook her head.


    "Not yet. The train will stay in Penacony for another week.


    I plan to talk to Stelle and March tomorrow to discuss it.


    Why? Can''t wait to go to the next world?"


    She smiled.


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yeah, the more worlds I visit, the more friends I can make. And the more friends I have, the livelier my little shop becomes."


    Himeko replied:


    "I''ll let you know as soon as we decide tomorrow."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Thanks. You enjoy your drink ¡ª I''ll check in the kitchen and see if they need help."


    He went to the kitchen.


    The Star Rail''s kitchen was huge, with 20 stovetops just for stir-frying.


    Xiangling, Guoba, Mei, and Jashin-chan were all busy cooking dinner.


    Jashin-chan was rapidly chopping vegetables with a knife.


    Xiangling shouted:


    "Jammy! Is the chicken chopped? I need it now!"


    Jashin-chan quickly responded:


    "Coming! I''ll bring it over right away!"


    Then Mei called out:


    "Jammy, is the pork washed? I''m about to cook it."


    Jammy glanced at the large basket of washed pork beside her.


    "Mei! Come get it yourself ¡ª I''m chopping chicken!"


    The group was incredibly busy in the kitchen.


    Ye Yun rolled up his sleeves and brought the pork to Mei.


    Mei said:


    "Ye Yun, you''re here! Great, help us out ¡ª we''re swamped!"


    Ye Yun smiled and nodded, fired up a stovetop, and started cooking.


    With Ye Yun joining in, the pressure eased significantly.


    Dish after dish was quickly prepared and carried out by Guoba for everyone to enjoy.


    Furina brought Robin to the food counter and handed her a tray.


    "Come on, Robin, let''s get some food!"


    Robin looked at the metal tray in her hands ¡ª she remembered these were usually only seen in school cafeterias.


    This was her first time using one to eat.


    Stelle filled her tray with a generous serving of braised beef, then returned to her seat to continue playing Three Kingdoms Kill while eating.


    Robin found the experience quite novel.


    On the long table, large bowls of various dishes were laid out.


    You could scoop out whatever you wanted, though the ladle was a bit large.


    Furina and Robin finished getting food and sat down.


    Furina picked up some spicy shredded potatoes with her chopsticks.


    "Mmm~ I can tell Xiangling made this."


    Robin took a bite too ¡ª it was tangy, spicy, and delicious, with crispy texture.


    "Oh? How can you tell?"


    Furina shrugged.


    "That''s something Paimon told me.


    Xiangling''s food is usually spicy, Ye Yun''s is sweet, and Mei''s is on the lighter side. You can distinguish by that."

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142 - 142Robin found it quite amusing.


    "Paimon? Which one is that?"


    Furina pointed at Paimon, who was standing on the table hugging a rice bowl bigger than herself and scarfing it down.


    "That''s her¡ªPaimon. She''s a real glutton. No one''s more enthusiastic about eating than her."


    Robin looked over at Paimon with curiosity. How could someone so tiny eat so much?


    In the kitchen.


    Little Evil God (Jashin-chan) finally finished chopping the last dish and breathed a sigh of relief, wiping sweat from her forehead. She walked over to Xiangling and peeked at her station.


    "Xiangling, how much longer will you be?"


    Xiangling replied, "Still a while. You go ahead and eat first, Jammy-chan. No need to wait for me."


    Little Evil God nodded, wagged her tail, and walked into the dining hall with a tray in hand.


    "Braised beef~ Braised beef~ Delicious braised beef~"


    She went straight for the braised beef, only to freeze when she got there.


    It was gone!!!


    She felt a pang of regret¡ªshe should''ve come earlier and taken some from the big pot.


    Left with no choice, she grabbed some random food and found a seat.


    She scooped up a mouthful while chewing and watching the six little ones playing with the toy cars that Ye Yun had given them.


    The six had already finished eating and were now playing with tiny toy cars, each only half the size of their palms.


    The cars had wind-up springs¡ªpulling them back would send them zooming ahead.


    The six crouched in a row, competing to see whose car could go the farthest.


    Little Evil God''s interest was piqued. These looked fun!


    She walked over to Klee.


    "Klee, can I take a look at your little car?"


    Klee cheerfully handed it to her. "Sure~ Jashin-chan Onee-chan~"


    Jashin-chan took the car, examined it, and then suddenly chomped it down into her mouth¡ªthen spat it out.


    "I''ve seen it. Here you go, Klee."


    Klee looked at the soggy car, then burst into tears.


    "Waaah! My car''s dirty! I don''t want it anymore!"


    Hearing that, Little Evil God wiped the saliva off with a tissue.


    "You don''t want it? Then it''s mine now~"


    She turned to Bai Lu, Hook, and the others.


    "Come on, Jashin-chan Onee-chan will play with you too!"


    Then she wound the spring tightly and pressed the car to the ground to stop it from running off.


    Suddenly, she felt a chill down her spine, and an angry voice echoed behind her.


    "Jashin-chan."


    She turned around and locked eyes with Yurine''s murderous glare.


    Little Evil God''s heart dropped. She swallowed hard and quickly tried to explain.


    "W-Wait! Klee said she didn''t want it! I only took it because she gave it up!"


    Ten minutes later.


    Everyone had gathered on the deck. Little Evil God was tied to a pole.


    There was a cut on her back that was still bleeding.


    Yurine casually picked up a book.


    "Jashin-chan, do you admit your wrongdoing?"


    Everyone thought she''d finally admit fault, but instead¡ª


    "I did nothing wrong! I only took it because Klee didn''t want it! What did I do wrong?!"


    Stelle, March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others all gave her a thumbs-up.


    "Nice, that''s our Jashin-chan. Can''t go a day without getting whooped."


    Yurine sighed.


    "Jashin-chan, you still don''t understand your mistake. Very well¡ªprepare for punishment." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She gathered a pile of firewood beneath the pole and lit it with a snap.


    Jashin-chan, RIP.


    Everyone partied on the Glimmerstone ship ship until late into the night.


    Furina, Focalors, and Neuvillette returned to Fontaine.


    As soon as they arrived, Neuvillette said goodbye.


    "Lady Furina, Lady Focalors, good night. I have matters to attend to¡ªI''ll take my leave."


    And with that, he headed straight for Liyue.


    Furina was puzzled.


    "Focalors, where''s Neuvillette rushing off to?"


    Focalors paused, recalling something he discussed with Zhongli.


    "Oh no! We have to catch up! He''s going to see Lady Calestia!"


    Furina immediately rallied the Knights of Lancelot and rushed with Focalors toward Liyue Harbor.


    Liyue ¨C Mt. Tianheng.


    Neuvillette appeared there. Shortly after, a portal opened, and Calestia flew out.


    He looked at Neuvillette coldly.


    "Oh? The second generation Hydro Dragon King?"


    Without a word, Neuvillette launched an attack.


    The battle between the two began in a flash.


    On a nearby mountaintop, Zhongli, Venti, Azhdaha, and the Adepti sat at a stone table watching.


    Venti clicked his tongue.


    "Tsk tsk, as expected of Lady Calestia. Neuvillette''s really getting beat up¡ªhasn''t landed a hit yet."


    Azhdaha sighed. He could tell¡ªNeuvillette, like him, was also a dragon of elemental origin.


    Venti looked at Zhongli.


    "Old man, are we really not going to help?"


    Zhongli shook his head.


    "No need. We just have to ensure the battle doesn''t spill over and harm civilians."


    Venti raised a brow, then resumed drinking.


    The battle ended swiftly. Neuvillette lay defeated on the ground.


    Calestia looked toward a distant peak.


    "Focalors, Furina, come¡ªit''s over."


    The two, leading the Knights of Lancelot, hurried over.


    Calestia looked at Focalors.


    "Furina has already explained, hasn''t she?"


    Focalors nodded.


    "Yes. Lady Calestia, don''t worry¡ªI''ll fully cooperate with the relocation plans."


    Calestia nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Neuvillette and left with a warning:


    "You and I have a personal grudge. If you want revenge, come find me anytime. But if you interfere with the relocation, I won''t hesitate to kill you.


    Personal vendettas should not endanger all of Tevyat."


    After she left, Furina rushed to Neuvillette and helped him up.


    "Neuvillette, are you okay?"


    He shook his head slightly.


    "I''ll be fine¡ªjust need some rest."


    But right after he spoke, he coughed up blood, startling Furina.


    "You call that fine?! Lancelot! Get a stretcher! Take him back for treatment!"


    Lancelot obeyed and had two knights carry Neuvillette onto a stretcher.


    Lancelot glanced at Neuvillette with a teasing tone.


    "Man, you really got beat this time. I did you a favor, bringing guys to carry you back.


    So... what about that application I submitted to recruit trainee knights?"


    Neuvillette nodded.


    "Consider this a favor returned. Approved. But no more than a hundred recruits.


    Your training plan consumes too many resources."


    Lancelot replied:


    "Of course. If you want elite soldiers, you need tons of resources."


    ***


    The next day.


    Focalors was enjoying the flowers in the garden of the Mormer Palace, accompanied by several Lancelot knights.


    Furina and the girls had gotten up early to find Topaz and record a song¡ªshe was eager to post her performance online.


    After a night of viral attention, Furina''s personal account had reached ten million followers.


    Furina had become famous overnight, now barely qualifying as a minor celebrity in the Honkai: Star Rail universe.


    Focalors turned to one of the knights.


    "How is Neuvillette?"


    The knight bowed slightly and replied,


    "My lord, Neuvillette has already recovered and can now get out of bed and move around."


    Upon hearing this, Focalors said,


    "Where is he? I''ll go check on him."


    She thought that if Neuvillette was well enough, she could make him go back to work.


    There was a mountain of paperwork piled up in the office, and the mere sight of it gave Focalors a headache.


    Especially now, with the migration matters keeping everyone busy¡ªit was a nightmare.


    Focalors entered Neuvillette''s room.


    He was sitting by the window, holding a newspaper. On the small table next to him sat a bottle of mineral water from the Astral Express.


    Focalors pushed the door open.


    "Neuvillette, how are you feeling? Hey, looks like you''re doing quite well."


    Seeing Neuvillette reading by the window, Focalors was overjoyed¡ªfinally, she could drag him back to help with her work.


    Neuvillette looked at her. Everything she was thinking was written all over her face.


    She was clearly beaming with excitement, obviously hoping to dump the political work on him.


    Neuvillette spoke slowly.


    "Not quite yet. I can only walk a few steps. As you know, Calestia is very powerful."


    Hearing this, Focalors was a bit disappointed.


    She had just been thinking about forcing Neuvillette back to work, but with him saying this, it didn''t feel right to insist.


    She pouted.


    "Fine then~ You rest for now. I''ll go get busy."


    With that, she turned to leave.


    But Neuvillette suddenly spoke up.


    "If you trust me, I can take over the migration list matter."


    Focalors turned back in surprise.


    "Really? It''s settled then! The list is due tomorrow!"


    Neuvillette nodded slightly.


    "Don''t worry. It will be on time."


    With that assurance, Focalors happily went off to work.


    News of the migration had already spread throughout Fontaine the day before.


    The old nobles were stirring again, trying everything to get their people onto the list.


    They launched public opinion campaigns, wrote recommendation letters¡ªthey tried every possible trick.


    Basically, they wanted their names to constantly appear in Focalors'' view.


    After Focalors left, Neuvillette summoned his secretary.


    "I need you to run an errand¡ªinvite the Fatui Harbinger, The Knave, here."


    Focalors was kind-hearted. Even though she knew the nobles were up to something, she wouldn''t interfere unless they broke the law.


    But it wasn''t just Calestia who didn''t want the migration to fail¡ªNeuvillette felt the same.


    This concerned all of Teyvat¡ªthere could be no slip-ups.


    Neuvillette planned to strike a deal with The Knave, having her suppress the arrogance of the old noble families.


    Meanwhile.


    At Meropide Fortress.


    Several young members of noble families had used their connections to gain positions at the fortress just the day before.


    The positions weren''t too high or too low, but each commanded a few guards.


    They gathered together.


    "Is everything ready?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ve already spoken to the prisoners. They''ll riot tonight, and we''ll suppress it to gain credit."


    "Double-check everything. No loose ends. And make sure the prisoners keep their mouths shut."


    "That''s fine. They just want more money."


    "Give it to them. What we need is merit. With it, we can get our names on the list. Got it?"


    "Got it!"


    "Understood!"


    Merson Caesar nodded in satisfaction to his companions.


    "Alright then. Disperse. The riot begins at 8 p.m. sharp!"


    Merson Caesar was from one of Fontaine''s oldest noble families, the House of Caesar.


    He had been assigned to Meropide Fortress to earn merit.


    The plan was to stage a riot and have the young nobles suppress it, gaining achievements in the process.


    Once they subdued the prisoners, their names would be listed in the battle report submitted to the Hydro Archon.


    With this accomplishment, they would likely make it onto the migration list.


    Merson left the group and returned to his room, but as soon as he entered, a black mist rushed into him.


    He clutched his chest like he was having a seizure and collapsed to the ground.


    After a while, he stood up again. A dark glow flickered in his eyes as he grinned sinisterly.


    "A riot? I love it! Calestia, you destroyed my Abyss cult¡ªI''ll destroy your entire nation!"


    He walked outside, looked around to ensure no one was watching, then entered a hidden passage.


    Back with Neuvillette¡ªhe had finished negotiations with The Knave.


    She accepted the task. In fact, she had long been disgusted by the old noble families.


    She would''ve taken action earlier if she''d had a reason.


    Neuvillette then asked,


    "Now, about your reward. What would you like?"


    The Servant looked at him.


    "I''d like your help. Many of the children under my care are from Fontaine¡ªI want them to return home."


    Neuvillette agreed instantly.


    "Of course. Fontaine-born children have every right to return. I''ll have jobs arranged for them."


    The Knave turned and waved at Lyney and Lynette.


    "Lyney, Lynette. You''ll be returning to Fontaine. This is your true home."


    But the siblings shook their heads.


    "Father, we want to stay with you."


    The Knave said calmly,


    "Lyney, Lynette. Listen to me."


    Even so, they still wanted to stay.


    The Knave continued.


    "You''re still young. You don''t need to be involved in these cruel conflicts.


    Back then, it was for Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. But now that the Fatui has been disbanded...


    Lyney, Lynette¡ªtake care of your younger siblings. They''re still so small. Do you want them to live in fear and suffering?"


    Though reluctant, the two finally agreed.


    "We understand, Father."

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143 - 143After that, The Knave left the Mormer Palace with Lyney and Lynette.


    She instructed them to return first to take care of their younger siblings and then vanished alone into the bustling crowd of the streets.


    Neuvillette saw her off and began working on organizing the migration list.


    He had a very good memory¡ªhe remembered the elites of every profession.


    Picking up a pen, Neuvillette started working despite still being ill.


    At Ye Yun''s shop...


    Kiana, Silver Wolf, and Calestia were huddled together on the sofa playing console games.


    Suddenly, the portal shimmered, and Theresa burst out from it.


    She looked around and quickly spotted Kiana, who was completely absorbed in her game.


    "Kiana! Didn''t I tell you there''s a meeting today? Come back with me, now!"


    Kiana pouted.


    "Nooo, Auntieee~ I don''t wanna go to the meeting. I always end up dozing off during those!"


    Theresa tried to reason with her patiently.


    "Kiana, this meeting is really important. It concerns the future development of Schicksal. As the First Valkyrie, you must be there."


    Kiana clung to Theresa''s arm, gently shaking it.


    "Auntie, pleaaase~ I just wanna play games~"


    Theresa sighed.


    "How about this¡ªcome with me to the meeting, and afterward, I''ll give you a few days off. Deal?"


    Kiana''s eyes lit up immediately at the word "vacation."


    "Really?! I get time off?"


    Theresa nodded.


    "Mm-hmm. Now come on, the meeting''s about to start."


    She grabbed Kiana and pulled her through the portal, heading back to St. Freya Academy.


    Silver Wolf, watching them go, picked up her controller.


    "Calestia, it''s just us now¡ªlet''s keep going."


    In the observation car...


    Himeko, Welt, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng were gathered to discuss their next destination.


    At Black Swan''s suggestion, they decided to head to Amphoreus next.


    According to her, it was a world that even Akivili had never visited¡ªa place that could only be reflected through the Garden of Recollection.


    Stelle glanced at Elio, who was playing around with Pom-Pom nearby.


    She walked over and pulled the cat and bunny apart, lifting Elio by the scruff of his neck.


    "Elio, question¡ªyou know the script, right? What are we going to encounter in Amphoreus?"


    Elio shook his head.


    "I can''t tell you that. You have to experience it for yourself."


    Stelle waggled the dangling Elio around, making his whole body swing back and forth.


    "Stop stop stop! You''re shaking my brains out!"


    Stelle grinned.


    "Tell me or not? Huh? Tell me or not?"


    Elio''s cat eyes were spinning.


    "Nope."


    Pom-Pom watched from the side, laughing hysterically.


    Ever since Elio boarded the train, he came to spar with Pom-Pom daily.


    The two had their wins and losses¡ªsometimes Elio won, sometimes Pom-Pom.


    Seeing that she couldn''t get anything out of him, Stelle pouted and set Elio down.


    "Fine, tough guy!"


    Himeko smiled.


    "Alright then¡ªit''s decided. We''ll head to Amphoreus in a week."


    Just then, Lumine walked over.


    "Count me in. I''ll come hang out too."


    Firefly, Hutao, and others also decided to join.


    Hutao said,


    "I don''t have much going on lately. Count me in. A new world, huh? I wonder what it''s like."


    March 7th looked at Hu Tao.


    "Hutao, isn''t Teyvat about to start the migration? You''ve got time?"


    Hutao spoke with mock seriousness.


    "Of course I do~ The first group from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is already arranged. They''ll come straight over when it''s time."


    March 7th replied,


    "Oh~ I heard from Furina that things are only just getting started over there."


    And speak of the devil¡ªFurina, Barbara, and Topaz had just finished recording and returned to the train.


    Furina jumped aboard.


    "Ta-da~ Everyone, I''m back!"


    Stelle came over.


    "Furina, weren''t you recording music? Done already?"


    Furina nodded.


    "Yep! It''s already uploaded. Quick, go download it and support me!"


    She urged everyone to take out their phones and download her song.


    March 7th opened an app and checked it out.


    "Oh my gosh! Furina, your song already has over three million downloads! That''s insane!"


    Stelle chimed in. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Furina, you''re rich now! Just those three million downloads probably earned you tens of millions of credits, right?"


    Topaz added,


    "More than that¡ªeach download is 666 credits. Three million means nearly two billion."


    Furina turned to Stelle.


    "And you''re calling me rich? You''re a shareholder in Penacony! You own the Fluorite! You''re the real rich lady here."


    Stelle put her hands on her hips and giggled.


    "Just small change, small change¡ªnothing to worry about~"


    Topaz chuckled.


    Small change? That''s small change? The Fluorite alone is worth over 50 billion credits, not to mention the Penacony stock...


    Firefly looked at Barbara.


    "Barbara, your song''s a hit too¡ªit''s already got over two million downloads."


    Barbara smiled, very pleased. For a place like Mondstadt with a relatively small population, two million was a big deal.


    Her song was priced a bit lower than Furina''s¡ª500 credits per download.


    Barbara planned to transfer all her earnings to her sister to support Mondstadt''s development.


    Furina put her hands on her hips.


    "Stelle, March, come over to my place tonight¡ªI''m treating you to cupcakes to celebrate the release!"


    Stelle and March 7th both agreed.


    "Sure, if we''re free we''ll come by."


    Furina skipped off toward a portal. As soon as she returned to her room¡ª


    BOOM!!!


    A loud explosion shook the air.


    Then, a flurry of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.


    They got closer and closer. Furina''s door burst open¡ªFocalors rushed in with several Lancelot knights.


    "Furina! Hurry! Go find Lady Calestia¡ªsomething''s happened!"


    Furina was stunned.


    "What happened?"


    Before Focalors could reply, a massive whale appeared in the skies above Fontaine, releasing a deep, echoing cry.


    Around the whale, Neuvillette, The Knave, and Tartaglia were already engaged in battle.


    And that wasn''t all¡ªAbyss portals had opened around the city, and waves of monsters were flooding into Fontaine Court.


    "Furina! There''s no time to explain! Go find Lady Calestia, now!"


    Furina nodded and responded.


    "Lancelot! Stay here and help Focalors¡ªI''m going to find help!"


    Lancelot nodded and stood beside Focalors, awaiting orders.


    ***


    Furina dove into the portal to seek reinforcements.


    Within Fontaine City, smoke and fire filled the air.


    Dark clouds loomed over the sky, casting a gray gloom as light rain fell.


    Neuvillette and Arlecchino had lured the Star-Devouring Whale high into the sky to prevent it from harming the city''s residents.


    The entire Fontaine City had become a battlefield, with various clockwork machines and members of the Gardes fighting against monsters.


    Clorinde stood guard with a squad of Gardes at the gates of the Palais Mermonia.


    With a stern expression, Clorinde stepped forward and, with a few swift sword slashes, took down several hilichurls.


    She raised her arm in a commanding gesture.


    "Hold the line! We cannot let them harm Lady Furina!"


    Those who stood with her were the elite of the security forces.


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    At the Rose Society''s Fontaine stronghold¡ª


    Navia, along with Marius, Silver, and the armed members of the Rose Society, were holding their ground around the perimeter.


    After slashing down a few hilichurls with her greatsword, Navia noticed a young girl being chased by monsters in the distance.


    "Marius! Silver! Save her!"


    The two nodded, and the trio rushed out of the defense line toward the girl.


    Navia rescued the child just as a hilichurl was about to strike.


    "Hrahhhh!"


    With a mighty swing, she sent the monster flying. Silver quickly scooped up the girl.


    "Miss Navia! Let''s go!"


    They returned to the defensive line after rescuing the girl.


    Meanwhile, Lyney and Lynette led Fatui soldiers to secure the area near their base.


    They were facing the fiercest wave of monster attacks.


    Standing atop a lamppost, Lyney continually drew and loosed arrows, each one striking true and taking down a monster.


    Lynette weaved between enemies, every appearance marked by a clean kill.


    Lyney drew his bow to full, releasing a triple fire-element arrow volley at a rampaging axe-wielding hilichurl.


    All three arrows hit its heart, taking it down.


    He waved his hand and shouted,


    "Hold your ground! We must not let them break our defense!"


    At the northern city gate¡ª


    Wriothesley and Sigewinne had arrived with surviving prison guards from the Fortress of Meropide.


    Not long ago, someone had opened the outflow valves of the fortress, releasing Primordial Seawater.


    A riot had broken out in the prison, barely suppressed when dozens of portals suddenly opened, and a flood of Abyss monsters emerged.


    Wriothesley had no choice but to lead the guards and some prisoners in retreat.


    They had just reached the Opera Epiclese when the enormous Star-Devouring Whale burst from the sea, heading straight for Fontaine City.


    Seeing this, Wriothesley immediately brought reinforcements.


    Some prisoners followed, but most scattered like birds.


    Wriothesley struck down several hilichurls with a few powerful punches.


    He surveyed the battlefield¡ªstrewn with wounded guards and broken machines.


    "Quick! Tend to the wounded!"


    Back at the gates of the Palais Mermonia¡ª


    Clorinde, panting after slaying another brutish hilichurl, was growing exhausted¡ªthe monsters were endless.


    Looking around, she saw more and more enemies flooding in.


    Suddenly, pillars of water burst forth, wiping out large swaths of monsters.


    Clorinde looked toward the palace gates¡ªFurcalor had emerged, flanked by the Lancelot Knights.


    Furcalor stood with arms raised, clearly the source of the water pillars.


    With a cold gaze, Furcalor surveyed the battlefield and gave his orders:


    "Lancelot, assist Neuvillette. The rest of the knights¡ªteams of eight¡ªhead into the city and rescue the citizens!"


    Lancelot bowed slightly.


    "Yes, my lord. Lancelot Knights¡ªmarch!"


    He leapt high into the air, charging toward the Star-Devouring Whale.


    Of the knights, eight stayed to guard the palace while the remaining twenty-four split into three groups to assist across the city.


    Back at the palace gates, the eight knights joined the battle.


    In moments, hundreds of monsters fell beneath their swords.


    To Clorinde, all she saw were blurs¡ªstreaks of motion darting through the enemy ranks.


    The monsters fell like wheat before the scythe.


    For the first time, Clorinde and Seele grasped the true power of the Lancelot Knights.


    In the skies¡ª


    Neuvillette and Arlecchino were still locked in battle with the Star-Devouring Whale.


    Suddenly, Lancelot joined in¡ªhis surprise attack wounding the beast.


    Flapping its wings, the whale retreated.


    Neuvillette and Arlecchino appeared behind Lancelot.


    Lancelot raised his rapier.


    "I''ll lead the charge! You cover me!"


    With that, he vanished in a flash, charging the whale.


    The trio engaged the beast fiercely. With Lancelot joining, the whale was pushed slightly onto the back foot, new wounds appearing across its body.


    Back at Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Stelle, March 7th, and Sparkle were playing a round of "Three Kingdoms Kill."


    March 7th''s face was covered in sticky notes, completely obscuring her features.


    Suddenly, Furina burst in and rushed toward the portal to Liyue Harbor.


    Stelle looked up in curiosity.


    "Furina? What''s the rush?"


    Seeing her, Furina quickly responded.


    "Stelle! You''ve got to help¡ªFontaine''s in serious trouble!"


    Hearing that, everyone turned solemn. Judging by Furina''s tone, this was no false alarm.


    "Can you all go help? I''m going to find Lady Calestia."


    Stelle gave a resolute wave.


    "Ladies! Let''s move!"


    At that moment, Calestia''s voice rang out.


    "Furina, what''s happened?"


    Furina looked at him like seeing a savior.


    "Lady Calestia! Fontaine is under siege by monsters¡ªand there''s a giant whale!"


    Calestia narrowed his eyes.


    "Let''s go!"


    He grabbed Furina and jumped into the portal. Stelle and the others followed closely behind.


    Ye Yun looked over at Welt.


    "Shall we take a look?"


    Welt nodded.


    Ye Yun instructed the six kids to stay put, then entered the portal with Welt.


    They emerged in Furina''s room.


    She anxiously pointed outside.


    "Look! That giant whale!"


    Calestia glanced at the Star-Devouring Whale.


    "Interesting... It actually made it in."


    He stepped forward and vanished, reappearing in the sky.


    From above, Calestia quickly located Mersen on the battlefield.


    "Oh, that old undead bastard¡ªso he''s crawling out of the Abyss again."


    With a flick of his hand, several portals opened.


    Soon, a force of Millelith soldiers stepped through, led by Xiao, Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, Madam Ping, Ningguang, Keqing, Ganyu, and Yelan.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144 - 144As soon as Calestia returned, she notified Zhongli, asking him to prepare to bring reinforcements through the portal to support Fontaine.


    The Millelith Army landed and swiftly began slaying the nearby monsters.


    The Millelith Army, having trained with the Vajra Body Refining Technique, possessed extraordinary physical strength. Ordinary monsters could not break through their defensive bodies.


    With the addition of the Millelith Army, half of the monsters in Fontaine City were quickly eradicated.


    Xiao and the other immortals gave their full effort, killing large groups of monsters.


    The Abyss, upon seeing Calestia, wasn''t surprised.


    The last time they met was at Liyue Harbor, where Calestia had expelled him from the body of the traveler "Aether."


    This time, The Abyss no longer had to hide, as there were enough sacrifices at the scene. He conjured a staff and waved it gently.


    The dead Fontaine people and monsters turned into black smoke, which gathered at the staff.


    Then, the sky shattered like a mirror, and countless Bleeding Dogs rushed through the opening.


    The Abyss laughed at Calestia.


    "Hahaha! Calestia! This time, I will definitely win! Last time, in Khaenri''ah, you ruined our plan! This time, you won''t get away!"


    Calestia snorted dismissively.


    "Heh, you''ll lose again this time, and it will be even worse. Stelle, Firefly, the big hole is yours."


    Stelle and Firefly smiled confidently and nodded.


    "Judgment of Shamash! Unsheathe!"


    "I shall... set the seas ablaze!"


    Stelle and Firefly charged toward the shattered sky, with Firefly delivering a powerful kick. Her fiery foot killed all the Bleeding Dogs emerging from the hole.


    Stelle''s Judgment of Shamash gathered energy rapidly, and when it reached its critical point, Stelle shouted.


    "Firefly! Get back!"


    Firefly quickly dodged, and Stelle slashed with her sword.


    A burst of fire lit up the sky, followed by a violent explosion.


    The previously gray sky, now illuminated by the fire, turned bright red. The rain evaporated before it could even fall.


    As the flames began to dissipate, The Abyss looked at the hole in the sky. The area outside the hole was completely cleared, with hundreds of thousands of Bleeding Dogs reduced to ashes.


    After her strike, Stelle noticed more Bleeding Dogs and began gathering energy again, preparing for another attack.


    The Abyss, seeing this, decided to go all out!


    The Abyss opened dozens of Abyssal portals, and countless monsters poured out.


    "All of you, attack the sky! Bring those two girls down!"


    The Abyss himself engaged Calestia.


    Above the All-Devouring Narwhal.


    Zhongli, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Nahida, Venti, Ying, and Barnabas appeared above the All-Devouring Narwhal.


    Greater Lord Rukkhadevata slowly extended Her hand.


    "Everyone, under Lady Calestia'' command, we must kill this beast!"


    Zhongli and the others immediately acted, their divine powers descending as they attacked the All-Devouring Narwhal.


    "I Will Have Order!"


    "Poetry of the Wind God!"


    "Freeze! Eternity!"


    "No thoughts, severed!"


    "This is the Hall of Wisdom!"


    "This is the Hall of Life!"


    The All-Devouring Narwhal lasted less than a minute before being brought down.


    Before it died, the whale emitted a whale''s cry that reverberated through the heavens, signaling its fall.


    Navia was about to express her gratitude when Zhongli spoke.


    "We''ll first assist Stelle and Firefly in securing the passage. Leave the battlefield below to the Millelith Army."


    Navia nodded and, hearing this, followed Zhongli and the others towards Stelle''s location.


    Navia, Zhongli, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, and others protected Xing.


    Furcalos and Funina, seeing this, also arrived with Lancelot.


    Hutao rode the Wind Fire Wheel, her fire-tipped spear constantly swinging, killing flying monsters that approached.


    On the ground.


    Ganyu waved her hand.


    "Millelith Army! Full force! Leave no monster alive! Kill!"


    With Ganyu''s command, the Millelith Army charged at the monsters, with Xiao, Xianyun, and other immortals joining the fray.


    Xiao transformed into a violent wind, kicking through a Hilichurl King, and then his weapon, the Hakuqing, swept through the air, turning the wind into a whirlwind that shredded the surrounding monsters.


    Clorinde, Lynette, Leo, and others joined the battle, unleashing their pent-up rage.


    But Clorinde wasn''t careful enough¡ªone Hilichurl King attacked from behind.


    In the next moment, several ice arrows flew in and pierced the Hilichurl King.


    Clorinde looked in the direction the arrows came from and saw a girl with goat horns holding a longbow.


    Clorinde approached Ganyu.


    "Thank you."


    Ganyu smiled slightly.


    "No need to thank me, stay safe."


    With that, Ganyu bent her bow and shot another arrow.


    March 7th stood atop a building, with Bubu Flower guarding her.


    Any monsters attempting to approach were ensnared by Bubu Flower''s vines, turning them into dried husks.


    March 7th''s Hou Yi Bow fired rapidly, its self-guiding feature allowing her to shoot without aiming. With such a rapid rate, her hands left a trail of afterimages.


    On the ground battlefield, the monsters were quickly overwhelmed. Even the normally formidable Hilichurl Kings could only survive a few seconds.


    On the sides of Liyue and Fontaine, the elite forces would immediately swarm and kill higher-level monsters like the Hilichurl Kings.


    The Abyss, still in combat with Calestia, found it hard to land a blow.


    Calestia was toying with The Abyss, hitting him several times, but pulling back each time before delivering a fatal blow.


    The Abyss noticed this.


    "Calestia! Can you respect me a little? Use all your strength! Kill me already!"


    Calestia shook his head.


    "No, why should I respect you, an ancient Abyss creature?"


    The Abyss, enraged, retorted.


    "Don''t you know that every minute you waste, more humans die down below?"


    Calestia glanced at both the sky and the ground.


    In the sky, Lumine, Firefly, Hutao, and eight other figures, including Navia and Lancelot, were holding the line against the Bleeding Dog army, preventing them from breaking through.


    On the ground, the Millelith Army''s methods were brutal.


    Calestia saw a Millelith Army squad leader fighting a Rock Hilichurl King in hand-to-hand combat, using only his fists to pummel it.


    Could a Millelith soldier be hurt with full defensive power? Absolutely not.


    Besides, with the immortals and others present, was there any danger? The monsters didn''t stand a chance.


    The Abyss watched this scene in stunned silence.


    No! This is the Millelith Army? These are mere mortals?


    Their combat prowess is unfair!


    That shirtless earth dragon¡ªcan''t you respect the Abyss Apostles? Can''t you dodge? Don''t you feel the Abyss Apostle''s attack at all?


    ***


    Melsen was dumbfounded.


    You earth dragon are too much¡ªthose were attacks from over a dozen Abyss Heralds! And you didn''t even flinch!


    Also, where did those knights come from? Each one is unbelievably powerful!


    Damn it, the worst part is¡ªcan you stop focusing solely on the Abyss Heralds?!


    I only managed to raise this many Abyss Heralds with great effort, can you please go easy on them?!


    The Lancelot Knight Order''s members specifically targeted the Abyss Heralds¡ªonce they engaged in battle, the Heralds couldn''t last more than a few rounds before being slain.


    The Abyss gritted his teeth.


    "Surtalogi! Come to my aid!"


    As his voice fell, a figure appeared in the sky.


    It was none other than the master of Skirk, the owner of the All-Devouring Narwhal¡ªSurtalogi!


    Surtalogi looked at the battered Melsen.


    "Abyss Lord, I didn''t expect you to be in such a sorry state."


    The Abyss Lord snorted coldly.


    "If my true body had been released, would Calestia even be my match? Hurry up! Help me out! These people have been bullying your pet too!"


    Surtalogi didn''t say much. With a casual wave, a massive sword emitting a dark glow appeared in his hand.


    He slashed at Calestia.


    Suddenly, a few flying swords shot from the distance, and Ye Yun, standing on one of them, appeared beside Calestia.


    "One each?"


    Calestia grinned and pointed at Surtalogi.


    "You handle that guy! I''m going to flatten this little Abyss geezer!"


    Calestia charged at the Abyss Lord, and the two clashed once more.


    Ye Yun looked at Surtalogi. The latter suddenly dashed at him, sword raised.


    Ye Yun raised his eyebrows, formed a sword sign with his fingers, and dozens of flying swords surged toward Surtalogi.


    Forced to defend, Surtalogi gave up his attack and focused on blocking.


    Ye Yun blinked away to create distance, rolled his neck, and stretched his arms.


    "Haven''t fought in a while¡ªwhy am I getting excited?


    Come! Try this¡ªTen Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!"


    In an instant, countless flying swords appeared around Ye Yun, each blade wrapped in an eerie sword glow.


    At Ye Yun''s command, all swords flew at Surtalogi.


    He kept swinging his greatsword, knocking away blade after blade¡ªbut there were too many. Wounds started appearing all over his body.


    Despite the pain, Surtalogi fought on, knowing that if he stopped, he''d be killed instantly.


    Over ten minutes later, Ye Yun, seemingly bored, yawned.


    "That''s enough. I''ve hit today''s workout quota.


    Now taste this¡ªCelestial Slash!"


    Ye Yun''s figure turned into a piercing sword and blasted through Surtalogi''s chest, leaving a gaping hole.


    As Surtalogi tried to escape, Ye Yun waved his hand, surrounding him in flying swords that shredded his body, down to the last cell.


    After finishing off Surtalogi, Ye Yun turned to check on Calestia.


    Calestia had somehow found a pair of spiked tiger knuckles and was pummeling the Abyss Lord left and right, quite literally flattening him.


    After a brutal flurry of punches, the Abyss Lord''s possessed body was reduced to pulp.


    A shadowy wisp escaped¡ªthe Abyss Lord''s avatar.


    Calestia snapped her fingers, summoning a dark red chain that wrapped around the shadow.


    She pulled out her phone, switched to selfie mode, and posed with a peace sign.


    "Yay~"


    After taking the photo, she looked at it with satisfaction.


    She planned to print it out and plaster it across all of Teyvat.


    This was only the Abyss Lord''s clone, so Calestia couldn''t destroy him completely¡ªbut this humiliation was enough.


    Once the Abyss Lord showed up again in Teyvat, he''d be greeted by this picture. Just thinking about it made Calestia grin.


    With another snap of her fingers, the chain tightened, crushing the shadow into nothing.


    Meanwhile, Stelle was still guarding the hole in the sky. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the Abyss Lord was gone, the portal remained.


    Looking at the wave of blood-crazed hounds approaching again, she frowned in annoyance.


    "Ugh, these rabid dogs again? They never end."


    Just then, Welt appeared beside her.


    "Stelle, go rest. I''ll handle it."


    She immediately sheathed her sword.


    "Thanks, Uncle Yang~ I''m off for a break."


    Zhongli came to Welt''s side.


    "Need a hand?"


    Welt shook his head slightly.


    "No need. This won''t take long.


    Star Of Eden!"


    Welt conjured a black hole, using it to plug the entire portal.


    "All done. Let''s head back."


    On the battlefield:


    The once-overrun hills were now nearly cleared, and the remaining monsters were quickly finished off by the Millelith Army.


    Neuvillette looked at the nearby Millelith martial instructor, Fengyan.


    "Thank you, Instructor Fengyan, for Liyue''s assistance."


    Fengyan waved nonchalantly.


    "No need. The seven nations should stand united and help one another."


    Neuvillette nodded.


    "Even so, gratitude must be expressed."


    Fengyan laughed.


    "Well, if you''re thankful, buy me a drink later. I haven''t tried Fontaine''s alcohol yet."


    Neuvillette laughed heartily and agreed.


    "Deal!"


    Afterward, everyone began cleaning up the battlefield.


    Sigewinne led the medics to treat the wounded.


    The Millelith Army and Fontaine''s guard squads were clearing debris and rescuing trapped civilians.


    The dark clouds dispersed. Sunset bathed the land in gold.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly sat on Fontaine Court''s walls, each holding a Sunsettia, chatting while watching the beautiful sunset.


    Startled seagulls, now reassured by the end of war, returned to the sky.


    Furina, back on the ground, smiled happily at the perfectly formed Lancelot Knight Order standing before her¡ªno one was missing.


    Neuvillette welcomed everyone to rest in the Opera Epiclese, one of the few intact buildings in Fontaine.


    Ye Yun brought over the "six little ones" and let them play freely inside.


    The great battle was over. Victory was theirs.


    Focalors glanced at Furina, who was now helping the knights clean their armor¡ªshe felt relieved.


    Thankfully, Furina ran fast and brought reinforcements in time. Otherwise, the destruction would''ve been much worse.


    She was also grateful to know all the people present. Without their help, Fontaine would''ve surely fallen today.


    Focalors turned to everyone.


    "Thank you all for helping Fontaine. Please, stay for a meal tonight¡ªI insist."


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Focalors, no need for a feast just yet. Sort out Fontaine first.


    I''ve got a suggestion. Why not relocate early? Fontaine Court is ruined anyway. Rebuilding from scratch might be easier than fixing all this."

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145 - 145Upon hearing this, Focalors felt that Ye Yun made a good point.


    After the battle, Fontaine Court had already become a ruin¡ªit might be better to go to the new world and start building a city there.


    Calestia said:


    "Fontaine has suffered heavy casualties this time. Just move everyone over. Besides, the basic setup over there is already complete."


    Focalors nodded in agreement.


    "Alright, we''ll get ready and try to move over as soon as possible."


    Welt added:


    "Ms. Focalors, you can come to the train sometime. When you do, I''ll introduce you to a director from the Interastral Peace Corporation.


    You can work with her¡ªshe has a lot of infrastructure equipment."


    Focalors expressed her thanks.


    "Thank you. I''ll come take a look tomorrow."


    ¡ªOn the city wall.


    Stelle sat at the edge of the wall, looking out at the ocean while chewing on a Sunset Fruit.


    With one hand supporting her on the wall, she leaned back slightly, glancing around here and there.


    "Look over there! So many wild boars!" Lumine pointed out a group of wild boars below the city wall.


    Stelle''s eyes lit up as soon as she heard "wild boars." She elbowed March 7th and raised her eyebrows.


    "March, our pigpen''s empty."


    March 7th raised her eyebrows at that, and the two of them exchanged a knowing look before jumping off the wall.


    Hutao watched and was puzzled.


    "Firefly, why did Stelle and March jump down?"


    Firefly explained:


    "They went to catch wild boars. Stelle has a pigpen in her Serenitea Pot. It used to have three mushroom boars, but after the last feast she hosted, they were gone.


    Come on, let''s help out."


    With that, Firefly leapt down as well.


    Seeing this, Hutao descended slowly on her Wind Fire Wheels.


    Stelle landed and sprinted toward the boars, diving right in and grabbing a piglet without hesitation¡ªclearly a seasoned pro.


    Hu Tao wanted to grab a big one, but March 7th stopped her.


    "Don''t catch the big ones! Harder to run away with! Just take the small ones!"


    Taking the advice, Hutao picked up two piglets and ran after Stelle.


    A mother boar grazing nearby stared in disbelief.


    They''re stealing my kids!


    The mother boar let out a heart-wrenching cry, alerting the rest of the boars, which then charged after Stelle and the others.


    Stelle, far from scared, looked thrilled as she was being chased.


    "Hehehehe! Come chase me, you dumb boars! I''m outta here~"


    Paimon, who had gained a bit of weight from eating too much lately, was flying much slower and trailed anxiously at the back.


    "Stelle! March! Lumine! Wait for me! Don''t leave me behind! I don''t want to get launched by a boar!"


    Hutao scooped up Paimon with her Wind Fire Wheels and fled with her in tow.


    ¡ªBy the window in the guest room of Caesareum Palace.


    Welt and Himeko watched Stelle and the others being chased by wild boars.


    They both broke into a cold sweat¡ªespecially at Stelle''s gleeful grin.


    Uhh... yep, Stelle''s at it again.


    After a short stay in Caesareum Palace, everyone went their separate ways.


    Zhongli had Lishui and Xiaoyue stay behind with part of the Millelith to help out. The rest returned to Liyue through a portal opened by Calestia.


    ¡ªIn the Serenitea Pot.


    Stelle carried a cage containing ten piglets.


    She strutted into her pot proudly. Notably, the Brilliant Ore spaceship had also been crammed in¡ªit now rested on the lawn behind the amusement park.


    Stelle released the ten piglets into the pen, plucked some large cabbages from the nearby field, tore them up, and tossed them in.


    Clapping her hands, she strolled toward her treehouse.


    ¡ªThe next morning.


    Focalors, Furina, and Neuvillette arrived at Ye Yun''s shop early.


    Ye Yun, Xiangling, and the Little Evil God were preparing breakfast.


    "Good morning, Ye Yun, Xiangling, and Jammy-chan!" Furina cheerfully greeted the three.


    Ye Yun looked up.


    "Morning, Furina. You''re here this early? Topaz probably isn''t up yet."


    Furina sighed.


    "We didn''t sleep at all last night¡ªwe were rescuing people and clearing the ruins."


    Ye Yun asked curiously:


    "How many people does Fontaine have left now?"


    Neuvillette thought for a moment and replied:


    "The number was just tallied before we came¡ªthere are currently 73,326 people remaining."


    Xiangling was stunned.


    "Huh? Only that many?"


    Focalors sighed.


    "The monsters breached the city during the battle. The loss was enormous."


    Ye Yun pointed to a booth nearby.


    "Have a seat first. Topaz won''t be up anytime soon.


    Noelle, pour three cups of tea."


    Noelle quickly ran into the bar and brought out three cups of hot tea, placing them in front of Furina and the others.


    About half an hour later¡ª


    Stelle, Kafka, Topaz, Jade, Firefly, and March 7th emerged from the Serenitea Pot.


    Stelle waved and yawned.


    "So sleepy~"


    March 7th and Firefly were the same, both yawning nonstop.


    Ye Yun noticed the dark circles under their eyes.


    "You guys pulled an all-nighter again?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yup. We gamed all night."


    The three walked into the kitchen, opened the cupboard, grabbed their bowls, and sat at the dining table.


    Topaz followed them in, but Ye Yun stopped her.


    "Topaz, Furina wants to talk business with you."


    Topaz glanced over at Furina, then nodded and walked over with her rice bowl.


    When she reached Furina, Topaz tilted her head.


    "Morning, Furina. Ye Yun said you wanted to do business with me?"


    Furina greeted her and replied:


    "Yes, Mr. Welt said yesterday he''d introduce a corporate executive to us. I figured it was you.


    We''d like to purchase some infrastructure equipment.


    Infrastructure¡ªthat''s the right word, right?" Furina asked Focalors uncertainly.


    Focalors nodded.


    "Yes, infrastructure equipment."


    Topaz nodded as well.


    "Got it. Stelle filled me in on your situation last night. Since we''re friends, I can give you a discount.


    Come on, take a look and see if there''s anything you want to buy."


    Topaz handed Focalors a tablet.


    Focalors carefully examined it, but the more she looked, the more her brow furrowed.


    Since they were here to buy something, Focalors had already learned that the currency here was credit points.


    The equipment was excellent¡ªbut they didn''t seem to have enough credit points.


    Furina sipped her tea while chatting with Topaz.


    The equipment purchase was up to Focalors and Neuvillette. She was just tagging along.


    Seeing Focalors set the tablet down, Topaz smiled.


    "Have you decided, Ms. Focalors?"


    Focalors gave a bitter smile.


    "These devices are great, but we just don''t have that many credit points."


    Hearing this, Furina slammed her phone on the table.


    "Isn''t it just credit points? I''ve got plenty! Use mine!"


    ***


    Neuvillette looked at Furina.


    "Lady Furina, these devices are very expensive. I''m afraid your allowance won''t be enough."


    Furina was immediately indignant¡ªwhat! Did Neuvillette just say she had no money?Neuvillette, are you looking down on me?!


    "Neuvillette, you''re totally wrong. I''m very rich! Don''t believe me? Look at my balance!"


    Furina pulled out her phone and showed her balance.


    Neuvillette took one look and was utterly stunned.


    Displayed on the screen was a long string of digits:


    [2000000000], a full 2 billion credit points! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Neuvillette''s shocked expression, Furina was clearly enjoying herself.


    Hmph! That''s what you get for underestimating me! Impressed now?I, Furina, am super rich!


    Even Focalors was shocked.


    "Furina, where did you get so much money?"


    Furina responded matter-of-factly.


    "From my music. Each song sells for 666 credits, and just yesterday I had over 3 million downloads. After giving Topaz her 5% cut, I''m left with 2 billion."


    Focalors and Neuvillette both turned toward Topaz with questioning looks.


    Topaz nodded.


    "Yes, yesterday Furina really did earn 2 billion credits just from her music.


    Don''t be too surprised¡ªthis place is different from Teyvat. Here, countless beings live across an endless universe.


    Furina''s earnings aren''t much, really. You know that Miss Robin?


    Her new song this year, A Heart Saved from Sorrow, brought her family a full 10 trillion credits.


    So Furina''s just small-time by comparison."


    Focalors and Neuvillette exchanged a glance. Clearly, they were still behind in understanding this world.


    Compared to that, Liyue, Mondstadt, Sumeru, and Inazuma were far ahead in such matters.


    This made Neuvillette recall asking Furina why she hadn''t informed him about such a major decision like emigrating.


    Back then, Furina had replied: "Oh, I forgot~"


    Neuvillette rubbed his temples. Stay calm, don''t get angry...


    Afterward, Focalors and Neuvillette used Furina''s money to purchase a huge amount of equipment:


    ? Fully automatic brick-making machines


    ? Fully automatic steel smelters


    ? Construction robots


    ? All kinds of materials, economic crops, transportation tools, etc.


    In total, they spent 1.5 billion.


    Topaz accepted the payment and said,


    "All set. The goods will be delivered directly to your New Teyvat."


    After thanking Ye Yun and the others, Focalors and Neuvillette returned to Fontaine.


    The three of them sat on the sofa in Furina''s room.


    Furina was still holding breakfast she''d brought back from Ye Yun''s place¡ªeight-treasure porridge, BBQ buns, and red bean buns.


    She took a bite of the red bean bun, the sweet filling melting in her mouth, and her face showed total enjoyment.


    Neuvillette looked at her.


    "Lady Furina, thank you for contributing such a large sum to Fontaine."


    Still savoring the taste, Furina vaguely heard Neuvillette calling her and snapped back to attention.


    "Huh? Neuvillette, were you talking to me?"


    At that moment, her phone rang.


    [CompanyPay incoming: 2 billion credits.]


    Furina glanced at it.


    "Oh! Topaz just sent it. Already another 2 billion?"


    She and Topaz had agreed¡ªevery time her account hit 2 billion, it would be transferred to her.


    Hearing that notification sound, whatever Neuvillette had planned to say was completely stifled.


    Welp. She''s a real rich lady.


    "Never mind. I''ll go back to work."


    Furina looked at him, puzzled.


    She handed a red bean bun to Focalors.


    "Focalors! Try this! It''s so good¡ªsweet and soft!"


    Over the next three days¡ª


    Aside from the first day, when Stelle and the others just lay around resting on the train, they spent the next two days out exploring New Teyvat.


    Neuvillette had already led a team of Fontaine scientists and craftsmen to New Teyvat and started city construction in the territory they had claimed.


    Fontaine had chosen land similar to their original geography¡ªa chain of islands in the southeastern part of the continent.


    On the largest central island, Neuvillette and his team began building the city.


    After discussion, they decided to model the new city after the original Court of Fontaine, with some improvements.


    For example: a larger area.


    The central island was huge¡ªaround 60,000 square kilometers.


    Ye Yun had taken a look and noted that it resembled the largest island from his previous life, only with 22,000 extra square kilometers.


    Stelle, Firefly, and March 7th roamed the construction site wearing white safety helmets.


    Anytime they saw someone slacking off, they''d lecture them and tell them to get back to work.


    After two days of this, their reputations had spread among the workers.


    Everyone knew that Stelle, March 7th, and Firefly were the supervisors Neuvillette had brought in.


    Well, technically, Neuvillette hadn''t invited them¡ªthey were just bored and came over to hang out.


    Neuvillette, also wearing a white helmet, asked his assistant:


    "How''s progress in the residential zones?"


    His secretary, Melusine, reported:


    "The Melusine District is more than halfway done. The Singers'' District has just started. Once both are finished, they''ll accommodate all of Fontaine''s people¡ªincluding us Melusines."


    Neuvillette looked at her.


    "Should I create a separate residential district for you? Like a new Merusea Village?"


    The secretary shook her head.


    "No need, Neuvillette~ We''re happy living in the new Fontaine."


    Neuvillette thought for a moment, then decided to add a new project: a dedicated living area for the Melusines.


    At that moment, a spaceship descended from the sky.


    Kiana stepped out with Theresa, Mei, Bronya, and Rita.


    Kiana had successfully gotten vacation time and came to visit Stelle.


    As for the others, after hearing that Fontaine was building a new city, they wanted to come check out the equipment Topaz was selling¡ªafter all, they also needed to rebuild their homeland.


    Rita stepped off the ship and immediately had hearts in her eyes.


    Right in front of her stood a Melusine.


    Neuvillette walked over and noticed Rita''s expression. He smiled¡ªlooks like this lady is also fond of Melusines.


    He introduced her.


    "This lady is Veil An, a Melusine¡ªour unique Fontaine species.


    The Melusines are friendly to humans and have a sense of smell unmatched by others.


    Though Veil An isn''t tall by human standards, she''s actually quite tall for a Melusine. They don''t grow much taller than this."


    Rita, upon hearing this, was instantly smitten.


    They stay small forever?! Friendly to humans?! Gasp¡ªis this heaven?!

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146 - 146When Theresa saw Rita''s expression, she quickly pulled her back, afraid that Rita would pounce on Veilanne and smother her with kisses.


    Theresa was more familiar with Rita''s personality than anyone else¡ªafter all, she had been a victim of it before.


    Meanwhile, Kiana was looking around, searching for Stelle and the others.


    After looking for a while and still not seeing them, she asked Neuvillette:


    "Neuvillette, are Stelle and the others playing around here?"


    Neuvillette responded:


    "Yes, they''re supervising at the construction site in the Singer District. Are you looking for them? I can have someone take you there."


    Kiana lit up:


    "Yes, yes! Please have someone take me there! Let''s go, Mei¡ªlet''s go have some fun."


    Neuvillette looked at Veilanne.


    "Veilanne, could I trouble you to take these two young ladies to the Singer District to find Miss Stelle and the others?"


    Veilanne smiled and agreed.


    "Sure~"


    She happily bounced along with Kiana and Mei as they walked away.


    Seeing how Veilanne hopped with each step, Rita found her even more lovable.


    Oh my! She''s just too cute!


    Suddenly, Rita bowed deeply to Neuvillette.


    "Please let me take care of Melusine!"


    Neuvillette was a bit baffled¡ªwhat did that even mean?


    Theresa quickly stepped in to smooth things over, covering Rita''s mouth and pulling her behind her.


    "Ah, it''s nothing¡ªdon''t mind what she said. Could you please show us around? We''d like to see the equipment you''ve purchased."


    Neuvillette nodded and called over another Melusine to give Theresa and the others a tour.


    Meanwhile, Kiana followed Veilanne to the construction site in the Singer District.


    Scientists from the Academy were operating machines to produce various building materials.


    To speed up the progress, Neuvillette had all kinds of equipment brought directly to the site. Bricks, steel, and so on were processed on-site.


    Once processed, they were immediately sent into the construction area.


    Under a small shed, Kiana found Stelle, March 7th, and FIrefly.


    She ran over.


    "Stelle! I came to hang out with you guys!"


    Kiana jogged into the shed.


    Stelle was pleasantly surprised to see her.


    "Oh! Kiana! Are you on vacation?"


    Kiana put her hands on her hips and huffed proudly.


    "Hmph~ I''ve got seven days off, haha! What are you guys doing here? Let me join in!"


    Stelle downed a cup of water.


    "We were just bored and came here to kill time. Got any good ideas?"


    Kiana shook her head.


    "Nope~ How about we head back to the train? Let''s check out what today''s dungeon is."


    Stelle replied:


    "Sure, let''s go back."


    They got up and took a shuttle back to the train.


    After a warp, the ship arrived at Penacony.


    Stelle walked into Ye Yun''s store and looked at the day''s dungeon.


    Today''s Dungeon: Super Mario


    Description: Clear the course by parkouring through various obstacles to reach the end.


    Reward: 1,000 Star Coins


    Max Participants: 100


    Stelle glanced at the dungeon and instantly lost interest.


    "This one, huh? I''m not into parkour types."


    March 7th and the others weren''t particularly excited either.


    They headed over to the sofa lounge to rest and turned on a movie.


    Stelle lay lazily on a sofa shaped like a trash bin, her feet swinging on the armrest.


    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Stelle spotted Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun! Right! Maybe he has something fun to suggest.


    Stelle jumped up and ran over.


    "Ye Yun! We don''t know what to do¡ªgot any fun ideas?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "What a coincidence. I was just about to invite a new guest from another world. You all can hang out with them."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up.


    "Oh! That sounds great! Hurry and invite them!"


    Ye Yun had just received a system prompt in his room:


    Notice: Host, it has been a while since you last invited guests from another world. Please invite more to increase your store''s revenue.


    Ye Yun raised his hands.


    "I want to, but I need an invitation scroll for that."


    Notice: Available in the shop for only 1 million Star Coins per scroll.


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes¡ªwhy didn''t they say so earlier?


    He bought one invitation scroll and headed to the store to use it, when Stelle came running over.


    Ye Yun said to her:


    "Step aside a bit¡ªI need space to open a portal."


    Stelle quickly moved out of the way.


    March 7th, Kiana, and the others also came over to see what was happening.


    Ye Yun tore the scroll. The pieces turned into light and gathered into a portal in front of him.


    Before long, a slime bounced out.


    The slime looked at Ye Yun, then at the others.


    "Hello! I''m a kind slime, not an evil one."


    Hearing this and seeing the slime''s papercraft-like appearance, Ye Yun recognized him.


    "Rimuru, welcome to my store. I''m Ye Yun."


    That''s right¡ªthe slime was Rimuru, the one with the Great Sage system.


    Rimuru looked at Ye Yun.


    "Oh! So you''re the owner. Hello, hello."


    March 7th and Kiana came up and curiously examined Rimuru, rubbing their chins.


    "Wow~ a talking slime!"


    "Amazing! March, touch it¡ªit''s so bouncy!"


    Kiana poked Rimuru with her finger, finding it very fun.


    Rimuru smiled at them.


    "Hello, I''m Rimuru. Nice to meet you."


    March 7th and Kiana introduced themselves in return.


    Kiana asked curiously:


    "Rimuru, what''s your world like?"


    Rimuru thought for a moment, then extended two little arms from his sides.


    "I''m not too sure. I only know there are dragons... and heroes."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun guessed the timeline¡ªRimuru must''ve just absorbed Veldora Tempest, the Storm Dragon.


    Kiana asked directly:


    "Rimuru, can we visit your world?"


    Rimuru shook his head.


    "Best not. It''s a bit dangerous there. I''m in a cave with lots of monsters."


    Kiana patted her chest confidently.


    "Monsters? No problem¡ªwe''re super strong!"


    Ye Yun cut in:


    "Kiana, if you want to go, wait a bit. Let Rimuru see if he wants to buy anything first."


    Kiana obediently stepped aside.


    Rimuru suddenly remembered something. Before arriving here, he''d heard a voice in his mind telling him he''d been invited to a magical shop where he could buy anything he wanted.


    "Oh, right! I came to shop! Uh, how do I browse the items?"


    ***


    Ye Yun brought Rimuru to the little pub. With a cheerful "heave-ho," Rimuru jumped onto the bar counter and extended a small stubby hand to swipe through the display screen.


    After browsing for quite a while, Rimuru finally found what he was looking for.


    [Item: Taste System Description: An item from a certain sci-fi world. After use, it grants taste to creatures without the sense of taste. Price: 10,000 Star Coins.]


    Rimuru pointed at the Taste System.


    "Ye Yun, I want to buy this. How do I pay for it?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and decided to ask the system if there was anything from Rimuru''s world that could be exchanged for Star Coins.


    [Notice: High-purity magic crystal ore¡ªone unit can be exchanged for 100 Star Coins.]


    After hearing the system''s explanation, Ye Yun said to Rimuru:


    "Rimuru, do you have any magic crystal ore? The kind that''s iridescent."


    A question mark appeared above Rimuru''s head. He thought for a moment.


    "Yes!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rimuru''s body wriggled for a moment and spat out a piece of magic crystal ore.


    "Is this it?"


    Ye Yun placed the ore on the exchange scale.


    In the next second¡ª


    The magic crystal ore vanished, and in its place on the other side of the scale were 100 Star Coins.


    "That''s it. How much of this do you have?"


    Rimuru asked the Great Sage in his body and got an exact count.


    "I have 10,000 pieces about the same size as the one just now."


    Ye Yun was stunned¡ªdid Rimuru really have that much?


    But thinking about it, it made sense. After all, Rimuru had been absorbing things nonstop ever since he transmigrated.


    The cave where Veldora was sealed had highly concentrated magic, so there were lots of treasures inside¡ªherbs, ores, and so on.


    Rimuru didn''t know the use of the magic crystal ore, so he decided to exchange it all for Star Coins.


    At least Star Coins could be used to buy things from Ye Yun.


    Rimuru began madly spitting out magic crystal ore.


    The iridescent ores soon filled the entire shop.


    Stelle picked up a piece, weighing it in her hand.


    "Rimuru, can I keep one of these to play with? It''s really pretty."


    Rimuru casually waved his little hand.


    "Everyone can take one! No need to be polite!"


    Hearing this, Stelle and the others thanked him and each picked a piece they liked.


    Clara squatted down and used a detector her tutor Herta had given her to scan the ore.


    [Type: Unknown Mineral


    Hardness: 30


    Energy Conductivity: 99%]


    Clara''s eyes lit up with surprise at the results.


    "This ore has 99% energy conductivity!"


    Ye Yun asked,


    "Is that impressive?"


    Clara nodded.


    "Mm-hmm. Teacher Herta once said the materials used in the company''s most advanced battleships only have 98% conductivity. That means that during energy transfer, 2% is lost, whereas this ore only loses 1%.


    Although, the company''s material is a lot harder."


    Clara looked at Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, can I buy a few pieces of this ore? I want to show my teacher."


    Rimuru picked up a few pieces and stuffed them into Clara''s arms.


    "No need to buy! I have plenty. Here, take some."


    Clara smiled happily.


    "Thank you."


    Rimuru scratched the back of his head.


    "No problem! Alright, I''m going to buy something now. If any of you want more ore, help yourselves."


    Clara walked into the teleport gate, planning to go to the Herta Space Station.


    With Stelle and the others helping, Rimuru finished exchanging his ore, gaining over 900,000 Star Coins in total.


    After spending 10,000 to buy the Taste System, he eagerly took the beer Ye Yun handed him and drank a mouthful.


    As the beer went down, Rimuru''s body visibly turned red.


    He set down the bottle and let out a burp.


    "Buuurp~ Waaaah~ I can finally taste things again!"


    Rimuru cried while drinking.


    It had been so long since he''d had any taste. Up until now, everything he ate had no flavor.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun asked Noelle to bring out a few dishes to go with the drinks.


    "Here, try these snacks."


    Rimuru''s eyes sparkled at the sight of the delicate appetizers.


    "Wow!!! Don''t mind if I do!"


    While Rimuru was eating, Stelle and the others didn''t bring up the idea of visiting Rimuru''s world for the time being.


    Not long after, Welt returned to the train, accompanied by someone else¡ªSunday!


    Seeing Sunday, Stelle ran over.


    "Uncle Yang, why is he with you?"


    Welt replied,


    "Mr. Sunday wants to travel with us on the train for a while, so I brought him back to ask everyone''s opinion.


    March, can you go call Dan Heng and Himeko?"


    March 7th nodded and ran off to the front car.


    Before long¡ª


    Himeko and Dan Heng arrived at Ye Yun''s shop.


    Himeko was carrying both Pom-Pom and Elio¡ªone in each hand.


    Even while being carried, the two kept yelling at each other.


    "Stupid cat! If Himeko hadn''t grabbed me, I''d have let you feel the wrath of my headbutt!"


    Elio snapped back.


    "Come on then, chubby bunny! I''ll let you taste my flying kick!"


    Just as Himeko set them down, they started going at it again.


    Elio leapt up.


    "Ultimate Flying Kick!!!"


    Pom-Pom powered up his legs.


    "Trailblazing Headbutt!!!"


    The cat and bunny clashed once more.


    Himeko sighed and picked them up again, one in each hand.


    "Behave, both of you! If you don''t, I''m locking you in the dark room!"


    At the threat, both turned away from each other with a huff.


    Himeko said to Kafka, who was watching with amusement,


    "Kafka, please help keep an eye on them. I need to attend a meeting."


    Kafka smiled and agreed.


    "Alright, don''t take too long¡ªwe still have shopping to do later."


    Himeko nodded and left.


    The train crew brought Sunday over to the lounge area.


    Kiana, Ye Yun, and the others watched the scene unfold.


    Welt said,


    "Mr. Sunday would like to travel with us for a while. Is everyone okay with that?"


    Himeko smiled.


    "The train never turns away friends who wish to travel with us."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "I''ll go along with your decision."


    March 7th and Stelle thought for a bit and also agreed.


    Like they said, the train never rejects those willing to join them.


    Sunday was very happy to hear everyone''s acceptance.


    "Thank you all so much for welcoming me aboard."


    Stelle suddenly thought of something, hands on her hips.


    "That means I''m not the youngest anymore!"


    Himeko blinked, then chuckled softly.


    "Well, that''s true."


    Welt looked at Sunday.


    "If we''re going by join order, then yes, Sunday¡ªyou''re the youngest."


    Sunday smiled.


    "Alright then. For the time being, I''m the train''s new baby."


    Himeko turned to Dan Heng.


    "Dan Heng, take our new youngest member to pick out a room."


    Dan Heng nodded and led Sunday toward the rear cars to choose a room.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147 - 147Dan Heng brought Sunday to the vacant car.


    This car had previously been occupied by Stelle, March 7th, Topaz, and the others.


    But ever sinceStelle obtained her own realm, they had moved into it, leaving these rooms empty.


    The treehouse area was now full of girls, so it wouldn''t be convenient for Sunday, a boy, to live there.


    Dan Heng turned to Sunday and said,


    "Sunday, take a look and pick whichever room you''d like. They''re all available."


    Sunday casually picked one. At this point, just having a place to rest and settle was already more than enough for him.


    After choosing his room, Sunday looked to Dan Heng.


    "Mr. Dan Heng, would you mind showing me around the train?"


    Dan Heng nodded in agreement.


    "Of course. And no need to be so formal¡ªsince we''re all companions on this journey, just call me Dan Heng."


    Sunday smiled lightly.


    "Alright then, Dan Heng. Sorry to trouble you."


    Dan Heng first took Sunday to visit Ye Yun''s shop. After learning that one could buy anything they wanted there, Sunday immediately thought of Robin.


    Dan Heng noticed Sunday''s thoughts and said,


    "Don''t worry. Miss Robin has already been here. She even bought something¡ªa violin that can soothe the heart."


    Hearing this, Sunday smiled.


    "Alright, let''s go check out the other places."


    Dan Heng then brought Sunday into the realm and walked with him into the fields.


    Sunday was a little surprised upon entering¡ªhe hadn''t expected something so magical to exist in this world. That such a vast space could be hidden inside such a tiny compass was incredible.


    Dan Heng crouched down beside a Sweet Flower.


    "The plants here come from different places. Some are from Mr. Zhongli''s world¡ªTeyvat. Some are from Kiana''s world¡ªPlanet Azure. And others were bought from Ye Yun''s shop."


    Sunday crouched down and lifted one of the Sweet Flower''s leaves.


    "Amazing... Such a small field, yet it holds so many extraordinary plants."


    Looking around, Sunday noticed a pigsty.


    "What''s that?"


    Dan Heng followed his gaze and explained,


    "That''s something Stelle set up. She and March caught a bunch of piglets in Teyvat. They said once the pigs are grown, they''ll cook them."


    Sunday chuckled to himself¡ªhis new companions on this train were quite amusing.


    Then, he and Dan Heng started to study the plants in the field.


    Sunday found these plants fascinating as well.


    Inside Ye Yun''s Shop


    After Rimuru had eaten and drunk his fill, Kiana walked up to him.


    "Rimuru, can we visit your world and play sometime?"


    Rimuru thought for a moment.


    "Tomorrow, maybe. Right now, I''m in a cave¡ªthere''s nothing fun there. I''ll look for an exit."


    Kiana nodded in agreement.


    Ye Yun reminded him,


    "Rimuru, don''t forget to pack up the portal and take it with you."


    Rimuru nodded, then waved his tiny hand to bid everyone goodbye before jumping into the portal and leaving.


    Seeing this, Kiana and the others could only continue hanging out at the shop for now and planned to visit Rimuru''s world tomorrow.


    Sumeru ¨C Aaru Village


    Nahida and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had arrived.


    Aaru Village had become incredibly beautiful, full of birdsong and fragrant flowers.


    All sorts of small animals roamed the village, foraging for food.


    The villagers and desert mercenaries treasured this hard-won land deeply. They had strict rules forbidding harm to these animals and were committed to protecting the environment.


    Candace and Rahman had been waiting for a long time.


    "Candace greets the two Archons."


    "Rahman greets the two Archons."


    The Greater Lord stepped forward and helped the two of them up.


    "Thank you both for your hard work these days, helping Nahida govern the desert."


    Candace and Rahman shook their heads.


    "This is simply our duty.


    If there''s anything you need in Aaru Village, please call on us at any time."


    The Greater Lord smiled.


    "It''s nothing serious¡ªI''m just here to help Nahida fulfill a promise."


    She then looked toward the towering Tree of Life at the village center.


    The Tree of Life was revered by all of Sumeru as the new Sacred Tree. It had been planted personally by the Lesser Lord Kusanali.


    Every citizen of Sumeru who visited Aaru Village would come to this tree to pray and give thanks for the blessings granted by their Archon.


    Hand in hand, the Greater Lord led Nahida to the base of the tree.


    The people praying beneath it noticed them and gasped in awe.


    "Heavens! It''s the two Dendro Archons!"


    "Greater Lord Rukkhadevata! The Lesser Lord Kusanali! I never expected to see them here today!"


    Under the watchful eyes of the villagers, the two Archons slowly rose into the air.


    Exchanging a glance, they reached out their hands toward the Tree of Life and channeled their divine power into it.


    The moment the divine power touched the tree, it came to life¡ªits leaves trembled and grew rapidly.


    Even the surrounding plants began to sprout and spread wildly. Grass extended in all directions.


    Desert mercenaries who had been traveling through the sands saw a sudden flash of light¡ªand in the next moment, the desert beneath their feet had turned into a grassy plain.


    Looking around in disbelief, they saw the towering Tree of Life in the distance.


    Moved by the lush, life-filled land around them, many of the mercenaries were brought to tears.


    "Look! The Sacred Tree!"


    One by one, they fell to their knees, weeping with joy and praying in the direction of the tree.


    This miraculous scene played out across the entire desert.


    Except for the Red King''s tomb, the whole desert had transformed into a forest.


    Rahman looked up at the two Dendro Archons performing their miracle, a tear sliding down his cheek.


    "At last... we have gods who care about us."


    He and his fellow desert mercenaries knelt on one knee, placing their right hands over their hearts, lowering their heads in reverent devotion.


    In that moment, Rahman and his warriors fully committed themselves to the two Dendro Archons.


    From now on, anyone who wished to harm the Archons would have to step over their dead bodies.


    Rahman remembered what the Greater Lord had said to him:


    "I''m here to help Nahida fulfill her promise."


    A god, lofty and divine, truly caring about a promise made to mortals...


    These two Archons were genuinely kind¡ªdevoted to protecting humanity.


    In the past, Rahman had never believed the saying:


    "The Archons love the people."


    The Akademiya had long oppressed the desert folk, forcing them to live in barren lands.


    But now, seeing what the Dendro Archons had done¡ªRahman finally believed it.


    "The Archons love the people."


    Rahman made up his mind: tomorrow, he would apply to join the Sumeru Forest Rangers. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a new armed force established by Nahida after disbanding the Eremites.


    Such a major transformation naturally also caught the attention of Apep.


    "The Dendro Archon''s aura...? Her!? I thought she had perished!"


    ***


    Scene shifts to Rimuru''s world.


    After returning through the portal, Rimuru wandered aimlessly inside the cave, looking for an exit.


    He casually released a Water Blade, slashing a spider monster.


    Then, as usual, he wrapped the corpse and absorbed it.


    Rimuru possessed a skill called "Predator," which allowed him to obtain the abilities of anything he devoured.


    But just as he finished swallowing, his body froze on the spot like a statue.


    A few seconds later¡ª


    Rimuru suddenly rolled on the ground, his whole body turning green.


    "Ahhhhh!!! That tasted awful!!!"


    He rolled around a few times, then got up, leaning on a rock and taking a while to recover.


    "That spider tasted terrible. So sour!"


    It was like biting into a rotting lemon¡ªso unforgettable.


    [Notice: You have devoured a Venomous Spider and acquired the skill "Silk."]


    After resting by the rock, Rimuru resumed his journey.


    Along the way, he encountered monsters like Armored Lizards and Poisonous Snakes.


    Standing by a monster''s corpse, Rimuru pondered for half an hour before deciding to devour it.


    Having played character-raising adventure games in his past life, he understood one thing¡ªthis world must be filled with powerful monsters.


    If he wasn''t strong enough, he''d end up just like those monsters¡ªfood for others.


    Hopping along cheerfully, Rimuru finally reached the cave entrance.


    Just as he was about to dash out, the gate opened from the outside, and three human adventurers entered.


    Two men and one woman. Rimuru thought about talking to them.


    But then, remembering he was a monster, he gave up the idea.


    He used his stealth skill to avoid their attention, and once they were inside, he happily bounced out of the cave.


    Outside, looking at the vibrant, bird-chirping forest, Rimuru took a deep breath, feeling excited.


    "I''m finally out!!!"


    He dashed into the forest, running wildly, checking everything out.


    He even picked fruits from trees along the way to taste them.


    While wandering, Rimuru was suddenly blocked by a group of goblins.


    He thought a fight was about to happen, but the moment he moved, they dropped to their knees.


    After being taken to their village, he learned from the goblin elder that he''d been subconsciously releasing his aura.


    The goblins had sensed his powerful presence and surrendered.


    He treated their wounded and learned that a pack of Direwolves planned to attack them.


    Rimuru decided to help the goblins defend their village.


    As the sun set, the forest dimmed under the fading light.


    Rimuru finished setting traps, wiping imaginary sweat from his head with his stubby hands.


    "All right, I''ll go have dinner now. You all stay in the camp and don''t run around, got it?"


    The goblin elder nodded shakily.


    Rimuru jumped into the portal.


    He arrived back on the train¡ªjust in time for dinner with Ye Yun and the others.


    Stelle, Firefly, and Kiana had spent the whole day playing Three Kingdoms Kill.


    Stelle was serving rice from the cooker, while the others helped tie little aprons on the six kids.


    Theresa, Bronya, and Rita had also returned after a day of observation, placing equipment orders with Topaz to speed up postwar reconstruction.


    Rita didn''t even want to leave¡ªshe adored the cute Melusines of Fontaine and wanted to join them.


    She pulled up a chair next to Hook, feeding her and occasionally giving her food.


    Rimuru looked around at everyone.


    "Hi there~ Good evening, everyone."


    His voice drew attention.


    "Wow!!! A talking slime!" Klee stood on her chair, excitedly pointing at Rimuru.


    Bailu tiptoed to get a look.


    "For real! A talking slime!"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Good evening, Rimuru. Have you eaten yet? Want to join us?"


    Rimuru smiled and jumped into an empty seat.


    "Hehe~ Just waiting for you to say that!"


    Stelle asked curiously, "Rimuru, what''s your situation now? Did you get out of the cave?"


    Rimuru took the utensils Sunday handed him.


    "Yep, I got out¡ªand I met a group of goblins. I have to go back soon to help them defend their village.


    A wandering Direwolf pack has targeted their territory and wants to take over."


    Hearing that Rimuru had left the cave, Kiana''s eyes lit up.


    "You left the cave?! Can we come and visit?"


    Rimuru scratched his head with a stubby arm.


    "There''s going to be a battle soon. How about I take care of it first? I''d hate for you to get hurt."


    Kiana patted her chest confidently.


    "No worries! We''re strong¡ªwe''ll help you out!"


    Rimuru agreed.


    "All right then, let''s go together after dinner."


    Everyone continued enjoying their meal cheerfully.


    Sunday chatted at the table with Dan Heng and Welt, finding plenty in common.


    Seeing the lively scene, Sunday felt warm inside. He had made the right choice to join the Astral Express crew.


    The six kids had small appetites and soon finished eating. They ran to Rimuru, curious and eager.


    They were fascinated by a talking slime.


    Klee tilted her head, big eyes filled with curiosity.


    "Mr. Rimuru~ How did you learn to talk? It''s my first time seeing a talking slime."


    Rimuru thought for a moment.


    "A dragon taught me."


    Klee nodded seriously¡ªso that''s how! A dragon taught him!


    She tugged at Ye Yun''s hand.


    "Big brother Ye Yun~ Klee wants to visit the Wind Dragon Tewalin tomorrow~"


    Ye Yun pinched her cheek.


    "Okay, Ye Yun will take you tomorrow."


    Klee was already planning to bring a few slimes with her, introduce them to Tewalin, and have the dragon teach them to talk.


    After dinner¡ª


    Stelle, Kiana, and the others followed Rimuru energetically to his world.


    Rimuru and the group stepped through the portal.


    The goblin elder sighed in relief upon seeing Rimuru return. He''d been worried Rimuru might not come back.


    They wouldn''t be able to defend against the Direwolves without him.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148 - 148The Goblin Village Chief came up to Rimuru.


    "Lord Rimuru, you''re back!"


    Rimuru nodded.


    "Yeah. These are my friends. They''ll be helping us take care of the Direwolves."


    The Goblin Chief looked at Stelle and the others and expressed his gratitude.


    "Thank you, lords, for being willing to help our small village."


    Soon, a series of wolf howls echoed through the forest. A pack of Direwolves appeared on a nearby hillside.


    Rimuru turned to Stelle, Kiana, and the others.


    "You don''t need to fight. Let me handle it. Only jump in if I can''t hold them off."


    He didn''t want them getting hurt¡ªthey weren''t originally part of this battle.


    The others nodded in agreement. Lumine even took out a bag of sunflower seeds and started munching.


    The Direwolf leader jumped onto a boulder and howled at the moon.


    Seeing the wolves, Stelle unexpectedly thought they looked kind of cool.


    "Rimuru, save a few wolf pups for us later."


    Kiana looked confused.


    "Stelle, why do you want Rimuru to save some wolf pups?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "Don''t you think having a wolf as a mount would be awesome?"


    Kiana imagined herself riding a Direwolf, slicing through Honkai beasts on the battlefield.


    "So cool!" She gave a big thumbs-up.


    Rimuru nodded.


    "Got it. Don''t worry¡ªI know what I''m doing."


    Soon, the Direwolf leader led the charge down the hill with his pack.


    But Rimuru had already prepared traps. As expected, the leader fell right into one.


    His limbs were bound by spider silk and suspended mid-air. Without a word, Rimuru released a Water Blade, decapitating the leader.


    The rest of the wolves were briefly stunned, then attacked in a frenzy to avenge their leader.


    Rimuru fired off several more Water Blades, taking down the frontmost wolves with ease.


    Then he called out:


    "Your leader is dead! Surrender now!"


    Some of the Direwolves hesitated, still burning with the urge for revenge.


    Sensing this, Rimuru decided to release his full aura.


    The Direwolf leader''s son felt Rimuru''s overwhelming presence and realized he couldn''t win.


    He let out a howl, signaling the others. One by one, the Direwolves dropped to their knees in submission.


    Rimuru let out a sigh of relief and invited them into the goblin village.


    With Rimuru there, the Direwolves didn''t dare misbehave.


    The leader''s son approached Rimuru and bowed his head.


    Rimuru smiled, satisfied.


    "From now on, you''re one of my subordinates. Do you have a name?"


    The wolf shook his head.


    Rimuru thought for a moment.


    "Then your name will be Ranga."


    As he finished speaking, Ranga suddenly radiated a brilliant light and howled at the sky. A sharp horn grew from his forehead.


    Rimuru asked the Great Sage and learned that Ranga had evolved¡ªhe was no longer a regular Direwolf, but now a Tempest Wolf.


    Along with him, all the Direwolves in his pack had evolved into Tempest Wolves.


    Rimuru was overjoyed¡ªhis new little brother was turning out to be quite powerful.


    He had the goblins and Ranga''s pack work together to clean the battlefield.


    Then he brought Stelle and the others to see the wolf pups.


    "Take a look, Stelle. Pick whichever ones you want."


    Stelle rubbed her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling at the sight of the blue-furred pups with sharp horns.


    They were already cool, but now they''d evolved and looked even more amazing.


    Ranga walked over, curious.


    "Master, what''s going on?"


    Rimuru replied, "These are my friends. They''d like to adopt a few pups. Are you okay with that?"


    Ranga looked at Stelle, Kiana, and the others. He couldn''t sense any magic power from them, but since they were his master''s friends, he didn''t want to refuse.


    Noticing Ranga''s reluctance, Stelle said:


    "So you don''t think we''re strong enough, huh? How about this¡ªlet me punch you once. If you can take it, we''ll leave quietly without a word. But if you can''t, then each of us gets to take a pup."


    Ranga agreed, thinking he had nothing to worry about. No ordinary human could possibly hurt him.


    "Bring it on!"


    Stelle grinned mischievously, rolled her shoulders, and punched.


    Before Ranga could react, he was sent flying, crashing through a dozen trees before slamming into the ground.


    Rimuru rushed over, wrapped him up, and healed him with herbs.


    Once recovered, Ranga sat there, completely stunned.


    He''d just been KO''d by a single punch? And totally lost the ability to fight?


    He had just evolved! He was full of power! This couldn''t be happening!


    No way! That girl must''ve been hiding her true strength! Humans are so sneaky!


    Still not giving up, Ranga growled:


    "That doesn''t count! I wasn''t ready! Let''s go again!"


    Knowing Stelle''s strength, Rimuru tried to persuade him.


    "Ranga, maybe just let them take the pups?"


    But Ranga turned to Rimuru with determined eyes.


    "My lord, I will prevail!"


    Stelle gave him a thumbs-up.


    "Nice, Ranga! You''ve got guts. This time let''s switch¡ªit''s your turn to attack, and I''ll defend. Same rules!"


    Ranga charged with all his might, turning into a blur of lightning.


    Stelle braced herself, planted her feet, and spread her arms, smiling.


    Just as Ranga''s lightning form was about to hit, Stelle suddenly caught her head in both hands.


    It felt to Ranga like his head was trapped under a boulder¡ªcompletely immobile.


    With a cheeky grin, Stelle lifted him and suplexed him into the ground.


    A perfect arc later, Ranga was buried headfirst in the dirt.


    A few minutes passed.


    Ranga sat sulking in the corner, defeated.


    Wasn''t I supposed to be evolved? How could I lose to a human with no magic?


    Meanwhile, Stelle, Kiana, and the others picked out their wolf pups.


    Kiana pointed to a particularly calm one.


    "Mei, that one looks super chill. Totally suits you."


    Mei smiled.


    "Okay, I''ll go with your choice." She picked up the quietest pup.


    Stelle picked the most mischievous-looking one¡ªshe figured the wildest one had the most spirit and would be the strongest of the bunch.


    March 7th, Firefly, Lumine, and the others all chose their own as well.


    Paimon floated over to the pup Lumine had picked and patted its head.


    "From now on, you''re the third kid in our little family, got it? And when there''s yummy food, remember¡ªI get the first bite."


    ***


    After picking their wolf pups, Stelle and the others bid farewell to Rimuru and returned to the train.


    Rimuru glanced at Ranga, who was still squatting in the corner, looking dejected, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Sigh~ Ranga is still too young, unaware of the cruelty of society.


    Rimuru bounced over to the Goblin Village Chief to ask him to arrange a place for the Ranga wolf tribe to stay.


    Looking at the village that was even worse than a homeless camp, Rimuru thought for a moment and decided to visit Ye Yun tomorrow to see if he had anything like a one-click house generator.


    Back at Ye Yun''s shop, Stelle and the others returned with their wolf pups.


    The handsome little wolves immediately attracted the attention of the six little ones.


    They all gathered around.


    "Wow! Puppies! So pretty! Sister Stelle, where did you get these cute puppies? Klee wants to pet them, may I?"


    Stelle put her wolf pup on the ground.


    "Of course, go ahead."


    Klee touched the pup''s head ¡ª it felt great.


    Klee was envious.


    "Klee wants a puppy too~"


    Liuying crouched down beside her.


    "Klee, this isn''t a puppy, it''s a baby wolf."


    Hearing that, Klee wanted it even more.


    "A baby wolf? Klee really wants one~"


    Ye Yun heard this.


    What? Klee wants a baby wolf? Let''s do it!


    Ye Yun called out to Lios.


    "Rios, take the little ones over there and let each pick a baby wolf to bring back."


    Rios got up, walked to the teleportation gate, and led the six little ones through the portal to Rimuru''s world.


    After landing, they found Rimuru.


    "Rimuru~ Klee came to see you~"


    Rimuru turned around and saw the six little ones running toward him.


    "Klee! Bailu! It''s you guys ¡ª what brings you here?"


    Klee replied, "Rimuru~ Klee wants a baby wolf~"


    Rimuru guessed they had seen the wolves Stelle brought back and came because of that.


    Ranga overheard it ¡ª someone else wants a baby wolf?


    Ranga turned around fiercely, aura flaring!


    "Who wants a baby wolf? The wolf tribe only follows the strong! Beat me first, and you can take one!"


    Ranga took a step forward with the posture of a king.


    Rios stepped forward and shielded the six little ones behind him.


    Rimuru quickly reminded him.


    "Take it easy! It''s just a friendly match ¡ª stop at a point!"


    Rios looked back at Rimuru and nodded slightly.


    Ranga thought Rimuru was talking to him.


    "Understood, master! I''ll be careful!"


    Ranga roared and charged at Rios.


    Ranga began sprinting!


    He turned into lightning!


    He was about to strike!


    And Ranga was down! A wall of fire had bounced him back!


    Rios launched a follow-up attack!


    Ranga was stunned!


    He returned to his "depression corner."


    There, Ranga began questioning life.


    Rimuru and the Goblin Chief''s son looked at the brooding Ranga.


    "Is Ranga okay, Lord Rimuru?"


    "Should be fine, I think?"


    After the six little ones picked their wolves, Rios took them back to the train.


    Back in Ye Yun''s shop.


    The six little ones were playing with their baby wolves.


    To prevent any harm, Ye Yun bought six servant contracts from the system shop and had each little one bind their wolf.


    Under the power of the contract, the pups would now be completely loyal and never harm their masters.


    After playing for a while, Ye Yun called out:


    "Klee, Bailu, Hook ¡ª time for bed~"


    The six little ones obediently carried their pups to their rooms for rest.


    Ye Yun looked at their room and thought it was time for an upgrade. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The room was fine for now, but once the pups grew up, it would be cramped.


    Ye Yun planned to build a small villa for them in the Realm tomorrow.


    In Herta Space Station.


    Clara stepped out of the teleportation gate and arrived at Herta''s lab.


    She looked around but didn''t see Herta or even any of her puppets.


    Clara left the lab and bumped into Asta.


    "Clara? What brings you to the space station?"


    Clara, now considered one of Herta''s students and thus a fellow disciple with Asta, replied:


    "Sister Asta! Clara came to find Teacher Herta ¡ª I found a new material and want her to look at it."


    Asta replied:


    "Madam Herta is probably busy adjusting the Simulated Universe. Might take a while."


    She checked the time.


    "Come on, Clara. I''ll give you a tour of the station ¡ª you haven''t seen it yet, right?"


    Clara nodded.


    "Okay~ Thank you, Sister Asta."


    Asta took Clara on a tour of Herta Space Station. Along the way, many staff were curious ¡ª who was this girl that the station master personally accompanied?


    As they wandered, they reached the platform and soon ran into Ruan Mei.


    Clara and Asta approached her.


    "Good evening, Miss Ruan Mei."


    "Good evening, Sister Ruan Mei."


    Ruan Mei turned around from admiring the starry sky, holding a piece of cake.


    "Oh, it''s you two."


    Clara asked curiously:


    "Sister Ruan Mei, did the World Tree seedling successfully grow?"


    Ruan Mei nodded slightly.


    "So far, it seems successfully transplanted."


    Clara nodded and took out the magic crystal ore she got from Rimuru, wanting Ruan Mei to take a look.


    Since both Ruan Mei and Herta were in the Genius Society, it was okay to ask her too.


    "Sister Ruan Mei, this is magic crystal ore Clara got from Mr. Rimuru.


    I used Teacher Herta''s instrument to measure its energy conductivity ¡ª it showed 99%. I''d like you to check again. I''m worried I made a mistake."


    Ruan Mei, while more interested in biology, had some knowledge of mineral materials.


    "Alright, let''s go to Herta''s lab. I''ll do a manual test."


    For most people, using machines gives more accurate results.


    But for geniuses like Ruan Mei and Herta, manual operation often yields even more precise data.


    After all, machines are dead ¡ª people are alive.


    The three entered the lab.


    Ruan Mei operated the instruments to analyze the crystal''s properties.


    Hardness, conductivity, malleability, etc.


    Eventually, Ruan Mei announced the results:


    "Hardness: 30.198542Energy conductivity: 99.845126%Excellent malleability, no hazardous substances, not industrially synthesized ¡ª it''s a natural mineral."


    That''s the difference between professional and amateur ¡ª in science, even a decimal can change everything.


    Ruan Mei picked up the ore.


    "Clara, who exactly is this Rimuru you mentioned? Does he have more of these ores?"

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149 - 149Clara, upon hearing this, told Ruan Mei about Rimuru.


    "A talking slime?"


    When Ruan Mei heard Clara''s description of Rimuru, she immediately lost interest in the magic crystal ore and instead became very curious about Rimuru himself.


    "Clara, is that Rimuru still on the train?"


    Clara scratched the back of her head and thought for a moment.


    "Clara isn''t sure. Mr. Rimuru seemed to have left already. He said he wanted to find the exit of some cave and then take Sister Stelle and Sister Kiana to play."


    Ruan Mei pondered for a moment.


    "Clara, let''s go check out the train."


    Ruan Mei wanted to wait for Rimuru to come over. As a biotechnology enthusiast, she could not miss such a novel experimental subject.


    After bidding farewell to Asta, Ruan Mei led Clara through the teleportation gate back to the train.


    The next day arrived.


    Early in the morning, Rimuru ran out of the teleportation gate.


    Last night, he had organized the Goblin tribe and the Ranga wolf pack and announced several rules he established.


    At the same time, Rimuru learned from Ranga and the village chief that he had given names to the goblins.


    Rimuru jumped out of the portal and found Ye Yun''s shop quiet. Seeing the wall clock, he realized he had arrived way too early.


    It was only 3 AM!!!


    Just as Rimuru was about to leave, the door opened and a woman Rimuru didn''t know came in.


    The newcomer was Ruan Mei. Since last night, she had been sitting in Clara''s exclusive laboratory and also answered a few questions from Clara.


    After asking about Rimuru''s teleportation gate, Ruan Mei installed a monitoring device beside the portal.


    After seeing Rimuru come over, Ruan Mei quickly returned to the shop.


    Rimuru looked at Ruan Mei curiously.


    "Um... who are you, ma''am?"


    Ruan Mei didn''t answer Rimuru''s question but picked him up and curiously poked his body with a finger.


    Rimuru was a bit confused.


    "Hello, I''m Rimuru. Are you friends with Ye Yun and the others?"


    Rimuru thought that since this woman appeared in Ye Yun''s shop, she must know them.


    Ruan Mei lifted Rimuru and spun him around.


    "A talking slime indeed.


    Hmm, I''m Ruan Mei, and I know Ye Yun and the others.


    Rimuru, right? Would you like to be my experimental subject?"


    Upon hearing this, a big question mark appeared above Rimuru''s head.


    Experimental subject?


    Rimuru suddenly became alarmed and jumped down with a "hey-yo" sound.


    Their noise woke Ye Yun, who sleepily walked out of his room.


    "Rimuru? Ruan Mei? Why are you two here so early? Aren''t you supposed to be sleeping?"


    Rimuru hopped onto Ye Yun''s shoulder and whispered into his ear.


    "Who is this woman? Ye Yun, is she some kind of experiment fanatic? She just asked me to be her experimental subject!"


    Ye Yun smiled when he heard Rimuru.


    "Let me introduce you, this is Ms. Ruan Mei, a member of our world''s Genius Club."


    A question mark appeared above Rimuru''s head.


    "Genius Club?"


    Ye Yun explained.


    "The Genius Club was founded by the Aeos of Erudition, Nous. Only geniuses invited by it can join. You could say the people in this club are the smartest in our universe."


    Rimuru naturally knew the Aeons, having heard about her from Stelle and the others yesterday.


    He hadn''t expected this experiment fanatic to be such an impressive figure.


    Ruan Mei noticed she had scared Rimuru.


    "Sorry, I really love biotechnology. It''s hard not to get excited when I see a talking slime for the first time." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Rimuru waved a short hand.


    "No worries, no worries."


    Ye Yun looked at Ruan Mei.


    "Ruan Mei, if you want to research strange creatures, you can cooperate with Rimuru. He has many weird and wonderful beasts."


    Ruan Mei looked at Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, could you help me collect some monsters? I can pay you."


    Rimuru thought for a moment.


    "I think I can, but forget about the money."


    Ruan Mei nodded slightly.


    "Thank you. Let''s exchange contact info. If you catch any new species later, you can contact me."


    Rimuru scratched his head awkwardly.


    "Uh, I don''t have a phone."


    Ye Yun smiled and went to the small bar''s storage cabinet to get a phone.


    The cabinet held hundreds of unopened new phones.


    Ye Yun prepared many phones because many guests might not have seen electronic products before.


    He intended to give these phones as gifts to such guests.


    Rimuru happily took the phone, thanked them, and added Ruan Mei and Ye Yun as friends.


    Ye Yun pulled Rimuru into a big group chat.


    Soon, a new message appeared in the group.


    Invincible Silver Wolf Lord: ??? Newbie? Send a red packet to show your strength.


    Rimuru: [Red packet]


    Invincible Silver Wolf Lord: Perfect~ Now go lurk.


    Galaxy Fire Hero: That little? No strength!


    Rimuru: That''s all the credit points I have in this phone.


    Ye Yun: @Galaxy Fire hero, not asleep yet? Staying up again?


    Galaxy Fire Hero: Slept already. This is the special ringtone for receiving red packets. Got up to grab a red packet and going back to sleep. [Peaceful sleep.JPG]


    Ye Yun: ...


    Rimuru: ...


    After chatting for a while in the shop, Rimuru took Ruan Mei to his world to collect samples.


    Ye Yun looked around the now quiet, empty shop, thought for a moment, and began making breakfast since everyone was up. Today he''d make some soup.


    Rimuru and Ruan Mei arrived in his world.


    After landing, Ruan Mei took out her equipment and began collecting samples of the surrounding plants, creatures, soil, and air.


    Rimuru called over a Ranga wolf and a goblin. Ruan Mei took blood and hair samples from them respectively.


    Watching Ruan Mei work seriously, Rimuru suddenly thought of something.


    "Um... Ms. Ruan Mei, sorry to bother you, could you help me with something?"


    Ruan Mei replied.


    "What is it, Rimuru?"


    Rimuru said,


    "You''re from the Genius Club, so you must have access to lots of advanced equipment, right? I want to improve the village a bit. Could you help me get some equipment?"


    Ruan Mei agreed immediately.


    "No problem, I''ll help you with this once I return."


    Rimuru smiled happily and jumped onto the console in front of Ruan Mei, curiously looking at the display.


    As someone who came from a technological world, Rimuru could barely understand some things.


    Like this ¡ª isn''t this a picture of DNA?


    The sample collection went quickly, and Ruan Mei''s robots soon captured many live monsters.


    She planned to bring these monsters back for research ¡ª all new and interesting experimental samples.


    ***


    Rimuru hopped over to a combat drone, eyeing the thick gun barrel on it and the blade-like wings that reflected light, looking very envious.


    In the end, Rimuru boldly asked Ruan Mei for one to play with ¡ª something that had always existed only in his imagination.


    Rimuru piloted the combat drone, flying it around the goblin village, having a lot of fun.


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop,


    Ye Yun was simmering soup, and soon, Little Evil God and Xiangling arrived to help prepare breakfast.


    Before long, the aroma of food filled the entire train carriage.


    The portal flickered, and Calestia and Silver Wolf stepped out.


    Both had dark circles under their eyes.


    Silver Wolf sniffed sharply.


    "I knew there was food here."


    Calestia gave Silver Wolf a thumbs-up.


    "You''re the best."


    The two had stayed up all night playing battle royale games and hadn''t eaten much, so they were very hungry.


    They had planned to buy food at Liyue Harbor, but it was too early and nowhere was open.


    So they decided to try their luck at the train.


    Under the supervision of Himeko and Ye Yun, the six little ones maintained a regular routine, waking up at six every morning to exercise.


    Correspondingly, Ye Yun and others started preparing breakfast early.


    Silver Wolf and Calestia dashed into the kitchen.


    Silver Wolf stood beside Ye Yun, eyes constantly glancing at the pot of stew.


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes and ladled a small bowl of soup for Silver Wolf.


    Ye Yun was making mushroom chicken soup.


    Silver Wolf happily took the bowl and sat down at the table to drink.


    Soon, Calestia also got three pancakes and two tea eggs from Xiangling.


    They exchanged half of their food with each other.


    Calestia took a sip of the chicken soup and immediately felt revitalized; after another bite of the tea egg, she was thoroughly satisfied.


    At the hollow treehouse,


    Stelle''s little wolf pup woke up and licked Stelle''s face, waking her up.


    Stelle opened her sleepy eyes and the pup hugged her tightly.


    "Lightning Wolf, stop messing around, sleep a bit more."


    "Lightning Wolf" was the name Stelle had given her little wolf pup.


    During yesterday''s fight with the Tempest Wolf, although the Tempest Wolf wasn''t very strong, its thunder skill was quite cool.


    The name "Lightning Wolf" was inspired by that.


    Lightning Wolf called a few more times as Stelle was still asleep.


    Stelle had no choice but to get up, wash up, and take Lightning Wolf to the shop for breakfast.


    After breakfast, Stelle, March 7th, and others prepared to visit Rimuru.


    Ye Yun took the six little ones to Mondstadt.


    Upon landing, the six little ones immediately clamored to go catch slimes.


    More than half an hour later,


    At the Stormterror''s Lair,


    Dvalin looked at the six slimes in front of him with a blank expression.


    The six little ones looked at him expectantly.


    What the heck? Dragons can teach slimes to talk? Where did this rumor come from?


    Dvalin decided to try anyway under their expectant gazes.


    "Come on, repeat after me: Thank you, benefactor."


    The six slimes stared blankly with no reaction.


    Dvalin was speechless and laughed at himself.


    These slimes were mindless monsters; how could they learn to talk?


    The six little ones felt a bit disappointed.


    "What? It doesn''t work?"


    Ye Yun comforted them.


    "Maybe it''s because the worlds are different. Rimuru is a slime from another world.


    Alright, alright, don''t be upset, cuties. Come on, let''s have Dvalin take us flying high!"


    The six little ones brightened up after hearing they could ride the dragon.


    "Yay! Ride the dragon and fly high!"


    The six little ones and Ye Yun sat on Dvalin''s back.


    Dvalin flapped his wings and soared through the clouds.


    At the foot of Mt. Narukami, Inazuma,


    Kokomi Sangonomiya and Gorou arrived.


    They had been invited by the Shrine Maiden to discuss peace negotiations.


    Gorou looked worried.


    "Divine Priestess, what if this is a trap?"


    Kokomi looked at Gorou reassuringly.


    "No, the Shrine Maiden is the Shogun''s retainer and a great youkai. If she wanted to deal with me, she wouldn''t need to go to such lengths."


    Gorou thought about it and agreed ¡ª the Shrine Maiden was a close friend of the Shogun.


    At that moment, a voice came from nearby.


    "You must be Miss Kokomi Sangonomiya and Mr. Gorou. Hello, I''m Kamisato Ayaka. Guuji Yae sent me to escort you up."


    Kokomi and Gorou looked at Ayaka.


    "Hello, Ayaka. Thank you for your help."


    Ayaka smiled and shook her head.


    "No trouble at all."


    She then led them to a stone platform and infused it with elemental energy.


    The platform glowed faintly and slowly rose.


    This platform was purchased by the Guuji Yae from the Liyue Adepti; it only required elemental energy to operate.


    Kokomi looked curiously at the platform.


    "What is this platform?"


    Ayaka said,


    "This was bought by Guuji Yae from the Liyue Adepti."


    Kokomi was a bit surprised.


    She had heard of the Liyue Adepti, legendary powerful beings who survived the Archon War.


    Gorou looked at the platform.


    "I wish we had one of these. It would be easier for villagers to collect pearls from the valley."


    Ayaka smiled.


    "This platform is hard to get ¡ª there''s only one, and it was sold out of respect for the Guuji Yae.


    You probably didn''t know ¡ª Guuji Yae studied under the Liyue Adepti during her childhood."


    Kokomi and Gorou felt a bit regretful.


    This platform was very convenient; the income of Watatsumi Island mainly relied on pearl trade, but the land there was salty and barren, unsuitable for farming.


    They basically had to import food.


    Soon, the three arrived at Narukami Shrine.


    Ayaka led Kokomi and Gorou to the Shrine Maiden.


    Yae Miko gently waved her fan.


    "Oh my~ isn''t this Kokomi and Gorou? Finally, you''ve arrived."


    Kokomi bowed slightly.


    "Sorry, Yae Miko. You invited me days ago, but I could only come today; there were many things to handle on Watatsumi Island."


    Yae Miko smiled.


    "No problem, please sit."


    Kokomi, Gorou, and Ayaka sat down.


    Yae Miko said,


    "I invited you to discuss peace talks. The Shogun has left the Tenshukaku, the eye-hunting order has been abolished, the seclusion policy lifted ¡ª how about a ceasefire?"


    Kokomi replied,


    "Of course. We are, after all, people of Inazuma. Our rebellion was just to make our voices heard to the Shogun."

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150 - 150Yae Miko nodded with satisfaction.


    "Hm, you must be short on supplies on Watatsumi Island, right? In a few days, I''ll have General Kujou lead a team to send a batch over to you."


    Kokomi nodded slightly.


    "Thank you, Yae Miko. Watatsumi Island is indeed very short on supplies."


    Upon hearing this, Yae Miko smiled knowingly.


    "Also, you should speed up the recovery of your commerce and engage in some legitimate business, understand?And the Shogun is collecting Primogems, so pay attention to gathering some when you return."


    Kokomi was momentarily stunned by Yae Miko''s words, then nodded in agreement after a few seconds.


    Afterwards,Yae Miko let Kokomi and Gorou leave Narukami Shrine.


    Ayaka looked at them leaving and turned to Yae Miko.


    "Miko-sama, in the next few days, Stelle and March 7th invited me to hang out."


    Yae Miko responded.


    "Great~ It''s been many days since you last went, hasn''t it?"


    Ayaka nodded.


    "Yes."


    Yae Miko shook her head.


    "You all are better off than me, unlike me who has to deal with a bunch of troublesome matters every day.Sigh~ When will my leisurely life return?"


    Ayaka smiled in agreement.


    "Well, Miko-sama, I''ll be going now. Goodbye."


    At the foot of Narukami Shrine,After descending the mountain, Kokomi looked back nervously at Mt. Narukami.


    "Luckily, it was the Yae Miko who discovered this matter. If it had been anyone else..."


    Gorou was puzzled by Kokomi''s sudden cryptic remark.


    "Divine Priestes, what do you mean?"


    Kokomi explained.


    "Gorou, the last time you used Primogems to purchase supplies was found out by the Guuji Yae.Her last few words just now were hinting at us.Legitimate business ¡ª the General needs Primogems.The opposite of legitimate business is illegal dealings like smuggling.Since the Shogun needs Primogems, it means the Guuji Yae already knew about our Primogem trades."


    Gorou felt chills after hearing Kokomi''s analysis and realized how lucky they were.Thankfully, the person who caught onto this was the Guuji Yae; if it had been any other family or faction, the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    Kokomi said to Gorou.


    "Gorou, when you return, take people to gather Primogems and deliver them to the Shogun."


    Gorou bowed slightly and agreed to the task.


    Inside Ye Yun''s shop,Rimuru came again to freeload food and drink ¡ª no choice, those goblins'' cooking skills were really mediocre.Plus, they didn''t even have any seasoning, not even the most basic salt.


    Ruan Mei had Eistada help fetch a warship, bringing back all the captured magical beasts for experiments.


    Ruan Mei was in a great mood, suddenly having so many new experimental subjects.


    Along with the warship came several construction robots. These robots belonged to the Herta Space Station and were specially responsible for its construction.


    Ruan Mei transferred control of the robots to Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, these are construction robots. Their chips contain thousands of building blueprints."


    Rimuru looked at the robots in surprise.


    "Oh! Awesome! Thank you, Ruan Mei."


    Ruan Mei nodded slightly, then boarded the warship and left the train.


    Just as Ruan Mei left, Ayaka stepped out from the portal.


    Ayaka looked around the shop.


    "Ye Yun, where are Stelle and the others?"


    Ye Yun replied.


    "Stelle? They went to Rimuru''s world to play, said they want to become wolf knights."


    Upon hearing her name, Rimuru raised their head.


    "Hello, I''m Rimuru, the kind-hearted slime."


    Ayaka looked at Rimuru.


    "Hey! A talking slime!"


    Rimuru was a bit speechless; this sentence seemed like something they had heard many times before.


    Is a talking slime really that surprising?


    If Ye Yun knew Rimuru''s thoughts, he would definitely say,Of course it''s surprising. In countless worlds, most slimes are mindless monsters.


    Ayaka looked at the slightly frustrated Rimuru and realized she had misspoken.


    "Uh... sorry."


    Rimuru shook their head.


    "It''s okay. If you want to find Stelle and the others, you can go straight there. They''re playing at my place."


    Ayaka thanked Rimuru and ran into the portal.


    After eating, Rimuru took the robots back to the goblin village.


    Just after returning, Rimuru saw Stelle and Kiana riding a grown Tempest Wolf, running wildly on a clearing near the village.


    While riding the Tempest Wolf, Stelle was making "woohoo" sounds.


    Rimuru glanced over but didn''t bother them, letting Stelle and the others play on their own.


    Rimuru started building houses with the construction robots.


    Due to limited materials, only wooden houses could be built for now.


    Rimuru was already very satisfied ¡ª definitely better than those tattered tents.


    Stelle, March 7th, and others played on the Tempest Wolf for a while. Stelle waved her hand grandly.


    "Let''s go check out the forest."


    March 7th and the others patted the Stormfang and rode it toward the forest.


    While running, Stelle suddenly heard sounds of fighting ahead.


    She had the Stormfang stop.


    "Ayaka, Hutao, do you hear that? Do you hear sounds?"


    Ayaka, Hutao, and others listened carefully and faintly heard screams.


    "There''s a fight ahead. Should we go help?"


    Firefly said.


    "Rimuru said there are many monsters in this forest. Maybe some travelers ran into monsters. Let''s help."


    The group rode the Stormfang and rushed toward the sounds.


    As they drew closer, the voices grew louder.


    The piercing screams surrounded their ears.


    Hutao, Firefly, and the Lumine each transformed ¡ª one into a Sam, one rode the wind-fire wheels, and one summoned light wings ¡ª and swiftly headed to the source of the noise.


    At the Ogre tribe village,A demon man and a group of pig-head men attacked the village.


    Once the battle started, the ogres realized something was wrong.


    Why would low-level pig-head monsters dare attack the ogres? The ogres were the strongest race in this forest.


    Moreover, these pig-head men were unusually powerful.


    From past experience, one adult ogre man could easily kill dozens of pig-head men.


    But here, the result was different. An ogre could only handle 4¨C5 at a time.


    The entire village was surrounded, and the chief could only lead the clan in a desperate fight.


    The masked demon Gelmud stood on a big tree.


    "Hahahaha! That''s right! Devour and grow strong! Orc Lord!"


    The mastermind behind this was Gelmud, a subordinate of the demon lord Clayman.


    After learning that the storm Dragon Veldora had disappeared, Clayman sent Krumit to this forest to crazily name monsters, letting them slaughter each other until the strongest tribe would replace Clayman to occupy this great forest.


    ***


    Suddenly, a blaze lit up the sky.


    In Gelmud''s vision, a person in armor descended from the heavens, their feet engulfed in scorching flames.


    The mysterious figure crashed down, and the moment they landed, the ground of the entire village collapsed. A wave of fire followed, sweeping through the entire settlement.


    The fire wave seemed to come alive, actively avoiding the ogres and sweeping toward the orcs.


    Before the orc army could even react, two more figures descended into the battlefield.


    Hutao swung her fiery spear rapidly, while Lumine''s Descender Sword emitted bursts of white sword light.


    Gelmud was dumbfounded by the overwhelming power of the three.


    Their strength was terrifying! No ¡ª he had to escape! If he stayed, he''d surely die!


    Gelmud slipped away quietly, leaving behind the orcs who were still marching forward under the effects of enemy skills.


    Not long after Gelmud fled, Stelle, March 7th, and Ayaka joined the battle.


    Finally, Rimuru also arrived, having heard the commotion.


    Thanks to everyone''s efforts, the army of twenty thousand orcs was quickly annihilated.


    The ogre chief, now visibly relaxed, collapsed to the ground ¡ª his body had already reached its limits.


    At that moment, the ogre prince also returned with a few trusted followers.


    After hearing about the village''s ordeal from his father, the ogre prince was filled with fury. Orcs dared attack the ogres?


    Just as the ogre prince was about to seek revenge, the ogre chief stopped him.


    "My son, there''s something wrong with the orcs. I have a theory about today''s situation."


    The ogre elder understood what the chief meant. They had all experienced that blade of calamity before.


    "The Orc Lord!"


    Upon hearing those words, the ogre prince froze. The Orc Lord ¡ª a true monster.


    Whenever a new Orc Lord is born, it brings about a disaster.


    The ogre chief got up and patted the ogre prince on the shoulder.


    "We''ll talk about revenge later. Let''s go thank our saviors first."


    At that moment, Rimuru was healing the wounded. He spit out bottle after bottle of Perfect Healing Potions ¡ª just one was enough to fully recover a person.


    Seeing the effectiveness of the potions, Stelle asked Rimuru for a few bottles to keep for future injuries.


    The ogre chief, along with the ogre prince and the others, came to Rimuru and his group.


    "Thank you all for your help! I am deeply grateful!"


    The ogre chief bowed 90 degrees, showing his utmost sincerity.


    Stelle waved it off.


    "No problem. I''m the Galactic Blazing Hero, after all ¡ª this is what I do!"


    After speaking, Stelle stood proudly, hands on her hips, looking incredibly smug.


    Rimuru looked around at the ruins of the village and made a suggestion.


    "Why don''t you all come with me for now? Your village is in ruins and there''s nowhere to live."


    The ogre chief thought for a moment, then gratefully agreed.


    Rimuru led the group back.


    The ogre princess kept eyeing Stelle and the others curiously ¡ª their clothes were strange, and most importantly, she couldn''t sense any magicules from them.


    The remaining ogres followed Rimuru back to the goblin settlement.


    Seeing it was getting late, Stelle and the others said goodbye to Rimuru and returned to the train.


    After they left, Rimuru brought the ogres into a wooden cabin.


    Thanks to the construction robots brought by Ruan Mei, thirty two-story wooden houses had been built in no time. Each one was about 200 square meters per floor, with open layouts and no separate rooms.


    It was still early days ¡ª just having a place to stay was a big step up. The Ranga wolves had slept on grass last night, after all.


    Rimuru was very pleased with the result.


    "Mmm~ As expected of Ruan Mei''s robots. Amazing!" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then Rimuru turned to the ogre chief and Benimaru.


    "You''ll stay here for now. This village is still in development, so conditions are basic ¡ª hope you understand."


    The ogre chief bowed slightly.


    "Just having shelter is a blessing. Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Rimuru."


    Rimuru nodded.


    "Get some rest. I''ll have someone bring food shortly. See you later!"


    Rimuru hopped out of the cabin cheerfully.


    The ogre chief looked at the few survivors left ¡ª only about 30 people remained.


    "Everyone, rest."


    At the chief''s order, the ogres dispersed and each found a corner to rest in.


    After the destruction of their home and the loss of their kin, both their bodies and spirits were exhausted.


    The ogre chief gathered the ogre prince and a few others for a meeting on the second floor.


    "The orcs must have a new Orc Lord. Let''s discuss what we should do next."


    the ogre prince thought for a moment.


    "I think we should stay and form an alliance with Rimuru."


    The other ogre nodded in agreement.


    "I share the young master''s view. Lord Rimuru''s strength is definitely not ordinary ¡ª I felt a sense of death from him."


    the ogre princess added,


    "Yes, and those girls with him are also very powerful. Even in a dangerous forest, they acted like they were just out on a picnic ¡ª totally unguarded."


    The ogre chief nodded.


    "Indeed. You came back late and missed it ¡ª those girls were terrifyingly strong.


    There were over twenty thousand orcs attacking our village, but under their assault, they were wiped out in less than ten minutes.


    And the scariest part? They were holding back the whole time."


    The chief had seen it himself: Stelle had wanted to unleash Judgment of Shamash to wipe out the orcs in one strike, but something made her hesitate and stop.


    He had no doubt ¡ª had she launched that attack, the orc army would''ve been obliterated instantly.


    The ogre prince and the others were stunned.


    Twenty thousand orcs ¡ª in under ten minutes!


    The ogre chief looked around at them.


    "If there are no objections, I''ll talk to Rimuru tomorrow about forming an alliance."


    None of them disagreed.


    Then, each of them found a spot to rest for the night.


    They could only sleep on the floor now ¡ª the entire village had been reduced to rubble, leaving nothing behind.


    ¡ªMeanwhile, inside the inner realm¡ª


    Ye Yun planted a seed next to the amusement park.


    The seed quickly grew into an enormous rose-shaped mini-castle.


    Ye Yun had bought the seed from the system. Once planted, it would grow into a rose castle from a fairy tale world.


    The castle wasn''t very large ¡ª only about 300 square meters ¡ª with two floors and five small rooms on each floor.


    Its fairy-tale style charmed the six little ones the moment they saw it. They clung to Ye Yun''s leg, begging to move in before he even said a word.


    Ye Yun smiled and called Dan Heng and Sunday, who were working in the fields, to help move the kids'' belongings into the rose castle.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151 - 151Sorry, guys. I''ve been really busy at work lately because two of my coworkers suddenly resigned, leaving my team and me overwhelmed with a big project. I''ll try to continue translating this novel when I have time.


    ***


    The next day arrived.


    Ye Yun and the others were eating breakfast.


    Kiana held a small bowl and gulped down the century egg and lean pork congee.


    After finishing, Kiana stuck out her tongue and licked the corner of her mouth.


    "My god! So tasty! Mei, your cooking has improved again!"


    Mei smiled.


    "No, it''s thanks to Xiangling. She taught me a new method."


    After breakfast, Kiana and the others were about to head over to Rimuru''s place to continue their adventure, but Ye Yun stopped them.


    "Don''t rush over today. The dungeon rewards today are pretty generous. You should check them out."


    Upon hearing that, Kiana jumped up from her chair.


    "What dungeon? I gotta see it~"


    Kiana walked to the dungeon entrance and looked at the wooden sign.


    [Today''s Dungeon: Goose Goose Duck]


    Description:There will be 3 rounds today, each round allowing up to 16 players.


    Players will be randomly assigned identities. In each round, three players will become Ducks (killers).


    The rest will be randomly assigned Goose identities.


    Duck Win Condition: Kill all the Geese.Goose Win Condition: Identify and vote out the three Ducks.


    Victory Reward: The winning side will receive a Golden Treasure Chest, which may contain resurrection cards, senzu beans, Herrscher cores, and other rewards.


    March 7th looked at it.


    "Isn''t this a deduction game? And the rewards are this good?!"


    When Stelle saw the reward section and the Golden Treasure Chest, her eyes lit up. A treasure chest! And it can give out resurrection cards too!


    Stelle took out her phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to the big group chat.


    A few minutes later, Zhongli, Venti, Ei, and Theresa appeared at the shop simultaneously.


    The group rushed straight to the dungeon portal and signed up¡ªclearly, their target was the resurrection cards in the golden chest.


    Stelle and the others saw this and followed suit to sign up as well.


    Soon, the first round''s 16 players were decided and transported into the dungeon.


    Everyone found themselves in a garden.


    The system voice spoke up.


    [Goose Goose Duck Round 1 is about to begin. Now announcing the rules.]


    Players must play seriously. Match-fixing or other violations will result in disqualification.


    Roles are assigned randomly.


    The map is a castle.


    The game is about to begin. Please get ready.


    3!2!1!Game Start!


    The system voice disappeared. Everyone''s vision went black, then they found themselves inside a spooky, eerie castle.


    Ei checked her role: Birdwatcher, which gives her the ability to see through one wall.


    Without thinking much, Ei drew her Musou Isshin.


    In her mind, if she killed everyone, she''d win.


    After surveying her surroundings, she realized she was in a graveyard.


    Looking into the distance, she saw a door leading into the castle.


    Ei entered the castle and immediately ran into Stelle charging toward her.


    Seeing this, Ei placed her right hand on her Musou Isshin.


    Stelle looked at Ei and checked the name above her head. Hmm, white color¡ªnot an ally.


    After confirming no one else was around, Stelle excitedly dashed toward Ei.


    Just as Stelle was about to reach her, Ei made a move to draw her sword.


    Suddenly, Ei realized something was wrong¡ªshe couldn''t draw her sword!


    Stelle, wielding the Duck-exclusive knife, slashed swiftly. Ei''s body turned into smoke and exploded, leaving behind a big drumstick. Next to it was a sign with Ei''s name on it.


    Now a ghost, Ei was completely dumbfounded. What just happened? Why couldn''t she draw her sword?


    After taking Ei out, Stelle quickly fled the scene.


    Soon after, Zhongli arrived, saw the drumstick, and pressed the report button.


    A bell rang throughout the castle, and everyone was teleported to a conference table¡ªincluding ghostly Ei.


    Ei found she couldn''t move and could only stare blankly at the others.


    Yae Miko saw that the victim was Ei and held her forehead.


    Ei! Where did your alertness go? You didn''t even check their role and just stayed with them. Who else would get killed if not you?


    Of course, Miko didn''t know what really happened. If she did, she''d be speechless.


    Ei! You were the Birdwatcher! Your role doesn''t even come with a weapon!


    Zhongli described the scene. Everyone had a personal map showing area names.


    "I came up from the auditorium. The killer must''ve fled the scene. The only escape path leads to the lab. Did anyone see someone go that way?"


    After Zhongli finished, it was Stelle''s turn to speak.


    As the killer, Stelle went straight for misdirection.


    "I have a theory¡ªwhat if you reported your own kill, Zhongli? You''ve lived for so long; surely you''ve got a mind for strategy.


    Maybe you thought that being the one to report would clear you of suspicion? Anyway, that''s my view."


    Stelle''s comment got everyone thinking.


    Yae Miko looked at both Stelle and Zhongli and marked them as dangerous.


    From their statements, it was clear they weren''t on the same team. But which one was the killer remained unknown.


    After Stelle, March 7th and Firefly gave their statements. They just mentioned where they were to clear themselves of suspicion.


    Then it was Yae Miko''s turn.


    As soon as Miko opened her mouth, everyone looked at her in surprise.


    Miko was also shocked.


    Her voice had turned into quacking sounds?!


    Stelle silently chuckled to herself.


    That''s right¡ªit was her doing. Her role was Party Duck, which could both kill and make one player''s speech sound like duck quacks during meetings.


    Miko was stunned. No one could understand her, so she had to skip her turn.


    Next up was Theresa.


    Theresa glanced at Miko.


    "Miko''s clearly affected by an ability. Check your roles¡ªsome come with skills.


    As for me..."


    After everyone finished speaking, since no one saw anyone flee to the lab, they chose to skip the vote to avoid a mistake.


    After voting, everyone was teleported out of the meeting room.


    In the Lab.


    Stelle and Lumine were teleported together.


    Looking at each other''s names above their heads¡ªboth red¡ªthey exchanged a look and beamed.


    Confirmed. They were allies.


    Lumine smirked.


    "Was that you?"


    Stelle raised an eyebrow, replying smugly.


    "Yup. Shall we go? Double kill?"


    Lumine agreed without hesitation.


    They exited through the lab''s left door, heading down toward the altar, storage, and underground tunnel.


    As they turned a corner, they ran straight into March 7 and Kiana.


    March 7th and Kiana were about to greet them when Stelle and Lumine rushed forward.


    One on each side¡ªdouble strike¡ªtaking out March 7 and Kiana. Their kill skills went into cooldown.


    March 7th and Kiana were stunned.


    March 7th gaped.


    "Wait¡ªare killers this bold now?! You just start stabbing?!"


    ***


    At the entrance of the altar, Zhongli, Yae Miko, Venti, Theresa, Sunday, Himeko, and Welt were all waiting.


    Zhongli was pulling people into the altar one by one to verify their information. Since the altar only had one entrance, this could prevent sneak attacks.


    Yae Miko leaned against the wall chatting with Himeko¡ªthey had both revived together in the previous round.


    They exchanged information honestly and revealed their roles to each other.


    One was a Justice Enforcer, and the other was a Sheriff.


    The Justice Enforcer can make one kill per game, while the Sheriff can kill as long as their cooldown is ready.


    However, if the Sheriff kills a good person, both the Sheriff and the good person will die.


    Of course, whether the other believes it or not is another matter.


    Himeko said,"I tested it earlier. My kill only works if I get close to someone. I suspect that in the last round, when someone used their skill on you, it was because they got close."


    Yae Miko followed that logic. In the previous round, the only people who had gotten close to her were Himeko and... Stelle.


    They had just brushed past each other, without much interaction.


    Thinking back to how fiercely Stelle reacted during the meeting, Miko grew very suspicious of her identity.


    Just then, she heard a burst of hurried footsteps.


    Miko turned to see Stelle and Lumine running toward her.


    She immediately became alert."You two! Stop! Don''t come any closer!"


    Stelle grinned and charged straight ahead.


    Seeing this, Miko didn''t hesitate¡ªshe attacked!


    Quickly, she struck Stelle with her knife. Stelle dropped instantly.


    Lumine, seeing Stelle fall, gave Miko a quick slash, and Miko collapsed right after.


    Himeko witnessed the whole scene and understood instantly. She rushed toward Kiana to attack¡ª


    But out of nowhere, Hutao jumped out from around the corner!


    Himeko''s knife struck Hutao instead.


    Hutao dropped instantly, turning into a drumstick (signifying death).


    At the same time, Qingque, Silver Wolf, and Firefly suddenly popped out on the spot.


    They were ecstatic.


    "Nice kill! Beautiful!"


    "Great job, Hutao, you pelican! So aggressive¡ªyou just swallowed all three of us!"


    Hu Tao''s role was a Neutral Pelican.


    Her ability was to swallow people. During meetings, those inside her would be digested and removed.


    Seeing this, Lumine quickly tried to escape.


    Himeko rushed to Miko''s fallen body and hit the emergency button.


    An alarm rang out, and everyone was teleported to the meeting room.


    As the one who called the meeting, Himeko spoke first:


    "Let me explain what just happened.


    In the previous round, I swapped info with Miko¡ªshe was the Justice Enforcer, I''m the Sheriff.


    We were talking at the altar entrance when Stelle and Lumine suddenly rushed us.


    Miko struck first and killed Stelle. Lumine then killed Miko.


    I tried to kill Lumine, but Hu Tao popped out of nowhere and took the hit.


    Hu Tao was the Pelican and had eaten Qingque, Silver Wolf, and Firefly.


    I suggest we all vote for Lumine."


    Himeko''s explanation was detailed and convincing.


    With Qingque, Firefly, and Silver Wolf confirming her story, everyone trusted her.


    Just as she was about to finish her speech, Himeko suddenly turned into smoke¡ªshe became a ghost.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Qingque, who was sitting beside her, jumped out of her chair.


    Zhongli said,"Don''t panic. That was the Sniper Duck''s skill. If they correctly guess someone''s role, they can snipe and eliminate them. They can shoot twice per game, once per meeting.


    This confirms Himeko''s story. I support voting for Lumine."


    Everyone else followed suit.


    Seeing that the outcome was set, Lumine didn''t even try to argue. She stood on her chair, hands on her hips.


    "Hmph! Go ahead, vote me out! I already made a profit¡ªI killed two!"


    Lumine was unanimously voted out and dragged away by NPC guards. She reappeared as a ghost at the new round site.


    Ghosts can hear each other.


    March 7th and Kiana immediately flew over to Stelle and Lumine.


    "You two! Just wait, I''m going to get revenge next round! Arghhh!!! So angry!"


    Stelle and Lumine just giggled and went to do their wolf tasks.


    "I bet you won''t get a killing role next time!"


    Back in the game¡ª


    The final killer, Silver Wolf, was thinking about how to break the situation.


    Too many people were around; it wasn''t safe to make a move. She decided to blend into the crowd for now. As the Sniper Duck, she still had one shot.


    After searching, she found the group at the altar.


    Zhongli saw her and called her in.


    Zhongli asked,"Silver Wolf, be honest. What''s your role?"


    Silver Wolf shot back,"You''re asking me? My role''s rock solid. What about you?"


    Zhongli didn''t reveal his identity.


    "I can''t tell you mine. Didn''t I call the first meeting? Stelle tried to frame me back then.


    And later, it turned out she was a killer. So I must be good."


    Silver Wolf realized she wouldn''t get anything out of him and replied casually,"I''m the Engineer."


    Zhongli took note of that and dismissed her from the altar.


    As soon as she left, he rang the emergency bell.


    Everyone gathered again.


    Zhongli was the first to speak:


    "Everyone, I just talked to Silver Wolf. She claimed to be the Engineer. But March 7th already told me she was the Engineer.


    Explain yourself, Silver Wolf."


    Silver Wolf replied,"I am the Engineer. Just because March 7th said she was, doesn''t make it true. There are still neutral roles, pigeons and dodos.


    And what about you, Zhongli? You say you''re definitely good but won''t reveal your role. You''re always asking others about their identities.


    I now suspect you''re the Sniper Duck, trying to get our roles and snipe us."


    Some others agreed. Zhongli had indeed never shared his role, while Silver Wolf''s story involved living people.


    In the end, the vote count was 5 to 4, and Zhongli was voted out.


    After becoming a ghost, Zhongli gave a slight smile.


    Everyone who saw the smile immediately realized¡ª


    "Oh no! Dodo Bird!"


    The Dodo Bird wins immediately if voted out.


    [Congratulations to player Zhongli for winning. Reward: Golden Chest x1.]


    Everyone was teleported back to the in-game shop, all looking at Zhongli with pure frustration.


    He actually won as the Dodo Bird! How annoying! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152 - 152Zhongli held a treasure chest made of pure gold in his hands. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Venti urged him excitedly,"Old man, hurry up and open it!"


    At the same time, everyone turned curious gazes toward him.


    Zhongli had earned his win fair and square. He had deliberately kept himself in the center of attention every round, which naturally drew suspicion from others.


    Under everyone''s expectant gaze, Zhongli opened the golden chest.


    As soon as it opened, the chest dissolved into light and vanished, leaving behind a single card.


    Everyone looked at the card and immediately exchanged shocked glances.


    A card! A Revival Card?


    They hurried to look at it¡ªthree bold words were written on the card:


    [Revival Card]


    Everyone gasped!


    Zhongli felt a surge of joy. He had really drawn a Revival Card!


    At that moment, Ye Yun walked over.


    "Zhongli, quickly try it out."


    Zhongli looked at him and asked,"Ye Yun, how do I use the Revival Card?"


    Ye Yun explained,"Place it on your forehead, then silently think of the person you want to revive. The card will scan your memories and precisely revive them."


    Zhongli nodded in understanding, then followed the instructions¡ªplacing the card on his forehead and silently reciting:


    "From the world of Teyvat... the God of Dust... Guizhong."


    The card suddenly trembled violently, shot out of Zhongli''s hand, and fell to the ground.


    A moment later, a portal opened¡ªand a beautiful woman slowly floated out.


    Zhongli, who was always composed, actually showed visible excitement, his body trembling slightly.


    Seeing his reaction, Hutao nudged him.


    "Guest Consultant! Why are you so worked up? I''ve never seen you like this before."


    Zhongli looked at her and didn''t deny it.


    "Mm, I am."


    Hu Tao looked curiously at the woman.


    "Who is she?"


    Zhongli replied slowly,"My old friend. An Archon. The God of Dust¡ªGuizhong."


    Hu Tao was surprised at the name.


    "Guizhong? The one who helped you establish Liyue?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes."


    At the same time, Guizhong slowly opened her eyes, curiously observing everything around her.


    "Where is this? Wasn''t I... gone? Morax? You''re here too? Don''t tell me you''re dead as well?


    Oh dear~ let me see¡ªour Geo Archon has come down too~"


    Zhongli sweatdropped.Guizhong''s personality had always been similar to Hutao''s¡ªplayful and mischievous.


    Back in the day, she used to tease Zhongli a lot and always made fun of him.


    He said,"Guizhong, you''ve been revived. Welcome back."


    Now it was Guizhong''s turn to be dumbfounded.


    "Huh? I''ve been revived?"


    Zhongli then explained what had happened.


    Guizhong finally understood and realized she really had been brought back to life.


    Immediately, she grabbed Zhongli, insisting that he take her to see what Liyue looks like now.


    Back when she passed, her biggest regret was not being able to see Liyue''s future.


    Zhongli replied,"You''ll have to wait a bit. We still have two more dungeon runs."


    Guizhong turned to look at the portal.


    "Oh~ is this that game thing where you won the item to revive me?"


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Yes. Want to join us?"


    Guizhong''s eyes lit up.


    "Of course!"


    Seeing this, Hutao ran over to the bar and poured herself a glass of juice.


    "I''ll sit this one out. You go have fun, Sister Guizhong~"


    Hearing Hu Tao''s voice, Guizhong looked at Zhongli and asked angrily,"Who''s this?"


    Zhongli replied,"Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is the current head of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor¡ªHutao."


    Guizhong suddenly realized,"OHHH! The place where you''re working now, right? I thought I heard that earlier!"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    Guizhong walked over and sat beside Hutao.


    "So you''re Little Hutao? Hey~ let me ask you¡ªdoes Morax spend money like crazy?"


    Hu Tao sighed.


    "That''s putting it mildly! Let me tell you..."


    She began venting about Zhongli''s "crimes"¡ªhow he strolls with birds, listens to music, sips tea all day, and sticks her with the bills. She recounted it all in heartbreaking detail.


    After listening, Guizhong looked at Zhongli.


    "Morax! All these years and you still haven''t kicked the habit of spending recklessly?


    I remember once¡ªyou spent 30,000 catties of grain just to buy a bag of flower seeds. And that was when we''d only just established Liyue!"


    Zhongli fell silent. ...There was no way to refute that. He just sat there quietly and took it.


    Guizhong kept listing his past blunders while the others listened with great amusement, not daring to interrupt.


    Eventually, Guizhong grew tired and stopped.


    The group began preparing for the second game.


    Zhongli, acknowledging his guilt, gave up his slot to Hutao.


    Guizhong grabbed Hutao''s hand, made a face at Zhongli, and then got teleported into the dungeon.


    After Guizhong and the others left, Ye Yun strolled over, grinning wickedly at Zhongli.


    "Tsk tsk, smooth move. Wanna relax with a cup of tea?"


    Zhongli glanced toward the lounge and nodded.


    "Alright."


    Ye Yun and Zhongli entered the lounge and brewed a pot of fine tea to savor together.


    Inside the Dungeon:


    This time, Hutao was the Pelican again.


    She made up her mind: she absolutely couldn''t make the same mistake as last time. She needed to stay alert. In the last round, she died tragically¡ªtaking a hit meant for someone else.


    Hu Tao spawned in the lab and ran to the right.


    Just after leaving, she ran into March 7th.


    Having learned her lesson from last time, March 7th immediately started running.


    "Hutao! What''s your role? Don''t chase me!"


    Hutao looked at the map¡ªdown below was the altar, where people usually gathered.


    If she chased March 7th over there, she''d probably get knifed by someone else.


    So, she stopped.


    "I''m a Canadian Goose. What about you?"


    March 7th paused and came back.


    "Oh, that''s fine then. I''m the Influencer. If I die, all good players get a message."


    Hutao feigned surprise and then chomped her in one bite.


    "Mhm, got it. If the influencer dies... hehe~"


    March 7th was stunned again.


    "Hutao!!!"


    Since Pelican victims are still considered alive, March 7th could still talk¡ªand Hutao could hear her.


    March 7th started shouting inside Hutao''s belly to distract her.


    Hutao ignored her.


    She ran to the altar.


    Sure enough, nearly everyone was there.


    Guizhong saw her and called out,"Little Hutao, come here! What''s your role?"


    Hutao replied,"There are too many people here. What if the Sniper Duck hears me?"


    Guizhong assured her,"No worries. This round has Party Duck, Chain Killer Duck, and Professional Killer Duck. The Professional one hides bodies, but if someone steps on it, an alert will trigger."


    Hutao nodded seriously.


    "I''m the Influencer."


    Inside her belly, March 7th exploded with rage.


    You ate me, and now you''re wearing my identity?!


    Unforgivable!!!


    ***


    March 7th was so angry, shouting loudly enough to make Hutao''s ears ring.


    Hu Tao hurriedly told a few people that she was an Influencer, then quickly ran away.


    In this way, many people found out she was a Influencer.


    The good guys thought, since she''s a Influencer, it''s understandable if she wants to play solo.


    As for the bad guys, bring it on¡ªat worst, they''d both perish, and there was a real Influencer inside her belly anyway.


    If she stabbed herself, it would be like a C-section, with a good person jumping out from her belly. The assassin who stabbed herself would definitely be shocked.


    Silver Wolf was doing a task; during the task, she couldn''t see her surroundings because a screen filled her vision.


    Hutao saw this, sped forward, and¡ªahh¡ªswallowed Silver Wolf in one bite.


    Silver Wolf suddenly went black in front of her eyes and arrived in a familiar small space.


    March 7th lay on the ground, utterly despondent, and glanced at Silver Wolf.


    "Yo~ you''re here."


    Silver Wolf looked around and immediately hung her face.


    Isn''t this inside the pelican''s belly? Have I been swallowed again?


    She looked at the name above the pelican''s head¡ªHutao.


    Silver Wolf instantly went crazy.


    What? Sister? You swallowed me again! Last round too! Am I really that tasty?


    March 7th rested for a while, then regained energy and stood up, turning to Silver Wolf with a knowing look.


    "Together?"


    Silver Wolf understood immediately.


    "Together!"


    Hutao''s ears didn''t have a moment of peace before March 7th and Silver Wolf''s loud wails rang out again.


    The surround sound was intense.


    Hutao endured it since she''d been through it last round.


    While wandering the map, more and more people ended up inside Hutao''s belly.


    Venti, Theresa, Stelle, Firefly, Yunli, and many others all got swallowed.


    With so many noisy people inside her, Hutao couldn''t hear what the others still alive outside were saying.


    Passing by the altar entrance, Guizhong called her once, but Hutao didn''t hear and dashed away.


    After wandering some more without finding anyone alone, Hutao couldn''t stand it anymore and ran straight to the altar, pulling the bell to digest the noisy crowd inside her. Too loud!!!


    Once Hu Tao pulled the bell, her ears cleared instantly.


    She sighed with relief and sat quietly, closing her eyes to rest.


    Guizhong saw this and reminded her,


    "Little Hutao¡« Do you have anything to say about pulling the bell?"


    Hutao snapped back, opened her eyes.


    "Oh, it''s like this, I wandered outside for a few rounds and didn''t see any living people. I felt something was wrong, so I pulled the bell to see how many were dead.


    Wow! Why did so many disappear all at once?


    I wasn''t trying to cause trouble; I just wanted to check the dead count. Some people know my identity, so I won''t say more. Next."


    The next was Himeko.


    Himeko''s identity this round was professional assassin; she also heard Hutao say she was a streamer.


    However, Himeko didn''t choose to play solo but stayed with the main group at the altar, reducing suspicion.


    Next was Ei.


    Ei looked at her identity and recalled the tutoring God gave her after the first round ended.


    "I vote for myself, I''m the werewolf."


    She remembered God''s words:


    When you get the Dumb Bird identity, you have to try to get voted out to win.


    The survivors couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Next was Sparkle, who laughed heartily.


    "Don''t worry, Ei, I''m voting you this round. I''m a bird watcher¡ªI''ve been spying on you guys~ Hehe~


    Hutao, surprise! I saw your crime¡ªyou''re the pelican!"


    When Sparkle said this, Himeko and others looked surprised at Hutao. So it turns out Hu Tao was the pelican!


    That explained everything: no wonder Hutao could play solo safely and why there were fewer people outside. They all ended up inside Hutao''s belly.


    Kiana looked at the ghosts of March 7th, Silver Wolf, Stelle, and burst out laughing.


    "Stelle, you''re so unlucky to get eaten by the pelican."


    Hutao struggled, still trying.


    "I''m a Influencer! Believe me!"


    But finally, Hutao was voted out unanimously.


    There was no helping it; the pelican was a neutral role who could eat others. Neither good nor bad would help her.


    After voting, everyone returned to the castle.


    Ghost Hutao was instantly surrounded by Stelle and others.


    "Hutao~"


    Hutao was startled, looked back at the group, swallowed heavily, and fled.


    Oh wait, ghosts have no legs; she just floated away.


    Stelle and Kiana chased behind her.


    At the scene, after learning the Influencer had died, Himeko and another werewolf, Sunday, started taking action.


    Himeko was a professional assassin; when she killed someone, the leftover chicken leg would become invisible and only her teammates could see it.


    Others stepping on the invisible chicken legs would trigger an alarm.


    Himeko stayed at the altar with the group and, like Zhongli in the last round, invited people in one by one for talks.


    Sunday understood Himeko''s plan and quietly left the altar.


    That way, even if Himeko was found out, Sunday wouldn''t be exposed, because the deaths happened inside the altar, but he wasn''t there.


    Himeko brought people in and killed them one by one, waiting for cooldowns before calling the next.


    Everyone thought the altar had only one exit; no one would be stupid enough to kill inside, as it would be immediately noticed.


    Until Kiana wandered in and stepped on Guizhong''s chicken leg, triggering the alarm.


    Kiana was confused and went to the meeting room.


    She looked around and froze.


    Wow! Only herself, Himeko, Sunday, and Yunli were left alive!


    Himeko also looked at the remaining players and exchanged a glance with Sunday, understanding what to do.


    Kiana said,


    "Why did so many die at once?! So scary! I have no info; I just triggered the chicken leg alarm."


    Next.


    Kiana''s next was Yunli.


    Qingque, the sheriff, looked at the three remaining; she wasn''t sure if Kiana had stabbed Canada.


    If Canada died, an alarm would trigger, and the one who triggered it was the killer.


    "I have no info either, next."


    Next was Himeko.


    Himeko stared intensely at Kiana.


    "Kiana, if you can''t show your identity, I suggest voting you out unanimously. I suspect you stabbed Guizhong."


    Sunday didn''t speak and skipped to public discussion time.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153 - 153Kiana spoke directly.


    "I''m the engineer, I don''t know anything! I was hiding in the wardrobe the whole time, hoping to catch the crime scene."


    Upon hearing this, Himeko already understood the situation on the scene.


    "All right, the game is over. Sunday, just go ahead and make the move. With the score tied 2 to 2, if we haven''t won yet, it means there''s still someone with a knife out there.


    The two of us will vote for Kiana, go into the altar to gather, take down Qingque''s knife, and then we win."


    After saying that, Himeko crossed her legs, leaned back in her chair, exuding dominance.


    Sunday smiled and nodded.


    "Okay, let''s do it that way."


    Kiana was instantly dumbfounded!


    What? There are two werewolves?! And these werewolves are so brazen!


    A group of souls discussed together.


    Theresa facepalmed, speechless after Kiana was tricked into revealing her identity.


    "Dummy Kiana! You just gave your identity away with that bluff!"


    Theresa decided that once back today, she must give Kiana a proper tutoring session!


    The voting ended in a 2-2 tie, no one was eliminated, and the game proceeded to the third round.


    Kiana originally wanted to protect Qingque by taking the hit herself but ultimately failed; Qingque was taken down by Sunday''s knife. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations to the werewolf players Himeko, Sunday, and Welt for their victory, receiving 1 golden treasure chest each.]


    The second round of the game ended, and everyone was teleported back to Ye Yun''s shop.


    As soon as Hutao came back, she was verbally roasted.


    Especially Silver Wolf, who wasn''t as tall as Hutao and could only reach up to grab Hutao''s collar.


    "Beast! Hutao! Twice! You ate me twice! Can you give me a break?!"


    Yunli ran over as well.


    "Me too! I was eaten twice! Hutao! You''re really inhuman!"


    Hutao giggled, stuck out her tongue, and shrugged both hands.


    "Can''t blame me, the rules say you have to take the game seriously and not fake it."


    Silver Wolf and Yunli sighed upon hearing this.


    Sigh~ life is so tragic, playing a game and getting eaten twice.


    Stelle looked enviously at the golden treasure chest in Himeko''s hand.


    "I''m so jealous~"


    Sunday heard this.


    "Oh? Stelle, how about I open this one for you?"


    Stelle was very surprised.


    "Really? Don''t worry, I just enjoy opening boxes. I don''t want the stuff inside, I just want the fun."


    Stelle took the golden treasure chest Sunday handed her and opened it, a few beans appeared in her hand.


    Curious, Stelle picked one up and examined it.


    "Ye Yun, what''s this thing?"


    Stelle asked.


    "That''s a celestial bean. As long as you have a breath left, eating one can save you and guarantee you''re full of energy."


    Hearing this, Stelle thought this was just an upgraded version of the fate coin.


    The fate coin has a 50% chance of being struck by lightning, this one does not.


    Stelle returned the celestial bean to Sunday.


    Sunday took it back and put it away.


    Stelle then looked at the golden treasure chest in Himeko''s hand and approached her, rubbing her hands together.


    "Well, Sister Himeko, hehe, can I..."


    Before Stelle finished, Himeko handed the golden treasure chest over.


    Stelle took it and opened it¡ªanother delivery card?


    Stelle glanced at it casually.


    "Another delivery card? This thing just won''t disappear."


    Stelle returned the delivery card to Himeko, who looked closely.


    "This is! A 1 million star coin delivery card!"


    Stelle exclaimed.


    "What?! A 1 million star coin delivery card!"


    Stelle leaned in for a closer look, and it really was!


    1 million star coins! Whoa, that''s a lot!


    Himeko didn''t withdraw the Stelle coins but put the delivery card into her storage ring.


    She had no need to use it now, and taking it out would just take up space.


    Next, Stelle looked toward Welt.


    "Uncle Yang~"


    Welt handed the golden treasure chest to Stelle, who happily opened it.


    Again, a few celestial beans appeared in her hand.


    Stelle looked at them and returned them to Walter.


    Then everyone agreed to take a break and discuss tactics.


    The group sat around the sofa and tea area, discussing each character''s skills, knowing your enemy well to never be defeated.


    Better to understand skills first, so you can play properly and not get caught off guard.


    For example, the Reaper Duck can drag chicken legs; dragging them to the furnace or the river near the graveyard will make the chicken legs disappear.


    Noelle poured tea for everyone, delivering drinks to each person.


    At this moment, Jingliu arrived at the shop. She was free today and planned to check on Bailu.


    Currently, Jingliu took time to teach some talented Cloud Knights swordsmanship she had selected.


    Jingliu had wandered around the train but hadn''t found Bailu.


    She came into Ye Yun''s shop and asked him.


    Ye Yun pointed toward the realm.


    "Bailu and the others are watching cartoons in their new home today. If you want to find them, just go there."


    Jingliu was surprised.


    "New home? Aren''t they living on the train?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "Recently, a guest from a new world came by, and Bailu and the others each got a little wolf cub from him.


    The original room was too small, so I changed it to a bigger one for them."


    Jingliu understood.


    "You go ahead; I''ll go find them."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Thanks for looking after Klee and the others."


    Jingliu said.


    "No problem, it''s just something extra."


    Soon, the break ended, and everyone confidently signed up for the third round of Goose Goose Duck.


    After being assigned their identities, they were teleported to the castle.


    March 7th checked her identity¡ªSheriff!


    March 7th was so happy she cried.


    "Waaa~ I finally have a knife! Stelle! Hutao! Wait! I''m coming for revenge!"


    March 7th brandished her knife wildly, making Qingque, who was teleported nearby, twitch at the corner of his mouth.


    Um... that''s a lot of hatred and grievance.


    March 7th ignored Qingque and rushed straight to the altar, where there were many people, hoping to see Stelle and Hutao.


    Qingque checked her identity¡ªserial killer, who can reduce the cooldown for killing.


    So Qingque chose to follow March 7th, disguising herself as a revenger.


    Revengers belong to the good side; when they see a crime scene, they can make a kill, one kill per scene.


    Qingque followed March 7th and quickly arrived at the altar.


    March 7th saw Stelle in the crowd and without hesitation rushed at her.


    Stelle thought, "Oh no!" and tried to escape quickly.


    Stelle''s identity was a neutral dove; she needed to infect all living people within one round to win.


    So Stelle wanted to hide in the crowded altar.


    Unexpectedly, March 7th was armed this round, clearly coming to kill her.


    March 7th shouted.


    "Get out of the way! Get out of the way! I''m the sheriff! I''m gonna knife Stelle!"


    Everyone quickly moved aside, not wanting to get in the way.


    March 7th chased Stelle, Qingque chased after March 7th.


    Finally, in the laboratory, March 7th caught Stelle and stabbed her. Stelle turned to smoke and became a retreating spirit remaining on site.


    Qingque then immediately stabbed Venti, who had come over to watch the excitement.


    March 7th saw Qingque''s knife move and became alert.


    Qingque quickly explained.


    "I''m a revenger! My knife is clean!"


    ***


    Upon hearing this, March 7th thought for a moment and agreed. Qingque had always been following her, and if she were a villain, she would have stabbed her long ago.


    "Alright then, you stick behind me. I''m telling you, Hutao is definitely a bad one too! Let''s go find her!"


    After circling the map once, March 7th finally found Hutao spying inside the altar using her skill in the corridor to the right of the altar.


    March 7th charged up and slashed once; at the same time, Hutao and March 7th both exploded and turned into chicken legs.


    Just then, Silver Wolf came down from the upper passage. Without hesitation, Qingque charged forward and stabbed, then stood guard over the body without moving.


    She planned to take a gamble by standing there and clearing her own suspicion.


    Soon, someone reported the incident next to Xing''s chicken leg.


    In the meeting room, Qing Que saw that besides Stelle, March 7th, Hutao, and Welt, Himeko and Yunli were also gone.


    Qingque glanced at the people present and spotted her two other teammates, Firefly and Lumine.


    She silently gave them a thumbs up in her heart ¡ª well done! In the first round, six people died. After removing their own three, seven remained. If they killed three more, they''d basically win.


    Unfortunately, Lumine was caught red-handed this round, and not just once, but multiple times.


    Yes, Lumine had attacked people in the crowd! Lumine killed Himeko with one slash but was immediately caught by a large group.


    As for Yunli, it was even more unfortunate. She was the Justice Messenger this round and wanted to investigate people''s identities, but Firefly was so decisive that she just stabbed without giving Yunli a chance.


    The meeting ended with Ying being voted out by a large margin.


    Qingtue quickly found Firefly and regrouped.


    Firefly asked, "Qingque, what''s the plan next?"


    Qingque crossed her arms confidently and said,


    "We go straight for the kill! I bet there''s still a neutral here! We bet there''s a neutral left! If we kill two more, we can bet that among the remaining three, one is neutral.


    Or! We go straight for four kills and end the game!"


    Qingque and Firefly wandered around the map aimlessly, until finally in the graveyard they spotted two targets.


    Without hesitation, they charged up and slashed twice.


    Unfortunately, Qingque''s stab hit the Canadian.


    Among the survivors, someone knew who Canadian was.


    Coincidentally, the other person they just killed was the last neutral pigeon.


    Qingque was stunned. In the end, Qingque, Firefly, and Lumine were defeated, and the whole team of good guys won.


    [Congratulations to Guizhong, Hutao, Venti, March 7th, Silver Wolf, Yunli, Himeko, Ei, Welt, Sunday, and Huohuo for the victory. Each receives 1 Golden Chest.]


    Everyone was teleported back to Ye Yun''s shop.


    Stelle glanced at the dungeon teleport gate and honestly felt a bit reluctant to leave. She wanted to play a few more rounds.


    This Goose-Duck Kill game was indeed quite addictive, especially when you got a character with a knife ¡ª the thrill of stabbing people was irresistible.


    Those who got Golden Chests opened them one by one.


    To everyone''s surprise, Yae Miko actually opened a Resurrection Card.


    Ei was very excited upon seeing this and grabbed Yae Miko''s hand, rushing into the teleport gate.


    As for the others, most opened Senzu Beans; Sunday was lucky and got a 500,000 Star Coin voucher.


    At the Grand Narukami Shrine,


    Ei ordered all the shrine maidens to temporarily leave.


    Ei looked at Yae Miko.


    "You decide, anyone is fine."


    Yae Miko smiled lightly.


    "Let''s pick Sister Makoto, Inazuma needs her. The two of us run the country ¡ª one is half-hearted, the other knows nothing."


    After saying this, Yae Miko placed the Resurrection Card on her forehead.


    Soon after, a woman identical to Ei flew out of a portal.


    Yae Miko looked at Makoto.


    "Sister Makoto~ welcome back."


    Makoto looked at the two.


    "Yae? Ei? What''s going on?"


    Yae Miko explained the whole story toMakoto.


    After listening, Makoto understood.


    "I didn''t expect to be resurrected. Ei, Yae, you''ve worked hard."


    Yae Miko nodded.


    "Indeed, it''s been tough. Managing all matters in Inazuma wears me out, and Ei hasn''t helped at all."


    Ei glared fiercely at Yae Miko for complaining about her.


    "Yae! How dare you complain about me in front of my sister! Just wait! This isn''t over!"


    Makoto smiled watching their interaction.


    "It''s fine, Yae. Now that I''m back, leave it to me."


    Yae Miko nodded.


    Then the three of them, as usual, sat under the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, set up a tea table, brewed some tea, and brought out some sweets, chatting happily.


    They talked the whole day.


    At Liyue Harbor,


    Zhongli and Hutao brought Guizhong back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Guizhong stood by the window on the third floor of the internet cafe building, admiring the bustling scenery of Liyue Harbor.


    "So beautiful ¡ª even better than I imagined."


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Mm, do you want to go to Jueyun Karst later?"


    Guizhong nodded.


    "Yes, I do. If I come back and don''t visit Xianyun and Ping, They''ll definitely nag me again."


    Zhongli nodded lightly.


    "That''s true. You stay here a while, I''ll go downstairs to be a temporary network manager. The ritual officer''s little sister is going with the head to Wuwang Hill today."


    Guizhong smiled at Zhongli.


    "Morax, you actually work? I thought you just freeloaded off little Hutao all the time~"


    Zhongli broke out in a sweat.


    "..."


    Zhongli wordlessly went downstairs to be a temp network manager.


    Guizhong quietly admired the prosperity of Liyue Harbor. Before long, a voice came from beside her.


    "Hey hey hey! Aren''t you that... that who? Let me think, let me think... Oh!!! Right! That Dust God? You were resurrected?"


    Guizhong turned toward the voice and saw Calestia, out for food.


    "Who are you?"


    Calestia suddenly remembered to introduce herself.


    "Let me introduce myself, I''m Calestia, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, also a guest at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    I''ve seen you before. You used to be Morax''s ally."


    Guizhong understood Calestia''s identity immediately.


    "Dust God Guizhong, greetings Lady Calestia."


    Calestia waved her hand.


    "Don''t stand on ceremony. Was it Morax who resurrected you?"


    Guizhong nodded.


    "Yes, he revived me with a resurrection card obtained from a dungeon at Ye Yun''s place."


    Calestia understood.


    "Alright then, welcome back to Teyvat.


    Have you eaten? Let''s go grab some food. Old Liu told me there''s a great seafood stew today. Let me take you to try it."


    Guizhong agreed and followed Calestia downstairs.


    Along the way, they chatted happily.


    Guizhong felt, indeed, seeing is believing. This Calestia was not aloof at all.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154 - 154The next day arrived.


    Ye Yun and Rios brought the six little ones to Inazuma.


    Yesterday, the six little ones saw footage of a prayer spot on TV and wanted to go there to pray.


    So, Ye Yun took them to Inazuma, planning to pray at the Grand Narukami Shrine.


    When Yae Miko heard Ye Yun had arrived, she personally came out to welcome the six little ones.


    The six little ones obediently stood in a line, waiting for Yae Miko to teach them how to pray.


    Yae Miko held a fortune-drawing bucket and smiled warmly at the six little ones.


    "Children, are you ready?"


    The six little ones responded together:


    "We''re ready!"


    Yae Miko handed the fortune-drawing bucket to Klee, who stood at the front.


    "Klee, shake it hard."


    Klee happily grabbed the bucket and shook it vigorously. Soon, a fortune stick flew out.


    Klee excitedly picked up the bamboo stick and looked at it with anticipation.


    "A top fortune? Sister Yae, did I get a good one?" Klee tugged at Yae Miko''s skirt, her big curious eyes looking up at her.


    Yae Miko smiled gently, took the bamboo stick from Klee''s hand, and read it.


    "Klee''s luck is very good today. The stick shows that you will make new friends today."


    Upon hearing this, Klee instantly cheered.


    "Yay! Klee likes making new friends!"


    Yae Miko then drew fortunes for the other five little ones. Their luck was all quite good today, the worst being a good fortune.


    Afterward, the six little ones followed Yae Miko to pray under the Sacred Sakura tree. Yae Miko stood in front, and the six little ones awkwardly imitated her movements from behind.


    Wherever Yae Miko moved, the six little ones tried to follow.


    Yae Miko clasped her hands together, facing away from them.


    Bailu tiptoed to look but couldn''t see clearly.


    "Wait!"


    Bailu called for a pause, then ran beside Yae Miko to observe her movements.


    "Everyone! Clasp your hands together."


    Bailu returned to the group and clasped her hands.


    "All right, continue."


    Yae Miko found Bailu very adorable and understood why everyone spoiled these little ones so much.


    She had heard that an Fatui Harbingers got into trouble with the six little ones and was chased down by General Jingyuan and Dan Heng.


    After finishing the prayers, Yae Miko turned to the six little ones.


    "All right, children, it''s time to pay the offering money."


    The six little ones were stunned.


    "Huh? You have to pay to pray? Klee didn''t know that."


    Bailu said.


    "That''s how it is. On the Immortal Ship, this is the custom."


    Upon hearing Bailu, each of the six little ones took out their small wallets containing pocket money given by Ye Yun.


    Not much ¡ª usually 10,000 Star Coins, 1 million Credit Points, and 1 million Mora.


    Each of the six little ones gave Yae Miko 100 Star Coins. Yae Miko smiled as she placed the coins into the donation box.


    "Thank you, six little friends, for your offerings."


    After praying, the six little ones looked around, planning to play nearby.


    "Brother Ye Yun, can Klee play nearby for a little while?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Yun agreed and asked Rios and Duduco to look after the six little ones.


    The six little ones, excited to be allowed, ran around the shrine.


    Ye Yun and Yae Miko sat under a pavilion drinking tea.


    The six little ones played near the Grand Narukami Shrine, protected by Rios and Duduco.


    The six little ones gathered in a circle. Bailu proposed:


    "Let''s play hide-and-seek!"


    Klee, Hook, Qiqi, Diona, and Yaoyao all agreed.


    Bailu patted her chest.


    "I proposed it, so I''ll be ''it.'' I''m starting the countdown now!"


    Klee, Hook, and the others hurried to run and find hiding spots.


    Klee ran under a cherry blossom tree, looked up at the tree, and decided to hide in the branches.


    Klee heaved herself up the tree. Once up, she found a doll beside her.


    Curious, Klee poked the doll. The doll wobbled.


    Klee became interested and pushed it harder. Though it shook violently, the doll didn''t fall.


    Just as Klee was about to push again, the doll suddenly emitted a puff of smoke, and a girl with a fluffy tail and two smiling ears on her head appeared beside Klee.


    "Who are you? Why did you disturb my sleep?"


    The girl yawned as she spoke, clearly sleepy.


    Klee apologized.


    "Sorry, I didn''t know the doll was you. What''s your name?"


    The girl said,


    "My name is Sayu."


    Klee said,


    "Oh~ Sayu, I''m Klee. Nice to meet you. Do you want to play with us? We''re playing hide-and-seek."


    Sayu shook her head.


    "No, I want to sleep. Not getting enough sleep will stunt my growth."


    Klee replied,


    "Huh? Brother Ye Yun said otherwise. He said you need to exercise to grow taller. Who told you sleep helps you grow?"


    Sayu thought for a moment.


    "It''s what I read in a book."


    Klee nodded.


    "Then it must be wrong. Brother Ye Yun is right, because he''s really tall!"


    Hearing that, Sayu instantly chose to believe Klee.


    Because her Brother Ye Yun is tall! That means he''s an authority! He must know a lot about growing taller.


    "All right then, I''ll play with you."


    Klee happily took Sayu''s hand and ran back to call the others.


    "Everyone, come here! Klee made a new friend!"


    Bailu, Hook, and Diona gathered around.


    Klee introduced.


    "This is Sayu. She wants to play with us!"


    Hook happily welcomed her.


    "Welcome, new friend Sayu! I''m Hook, the mighty dark Hook!"


    Bailu, Qiqi, Diona, and Yaoyao also greeted Sayu and introduced themselves.


    Sayu nodded at the six little ones.


    "Mm-hmm, I''ve got it all. I''m Sayu. What game are we playing?"


    Bailu jumped up with hands raised.


    "We''re playing hide-and-seek! Sayu, do you know how to play?"


    Sayu nodded.


    "Yes."


    Bailu said,


    "Good! Then let''s start over. The previous round doesn''t count."


    Then, the six little ones and Sayu played hide-and-seek.


    They played all day.


    At noon, Ye Yun and the six little ones ate at the Grand Narukami Shrine.


    After eating, Ye Yun and Yae Miko took the six little ones and Sayu to play in the forest at the foot of the shrine''s mountain.


    At dusk, Ye Yun said goodbye to Yae Miko and Sayu, then walked through the teleport gate with the six little ones.


    Sayu waved reluctantly at Klee and the others as they left.


    Yae Miko, standing nearby, gently rubbed Sayu''s little head.


    Sayu had the happiest smile Yae Miko had ever seen on her today.


    Yae Miko looked toward the teleport gate and made a decision.


    "Sayu, go ahead. If you want to play with Klee and the others later, just go."


    Sayu''s face lit up with joy, and she cheered.


    "Thank you, Chief Priestess!"


    ***


    Around 10 p.m.


    In the realm, inside the Rose Castle, Klee, Hook, Bailu, Diona, Qiqi, and Yaoyao helped set up a room for Sayu.


    Stelle, March 7th, and Sparkle originally wanted to help too, but the seven little ones refused¡ªthey insisted on doing it themselves.


    After a nice bath, the seven little ones crowded into the cat-shaped sofa in the main hall, watching cartoons.


    Sayu leaned against Bailu, her big adorable eyes fixed on the animation on the screen. She had never seen anything like it before and found it very interesting.


    After watching for a while, the seven little ones returned to their rooms to sleep.


    At the same time.


    Jueyun Karst.


    Zhongli brought Guizhong to Jueyun Karst, with Hutao accompanying them.


    When Cloud Retainer saw Guizhong, she was so stunned she slapped herself to make sure she wasn''t dreaming.


    Once she confirmed it really was Guizhong, she was overjoyed¡ªcircling around her, examining her from head to toe to see if anything had changed.


    Guizhong smiled happily at Cloud Retainer''s concern.


    "Alright, alright, I''m fine.


    Come, show me your inventions over the years¡ªI''ll give you some pointers."


    Cloud Retainer replied,


    "Pointers? My mechanical skills are far superior to yours now. You want to give me pointers? I should be the one teaching you!"


    Just as the two were about to enter the realm, Hu Tao suddenly pulled out a ledger.


    "Cloud Retainer, hold on. I''ve got something to discuss with you."


    Cloud Retainer turned around at Hutao''s words.


    "What business does the Hall Master have with me?"


    Hutao cleared her throat.


    "You, as the repair technician for the internet caf¨¦, were absent or late 27 days this month.


    Also! You secretly took 10 machines from the caf¨¦ to ''practice'' on and ended up breaking them all.


    This month, you won''t be getting any pay¡ªand you owe me 200,000 Mora. How do you plan to pay?"


    Cloud Retainer was dumbfounded.


    "Uh, Hall Master, let me explain. In technical professions like ours, we need to keep practicing to gain experience, don''t you agree?"


    Hutao was speechless.


    "Yeah, but I haven''t seen your skills improve at all!"


    Guizhong chimed in teasingly.


    "Didn''t you say your skills were top-notch? Why are you breaking things instead of fixing them?"


    Cloud Retainer protested.


    "Those machines are advanced technology from another world! It''s not that easy to learn how to fix them!"


    Guizhong replied,


    "I can fix them! I won''t make promises, but give me a day¡ªI can definitely figure them out!"


    Cloud Retainer responded immediately.


    "Alright! You said it! Let''s go to the caf¨¦¡ªI want to see if you really can!"


    Just moments ago they were getting along, and now they were already arguing.


    Hutao looked stunned.


    "Guest Consultant, were they always like this?"


    Zhongli nodded with a sigh.


    "Yes. In Silver Wolf''s words, they''re both tech nerds¡ªneither will back down."


    Hutao understood immediately.


    "So what now?"


    Cloud Retainer replied,


    "Hall Master Hu, stay here for dinner tonight. I''ve already had food prepared."


    Hutao agreed and stayed to have dinner with Zhongli.


    The next morning,


    The seven little ones woke up, washed up, and started jogging around the amusement park.


    They wore sportswear, shouting slogans as they jogged energetically.


    After their run, they went inside to eat breakfast.


    Himeko noticed a new face¡ªSayu¡ªand asked Ye Yun about it.


    After hearing Sayu''s story, she was reassured.


    Sayu also saw Ayaka.


    "Lady Ayaka! You''re here too?"


    Ayaka smiled.


    "I''m here to have some fun too."


    Sayu nodded in response.


    Looking at the sportswear the little ones wore, Himeko realized they didn''t have many clothes.


    "Ye Yun, why don''t Kafka and I take Klee and the others shopping in Pinochiconi today? I want to get them some new outfits."


    Ye Yun agreed.


    "Sure, I''ll come too. I need some clothes myself. I''ve been rotating the same three outfits¡ªtime to get some new ones."


    He looked at Stelle and the others.


    "What about you guys? Off to another wild adventure today?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "We''re heading over to Rimuru''s place. Yesterday we caught some intelligent bee monsters in the forest.


    I asked them to help us collect honey¡ªwe''re going to check on that and continue exploring."


    Ye Yun turned to Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, are you sure you don''t need our help with the Orc Lord?"


    Stelle added,


    "Yeah! I could finish him off with one strike!"


    Rimuru chuckled.


    "I appreciate the offer, but this is my own issue. I want to handle it myself. It should be fine¡ªit''s within my control.


    Besides, after we wiped out 20,000 pigmen last time, the Orc Lord needs time to recover his forces."


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Alright then~ If you need help, just holler. We idle folks are always ready."


    After breakfast, everyone went off to their own tasks.


    Ye Yun, Himeko, and Kafka took the seven little ones out shopping for clothes.


    Stelle and the others headed back to Rimuru''s place to continue their adventure.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Ayaka rode individual Tempest Wolves through the forest, chatting and exploring.


    Today it was just the four of them¡ªeveryone else had things to do.


    Amber and Eula were off to patrol Dragonspine, which had seen a surge in monster activity lately.


    Hutao was busy with the Funeral Parlor. Thanks to following Hutao to Wuwang Hill frequently, Huohuo had toughened up a lot.


    Now, Huohuo had become a core member of the Funeral Parlor, handling most ghost-cleansing duties.


    With Mr. Tail around, there wasn''t a ghost in Teyvat Huohuo couldn''t handle.


    As the girls strolled through the forest chatting, four figures suddenly leapt out from the bushes ahead.


    Among them was a masked sword-wielding woman. The other three were the same adventurers Rimuru had met in the cave¡ªKaval, Kido, and Eren.


    The sword-wielding woman had joined their team later. Her name was simply "Shizu."


    So the three called her "Miss Shizu."


    The trio had accepted a guild mission to investigate mysterious monster activity in Jura Forest.


    Recently, the adventurer guild had received reports about a new monster organization in the forest.


    This organization was none other than the Jura Tempest Federation¡ªformed by Rimuru to fight the Orc Lord.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155 - 155What they didn''t expect¡ª


    The four had just entered the forest when they encountered a group of Giant Ant Beasts. Where there''s one, there are always more¡ªthese magical beasts always travel in swarms.


    Just as the four burst through the bushes, they saw Stelle and her companions.


    The blonde mage girl, Ellen, quickly called out to them:


    "Friends up ahead! Run! There are a ton of Giant Ant Beasts behind us!"


    As soon as Ellen finished speaking, the trees behind her collapsed in a crash. Over a dozen Giant Ant Beasts burst into view.


    March 7th immediately drew her Hou Yi Bow, aimed, and fired!


    She launched more than ten glowing arrows in rapid succession¡ªeach one struck true, instantly killing a Giant Ant Beast.


    Ellen, Kido, and Kaval were completely stunned.


    No way... She''s that strong?!


    Stelle, riding her Tempest Wolf, looked at the four and asked:


    "You okay?"


    Ellen and the others quickly thanked them.


    "We''re fine, we''re fine¡ªthank you so much for saving us! I''m Ellen, and these are my teammates: Kido, Kaval, and Miss Shizu, who''s traveling with us."


    Firefly asked curiously,


    "Why were those big ants chasing you?"


    Ellen explained:


    "Those are Giant Ant Beasts¡ªthey''ll kill any living being that enters their territory."


    Firefly nodded, understanding now.


    She turned to Stelle.


    "Stelle, let''s go take care of those ants. These things are brainless monsters anyway¡ªwe''ll be saving Rimuru some trouble."


    Stelle nodded in agreement.


    "Sure! Let''s go. I came here for adventure, and what''s an adventure without a little combat?"


    Ellen and her teammates were shocked. These four were planning to attack the ants on purpose?!


    Are they nuts? That''s suicide!


    Ellen hurried to stop them.


    "Um, heroes, the Giant Ant Beasts have a whole nest! There are at least a thousand of them. Maybe it''s better to just leave it be.


    We could set up signs nearby warning people. As long as no one enters their territory, everything should be fine..."


    Stelle patted her chest confidently.


    "Don''t worry¡ªit''s just ants! March, Firefly, Ayaka, let''s go!"


    With that, the four spurred their Tempest Wolves and headed straight for the nest.


    Ellen and the others hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow. They couldn''t just let their saviors fight alone. Every extra pair of hands helps.


    To Ellen''s surprise, even Miss Shizu came along. Jing wasn''t even part of their team and didn''t need to follow her lead.


    Jing looked at Ellen''s puzzled face and said:


    "They saved me too. I can''t just abandon them."


    Before long, the group arrived at the Giant Ant Beasts'' nest.


    The monsters had dug out a massive pit in the area¡ªtheir underground hive.


    Sensing intruders, countless Giant Ant Beasts swarmed out from the pit.


    Ellen, Kido, Kaval, and Miss Shizu immediately assumed fighting stances.


    Stelle looked at Ellen, who was tense and seemingly ready to die, and smiled.


    "Stay put. Don''t move. We''ll handle the ants.


    March! Firefly! Ayaka! Let''s go!"


    Stelle leapt off her Windfang Wolf, lifting the Judgment of Shamash from her shoulder. It surged with wild energy.


    "Judgment Of Shamash¡ªUnleashed!"


    She raised the blade high and slammed it down toward the ant swarm.


    In the others'' eyes, the moment Stelle hit the ground, a burst of intense light flashed. A scorching wave of fire erupted from her and spread outward. Every Giant Ant Beast caught in the blast turned instantly to blackened ash, disintegrating into dust with the breeze.


    March 7th climbed a tall tree, nocked her bow:


    "Rain of Blades!"


    A massive glowing arrow shot skyward and exploded, unleashing a shower of countless smaller arrows that rained down, wiping out a huge area of ants.


    Firefly transformed into Sam and tore through the ant horde with unstoppable force.


    Ayaka summoned the full power of her Vision:


    "Frosted Sakura Storm¡ªPerish!"


    Enormous ice wheels whirled around her, shredding any monster that got close.


    Ellen, Kido, and Kaval stood frozen, staring at the hellish battlefield before them¡ªice and fire bloomed in deadly waves, relentlessly consuming the Giant Ant Beasts.


    Ellen swallowed hard.


    "This... This level of destruction... It''s on par with a natural disaster, right?"


    Even behind her mask, Miss Shizu looked visibly shaken.


    These four... Their strength is just insane. Who are they? And how have I never heard of them?


    From the start of the battle to the end, it took less than five minutes to wipe out the entire swarm¡ªover a thousand monsters, gone.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Ayaka returned.


    Stelle rested the Judgment of Shamash sword on her shoulder.


    "Let''s get out of the forest quickly. I''ve been holding back the whole time¡ªdidn''t want to cause a forest fire and trouble Rimuru."


    Ellen and the others turned to stone on the spot.


    What?? YOU WEREN''T EVEN GOING ALL OUT?!


    Firefly chuckled.


    "Let''s ask Ellen the best way out of the forest. She''s a local¡ªshe should know."


    Stelle agreed and walked over.


    "Ellen, quick question."


    Ellen responded immediately:


    "Heroes, if you want to leave the forest, head straight east from here¡ªit''s the fastest route."


    Stelle thanked her and got ready to leave.


    Just then, Miss Shizu spoke up.


    "Um... Can I ask you something? Do you know anything about a new monster organization in the forest?"


    Stelle looked puzzled.


    "New monster organization? Nope. We''re just here for some adventure."


    Miss Jing tried rephrasing:


    "Then... Have you noticed any place in the forest with an unusually high concentration of monsters?"


    Stelle thought for a moment.


    "Actually, yeah. There''s a place like that¡ªwe just came from there. Why?"


    Miss Shizu''s eyes lit up.


    "Really? Could you take us there? We need to check it out."


    Stelle discussed it with the others for a bit.


    In the end, they decided to take Ellen, Miss Shizu, and the others to see Rimuru.


    After all, they weren''t worried¡ªthe difference in strength was... massive.


    "Sure. Let''s go."


    So the group made their way back to the Goblin Camp.


    Stelle found Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, these folks say they''re looking for you."


    Rimuru welcomed them warmly and treated them to a feast of grilled meat.


    Ellen and her companions sat in a wooden cabin, wolfing down food happily.


    Rimuru entered the cabin and saw the way Ellen, Kido, and Kaval were devouring their meals like starved wolves. A bead of cold sweat formed on his forehead.


    ***


    After seeing Rimuru arrive, Ellen and the others quickly straightened up and began discussing business.


    Rimuru asked,"So, what brings you here?"


    Ellen looked at Rimuru curiously."Are you the leader of this monster organization?"


    Rimuru thought for a moment."You could say that. Why?"


    Upon hearing this, Ellen replied,"Well, we''re adventurers from the Adventurer''s Guild. We received a commission from the guild to come investigate your group.Don''t worry, we mean no harm. We just want to understand why you''ve gathered here and whether it might pose a threat to travelers passing by."


    Rimuru responded,"Don''t worry. I''ve laid down three rules for them ¡ª they absolutely won''t harm humans.I''m not an evil slime. I''m a good slime~"


    Hearing this, Miss Shizu suddenly let out a chuckle.


    Rimuru noticed and had a question mark over his head."? What is it?"


    Shizu smiled."Oh, nothing. I just thought of something funny."


    Rimuru sized her up.That name... isn''t she from my original world?


    Later¡ª


    Rimuru arranged for Ellen and the other two to stay overnight and rest before heading back the next day.


    Meanwhile, Rimuru and Shizu went to a cliffside.


    There, they revealed their true identities to each other ¡ª both were reincarnated individuals.


    Rimuru fulfilled Shizu''s wish to see post-war Tokyo.


    After returning to the camp, just like in the original story, Shizu was possessed by the Greater elemental of Flame, Ifrit and engaged in a fierce battle with Rimuru.


    They fought evenly matched, but in the end, Rimuru used Predator to devour the Ifrit-possessed Shizu.


    Inside a room¡ª


    Rimuru was bidding farewell to Shizu. With Ifrit devoured, Shizu''s life force was slowly fading.


    "Mr. Rimuru, I have a favor to ask of you."


    Rimuru replied,"What is it?"


    Shizu smiled and said,"I want to ask you to devour my body after I die."


    At that moment, the door burst open, and Stelle and the others entered.


    "Rimuru! We heard your place got attacked¡ªare you okay?!"


    Stelle and the others had just returned to the camp, and upon seeing the destruction, they quickly asked Benimaru what had happened and came rushing over.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Ayaka were all worried about Rimuru''s safety.


    "I''m fine. Thank you for your concern."


    Stelle looked at the woman lying on the bed."Hey, aren''t you the one we brought back? By the way, you''re really pretty¡ªwhy do you wear a mask?"


    Shizu looked at Stelle and smiled."That''s because..."


    Shizu then shared her story with Stelle and the others.


    "Stelle, thank you for saving me today. If there''s a next life, let''s be friends, okay?"


    Stelle waved her hand."No need to wait for the next life¡ªhow about this one? Hold on, I''ll go grab you a senzu bean."


    With that, Stelle dashed out the door. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few minutes later, Stelle came rushing back with a few senzu beans in hand.


    She had just returned to the train and got them from Sunday, the youngest in the train crew.


    Stelle fed a senzu bean to Shizu, whose complexion quickly turned rosy and her body rapidly recovered.


    Like a fresh sprout breaking through the soil, she was full of life.


    Shizu was stunned."What is this?!"


    Stelle took out another senzu bean."This is a senzu bean. As long as you''re still breathing, it''ll fully restore you."


    Shizu sat up and looked at her body."This is amazing! This must be a divine artifact. Stelle, how can I ever repay you for something so precious?"


    Stelle waved her hand."No worries. We''ve got a whole bunch of these¡ªdon''t sweat it."


    Shizu hesitated."Even so, it''s still very precious."


    Stelle thought for a moment and said,"How about this¡ªbe our guide! We''ve been wandering around this world aimlessly without a guide."


    Hearing Stelle say she wasn''t from this world surprised Shizu."Wait, Stelle, you''re reincarnated too?"


    Stelle tilted her head."Huh? Reincarnated? What do you mean?"


    Rimuru chimed in to explain,"No, Miss Shizu, here''s the thing..."


    Rimuru then told Shizu about Stelle and the others'' identities. After hearing it, Shizu understood.


    "I see."


    Stelle patted Shizu on the shoulder."Get some rest first. Once you''re better, you can be our guide."


    Shizu smiled and agreed."Alright, I''ll be your guide from now on. Don''t worry¡ªI''m very familiar with this world. I''ve been to most of the cities."


    Stelle nodded."Cool. We''ll head back for now. Rest well¡ªwe''ll visit again tomorrow."


    Stelle and the others said goodbye to Rimuru and Shizu and left through a portal back to the train.


    Shizu watched their departing backs, feeling like the whole day had been surreal.


    She had seen a fellow countryman, glimpsed her homeland''s current state, and although she was supposed to die, she had been saved by Stelle, March, and these otherworldly travelers.


    And now, she had become their guide.


    Rimuru turned to her."Shizu, are you hungry? Want something to eat?"


    Shizu picked Rimuru up in a hug."Call me Shizu from now on¡ªwe''re friends, right?I want grilled meat~"


    Rimuru replied,"Okay then, Shizu it is. But how about something lighter? You''re still recovering."


    Shizu shook her head with a smile."No worries, I feel great now!"


    Rimuru had someone bring grilled meat, and the two of them began eating in the room while chatting about their homeland.


    Soon after, Ellen, Gido, and Kaval burst into the room.


    Seeing Shizu safe and sound, they breathed a sigh of relief and joined in on the barbecue.


    Meanwhile, in the pocket dimension''s Rose Castle¡ª


    The seven little ones returned to the castle, each carrying big bags.


    Today, Ye Yun, Kafka, and Himeko had taken them shopping all over Penacony and bought them lots of clothes.


    After returning, the little ones threw down their bags and panted heavily.


    Ye Yun had offered to carry the bags, but the girls refused.


    "Klee is a big girl now! I can carry my own things!"


    "That''s right! I''m super strong!"


    "Qiqi can carry hers."


    "Yaoyao can too!"


    Ye Yun couldn''t win the argument and let them carry their own things.


    After putting down the bags, Yaoyao ran to the juice machine and poured seven cups of orange juice, handing one to each girl.


    "Everyone, have some juice and take a break."

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156 - 156Klee took the orange juice Yaoyao handed her.


    "Thank you, Yaoyao~"


    Yaoyao smiled gently.


    "You''re welcome. Let''s rest for a while, then go take a nice bath~ After we''re clean, it''s bedtime~ Then we''ll wake up early tomorrow to run morning drills~"


    Klee, Bailu, Hook, Qiqi, Sayu, and Diona all responded with a cheerful "Okay~"


    After finishing their orange juice on the sofa, the seven little ones rested a bit more, then grabbed their pajamas and ran into the big bathroom to bathe.


    Once they had cleaned up, they each returned to their rooms to rest. After a whole day of wandering around, they were already tired.


    The next day arrived.


    In New Teyvat, within Fontaine Court¡ª


    Inside the newly built Palais Mermonia, Furina was casually scrolling through her comment section on her phone, occasionally replying to amusing comments with a quick message.


    Beside her, Neuvillette, Focalors, Clorinde, Wriothesley, Sigewinne, and Navia were busy handling documents.


    In the entire office, Furina was the only idle one.


    Noticing this, Neuvillette spoke up.


    "Lady Furina, since you''re free, would you mind helping us organize the documents? You don''t need to review them¡ªjust sort them for us?"


    Furina replied immediately.


    "Huh? No way, I get annoyed just looking at those things. You guys handle them."


    As she spoke, Furina showed everyone her account balance.


    "I''ll just fund everything. If you''re short on credits, just let me know."


    Neuvillette had no response. Well, she is the financier, so there''s no arguing with that.


    The others chuckled.


    It was true that New Fontaine''s rapid development was thanks to Furina.


    The materials, equipment, and everyday essentials needed for New Fontaine''s construction were all funded by her.


    There wasn''t much choice¡ªNew Fontaine was still newly established and lacked many things.


    Furina''s daily income had already surpassed 4 billion credits. Her songs were becoming more and more popular over time.


    Her social media account had surpassed 20 million followers, and the number was still growing rapidly.


    Sitting on the sofa, Furina popped a piece of cake into her mouth.


    Just then, she came across a highly liked comment:


    [Furina''s Dog]: Miss Furina! When will you hold a concert? We beg for a concert!


    This comment already had over 3 million likes and more than 200,000 replies.


    Furina thought for a moment and turned to Neuvillette.


    "Neuvillette, how''s the construction progress of the New Opera Epiclese?"


    Neuvillette pondered for a moment.


    "It''s more than halfway done. Why?"


    Furina asked:


    "How many people can it hold?"


    Neuvillette replied:


    "The design indicates a capacity of 10,000. Why do you ask?"


    Furina pouted a bit, dissatisfied.


    "Can it be bigger? Like, 100,000 seats?"


    Neuvillette responded:


    "It''s possible, but it would significantly delay construction."


    Furina replied:


    "That''s fine. What''s the maximum capacity you can build for?"


    Neuvillette didn''t answer right away. Instead, he pulled out a map showing the plans for New Fontaine, including details like land use for each building.


    He looked at the New Opera Epiclese, which was being built on a small island to the east of the main island.


    After some calculations, he said:


    "At most, we can build an opera house that holds 200,000 people."


    Furina immediately transferred 2 billion credits to Fontaine''s dedicated account.


    "I just transferred another 2 billion. Build the New Opera Epiclese to its maximum capacity¡ªI''ll use it for my concerts in the future."


    Neuvillette agreed. With that kind of money, anything was negotiable.


    Furina''s earning power was terrifying¡ªshe alone could support all of Fontaine.


    Wriothesley, Clorinde, and the others couldn''t help but sigh in amazement.


    Tsk tsk, 2 billion credits, just like that. Scary.


    Furina said:


    "Neuvillette, let me know a few days before the New Opera Epiclese is completed so I can start promoting my concert.


    Also, I want to invite a few guest singers. Let me think... Barbara, definitely. I''ve heard there''s someone named Yunjin in Liyue who''s amazing¡ªinvite her too.


    Who else... oh! Nilou from Sumeru¡ªshe''s a great dancer. Have her perform too."


    Focalors, hearing Furina mutter, curiously asked:


    "Aren''t you going to invite Miss Robin?"


    Furina responded:


    "Of course I want her to come! But she''s so busy¡ªI''m afraid she won''t have time."


    Focalors smiled.


    "You can always ask first."


    So Furina called Robin.


    "Hey~ Robin, what are you doing?"


    Robin quickly answered:


    "I just finished recording. What''s up, Furina? Missing me already?"


    Furina smiled happily.


    "Yeah, I miss you. Come visit me! I''ve moved to your universe, did you know?"


    Robin sounded surprised.


    "Weren''t you supposed to move later?"


    Furina then told Robin about the Great Fontaine War.


    After hearing it all, Robin became worried.


    "Why didn''t you call me? I could''ve sent help!"


    Furina scratched her head.


    "No need. Zhongli and Lady Calestia were there¡ªit''s all settled now. So, wanna come hang out?"


    Robin agreed.


    "Sure! I''ve got the whole next month free. I just finished recording my new song, and my fans won''t be bothering me for a while, haha."


    Furina was delighted.


    "Perfect! I''m planning a concert. Want to be a guest performer?" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Robin agreed right away.


    "Of course! For my best friend''s concert, I have to be there.


    Just wait¡ªI''m catching a flight now. Send me your location. See you soon!"


    Robin hung up. Hearing she was coming made Furina ecstatic, and she quickly sent her the coordinates.


    Neuvillette and the others also heard about Robin''s arrival.


    Neuvillette turned to Clorinde.


    "Clorinde, hand your current tasks over to Wriothesley. Once Miss Robin arrives, you''ll be responsible for her safety."


    He then turned to Lancelot.


    Lancelot nodded.


    "I can spare four people at most¡ªthe others are still needed to protect the two Highnesses."


    Neuvillette was satisfied. He had great faith in the Lancelot Knights'' protection capabilities.


    "Thank you."


    Lancelot shook his head.


    "No trouble."


    The relationship between Lancelot and Neuvillette had steadily improved¡ªfrom initial friction to now being colleagues.


    ***


    Over an hour later.


    Two warships landed at the port of New Fontaine Court.


    Furina, along with Clorinde, and the Knights of Lancelot were waiting there.


    The weather today was wonderful¡ªbright sunshine, and the sea was crystal clear and blue.


    In the sky, flocks of seagulls cried out as they flew by, and the waves rhythmically lapped the shore with a rustling sound.


    Soon, from the warship on the right, Robin came running out.


    As soon as Robin appeared, she looked around for Furina.


    Furina was very happy to see Robin, and she jumped up and waved.


    "Robin!!! Over here!!!"


    Hearing Furina''s call, Robin ran toward her.


    Furina ran toward her as well.


    The two ran into each other''s arms and spun around joyfully.


    They embraced happily on the dock, the salty sea breeze blowing through their hair.


    "Robin! Long time no see!" Furina said cheerfully.


    Robin was also delighted.


    "Yeah, it''s been a while. You moved here and didn''t tell me. If I''d known, I would''ve come to visit earlier."


    Furina scratched the back of her head.


    "I thought you''d be too busy~ Oh, by the way, are the people on the other ship with you?"


    Robin shook her head.


    "Nope."


    The two looked toward the ship on the left, and before long, Dan Heng and Sunday disembarked.


    Dan Heng and Sunday had come at Neuvillette''s invitation to help.


    Neuvillette had seen the fields inside the realm and, after learning they were mostly tended by Dan Heng and Sunday, invited them to give some advice.


    He wanted to hear their professional opinions on the planning of New Fontaine''s farming district.


    Robin was a little surprised to see Sunday.


    "Brother!"


    Sunday also noticed Robin, and his eyes showed a trace of fondness.


    "Robin."


    Robin pulled Furina along and walked up to Sunday and Dan Heng.


    "Brother, what''s going on?"


    Robin looked at Dan Heng, confused.


    Sunday and Dan Heng exchanged a glance and smiled.


    "I''m planning to travel with the Express crew for a while."


    Hearing that, Robin crossed her arms and pouted.


    "Oh~ really? Why didn''t you tell me?"


    Sunday was a bit surprised.


    "Hm? Aren''t you in the group chat? Didn''t you see my message?"


    Robin shook her head.


    "I''ve been busy recording new songs these past few days, didn''t check the messages."


    Sunday nodded in realization.


    "Then that''s on me. I forgot to mention it directly."


    Furina chimed in.


    "Sunday, Dan Heng, what are you two doing in New Fontaine?"


    Sunday replied.


    "Neuvillette invited us to give him some advice on land planning."


    Furina nodded.


    "Oh~ I see. Well, I''ll leave you to it. I''m going to take Robin out to have some fun!"


    Sunday smiled and nodded.


    "Alright. If anything comes up, we''ll message you."


    Then Furina happily took Robin away.


    Sunday felt happy for Robin seeing her so full of joy. Having Furina as a friend was truly a blessing.


    Robin had become famous very young, which meant she rarely had someone she could really open up to.


    Furina''s arrival filled that gap.


    Sunday could tell that Robin was genuinely happy whenever she was with Furina.


    After Furina and Robin ran off,


    Dan Heng turned to Sunday.


    "Let''s go find Mr. Neuvillette."


    Sunday nodded slightly and went with Dan Heng.


    Furina took Robin onto a boat, planning to show her the newly constructed Opaline Lyric Theater.


    The two leaned against the railing, enjoying the beautiful ocean view.


    Furina looked at a flock of seagulls flying nearby and cupped her hands around her mouth.


    "Hey! Seagulls! Come over here! I''ve got yummy stuff!"


    Lancelot, nearby, took out some breadcrumbs he had prepared and handed them to Furina.


    Furina took them and handed some to Robin as well, throwing bits toward the seagulls.


    Seeing the breadcrumbs, the seagulls flew over.


    Furina threw another piece into the air, and one seagull folded its wings and swooped down to snatch it midair.


    More and more seagulls gathered. Robin looked a little scared seeing them so close.


    Furina saw this and placed a breadcrumb in Robin''s hand, gently raising her arm.


    "Here! Robin! Don''t be afraid, it''s okay!"


    Robin was still a little nervous and flinched slightly.


    Soon, a seagull landed on Robin''s hand and started eating the breadcrumb.


    Furina said,


    "Robin, try petting it. Don''t worry, it won''t bite."


    Robin gathered her courage and gently stroked the seagull''s feathers. The bird didn''t resist; instead, it nuzzled her palm.


    Robin smiled instantly, no longer afraid, and hugged the seagull, stroking it.


    Furina took out her phone.


    "Robin! Look at the camera!"


    Robin looked up and smiled sweetly.


    Furina winked, stuck out her tongue, and made a peace sign.


    She took the photo, checked it, and was very satisfied¡ªthen posted it on WeWeibo.


    The moment the photo went up, the comments exploded.


    In the photo:


    Two beautiful, radiant girls smiled like angels. Behind them were the deep blue ocean and flying seagulls.


    Furina''s dog: "Whoa!!! What a god-tier photo!!!"


    Furina''s #1 fan: "My youth is complete! Robin and Furina together!"


    Thanks Alice: "So the rumors were true. I heard they were besties."


    A citizen of Xianzhou: "Of course it''s true. Furina even went to one of Robin''s concerts."


    Galactic Fire Hero: "@Robin @Furina Hey! You two are having fun without me!"


    Big V Furina: "@Galactic Fire Hero Come over! Bring everyone, it''s not that far!"


    Big V Robin: "@Galactic Fire Hero Long time no see! Come join us!"


    Galactic Fire Hero: "@Robin @Furina On my way¡ªbooking a ride now!"


    Zhao Camera: "@Galactic Fire Hero Wait for me! I''m coming too!"


    Furina''s dog: "Whoa!!! @Galactic Fire Hero Share your location?!"


    Furina''s #1 fan: "Same here! I want in!"


    Robin''s loyal fan: "Me too!"


    Galactic Fire Hero: "Shoo! Not sharing!"


    The moment Furina posted that photo, WeWeibo''s servers froze for a full second.


    And those servers? Built personally by Herta and the Interstellar Peace Corporation.


    The fact that it lagged for a second shows just how explosive the post was.


    ***


    I unexpectedly have quite a bit of free time today because my boss is still in a meeting with my client and has paused the big project I''ve been working on, so I''ll continue translating the novel. If I get free time like this again tomorrow, I''ll do the same.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157 - 157At the Penacony Platform,


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Ayaka, and Hutao boarded the warship arranged by Topaz to head to New Teyvat.


    Early that morning, Stelle and the others had already visited Rimuru.


    Shizu had almost fully recovered and agreed to take them out for fun tomorrow.


    Coincidentally, tomorrow was also when Ellen, Kido, and Kaval''s adventurer party was set to return and report in.


    Stelle and the others were also considering forming their own adventurer team, so it was perfect timing to go back together.


    Boarding the warship, they set off toward New Teyvat.


    Stelle sat in her seat, enthusiastically playing with her phone.


    Firefly curiously leaned over.


    "Stelle, what are you doing? I''ve been watching you play on your phone this whole time." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stelle shook her phone and explained.


    "Oh, I''m checking my micro-Weibo. A bunch of people are commenting on my account begging for the New Teyvat coordinates."


    Firefly looked and, sure enough, Stelle''s account was flooded with comments all asking for coordinates.


    Stelle''s follower count had skyrocketed from just 7 people to 3 million.


    "Are you going to give it to them?"


    Stelle grinned mischievously.


    "Of course not. I''m just teasing them~ hehe."


    She licked her lips and continued messing with her followers online.


    Galactic Fire Hero: "Everyone! If my followers reach 10 million, I''ll post the coordinates!"


    Furina''s Dog: "Seriously?! Brothers, start summoning people!"


    Liyue Harbor, Teyvat.


    Guizhong was carrying a box of flower pastries, walking the path toward Yujing Terrace.


    Today, she planned to visit Ping, who she heard had set up a little stall there.


    Guizhong hopped along cheerfully, arriving beside the lotus pond.


    To the right was Bubu Pharmacy, and to the left was the mountain path leading to Yujing Terrace.


    She looked at the gallery to her right, then at the stepping stones in the pond meant for crossing.


    Without hesitation, she chose the stepping stones.


    As she reached the center of the pond, she spotted a golden bass leisurely swimming beneath the lotus leaves.


    The golden bass blew a few bubbles, catching Guizhong''s attention.


    She squatted down and poked the fish.


    Suddenly poked, the golden bass got irritated and twisted its body to bump her finger.


    Seeing this, Guizhong said:


    "Yo~ Little fishy''s got a temper, huh!"


    She reached out again, continuing to poke the bass over and over.


    The golden bass grew increasingly annoyed.


    Golden Bass:Damn it! Do you not understand personal space? I just want to blow bubbles in peace!


    Realizing it couldn''t win against Guizhong, the fish tried to flee.


    Guizhong grinned.


    "Hehe~ trying to run? Trap!"


    With a wave of divine power, a wall of earth rose from the pond, trapping the golden bass in a small space.


    She reached in again to keep teasing it.


    At first, the bass tried to fight back.


    Eventually, it gave up and just let her poke it.


    Seeing this, Guizhong lost interest, dispelled the earth wall, and prepared to leave.


    As soon as the wall vanished, the golden bass instantly revived and tried to make a run for it.


    Too bad ¡ª a tree branch suddenly swung over and flipped it.


    "Hehe! I knew you were faking! Gotcha!"


    From a distance at the edge of Yujing Terrace, Granny Ping saw the whole thing and smiled, shaking her head.


    "Guizhong and that Hutao really are alike¡ªboth so mischievous."


    Not long after, Guizhong arrived at Granny Ping''s stall.


    "Ping, I came to hang out with you!"


    She jumped up to her with a bright smile.


    Granny Ping nodded.


    "Mm-hmm. Yesterday, you and Cloud Retainer disappeared before dinner. Where''d you run off to?"


    Hearing that, Guizhong gulped.


    She had taken apart a computer from the internet caf¨¦ yesterday...


    And just like with Cloud Retainer, once taken apart, it couldn''t be put back together.


    Now she was still trying to figure out how to face Hu Tao.


    "Aiya, nothing much. Just a little tech experiment. Let''s not talk about it.


    Here, try the flower pastries I brought."


    Granny Ping saw her guilty look and didn''t need to guess¡ªdefinitely caused some trouble.


    She took a bite and asked:


    "Guizhong, do you have any plans for what you want to do next?"


    Guizhong put her hands on her hips and declared righteously:


    "Of course I want to enjoy life! Morax retired, so I''m retiring too!


    I already made a deal with little Hutao. I''ll work at her internet caf¨¦ as a front desk manager, just registering accounts. Hehe~"


    Granny Ping shook her head.


    "You all really have gone off to work for her¡ªLady Calestia, the Geo Lord, even Azhdaha..."


    Guizhong giggled.


    "You want to join too? I can talk to Hutao for you."


    Granny Ping replied,


    "No thanks. I''m just an old lady¡ªwhat work could I possibly do?"


    Guizhong said seriously,


    "You can just change your form. Don''t you know transformation spells?"


    After hanging out a bit more, Guizhong headed back to the internet caf¨¦.


    She was starting work that afternoon¡ªmeals and lodging included, 300,000 Mora a month.


    She was quite satisfied with that.


    At the Jade Chamber.


    Ningguang and Keqing had also heard from Ganyu about Guizhong''s resurrection.


    Ningguang set down her pipe.


    "I never imagined that the God of Dust would return. A great blessing for Liyue."


    Keqing nodded slightly.


    "Yes. Lady Haagentus once helped build Liyue with the Geo Lord.


    She fell in order to protect Liyue''s people."


    Ningguang glanced at the documents in front of her and suddenly smiled.


    Keqing noticed and asked,


    "What are you smiling about?"


    Ningguang handed her a file.


    "Turns out Lady Haagentus has also joined the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."


    Keqing was a little stunned.


    "Huh? She joined Wangsheng too?


    What kind of magic does Hutao''s parlor have?


    Why are all these gods joining her?


    Lady Calestia, the Geo Lord, Azhdaha, and now Lady Haagentus...


    Is Wangsheng the most terrifying faction in all of Teyvat now?"


    Ningguang thought for a moment.


    "You''re not wrong. Who else in Teyvat has four Archon-level fighters?"


    Keqing considered.


    "Should we visit the internet caf¨¦? I''d like to meet Lady Haagentus."


    Ningguang stood up.


    "I''ll go with you. I''d like to see it too."


    Soon, she called Baizhu, and the three of them left the Jade Chamber for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Twenty minutes later.


    Keqing and Ningguang arrived at the internet caf¨¦.


    As they entered, they saw Guizhong at the front desk, fiddling with a computer and a screwdriver.


    She was hoping to fix it before Hutao returned.


    After all, Hutao said if she broke the machine, her wages would be docked.


    No way! Her salary wasn''t much to begin with.


    She needed to save up for golden shrimp balls!


    ***


    Ningguang and Keqing exchanged a glance, and Ningguang stepped forward.


    "Hello, Lady Haagentus."


    Guizhong heard Ningguang''s voice.


    "Haagentus? Who''s that? Oh! Right, that''s me.


    Hello hello, you''re here to surf the internet, right? Do you have a membership? If not, getting one is 20% off, and your first top-up will get you a bonus equal to the amount you put in~"


    Guizhong spoke very familiarly with reception jargon.


    Guizhong stood up and turned to look at Ningguang and Keqing.


    Ningguang and Keqing slightly bowed.


    "Ningguang, current Tianquan star of the Liyue Qixing, pays respects to Lord Haagentus."


    "Keqing, current Yuheng star of the Liyue Qixing, pays respects to Lady Haagentus."


    Guizhong, hearing their titles, glanced curiously at them.


    "Oh~ hello hello, just call me Guizhong."


    Ningguang and Keqing exchanged a glance upon hearing this and smiled, nodding.


    "Yes, Lady Guizhong."


    Guizhong asked,


    "Are you here to surf the internet? Let me tell you, this thing called a computer is super fun. Lots of people come to play. You definitely have to try it."


    Ningguang smiled and took out her internet cafe membership card.


    "Hmm, we know. Please help me activate the membership card."


    Guizhong took the card.


    "Oh~ so you''ve been here before, huh? I introduced it for nothing. Here, returning it to you, activated."


    Ningguang smiled.


    "Thanks, Lady Guizhong. If there''s anything in the future, feel free to call on us."


    Guizhong nodded in agreement, then turned back and squatted down to fiddle with the computer.


    Why is it that after I disassembled this computer myself, I just can''t put it back together properly?


    Ningguang and Keqing went up to the third floor and found an empty esports room to enter.


    They turned on the computers, opened office software, logged into their accounts, and resumed work.


    Keqing glanced at the folder with the list.


    "Ningguang, when do you plan to hand the list to the Geo Lord?"


    Ningguang thought for a moment.


    "Soon. We''ll see if the Geo Lord is in the internet cafe. According to intel, the Geo Lord comes to the internet cafe every night for a bit, checks around, then goes back to rest."


    Keqing nodded upon hearing this and continued handling other documents.


    On New Teyvat,


    Stelle, March 7th, Hutao, and others had already arrived at the port of New Fontaine.


    Everyone had disembarked from the warship, but Stelle was still online arguing with netizens.


    The reason was that Stelle''s follower count had reached the number she promised, but she still hadn''t posted her location.


    Immediately, this provoked the anger of Furina and Robin''s fans.


    Furina''s Dog: "@Galaxy Fire Hero, you''re really a jerk! How could Miss Fu Ningna have a friend like you!"


    Robin''s Loyal Fans: "Exactly! You''re way too much!"


    Galaxy Fire Hero: "Don''t be so upset. Here''s the deal ¡ª if the fans reach 100 million, I''ll take beautiful photos of Robin and Furina for you!"


    March 7th came over.


    "Are you really going to take photos of Furina for them?"


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Of course. One photo for 100 million fans, how can that not be worth it?


    Then I''ll take a few ads; at worst, we split the ad money three ways ¡ª one share for me, one for Robin, one for Furina, right?


    Hehe~ my account is basically made now, almost at 100 million followers.


    Not bad, truly worthy of Furina and Robin ¡ª they''re amazing."


    Hutao was startled.


    "One hundred million! That many people? Let me take a look!"


    Hutao leaned over next to Stelle and looked at the follower count, which had already passed 50 million!


    Hutao gasped.


    "Wow! If I had that many fans, wouldn''t my Funeral Hall have endless customers?"


    Firefly said,


    "You could say that. After all, when quantity leads to quality, with so many people, someone will need funeral services."


    Hearing this, Hutao quickly registered a microblog account and uploaded a photo of herself with Furina.


    Hutao kept staring at the follower count column, refreshing every three seconds.


    But her follower number still didn''t change; besides the official microblog account''s follow, there was no other follower.


    Hutao shook her phone vigorously.


    "Why isn''t my follower count moving? Is it broken?"


    March 7th said,


    "Don''t worry, it won''t be that fast. The content you upload usually needs to be reviewed by microblog officials before it starts being recommended."


    Hutao understood and put away her phone.


    The group walked to a dock where Furina and Robin''s boat had already returned, waiting for Stelle and the others.


    From afar, Furina spotted Stelle and Hutao''s group.


    "Stelle! Hu Tao! Over here! Over here!"


    Hearing Furina''s call, the group sped up and jogged onto the boat.


    The first thing Stelle did after boarding was to grab Furina and Robin for a photo.


    Robin covered her mouth, smiling softly.


    "Stelle, are you really going to keep your promise?"


    Stelle raised an eyebrow, sending the photo as she said,


    "Of course. Once this photo is posted, my account is officially made."


    The photo was uploaded to microblog, instantly reaching 99,999+ views.


    Sherlock: "Miss Furina is so beautiful! Miss Robin is so beautiful! Hmm? Who''s this little gray-haired one?"


    Family Divine Dog: "If I''m not mistaken, this little gray-haired one is our family''s new shareholder?"


    Alfalfa Tycoon: "That''s right, this little gray-haired one is part of the Astral Express crew. She''s the new owner of the Radiant Stone."


    Furina''s Dog: "How did she appear in the photo?"


    Alfalfa Tycoon: "Do you even need to ask? This person must be the blogger!"


    Happy Party-Goer: "Come on! The one who just wanted to offline stab the blogger, speak up now."


    Furina''s Dog: "Ah, uh..."


    Robin''s Loyal Fans: "Ah, uh..."


    After posting the photo, Stelle also posted a notice.


    Galaxy Fire Hero: "This account accepts advertisements. Interested parties, please email me your offers."


    After posting the notice, Stellar happily put away her phone and looked at Furina.


    "Why are you staring? Get the boat moving, let''s go have fun."


    Then, the group took the ferry to the New Opera Epiclese House.


    In Mondstadt,


    Topaz arrived in Mondstadt for the first time, quite curious about the city.


    Topaz strolled through Mondstadt''s streets and alleys, occasionally stopping to pet some kittens.


    Topaz asked around and eventually arrived at the church door.


    Pushing it open, Topaz''s eyes brightened.


    On both sides of the church were stained-glass windows painted with oil paintings, holy light shining in through the windows.


    At the end of the church, Barbara was praying.


    Seeing this, Topaz brought Numby to the side to sit quietly and waited for Barbara to finish her prayer.


    Finally,


    Barbara finished praying and noticed Topaz, immediately joyful.


    "Miss Topaz!"


    Topaz brought Numby closer.


    "Barbara, you don''t have an account, so I can''t transfer your singing earnings to you.


    I opened an account for you. Here is your bank card, and this is your song income from the past few days, a total of 3 billion. Take a look."

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158 - 158Barbara immediately remembered that she indeed did not have a bank account.


    "Thank you, Miss Topaz, and I really appreciate you personally bringing this to me."


    Topaz shook her head.


    "No problem. I just happened to have never been to Mondstadt before, so I came to take a look."


    Hearing this, Barbara invited her.


    "Then, let me show you around Mondstadt? I''ll treat you to Sweet Madame Chicken, a specialty dish here."


    Topaz smiled.


    "No need, I have a meeting soon. I''ll head back first. Maybe next time."


    Barbara felt a little disappointed.


    "Alright then, next time. When you have free time, I''ll take you around Mondstadt."


    Topa smiled and nodded, then left the church while Barbara watched her go.


    Barbara picked up the bank card in her hand and looked it over, then linked it to her chat app.


    Seeing the balance of 5 billion credits, she didn''t know how to spend it.


    So much money¡ªhow should she spend it? Buy some pretty clothes? But that wouldn''t cost much.


    After thinking for a moment, Barbara decided to donate the money to her sister so she could use it to build up Mondstadt.


    If this had been before she knew that Venti was the Anemo Archon,


    Barbara definitely would have without hesitation used the 5 billion credits to promote Barbatos''s miracles or build statues of the Wind God for people to worship.


    But now... I''m just glad I still believe in you.


    Barbara walked to Jean''s office door and knocked.


    "Sis, are you in there?"


    After a moment, Jean''s voice came from inside.


    "Come in, Barbara."


    Barbara entered Jean''s office and looked at the mountain of paperwork on Jean''s desk.


    "Sis, are you working overtime today?"


    Jean shook her head.


    "No, most of these are files to be handled tomorrow.


    Don''t forget, we agreed to go eat together tonight.


    Wait a bit; I''ll finish this document and then come with you."


    Barbara walked over and handed Jean the bank card Topaz had given her. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sis, these are the credit points Barbara earned from singing, just delivered by Miss Topaz.


    I don''t need this money, so you can use it to build up Mondstadt."


    Jean smiled warmly at Barbara and returned the card to her.


    "Barbara, this is your own money; keep it and use it slowly. I''ll figure out the funds for Mondstadt''s construction."


    Barbara pouted.


    "No, you take it. I don''t want it anyway. Hmph~"


    Barbara placed the bank card in Jean''s hand and then went to sit on the nearby sofa, acting stubborn about not wanting the 5 billion credit points.


    Jean sighed and smiled helplessly, having no choice but to accept the money for Mondstadt''s construction.


    Honestly, Jean was also worried about the new Mondstadt''s development.


    First, the efficiency of local workers was well known.


    Second, the materials issue.


    Jean had heard from Venti that Fontaine was already building a new city and envied how they had the funds to buy advanced equipment and materials.


    Now, with this 5 billion credits, the immediate problem was solved.


    Jean quickly finished the paperwork, and the two sisters left the Knights of Favonius headquarters.


    They exchanged glances, Barbara smiled and linked arms with Jean, and the two sisters walked toward the Hunter''s Restaurant.


    In Sumeru city,


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nahida were making preparations.


    Upon learning that Fontaine had started city construction, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nahida decided to speed things up and send the first batch of personnel ahead.


    The first group mostly consisted of craftsmen and a few scholars.


    Nahida was in charge of leading the team.


    For the new Sumeru city plan, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nahida decided to keep Sumeru''s unique features and planned to ask Calestia to transplant the Tree of Life to the new Sumeru territory,


    to create a forest by the Tree of Life.


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata looked down at the first group of immigrants, many of whom had desert features.


    He said,


    "Citizens, you will be the advance team to open our future home.


    Remember, safety first, understood?"


    The crowd below responded together,


    "Yes! Safety first!"


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata looked at Calestia playing games on her phone beside her.


    "Lady Calestia, please lend us a hand."


    Calestia licked her lips.


    "Wait until I finish this round, just a few minutes."


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata broke out in a cold sweat, feeling speechless.


    This woman literally plays games everywhere¡ªon the computer at the internet caf¨¦, on his phone outside, and with a controller at Ye Yun''s store.


    A few minutes later, Calestia happily turned off her phone.


    "All done, let''s go. I''ll help you move this tree."


    Calestia reached out, and the space containing the Tree of Life shrank quickly into a small cube floating into her hand.


    Then Calestia stepped through a teleportation portal.


    Nahida ordered the first immigrants to follow after seeing this.


    The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata crouched and tidied Nahida''s clothes.


    "Nahida, be careful."


    Nahida smiled.


    "Okay~"


    Nahida entered the portal.


    Calestia arrived at Ye Yun''s shop, opened a teleportation portal, and guided the Sumeru people to enter.


    "Don''t look around, hurry this way. Go through this door, then organize your group and wait for Nahida''s orders."


    Soon, the first batch of 5,000 immigrants all went through Calestia''s portal to the new Sumeru territory.


    The new Sumeru is located in the south of the continent, with lush vegetation and a hot climate.


    Calestia and Nahida arrived at their chosen city-building site and dropped the Tree of Life onto the ground.


    As soon as the Tree of Life touched the ground, its roots grew rapidly and anchored deep into the earth.


    The new Sumeru city is located in a valley where three rivers meet, surrounded by mountains and forests, home to many Sumeru-specific creatures brought by Nahida beforehand,


    such as Dodos and Shroomboar.


    Standing beneath the Tree of Life, Nahida issued orders to the crowd below.


    "Team one, gather clean water resources.


    Team two, collect timber.


    Team three, hunt for food.


    Team four, handle construction.


    Team five, manage security, organize patrol groups in shifts to ensure the camp''s safety.


    Everyone understand?"


    The crowd shouted in unison,


    "Understood!"


    Nahida was very pleased.


    "Then, let''s go! For Sumeru! Let''s go!"


    The first group consisted of 5,000 people, 1,000 per team.


    Sumeru has over 600,000 people in total; the more immigrants come, the faster they can catch up with Fontaine''s progress.


    Fontaine went through a great war, and only tens of thousands remain nationwide.


    ***


    Time passed quickly.


    In the blink of an eye, six days had already gone by, and there was only one day left before the train group headed to the next stop, Amphoreus.


    During these six days,


    Stelle''s Weibo account actually received advertisements¡ªthree ads earned her 1 billion credit points.


    Furina and Barbara were also called over by Topaz to release their second song.


    Both songs were produced at great expense by Topaz, with quality comparable to Furina''s previous hit, Light Ripples.


    This new release, however, didn''t bring Furina and Barbara a large new fanbase like the first one did.


    Furina''s fan count had now reached 1.9 billion; just from the earnings of the songs, she had made over 100 billion credit points.


    Barbara''s popularity wasn''t quite as high¡ªher fans had only just passed 90 million, and she had earned about 15 billion credit points.


    All six nations of Teyvat had already begun their city construction projects.


    Among them, aside from Fontaine who entered early and had the fastest construction speed, it was Liyue that built the quickest.


    Zhongli personally went to Jing Yuan to borrow a batch of advanced city-building equipment.


    For materials, with him and Azhdaha around, there was no need to buy anything; they simply fabricated what was needed.


    With the super efficiency of Liyue''s craftsmen, in just one week, they had built a coastal city in the territory of New Liyue that could accommodate 100,000 residents¡ªNew Liyue Harbor.


    The architectural style of New Liyue Harbor combined modern and classical elements, similar to the style of the Immortal Vessel.


    Fontaine had Furina, the wealthy benefactor, while Liyue had Zhongli, the king of connections¡ªthe two nations were head and shoulders above the others in speed.


    The second tier was Sumeru and Snezhnaya.


    Snezhnaya chose land in the northern region again, where fertile black soil was abundant.


    The third tier was Mondstadt, which, with Barbara''s assistance, managed to purchase some advanced equipment and materials.


    Unexpectedly, Inazuma''s speed was the slowest!


    Yes! Inazuma was the slowest at building cities, and even now had just laid the foundation.


    At that moment, Calestia, who was deeply immersed in gaming, heard the news and dropped her jaw in shock.


    She couldn''t even focus on her game and rushed over to New Inazuma to question Makoto and Yae Miko.


    Makoto could only helplessly accept it.


    Inazuma was in a pitiful state!


    The total population of the whole country, including the Watatsumi Island side, was only 260,000.


    These people had long been starving and were physically weak.


    As for research, don''t even mention it¡ªif their stomachs weren''t full, how many could afford to study?


    Inazuma had no money, no people, no equipment, relying purely on manual labor, so of course the efficiency was slow.


    After hearing Makoto''s explanation, Calestia sighed and personally donated 100,000 star coins to Makoto to buy equipment.


    As of today, the equipment was still on the way and would only arrive tomorrow.


    Meanwhile, Rimuru''s side was also engaged in large-scale construction during this period.


    Stelle and the others mostly spent this time in Rimuru''s area.


    They went to the human city and formed an adventurer team called the "Invincible Beautiful Girl Squad."


    Stelle recruited Firefly, March 7th, Ayaka, Hu Tao, Amber, Eula, Xiangling, Furina, and Robin.


    All the members were beautiful girls, without a single male.


    In the northern area of the Jura Forest,


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, Hutao, and Jing were cleaning up a battlefield.


    They received a mission today:


    to eliminate a highly poisonous spider nest that suddenly appeared in the northern Jura Forest.


    Upon arrival, the five managed to clear the nest in just five minutes¡ªa task that would have required a full large adventurer team.


    At Stelle''s feet, the Lightning Wolf was chasing a small spider, occasionally pinning it down with its paw.


    At that moment, Liuying came over.


    "Stelle, done. After we submit this mission tomorrow, our Invincible Beautiful Girl Squad will be promoted to a C-rank adventurer team!"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Mm, our goal is to be the strongest adventurer team!


    Let''s go, it''s getting late. Let''s submit the mission first, then return early, tomorrow we start a new expedition."


    Stelle and the others returned to the city.


    Just as they entered the Adventurer''s Guild, they saw Ellen, Kido, and Kaval looking troubled.


    The Adventurer''s Guild was a large tavern, mostly wooden, providing drinks and food for sale, priced slightly cheaper than outside restaurants.


    Many adventurers came here when idle to eat.


    Ellen, Kido, and Kaval were worried about the next meal.


    Ellen had spotted a magic staff and spent all her money to buy it.


    Hearing her stomach growl, Ellen deeply understood a saying:


    "Impulse is the devil! Splurging feels good for a moment, but starving feels awful."


    Stelle saw the three and walked over.


    "Yo~ isn''t this Ellen? Why the long faces?"


    "Oh, it''s you, Stelle. You guys have become famous recently¡ªjust a few days ago, you advanced from F-rank to D-rank."


    Stelle shook her hair and raised her head.


    "Of course! I am the invincible Galactic Fire Hero!


    By the way, what''s wrong with you three? Having trouble?"


    Kido gave a bitter laugh and shrugged.


    "Miss bought a magic staff; now we don''t have money for food."


    Ellen heard Kido spill her secret and immediately grabbed Kido''s waist and twisted hard.


    "Kido!"


    Kido grimaced.


    "Ouch!!! It hurts, hurts, hurts!"


    Stelle heard this and understood, giving a "I get it" look.


    "I understand how you feel.


    Back then, when I woke up in the Herta Space Station, penniless, I had to starve."


    March 7th rolled her eyes at Stelle, folding her arms.


    "Hehe, such a ''back then'' story¡ªhow long ago was that? You just said ''back then'' just now."


    Stelle smiled sheepishly.


    "I''m just trying to set the mood~ don''t mind me."


    Stelle looked at Ellen.


    "Come on, come with us to Rimuru''s place later. He''s got tons of good food.


    Yesterday I saw him buy a whole container of seasonings."


    Ellen said,


    "Hmm, okay. It''s been a few days since I last saw Mr. Rimuru."


    Kido also recalled the taste of the grilled meat they had at Rimuru''s.


    "Ah~ I still remember how delicious that grilled meat was~ very fragrant!"


    Kaval nodded in agreement.


    After submitting the mission and obtaining the C-rank adventurer badge, Stelle led Ellen, Kid, and Kaval towards Rimuru''s camp.


    With the Tempest Wolf as their mount, they traveled fast.


    In just half an hour, they returned to the former Goblin Camp, now the Monster Federation Republic City.


    This city now gathered over 10,000 goblins and many other intelligent monster species.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Hutao went directly through the portal to end today''s adventure and returned to the train.


    Ellen, Kido, and Kaval went to find Rimuru.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159 - 159Rimuru was also very happy to see Aileen and the others.


    "Oh!!! Ellen! Kido! Caval, you''re finally here. Just yesterday, I was thinking that I hadn''t seen you in a while."


    Kido smiled.


    "Lord Rimuru, we''re here to scrounge for food. Please take us in¡ªwe can''t even afford a meal!"


    Ellen gave Kido a kick in annoyance. How could he say such an embarrassing thing so casually?


    Rimuru chuckled at the comment.


    "No problem, leave it to me. Come on, there''s a big feast tonight. I got a bunch of seasonings and we''re having a barbecue party!"


    The three of them were overjoyed. They didn''t expect to arrive just in time for a feast.


    Rimuru called over Benimaru and had him take Ellen and the others to the barbecue.


    Benimaru was now serving as the Grand General. After receiving a name from Rimuru, over thirty ogres evolved into Kijin.


    Among them, Benimaru, Souei, Shuna, Shion, and Hakurou gained the most power.


    After Benimaru left with Ellen and the others, Rimuru looked at Shizu, who was cleaning her sword nearby.


    "Shizu, how was today''s adventure?"


    Shizu smiled slightly and nodded.


    "It was fun. Being with Stelle and the others was really enjoyable. There were always interesting things happening along the way."


    Rimuru nodded with relief.


    "That''s good to hear. Come on, let''s get some barbecue. I got a lot of seasoning from Yeyun.


    I even had Souei catch some fresh sea fish to make sashimi.


    With some wasabi and soy sauce¡ªit''s delicious!"


    Shizu was tempted by Rimuru''s description.


    "Ah~ I haven''t had sashimi with wasabi and soy sauce in a long time.


    The last time I had it was before I was reincarnated, when my mom bought a big bamboo mackerel."


    Rimuru laughed heartily.


    "Right? People from my place love eating that stuff. Let''s go, time for a feast!"


    Shizu happily agreed and hugged the slime as they headed off to eat.


    ¡ª


    On the Astral Express.


    Himeko gathered the crew for a meeting.


    Himeko, Welt, Dan Heng, Stelle, March 7th, Sunday, and Misha sat around a long dining table.


    Once everyone had arrived, Himeko spoke.


    "Tomorrow, we''ll be heading to Amphoreus to find something to solve the train''s fuel problem. Does anyone object?"


    Misha replied, "No objections. Wherever the Express goes, I go. As long as I''m with the crew."


    Himeko smiled.


    "Senior Mikhail, you say that, but rules are rules¡ªwe still have to ask."


    Misha nodded in understanding.


    Himeko then checked with the others¡ªStelle and the rest naturally had no objections.


    "Alright, since no one objects, the meeting is over. We''ll begin the warp at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Get some rest, everyone."


    After the meeting, the others dispersed. Stelle walked into the small bar to grab a bottle of cold cola to take back to the treehouse.


    She often got thirsty at night and frequently woke up to drink water.


    So, she''d make it a habit to grab a cold cola each evening.


    Just as she picked up the cola and was about to leave, she ran into Jing Yuan and Yanqing.


    "General Jing Yuan, Yanqing, long time no see! I haven''t seen you at the store these past few days."


    Jing Yuan laughed heartily and patted Yanqing on the shoulder.


    "Yanqing''s been sparring with me lately¡ªno time to stop by."


    Stelle responded, "Oh~ I see. Is Luofu alright?"


    Two generals training together surely caused quite the commotion.


    From her perspective, Luofu probably took a hit.


    Jing Yuan looked confused.


    "Luofu? Why would you ask that?"


    Then after a few seconds, he realized what she meant.


    "Oh, I get it. No worries, it''s just training."


    Stelle looked a bit disappointed.


    "I see~ alright then."


    Jing Yuan was speechless at her expression.


    Did she actually want Luofu to get wrecked?


    He decided to change the subject.


    "I heard you''re heading to the next stop¡ªwhere are you going?"


    Stelle answered, "A place called Amphoreus. Black Swan said even Akivili, the Aeon of Trailblaze, never went there. We''re going to look for something to solve our fuel problem."


    Jing Yuan replied, "An unknown place, huh? Be careful. If things get out of hand, come find me. I''ll help you take revenge in no time!"


    Yanqing added, "Yes. If you need help, I''ll strike with my blade."


    Stelle looked at Yanqing in disbelief.


    It made sense for Jing Yuan¡ªhe had restraint.


    But Yanqing? He heard Amphoreus looked like a sideways number 8.


    One slash from him and that "8" would probably become two "O"s.


    "Uh, right. If I run into something I can''t handle, I''ll call you two."


    Jing Yuan chuckled.


    "With your power, there aren''t many in the universe who can take you down¡ªyour Judgment of Shamash and the two Stellaron inside you."


    Stelle proudly put her hands on her hips.


    "That''s right! At full power, even if I fought you two, I wouldn''t necessarily lose!"


    Jing Yuan laughed again.


    "Then let''s spar sometime."


    Stelle immediately agreed.


    "Sure! Let''s go a few rounds when we have time."


    Then she took her cola, said good night to them, and returned to her room in the Abode.


    Jing Yuan went into the bar and cracked open two beers with Yanqing.


    The two had just finished training and were sweaty¡ªperfect time for some cold beer.


    They were both in sporty, youthful outfits.


    ¡ª


    The next morning.


    Pom-Pom entered Yeyun''s store to confirm the next stop with Himeko and the others.


    "Everyone, next stop is Amphoreus. Final confirmation¡ªany changes? Pom!"


    "I want to change it! I''m going to Pierpoint! I want to visit company HQ!" Elio suddenly stood up from the couch, raising his hand to cause trouble.


    Pom-Pom glared at Elio and ignored him.


    "Then I''ll go drive. Next stop: Amphoreus. Pom!"


    Elio leapt in front of Pom-Pom to block his way.


    "I said we''re going to Pierpoint! Didn''t you hear me?"


    Pom-Pom replied, "Stupid cat, Pom! You''re not a member of the Express crew, Pom! You don''t get to choose the next stop, Pom!


    Move it! Pom! Or I''ll make you taste my Trailblazer Headbutt, Pom!"


    Elio, unfazed by the threat, jumped up.


    "Final Kick, Style Two! Divine Cat Kick!"


    Pom-Pom took out a pointy hat.


    "Trailblazer Headbutt, Style Two! Spiked Hat!"


    Then came Elio''s scream. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fat bunny! You used a weapon! That''s not honorable combat!"


    With that, Elio passed out.


    ***


    "Attention all passengers, the train is about to depart. Please stand firm and hold on. Do not lean out of the windows. Thank you for your cooperation."


    Pom-Pom''s voice echoed through the train''s broadcast system as it slowly pulled away from the Penacony platform.


    Stelle, March 7th, Firefly, and Hutao were sitting in a booth drinking juice. Cards from the game Three Kingdoms Kill were laid out on the table¡ªthey were playing the game together.


    Sunday sat in a booth adjacent to theirs, quietly watching the platform recede through the window.


    Seeing this, Ye Yun teased him from across the aisle.


    "What''s wrong? Already feeling homesick just after we left?"


    Sunday gave a small smile.


    "Yeah, kind of. It''s strange¡ªbarely left and I''m already missing this place."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "That''s nothing. It''s not like we''re not coming back. With one jump from the train, we''ll be here again."


    The train accelerated, quickly leaving Penacony''s range and entering space.


    Pom-Pom''s voice came through the broadcast again.


    "The train is about to warp. Please remain seated and hold on.


    3!


    2!


    1!


    Warp!"


    A bright flash of light filled everyone''s vision.


    Moments later, their sight returned. The train had exited the wormhole and arrived in an unfamiliar starfield.


    March 7th looked out the window.


    "Wait, weren''t we going to Amphoreus? Why are we here? There''s nothing out there!"


    Black Swan appeared from a nearby mirror.


    "Amphoreus only reveals itself when reflected by the Memory Garden."


    March 7th turned to Black Swan.


    "Really? Then hurry and show us."


    Black Swan smiled and focused. Under her power, a world shaped like a M?bius strip appeared before everyone''s eyes.


    As soon as March 7th saw Amphoreus, she suddenly shivered, feeling a strange chill.


    While the others gathered to discuss, March 7th felt increasingly cold and dizzy.


    At first it was tolerable, but soon she could barely bear it.


    "You guys keep talking¡ªI''m not feeling well. I''ll go lie down."


    Stelle, Firefly, and Hutao looked at her in concern.


    "What''s wrong, March? Where does it hurt? I''ll go get Bailu to check on you," said Stelle as she got up.


    March 7th shook her head.


    "It''s okay, probably just a cold. I''m feeling a little chilly. I''ll be fine after some rest."


    Firefly offered, "Then you go rest. I''ll make you some herbal cold medicine."


    March 7th nodded and walked off toward the treehouse.


    After preparing the medicine, Firefly entered March 7th''s room.


    March 7th was already asleep in bed.


    Firefly placed the medicine on the bedside table and gently reached out to wake her up so she could drink it.


    March 7th woke up groggily and drank the medicine. She looked extremely weak.


    At that moment, Stelle and Hutao entered the room.


    "March, how are you feeling?" Stelle asked, worried.


    March 7th forced a smile.


    "I''m okay. Just sleepy.


    I probably won''t be able to join the expedition this time. Stelle, could you do me a favor? Take some photos for me?"


    Stelle took March 7th''s camera and stored it in her ring.


    "Of course. I''ll bring back a whole box of pictures for you."


    Satisfied, March lay back down and drifted into sleep.


    Firefly stepped forward to tuck her in, but the moment her hand touched the blanket, a burst of icy cold radiated outward.


    Firefly instinctively pulled her hand back.


    Suddenly, blocks of ice appeared around March, encasing her body.


    Stelle immediately reached out, but the ice had already wrapped around March, leaving only her head exposed.


    Firefly quickly ran to Yeyun''s shop to tell the others what had happened.


    Everyone rushed to March''s room upon hearing the news.


    Himeko stood at the bedside, face grim.


    "What happened here?"


    Stelle recalled, "March has been acting strange ever since we arrived at Amphoreus. She said she felt unwell and came back to rest."


    Welt examined March closely.


    "She seems to be trapped in some kind of dream. Sunday, check her condition."


    Sunday nodded and began his inspection.


    After a while, he retracted his power and shook his head.


    "It doesn''t appear to be caused by any memory substance. I couldn''t detect any presence of it in her."


    Welt frowned and fell into thought.


    "Wait, don''t we have Senzu Beans? Let''s try one on her."


    Sunday promptly took one out, but Himeko stopped him.


    "No. We don''t know what''s wrong with her. What if the bean makes things worse?"


    Stelle asked, "Then what do we do?"


    Himeko thought for a moment, then looked at Star.


    "Stelle, you and Dan Heng will handle the expedition this time.


    Welt, Sunday, you two go to the Herta Space Station and ask Lady Herta if she knows anything about this.


    We''ll split into two teams."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Stelle and Dan Heng, following Pom-Pom''s directions, headed to the rearmost car.


    This car had been converted by Himeko and Pom-Pom into a landing module.


    It was heavily fortified and equipped with devices for communicating with the train crew¡ªessentially a mobile base during expeditions.


    Stelle sat inside and murmured, "Feels weird not having March with us..."


    March had always joined the expeditions, her chatter making the journeys more lively.


    Suddenly, Stelle''s phone rang urgently.


    It was a message from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Master: "@Stelle, wait up! Don''t go yet!"


    Stelle turned to Dan Heng. "Wait a minute¡ªHutao says to hold up."


    Dan Heng paused his preparations.


    Moments later, Hutao ran in holding a portal wrapped in bubbles.


    "Stelle! Yeyun just told me there are treasure chests on Amphoreus too! Open a gate for me when you land, we''re coming!"


    Stelle''s eyes lit up and she happily took the portal, storing it in her ring.


    "Nice! I didn''t think there''d be treasure here too¡ªperfect~"


    This time, there were no more interruptions.


    Dan Heng launched the landing car after checking in with Pom-Pom. Its rear engine ignited and propelled it toward Amphoreus.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160 - 160The Astral Express sped rapidly toward Amphoreus.


    Stelle sat in the carriage, chatting leisurely with the others.


    Suddenly! The carriage was struck hard, and the engine caught fire as it plummeted toward the ground. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dan Heng and Stelle reacted quickly, leaping onto the top of the carriage.


    Stelle looked around and saw parts of the train breaking off and trailing flames as they fell alongside the main carriage body.


    Seeing this, Dan Heng no longer held back and transformed directly into his Imbibitor Lunae form. He carried Stelle away from the carriage just before it hit the ground, landing safely.


    The moment the carriage hit the ground, it exploded violently. Stelle and Dan Heng arrived at the crash site.


    Dan Heng inspected the carriage¡ªeverything inside had been destroyed.


    He checked his phone¡ªno signal.


    At this point, the only option was to explore the surrounding area and see if they could find someone who could lead them to a settlement.


    "Stelle, let''s go this way," Dan Heng said.


    Stelle nodded.


    "Okay."


    As the two walked forward, Stelle started feeling something was off.


    In her vision, the surrounding scenery kept shifting¡ªat one moment a brand-new city, the next a gloomy ruin.


    She also saw a small pink thing flying ahead.


    Stelle told Dan Heng what she saw.


    Dan Heng thought for a moment.


    "Which way did the pink thing go?"


    Stelle pointed to a passage. Dan Heng said:


    "Let''s follow it."


    They walked in the direction Stelle had pointed, and before long, they came across some locals.


    However, the locals looked troubled, sighing one after another.


    Stelle and Dan Heng approached and asked what was wrong. They learned that the locals'' homeland had been invaded by something called the Scion of the Conflict Titan or some such.


    As they spoke, a scream came from behind them.


    "Run! It''s coming! Everyone run!"


    Stelle and Dan Heng turned to see dozens of massive statues attacking nearby civilians.


    Stelle pulled out Judgment of Shamash, slung it over her shoulder, and charged forward, instantly slicing several statues.


    Dan Heng summoned a water dragon with the Aqua Pearl, which swept through and destroyed the remaining statues.


    At that moment, a white-haired man descended from the sky, turning and rushing toward Stelle, stopping beside her.


    "You''re carrying something very interesting," he said.


    The white-haired man reached for the Judgment of Shamash in Stelle''s hands.


    Confidently, he turned to run, but his body was suddenly pulled back as if tethered.


    Turning, he saw Stelle glaring at him angrily. She was gripping the weapon tightly¡ªhe hadn''t been able to snatch it away.


    "What are you doing? Robbing someone in broad daylight?" Stelle asked.


    With a slight effort, she broke free of the man''s grip.


    The man was about to rise when three water dragons materialized around him, summoned by Dan Heng, who landed nearby.


    "Speak! Who are you, and why did you attack us?" Dan Heng demanded.


    The man smiled awkwardly and was about to explain when a voice came from the distance.


    "Phainon! You''re messing around again! Rushing off like that and causing trouble!"


    A little girl with short red hair, wearing a white dress and tiny wings on her back, came running over.


    She scolded the man, saying, "Phainon! Why do you always attack strangers? Have you forgotten what I taught you about manners?"


    After her lecture, she turned to Stelle and Dan Heng.


    "To our new friends, please relax. We mean no harm. Phainon was just worried you might be dangerous since you fell from the sky."


    "I''m Tribbie from Janusopolis, and this is Phainoni."


    "Phainon, apologize!"


    The man quickly apologized.


    "Sorry, you landed in a dangerous area in a very unusual way¡ªI was being overly cautious."


    Dan Heng dismissed the water dragons.


    "Understandable. We''re trailblazers from beyond the sky."


    Stelle widened her eyes at Dan Heng.


    "Dan Heng, are you serious? Telling strangers who we really are?"


    "Let me handle this."


    Ahem.


    "Hello, I''m the Galactic Fire Hero. Pleased to meet you."


    Dan Heng didn''t argue further.


    Phainon responded, "So you''re not from the sky¡ªbut from beyond it?"


    Tribbie added with wonder, "Wow! From beyond the sky! It''s a good thing you met us¡ªwe won''t harm you. If it had been someone else..."


    Stelle kicked a shattered statue at her feet.


    "You mean this? Honestly, nothing special. Pretty weak."


    Tribbie was impressed by Stelle''s confidence.


    "Amazing! But these are just one kind. Let''s talk somewhere safer. This is the wild¡ªwe might run into more trouble."


    Stelle and Dan Heng exchanged a look and agreed.


    They followed Tribbie into an abandoned temple.


    There, Tribbie explained their current situation: they were trying to evacuate refugees from Janusopolis.


    However, a priest refused to leave his homeland.


    With Tribbie''s, Stelle''s, and Dan Heng''s help, the priest eventually agreed.


    After defeating a wave of monsters, a herd of Dromas arrived to carry the refugees.


    Stelle ran to one of the beasts, looked up in awe, and said:


    "Wow! That big?"


    She eagerly climbed up, but the beast shook her off.


    "Ouch¡ªwhat''s its problem? Doesn''t know me well?"


    Phainon shook his head.


    "You stepped on its reverse scale. Try a different spot."


    Stelle dusted herself off and climbed up again¡ªthis time successfully reaching the saddle.


    Sitting atop the Dromas, Stelle marveled at the view.


    She patted the beast.


    "Giddy-up! Let''s go!"


    The Dromas glanced back at her and began walking.


    Over an hour later...


    Stelle, Dan Heng, and the others arrived at the "Eternal Holy City" Okhema.


    Just as they arrived, the city came under attack by more Scions of the Conflict.


    Phainon rushed ahead to help.


    Stelle and Dan Heng looked at each other and urged their beast to speed up.


    ***


    Meanwhile...


    On the Astral Express.


    Ye Yun was helping Ayaka with her shopping.


    Ayaka had saved up 10,000 star coins and wanted to buy something.


    She hadn''t spent anything in Ye Yun''s shop yet¡ªall the Primogems from Inazuma had been handed over to Makoto and Ei.


    The star coins in Ayaka''s hands were earned from participating in dungeon games.


    "Is there anything in particular you want to buy, Ayaka? Something to improve your strength?" Ye Yun asked.


    Ayaka shook her head and typed a few characters into the touchscreen. A few product listings popped up.


    Ye Yun leaned in to take a look.


    [Item: Enchanting Singing Voice] Description: A special item. Grants the user a beautiful singing voice. Price: 10,000 star coins


    "Why do you want to buy this?" Ye Yun asked, puzzled.


    Ayaka replied,"I want to earn credit points through my own efforts, just like Furina and Barbara, to help Inazuma develop."


    Ye Yun nodded in understanding. So Ayaka wanted to become a pop idol to earn credit points.


    That was a solid idea. Credit points could be used to purchase lots of building materials from the Company.


    Ye Yun looked at Ayaka, realizing something¡ªhe had never heard her sing before.


    "Ayaka, to be honest, I''ve never heard you sing.Noelle, bring over the mobile karaoke."


    Noelle ran off and dragged the mobile karaoke machine over.


    Ye Yun handed the microphone to Ayaka.


    "Here, give it a try. Honestly, I have this idea¡ªwhat if you formed a girl group with Barbara and Nilou from Sumeru?"


    Ayaka was taken aback."Eh? Is that really okay?"


    She took the mic, and Ye Yun picked a random song for her to try out, just to test her voice.


    The music started, and Ayaka began singing along, a bit shy and hesitant.


    By the end of the song, Ye Yun had figured out her issue.


    Her voice was great¡ªthe only problem was that she was too shy to sing confidently.


    "Ayaka, your voice is really nice. You''re just too nervous."


    Ayaka blushed slightly at the compliment."R-Really?"


    Ye Yun nodded."Of course. Want to join the girl group I''m putting together?"


    Ayaka thought for a moment."Sure! I''ll join."


    Ye Yun clapped his hands¡ªnice! The first member of the Teyvat girl group was locked in.


    "Great. Wait here¡ªI''ll call Barbara and Nilou."


    Ayaka nodded and sat quietly to the side.


    Ye Yun first called Jean to tell her about the girl group idea.


    Jean responded,"Alright. I''ll ask Barbara and get back to you."


    After hanging up with Jean, Ye Yun called Nahida and asked her to send someone to check if Nilou would be interested.


    At the Grand Bazaar...


    Nilou was in the middle of dance rehearsal. Ever since Nahida and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had come to power, the bazaar had returned to its former glory.


    Most of the entertainment venues in Sumeru City were now located there, and Nilou was thrilled¡ªshe practiced her dance daily.


    While she was on stage rehearsing, Alhaitham walked over.


    "Nilou."


    She paused and looked over. "Grand Sage!"


    Alhaitham no longer flinched at that title. In fact, he rather enjoyed it.


    He only had to handle government work four hours a day. Unless Nahida or the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata assigned him something extra, the rest of the time was his own.


    Plus, being Grand Sage meant he could pursue any academic research he wanted¡ªas long as he reported it to Nahida or the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.


    He led Nilou to a quiet spot.


    "Nilou, I''m here on behalf of the Lesser Lord Kusanali to ask you something."


    Nilou perked up at the mention of Nahida. "Ask away¡ªif I know the answer, I''ll tell you."


    Alhaitham explained, "Mr. Ye Yun wants to form a Teyvat girl group, and he''d like to invite you to join. Are you interested?"


    Nilou''s head filled with question marks. "Teyvat girl group? What''s that?"


    Alhaitham replied, "It means you and a few other girls would form a performance group and appear in Ye Yun''s world. I personally recommend joining. You''ll be well-paid for performing. For example, Lady Furina from Fontaine has already built up a reputation there. Thanks to the money she earned, New Fontaine was able to purchase lots of advanced tech and develop rapidly."


    Nilou fell into thought, then nodded. "Alright, I''ll join."


    She had considered it¡ªperforming over there was still performing, and if it could help Sumeru, why not?


    Alhaitham wasn''t surprised by her answer. Nilou was deeply loyal to Sumeru¡ªif it helped the nation, she''d definitely do it.


    "Then come with me. I''ll take you to meet Mr. Ye Yun."


    Nilou followed Alhaitham to the Sanctuary of Surasthana, stepped through the portal, and arrived in Ye Yun''s shop.


    Barbara had already been there for a while and had agreed to join the Teyvat girl group. She was chatting with Ayaka.


    Ye Yun smiled when he saw Nilou arrive."Great. Everyone''s here."


    Nilou stepped forward with a warm smile."Long time no see, Mr. Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun gave a slight nod in return."So you''ve agreed to join?Let me introduce your fellow members.


    From the Kamisato Clan of Inazuma, Kamisato Ayaka.From Mondstadt''s church, Sister Barbara.


    Ayaka, Barbara¡ªthis is Nilou, a famous dancer from Sumeru."


    Ye Yun helped the three of them get acquainted.


    Nilou looked at Ayaka and Barbara."Nice to meet you both. I''m Nilou. Let''s work well together."


    Ayaka and Barbara each greeted Nilou in turn.


    Ye Yun then said,"Alright, ladies¡ªlet me take you somewhere nice."


    He led them into a part of his serenitea realm.


    Next to the treehouse where Stelle and the others lived, Ye Yun had developed another large tree.


    Like Stelle''s treehouse, this one had a spiral staircase leading upward.


    Inside, to the right was a 300-square-meter dance studio. On the left, a recording booth where Topaz was lounging and playing on her phone.


    Topaz saw Ye Yun walk in and waved."Yo~ Finally! These three are your idol group?"


    Ye Yun nodded."That''s right."


    Topaz was a little surprised to see Barbara¡ªshe had already released songs in this universe.


    Still, that wasn''t really a problem. It''s not like anyone said you couldn''t join a group if you''d already gone solo.


    "Nice to meet you all. I''ll be in charge of producing, releasing, and promoting your songs from now on."

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161 - 161Topaz chatted with Barbara, Ayaka, and Nilou for a while, then took the three of them to the dance studio.


    In the dance studio, there was a robot.


    This robot had been purchased by Ye Yun from the system.


    Its function was to choreograph dances and teach dance moves.


    According to the system, the chip in this dance robot contained over a billion types of dances.


    The three girls began learning dance moves from the robot.


    Topaz planned to first have the three girls master a few song-and-dance numbers, and then let them participate in some competitions to make their debut.


    Seeing the Teyvat girl group trio making good progress, Ye Yun left the treehouse and returned to the store.


    Just as he came back, he saw Kiana who had been bored in the shop¡ªsometimes going to the small bar to play with water, sometimes lying in the lounge area watching TV.


    "Kiana, are you that free?"


    Kiana saw Ye Yun and shrugged.


    "Can''t help it. Mei is busy, Stelle went exploring again, and Hu Tao and the others are doing their own thing.


    No one to play with me."


    Just then, the door to the reception room opened, and Jashin-chan poked her head out.


    "I can play with you, but it''ll cost you~ 50 star coins an hour. How about it? How about it?"


    Ye Yun immediately rolled his eyes at Jashin-chan.


    "Jam-chan, cut the nonsense."


    Jashin-chan immediately became disgruntled.


    "Come on, my time is valuable too, okay?"


    Ye Yun said helplessly.


    "Isn''t Kiana your good friend? You''re still charging her?"


    Whether it was because she thought Ye Yun made sense or not, Jashin-chan froze for a moment.


    Just as Ye Yun thought Jashin-chan realized her mistake...


    "Oh right! Kiana is my good friend, and I haven''t charged her the friend fee yet.


    Let me think, how much did Medusa give back then? Oh~ 2 million yen."


    Ye Yun gave Jashin-chan a solid knock on the head.


    "You''re hopeless!"


    Jashin-chan winced in pain.


    "Ahhh!!! Ye Yun! Don''t hit my head! Getting hit on the head makes you dumb!"


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes again.


    "Go to the kitchen and prep the food."


    Jashin-chan pouted.


    "No! You just hit me, so I''m not helping you."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Fine, I''ll do it myself. But don''t expect to bring any food back later.


    If I''m not mistaken, the allowance Yukarin gave you has already been used on pachinko or gacha again, hasn''t it?"


    The more Jashin-chan heard, the more she started sweating¡ªMasaka! How did Ye Yun know? Could this be the legendary fortune-telling?


    No! If she went back without any food, Yukarin would definitely flip out!!!


    Jashin-chan dashed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and began chopping cabbage at lightning speed.


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow at the sight.


    Just this? And you think I can''t handle a little cauliflowery snake like you?


    Kiana was amazed. Ye Yun was just too strong¡ªJashin-chan couldn''t stand up to him at all.


    Just then, the shop door opened and Qingque walked in.


    Humming a little tune, she entered the bar area and got ready to start her shift.


    Her vacation was over, and Jing Yuan had indeed honored the leave he had promised her.


    Qingque leisurely sat on a high stool and began transcribing product information.


    She had just copied one item when she suddenly stopped, went into the bar, and poured herself a glass of juice.


    Taking a sip, she picked the pen back up and continued working.


    In that moment, Qingque felt her life was perfect.


    This job was so comfy¡ªno boss constantly watching her, light workload,


    And from time to time, she could chat with her friends on the train and maybe play a round of Celestial Jade.


    Kiana saw Qingque and walked over.


    "Qingque, what are you doing?"


    Qingque replied, "I''m working. What about you?"


    Kiana spread her hands."I''m just wandering around. I''m bored. No one wants to play with me."


    Qingque waved her hand.


    "No problem~ Just wait a bit. I''ll teach you something fun."


    Kiana perked up.


    "Oh? What is it? Have I played it before?" sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qingque put on a mysterious air.


    "This thing... guaranteed to be fun~"


    Kiana gave her a knowing, intrigued smile.


    "Ohoho? Then hurry up. I''ll wait over there."


    Qingque gave an OK gesture and continued transcribing the product data.


    Kiana went to sit in one of the booth seats, waiting for Qingque to finish work.


    Over ten minutes later...


    Qingque completed her work. As a master of slacking, she definitely wouldn''t send it off right away.


    If she submitted it too early, the boss might say, "Wow! You''ve got free time? Go do something else."


    And if she waited too close to the end of her shift, it would look too obvious. Do it too often, and the boss would catch on.


    Through experience, Qingque had concluded that the ideal time to submit work was about 30 minutes before the end of the shift.


    That way, it looked like she finished perfectly, and no suspicions were raised.


    Qingque packed up her things and walked over to Kiana.


    "Come on, I''ll take you to do something fun."


    Kiana jumped up with a "woohoo" and followed Qingque into the reception room.


    Once inside, Kiana looked around curiously.


    "Qingque, what are we doing here? Watching a movie?"


    Qingque wagged her finger.


    "Nope~ Just wait a moment."


    She touched her storage ring, pulled out a Celestial Jade set, then a card table and four chairs.


    Kiana stood beside her, fascinated by the setup.


    "What is this? How do you play?"


    Qingque pulled out a chair, patted it, and gestured for Kiana to sit.


    "Here, sit first. I''ll go call two more people."


    Kiana sat down.


    "Alright, hurry up."


    Qingque ran out of the room and called Guinaifen.


    "Hello? Guinaifen, want to play a round of Celestial Jade?


    You''re streaming for rent money? Come quick! We have a newbie!"


    After securing Guinaifen, Qingque went to the kitchen.


    "Jam-chan, how much longer?"


    Jashin-chan thought for a moment and replied.


    "Not many people eating today¡ªten more minutes."


    Qingque nodded.


    "You want to play Celestial Jade later?"


    Jashin-chan looked confused.


    "Huh? Celestial Jade? What''s that?"


    Qingque thought a bit, then explained in simpler terms.


    "It''s mahjong. You know that, right?"


    Jashin-chan''s eyes lit up.


    "Oh, that I know! Count me in! I want to play!"


    Just hearing it was mahjong got her hyped.


    "How high are the stakes?"


    Qingque replied.


    "Small stakes¡ªbase of 1,000 credit points."


    Jashin-chan agreed instantly, ignoring her empty wallet.


    Qingque got all her players together and returned to the reception room to wait.


    Jashin-chan cheered herself on and sped up her chopping, moving so fast her hands left afterimages.


    ***


    Guinaifen stepped through the portal into Ye Yun''s shop. She looked around and saw only Ye Yun lying on the sofa playing with his phone, and the seven little ones playing with LEGO blocks in the lounge area.


    "Ye Yun, long time no see."


    Ye Yun looked up and saw Guinaifen.


    "Oh, it''s you. Long time no see, little Guizi. How have you been lately?"


    Guinaifen gave a proud thumbs-up.


    "Pretty great! After that livestream at Suiyuan, my fan count shot up like crazy.


    By the way, where''s Qingque? She told me to come play Diyuan Qiongyu¡ªsaid there''s a newbie and I can make some living expenses!"


    Ye Yun raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    "Didn''t your livestream take off already? Why are you still short on living expenses?"


    When Guinaifen heard that, she recalled her recent troubles.


    "Don''t ask. I just bought a house in Changle Heaven and used up all my savings. The donations from my livestream are still under review¡ªI can''t withdraw them until they''re approved."


    Ye Yun clicked his tongue.


    "Tsk tsk, impressive. You bought a house already."


    Guinaifen chuckled and stood with her hands on her hips.


    "Of course! Now I finally have a place to call home.


    Alright, alright, enough chatting. Where''s Qingque? She called me here to make money."


    Ye Yun pointed toward the reception room.


    "Over there. You''re the last one we were waiting on. Go on in."


    Guinaifen thanked him and entered the reception room.


    Inside, she found Kiana, Qingque, and Jashin-sama (Little Evil God) already waiting, with Qingque looking a bit impatient.


    Qingque brightened up when she saw Guinaifen.


    "Guizi, you''re finally here! Quick, take a seat. Let''s start a round already!"


    Once Guinaifen sat down, Qingque began teaching Kiana how to play Mahjong, explaining the rules as they went.


    Kiana listened with wide-eyed confusion, asking nonstop questions like a curious baby to try and understand.


    Seeing this, Qingque and Guinaifen decided to jump straight into actual games¡ªfirst three rounds wouldn''t count, just for Kiana to get familiar.


    In the first round, Kiana awkwardly arranged her tiles.


    Qingque played an 8-dot tile.


    "Eight-dot. Kiana, it''s your turn to draw and discard. Every turn, you draw one tile and discard one."


    Kiana, excited, drew a tile and discarded a five-character tile.


    Qingque explained every action she took, including moves like "Pong" and "Kong."


    Kiana learned quickly. After three rounds, she pretty much had the hang of the game.


    With fire in her eyes, Kiana clenched her fists.


    "Hmph! I get it now! Watch me¡ªI''m gonna win so hard you''ll be crying to your moms!"


    Then the real game began.


    For the first hour, Qingque, Jahy-sama, and Guinaifen used their experience to take turns winning.


    But after that, things changed¡ªKiana''s insane luck kicked in. She started winning hand after hand with self-drawn tiles, racking up over ten consecutive wins.


    Jahy-sama looked at the last 10,000 credits in her coin pouch. No way! She couldn''t walk away empty-handed!


    "Ahhh~ Um, I have to go make dinner for Yuririn. You guys keep playing, I''m heading out~"


    She tried to sneak off with her last 10,000 credits, but Kiana grabbed her before she could escape.


    "Dinner for Yurine? Easy. Have her come eat at Ye Yun''s place. Just one more pair of chopsticks!"


    Qingque chimed in too.


    "Exactly! Food''s food, doesn''t matter where you eat it. Have her come here.


    You sit tight¡ªI''ll go tell Yurine myself."


    Without giving Jashin-sama a chance to say no, Qingque dashed out of the room and shut the door behind her with a sly smile.


    Heh~ I know your type. Win a little and try to run? Not on my watch!


    Qingque had seen plenty of people like that¡ªno way was she letting anyone pull that on her table.


    She dove into a portal and arrived at Yurine''s apartment.


    Yurine was working on her homework¡ªyes, she was still a student.


    Hearing the noise, Yurine thought Jashin-sama was back.


    "Jami-chan, did you buy the groceries? Huh? Oh, Qingque-chan, it''s you. What brings you here?"


    Qingque looked around and explained,


    "Jami-chan''s with us playing Mahjong. Why not come to Ye Yun''s shop for lunch? We''re having sweet-and-sour cabbage and braised fish."


    Yurine nodded.


    "Alright. Thanks for coming all the way."


    Qingque waved a hand.


    "No problem~ I''ll head back now. See you later."


    She jumped back through the portal and hurried back to continue the game of Celestial Jade.


    Yurine watched her leave, then returned to her homework. By the time she finished, it would be just about lunchtime.


    On Amphoreus:


    Stelle and Dan Heng met with Aglaea.


    At the Hero''s Bath, Aglaea made them promise not to reveal their identities as people from beyond this world.


    Stelle and Dan Heng agreed.


    Aglaea then prepared to take them to see the Vortex of Genesis, the place where the Flame is kept.


    Just then, Stelle said,


    "Hold on a sec~ I wanna place something down."


    Stelle pulled out a Pathfinder Beacon and placed it down. Dan Heng explained.


    "That''s a beacon. It''s part of our mission as Trailblazers."


    Aglaea examined the space beacon.


    "A beacon? No problem."


    Stelle then tossed down a portal on the ground. Aglaea asked,


    "What''s this?"


    Dan Heng replied,


    "That''s a portal. It leads back to our base¡ªthe Astral Express."


    Aglaea became interested.


    "You mean through this portal, we can go to your world?"


    Xing checked her phone and nodded.


    "Yep. Perfect timing too¡ªdinnertime is about to start on the train. Wanna come with us?


    We''ve got four chefs on board: Ye Yun, Xiangling, Mei, and Jami-chan."


    Aglaea thought for a moment and agreed. She was curious to see what the outside world looked like.


    "Alright. Thank you for the offer."fre§×webnovel.com


    Stelle waved it off casually.


    "No biggie~ Oh! Let''s call Phainon, Mydei, and the Tribbie triplets too. It''ll be fun with everyone."


    Aglaea agreed and had someone go call them.


    Tribbie, Trinnon, and Trianne flew over and landed in front of Aglaea.


    "Woohoo~ Tribbie landing complete!" Trianne held her arms out and did a little skid stop in front of Aglaea.


    Trianne scolded her.


    "Tribbie! How many times have I told you¡ªbe careful! Don''t fly so fast!"


    Tribbie just giggled.


    "I won''t, I won''t! I''m a top-tier flyer!"

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162 - 162Trinnon looked at Aglaea with her hands on her hips.


    "Aglaea, why did you call us here?"


    Castorice and Phainon also looked at Aglaea expectantly.


    Seeing this, Aglaea told them that Stelle had invited everyone to an off-world meal.


    After hearing this, Castorice shook her head.


    "I''ll pass, Lady Aglaea. I''ll stay behind in Ochema."


    Phainon quickly followed up.


    "I won''t go either. Thank you for the kind offer, Stelle, but I''ll stay behind too."


    Stelle replied,


    "Alrighty then~ Next time! The portal''s right here anyway¡ªyou can go anytime.


    Okay, let''s go!"


    Tribbie cheered excitedly.


    "Woohoo~ We''re going to eat off-world with Little Gray! Charge!"


    She dashed straight into the portal.


    Trinnon didn''t have time to stop her, so she could only grab Teening and follow.


    The three little ones jumped through the portal. Seeing this, Stelle and Dan Heng called Aglaea to join them and stepped through as well.


    Bai''e watched them disappear into the portal and was full of amazement.


    "As expected of people from beyond¡ªthey sure have a lot of strange gadgets."


    On the Train


    Ye Yun and Xiangling were busy cooking lunch.


    Not many people were eating today¡ªjust the Stellaron Hunters, Himeko, the four playing mahjong, Feixiao, Acheron, and Venti.


    The seven little ones were still sitting in the lounge area playing with LEGO bricks.


    After a whole morning, they had already built a castle.


    They chatted noisily as they built, completely absorbed in discussion.


    Just then, Teean burst out of the portal.


    With a jump, she landed and raised both hands high.


    "Perfect landing~"


    Her voice drew the attention of the seven little ones.


    Bailu looked at Teean''s height and appearance.


    Hmm! A new friend has arrived!


    With a wave of her small hand, Bailu led Klee, Hook, Diona, Sayu, Yaoyao, and Qiqi toward Tribbie.


    "Hey, you''re the new one, right? I''m Bailu. What''s your name?"


    Tribbie looked over the seven little ones.


    "Hello, hello, nice to meet you, Bailu. We are Teean!"


    Just then, Trinnon and Teening arrived.


    "Tribbie, slow down! Little Gray and the others aren''t here yet~"


    Trinnon dragged Trianne along as they ran over.


    Klee saw them and gasped.


    "Wow~ You all look exactly the same!"


    Trinnon was about to scold Trianne again, but upon hearing Klee, she looked around and realized they were already in a strange new place.


    Judging by the situation, this must be the train Little Gray mentioned?


    "Hello, we are Trinnon. Nice to meet you. We came as guests at Little Gray''s invitation."


    Trianne also introduced herself.


    "Hello, we are Trianne."


    Diona found something odd about how they introduced themselves.


    "Why do you all use ''we'' when introducing yourselves? Shouldn''t it be ''I''?"


    Trinnon smiled and explained.


    "Because... we''re actually just one person~"


    Hearing that, Hook''s little head got even more confused.


    "One person? Aren''t there three of you? Hook''s brain is gonna explode!"


    At that moment, Bailu said,


    "Who cares! Don''t overthink it. I''m Bailu.


    These are Klee, Hook, Diona, Qiqi, Yaoyao, and Sayu.


    We''re building with blocks. Wanna join? It''s super fun!"


    Faced with Bailu''s invitation, Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon agreed.


    The ten little ones gathered around the half-finished castle, chatting and continuing the build.


    Before long¡ª


    Stelle, Dan Heng, and Aglaea also arrived on the train.


    As soon as she stepped back onboard, Stelle took a deep breath.


    "Aah~ It''s always so comfy on the train, even the air smells sweet." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dan Heng mercilessly exposed her reasoning.


    "The sweet smell is because Ye Yun is cooking sweet-and-sour cabbage for lunch."


    Hearing that, Stelle instantly lost interest.


    "Tch~ Boring. I''m going to check on March. You take care of Aglaea."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    Aglaea was curiously observing her surroundings¡ªso this was the world beyond? It really was different.


    "Ms. Aglaea, this way please. Let me first introduce you to the owner of this little shop.


    The shop is actually located on this train and travels the universe with our crew.


    Inside, you can buy anything you want. That''s right¡ªanything."


    Aglaea was stunned.


    "You can buy anything?"


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Yes. Come on, let me take you to meet Ye Yun."


    He led Aglaea to the kitchen, where Ye Yun and Xiangling were each busy stir-frying a large pot, working up a sweat.


    "Ye Yun."


    Hearing his name, Ye Yun stopped what he was doing.


    "Oh hey, Dan Heng. You and Stelle are back already? I thought you''d be gone for days."


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Things went well. We''ve already reached the local city.


    This is Ms. Aglaea, a local of Amphoreus. We invited her to dine with us on the train. Sorry for the trouble."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No problem¡ªjust one more pair of chopsticks."


    He turned to Aglaea.


    "Nice to meet you, Ms. Aglaea. I''m Ye Yun, the owner of this shop. Please have a seat. I''ll finish cooking and we can eat together."


    Aglaea nodded with a smile.


    "Alright, thank you for your hard work, Ye Yun. We''ll talk more later."


    Dan Heng brought Aglaea to a sofa booth nearby to rest.


    Just then, Himeko walked over with three cups of tea. After a round of introductions, she and Aglaea began chatting.


    Himeko was fascinated by Amphoreus¡ªa world that had never appeared in any public records.


    As they chatted, sudden crying broke out from the seven little ones.


    Himeko and Ye Yun immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed over.


    Dan Heng and Aglaea followed.


    At the scene¡ª


    The seven little ones were hugging Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon, all crying loudly.


    "Waah! Tribbie, you guys are so pitiful! Klee is so sad!"


    "Uwaaah~ You''re all too unfortunate~"


    Ye Yun picked up Klee and patted her back.


    "There, there. What''s wrong, Klee?"


    Klee wiped her tears.


    "Brother Ye Yun~ Can you help Tribbie and the others? Their companions are all gone. Only the three of them are left."


    Ye Yun took a tissue from Himeko and gently wiped Klee''s tears.


    "Alright. Brother Ye Yun will help. Tell me what happened."


    Klee nodded obediently and explained Tribbie and the others'' situation.


    Not just Ye Yun¡ªeven Himeko, Feixiao, and the others felt a heavy sadness after hearing their story.


    Trianne ruffled Hook''s hair and smiled brightly to comfort her.


    "Okay okay~ Don''t cry~ I''m the one who lived through it and I''m not even sad. Why are you guys crying? Come on, smile! You all look best when you smile!"


    ***


    Hook tightly hugged Trianne.


    "Trianne! Eat more food later, okay? Eat lots of food! Only then will your body get the nutrients it needs!"


    Trinnon had already explained Trianne''s condition to the Seven Little Ones.


    In Hook''s view, Tian was like this because she didn''t eat enough and lacked proper nutrition.


    As long as she ate more delicious food, her body would gradually recover.


    Himeko overheard and looked at Trianne.


    "Is this little one feeling unwell?"


    Trinnon smiled and shook her head.


    "No, we shoulder the duty of opening the Gate of a Hundred Realms. Every time we open the gate, it takes a toll on our bodies."


    As she spoke, Trinnon''s expression dimmed, and she looked at Trianne with concern.


    "One day, Trianne will reach her limit. When that time comes, I''ll take over the role of Gatekeeper from her. We both understand this well.


    But at the very least, I hope we can say goodbye properly when that day arrives."


    Trianne gave a cheerful smile.


    "Trinnon, I promise you¡ªI won''t open the Gate of a Hundred Realms unless it''s absolutely necessary!"


    Trinnon forced a smile and nodded.


    "Mm."


    Everyone present felt their hearts ache at this scene.


    This little girl had always been sacrificing herself to save others.


    Ye Yun spoke inwardly to the system.


    "System! Get your butt out here right now!"


    [...I''m still alive. How am I supposed to ''die out''?]


    "Cut the nonsense! Hurry up and bring out something that can heal Trianne!"


    [Notice:


    Based on the host''s current starcoin balance, the following products are recommended:


    Phoenix True BloodDescription: The purest blood from a phoenix of a higher plane. Grants the phoenix''s special ability¡ªrebirth.After death, the user enters a nirvana state. As long as no major harm is taken during this state, the user will fully revive.Price: 10 million starcoins.


    Essence of the Tree of LifeDescription: From the Tree of Life, a sacred tree of a mid-to-high-level world, containing endless life force.After consumption, grants an immense amount of life energy.Price: 1 million starcoins.


    Longevity PillDescription: A life-extending pill from a mid-level world, containing a trace of life energy.Price: 100,000 starcoins.]


    Ye Yun examined the three options carefully. Phoenix True Blood was out of the question¡ªat 10 million, he simply couldn''t afford it.


    But the Essence of the Tree of Life seemed powerful and well-suited for Trianne.


    Ye Yun bought it immediately. A bottle of pale green liquid appeared in his hand.


    He handed it to Trianne.


    "Here, Trianne. Drink this."


    Trianne glanced at Ye Yun, then at the Essence of the Tree of Life.


    "What is this? Also, I don''t know you¡ªI don''t drink things from strangers, hmph hmph~"


    She even crossed her arms and made two cute "hmph" noises with her eyes shut.


    Bailu introduced him.f§Ôeewebnov§×l.com


    "Trianne, Ye Yun''s not a stranger. He''s a good friend of mine.


    Don''t worry¡ªwhat he gave you is definitely something good.


    This is his shop. Here, you can buy anything you want.


    Go on, drink it. It''ll be okay!"


    Trianne looked at Ye Yun.


    "Oh~ your name is Ye Yun? We''re Trianne! That means we know each other now¡ªwe''re not strangers anymore.


    So what is this thing you gave me?"


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "This? You''ll know once you drink it. It tastes pretty good."As he spoke, Ye Yun shoved the Essence of the Tree of Life into Tian''s hands.


    Trianne curiously examined the bottle, then, after a moment''s thought, opened the cap and chugged it down in one go.


    As the liquid entered her body, Trianne immediately felt a change.


    Many forgotten memories began returning to her mind.


    She looked at Ye Yun.


    "What did you give me? My body feels amazing, and a lot of memories I had forgotten came back.


    And my body... I feel like I could open the Gate of a Hundred Realms a thousand more times without a single problem! What is going on?"


    Aglaea, Tibao, and Trinnon were all stunned by what Trianne said and turned to look at Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "It''s just a little something called the Essence of the Tree of Life. It contains an immense amount of life energy, and it''ll continuously replenish the life force your body has lost."


    Himeko, overhearing this, walked over to a small bar area and typed in the name "Essence of the Tree of Life" Ye Yun had mentioned.


    Soon, a product description appeared before her.


    When she saw the price, Himeko gasped in shock.


    "One million?!"


    Dan Heng and Feixiao were also shocked when they heard it.


    Feixiao eyed Ye Yun up and down.


    "Whoa, Ye Yun, you''re seriously loaded¡ªjust dropped a million starcoins like it''s nothing."


    Just then¡ª


    Stelle returned with March and Firefly.


    "What are you guys talking about? A million starcoins? Which rich guy''s here? Let me see."


    Feixiao pointed at Ye Yun.


    "Him. He''s the rich guy."


    When Stelle saw Ye Yun, she immediately felt it was nothing out of the ordinary.


    "Oh~ it''s Ye Yun. No wonder¡ªhe owns this whole shop."


    Aglaea quietly asked Feixiao.


    "One million starcoins... how much is that worth, exactly?"


    From everyone''s reaction, Aglaea could tell that the medicine Ye Yun gave Trianne was probably extremely expensive.


    She wanted to know the exact value so she could repay Ye Yun accordingly.


    After all, Trianne''s importance to Ongfalos was beyond words.


    Now, with Trianne completely healed and filled with endless life energy, the Gate of a Hundred Realms would no longer be something they had to use sparingly.


    That bottle of medicine had effectively saved countless lives!


    Whenever people were in danger, Trianne and the others would open the Gate and transfer them to safety.


    That was the duty of a Gatekeeper¡ªto protect others.


    Feixiao looked at Aglaea.


    "What, you planning to repay Ye Yun with something of equal value?


    I''d advise against it. A million starcoins¡ªthat''s an astronomical number.


    Put it this way: with that kind of money, even a pig could become an Emanator¡ªand one of the top ones at that."


    Dan Heng explained to Aglaea what an Emanator was.


    After hearing his explanation, Aglaea finally understood just how huge that amount was.


    According to Dan Heng, even a Titan would probably no match for an Emanator.


    That made things difficult. Aglaea couldn''t think of anything she owned that could match the value of one million starcoins.


    Just then, Ye Yun walked over and smiled.


    "No need to repay me. It''s just one million starcoins."


    He turned to Stelle.


    "Stelle, remember what I said before?"


    Stelle thought for a moment, then recalled.


    "Oh? Let me think... oh, right.


    ''Everyone who comes into the shop is a friend. If a friend''s in trouble, and I have the means to help, of course I will.''"

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163 - 163Ye Yun nodded.


    "That''s right. Anyone who comes is a friend, and if I can help, I definitely will.


    If you feel bad about it, you can come by often and support my business.


    Here, you can buy anything you want with Star Coins.


    As for Star Coins, they can be exchanged with Stellar Jade."


    Upon hearing this, Aglaea gratefully responded again.


    "Thank you for helping Teacher Trianne. I''ll be sure to come shop here often in the future."


    Ye Yun smiled and carried Klee over to the dining table to sit down.


    "Alright everyone, come eat. Guoba, is the rice ready?"


    From the kitchen, Guoba came running out carrying a big pot of rice and placed it on the table.


    "Lulu~ Lulu~"


    Ye Yun opened the lid, and a cloud of white steam rose up.


    "The rice turned out great today. Come on, help yourselves."


    The seven little ones climbed onto chairs, bringing Trianne, Tribbie, and Trinnon along with them.


    Bailu picked up Trianne''s little bowl.


    "Trianne, let me get your rice."


    Trianne was overjoyed.


    "Yay! Time to eat~"


    After serving Trianne, Bailu called out to the others.


    "Everyone, pass me your bowls. I''ll serve you too."


    Klee, Hook, Tibo, and the other little cuties lined up, passing their bowls one after another.


    Bailu handled the serving while the others helped pass the bowls.


    Himeko smiled warmly at the scene.


    "What a bunch of adorable kids."


    With the rice served, the ten little ones eagerly started eating, enjoying their food immensely.


    Bailu also helped Trianne with dishes.


    "Trianne, try this braised fish¡ªit''s super tasty! It''s one of Xiangling''s specialties!"


    Trianne took a big bite of fish, and the tender meat melted in her mouth.


    "Mmm~ Mmm~ This fish is so good! I''ve never had anything like it!"


    Tribbie and Trinnon also tried the grilled fish and found it delicious.


    Klee, standing next to Tibo, said:


    "Trinnon~ Let''s go blast some fish after we eat!"


    Before Trinnon could respond, Bailu and Trianne quickly chimed in:


    "Sure! We haven''t done that in a long time! I''m in!"


    "Blasting fish? Yay! Yay! Trianne wants to go too!"


    Hook, Diona, and the others also agreed to the plan.


    Seeing this, Tibo had no choice but to agree.


    "I-I''ll go too, then."


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Have you thought about one thing before going out to blast fish?"


    All ten little ones turned to look at Ye Yun.


    "What is it? Klee doesn''t know~" Klee scratched her head and shrugged in confusion.


    Hook also couldn''t guess.


    "Hook doesn''t know either. What is it?"


    Ye Yun said,


    "Have you gotten permission from the adults to go out and play?"


    Klee realized it at once.


    "Ah~ Klee forgot to ask Ye Yun big brother for permission to go out and play~


    Ye Yun big brother~ Can I go blast fish?"


    Ye Yun turned to Rios and said,


    "Rios, take Klee and the others to Rimuru''s place later.


    There should be big fish over there for them to blast."


    Ye Yun remembered seeing an episode in Rimuru''s anime where he took his subordinates swimming, and there were a giant snail and lots of big fish in that lake.


    Rios nodded in agreement.


    "Okay."


    Klee, thrilled that Ye Yun had agreed, bounced up and down in her chair with excitement.


    Bailu said,


    "Everyone, let''s hurry and eat. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go blast fish!"


    Tribbie raised her little fists beside her.


    "Yeah! Eat fast! Tribbie wants to go blast fish! Hahaha!"


    The ten little ones held their rice bowls and shoveled food in quickly.


    Bailu and Tribbie were the fastest eaters. After finishing, they ran off to the mini-bar to wash their hands and faces.


    Soon, Klee, Hook, and Yaoyao also finished eating and went to wash up.


    Qiqi and Trinnon were the slowest eaters. Seeing everyone else was done, they started panicking, calling for the others to wait while they sped up.


    Finally, Qiqi and Trinnon finished and caught up with the group heading toward Rimuru.


    At Rimuru''s place¡ª


    He was busy with the goblins and ogres clearing land for farming and preparing to plant crops.


    At that moment¡ª


    Rios arrived with the ten little ones.


    Klee lit up with excitement upon seeing Rimuru.


    "Yay! It''s the talking slime!"


    She ran over and stood in front of Rimuru, smiling at him.


    Bailu and Tribbie also ran over.


    "Talking slime! This lady has come to play!"


    Tribbie looked at Rimuru curiously.


    "Wow~ What kind of creature is this?"


    Rimuru looked up at Klee.


    "Klee-chan~ What brings you here?"


    Klee giggled.


    "Klee came to blast fish~ Mr. Talking Slime, do you know where we can find fish nearby?"


    Rimuru thought for a moment¡ªhe actually didn''t know.


    But hey, weren''t there locals?


    He turned to Benimaru and asked,


    "Benimaru, is there a lake nearby? Klee and the others want to blast fish."


    Benimaru recalled and said,


    "There is one in the southern forest¡ªlots of fish there."


    Rimuru nodded.


    "Alright, you all keep working on the fields. I''ll take Klee and the others out to play for a bit."


    Benimaru accepted the task.


    Rimuru then had someone call Shizu to come along too.


    Shizu agreed and joined Rimuru and the kids as they headed toward the southern lake.


    The ten little ones rode on Ranga''s back, laughing joyfully the whole way.


    After more than half an hour, they arrived at the southern lake.


    The moment they got there, the kids jumped off Ranga and ran toward the shore.


    Rios quickly followed to ensure their safety.


    Rimuru started setting up a camp, pulling out a table and some fruits from his stomach and placing them on the table.


    At the lakeside, the fish were plentiful, often leaping out of the water.


    Klee couldn''t resist anymore¡ªshe pulled out a Jumpy Dumpty from her backpack and threw it.


    "Here we go! Jumpy Dumpty!"


    With a muffled boom, a huge splash rose, and more than a dozen fat fish landed on the beach.


    Tribbie jumped three feet in excitement.


    "That was fun! That was fun! The fish flew!Klee! I want one too! Can I have a bomb?"


    Klee agreed and handed Tribbie a Jumpy Dumpty.


    Tribbie lit it, gave it a strong toss into the lake¡ª


    BOOM! A loud explosion followed, and another wave of big fish rained from the sky.


    Tribbie was ecstatic.


    "Hahaha, this is so fun! One more time!"


    ***


    Teapot picked up the fish from the ground. The fish, deprived of oxygen after leaving the water, kept flapping its body.


    Seeing this, Teapot put the fish back into the water.


    For the rest of the time, Rimuru Tempest and Shizu played with the ten little ones by the lakeside.


    Meanwhile, in New Teyvat¡ª


    New Liyue Harbor.


    Zhongli stood atop a tall building, gazing out at the sea. Beside him, Hu Tao was chatting with Huohuo.


    New Liyue Harbor had basically been completed. This single port city was already enough to accommodate all the people of Liyue.


    Hutao looked at Zhongli.


    "Guest Consultant, what are you thinking about?"


    Zhongli snapped out of his thoughts.


    "Nothing much. I just feel a bit emotional. I never imagined that Liyue would actually be relocated to another world. This was something I had never even considered before."


    Hutao jumped off her chair and walked over to Zhongli. The setting sun shone on her, and in her eyes was a view of the vast and beautiful sea.


    "It''s not just you¡ª even I didn''t expect this. It really feels like a dream.


    Think about it. How long have we known Stelle? Barely two months, right?"


    Zhongli nodded slightly.


    "Hmm, about two months."


    The elderly and the young stood quietly by the window, watching the sun set.


    Just then, Hutao''s stomach growled.


    She patted her belly and turned around.


    "Let''s go, Guest Consultant, Huohuo, let''s get something to eat. Ningguang said she''s treating us to dinner in Penacony today~"


    As she spoke, Hutao headed downstairs.


    Zhongli and Huohuo followed. Huohuo had put Mr. Tail back into her tail again.


    Whenever she entered the city, Huohuo would hide Mr. Tail to avoid scaring children.


    She only let him out when she was in the wilderness or at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    Not long after¡ª


    Hutao, Zhongli, and Huohuo arrived in Penacony through a portal.


    The portal in Penacony was located in what used to be Sunday''s office. It had now been turned into Robin''s private office.


    Hutao swaggered out after landing. The attendant at the door glanced at her and then looked away.


    Robin had already given instructions that anyone coming out of that office was free to move around as they pleased.


    Hutao exited the mansion and got into a sports car, heading toward the hotel Ningguang had booked.


    When the three arrived, they realized they were the last ones.


    Ningguang, Yelan, Keqing, Calestia, Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, Xiao, Ganyu, Madame Ping, Guizhong, Lumine, and Paimon were already seated.


    Seeing this, Hutao clasped her hands together.


    "Sorry, sorry, we''re a bit late. Hope we didn''t keep you waiting too long."


    Ningguang smiled gently.


    "No need to be so polite, Hutao. Please take a seat."


    Hu Tao nodded and sat down with Huohuo and Zhongli.


    Seeing that everyone was present, Ningguang signaled for the dishes to be served.


    One by one, dishes were brought out. Every time a dish arrived, Paimon would gasp in awe.


    There were 20 dishes in total. Ningguang smiled.


    "Everyone, don''t just sit there¡ª let''s dig in."


    The moment she heard this, Paimon lunged at the roasted chicken in front of her, tore off a drumstick, and stuffed it into her mouth.


    Lumine sighed. She''d given up trying to control Paimon''s outrageous gluttony.


    Calestia looked at Lumine.


    "Lumine, could you do me a favor?"


    Lumine put down her chopsticks.


    "Say it. Which country do you want me to inspect? Sumeru? I can check how the new Sumeru military is doing. After all, their commander now is that despicable, shameless Abyss Prince."


    Lumine raised an eyebrow as she suggested.


    The surrounding group¡ªNingguang, Zhongli, and the others¡ªwere all speechless at her words, unsure how to respond.


    Calestia shook her head.


    "No, I want you to go to Natlan. Help me check on the situation there. It''s the only Teyvat nation that hasn''t been relocated yet."


    Lumine was a bit confused.


    "Huh? Haven''t all seven nations been moved already?"


    She then started counting on her fingers.


    "Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Snezhnaya¡ªoh~ right, Natlan isn''t here yet.


    But it might be a bit tough. I''ve already made plans to go play in Amphoreus with Stelle and the others."


    Calestia glanced at her and picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks.


    "I''ll pay you 10,000 Star Coins."


    Lumine smiled sheepishly.


    "Aiya~ Why are you being so generous? It''s not about the money. After all, I''m the Teyvat Inspector¡ªthis is my duty.


    How about this: I''ll go after I spend two days having fun in Amphoreu. Sound good?"


    Calestia thought for a moment.


    "Sure, no rush. One more or one less Natlan doesn''t change much right now."


    Ningguang looked at Zhongli.


    "Lord Geo, New Liyue Harbor is complete. When should we start relocating the rest of our people?"


    Zhongli replied calmly.


    "As soon as possible. The original world of Teyvat is no longer a place we can remain in."


    Ningguang nodded in understanding.


    "I understand, Lord Geo."


    After that¡ª


    Everyone chatted while eating. All those present were high-ranking figures from Liyue.


    And Calestia? She''s a bona fide guest advisor to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.


    And the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? That''s a legacy organization passed down through generations in Liyue.


    What about Lumine and Paimon? That''s obvious. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lumine is the Teyvat Inspector¡ªhow is she not associated with Liyue?


    And Paimon is her emergency food.


    After dinner¡ª


    The Liyue group returned to their homeland in Teyvat.


    Lumine and Paimon strolled through the streets.


    As they wandered, they unknowingly arrived in front of the "Aether''s Milk Tea Shop."


    The business here was booming. Aether was making a fortune from this shop.


    Lumine peeked inside and saw a bunch of young girls at the counter, gazing at Aether with lovestruck eyes.


    Aether was quite the looker, and combined with his strength and business sense, it was only natural that girls liked him.


    Seeing this, an idea popped into Lumine''s head.


    She entered the shop and began her performance.


    "Brother! I finally found you! Come home with me! Sister-in-law is about to give birth to the seventh baby!


    Brother, you weren''t home for any of the previous six births, and we let it go.


    But this time, you have to come home! You haven''t sent a single coin home all these years. Sister-in-law''s health is poor from eating nothing but gruel every day.


    This time... sob sob... this time... sob sob... I promised her I''d bring you back!


    Brother! Let''s go home!"


    Lumine''s tearful performance was so moving, it tugged at everyone''s heartstrings.


    The customers in the shop all turned to Aether, whispering and pointing fingers.


    Even his fangirls began giving him strange looks.


    Aether''s fists clenched.


    "Ada! Close the shop. We''re not opening today."

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164 - 164ADa had already sent the customers out.


    Aether continued speaking.


    "You guys can get off work for today. I''ve got some personal matters to handle."


    Upon hearing this, Ada called the other employees and left the shop.


    Bang! The shop door was shut.


    Lumina glanced back at the tightly closed door and swallowed hard. This felt... ominous.


    Aether clenched his fists, bones cracking audibly.


    "Stupid Lumine! Prepare to die!"


    A series of screams echoed from Aether''s teahouse.


    Pedestrians nearby heard the commotion and quickly ran to call the patrolling Millelith.


    When the Millelith opened the shop door, they were shocked by the scene in front of them.


    There, they saw¡ª


    Lumine was sitting on a wooden chair, and beneath it lay Aether, bruised and battered.


    Lumine clapped her hands. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tch~ I thought you''d be more impressive. This level? I can handle you with one hand."


    Aether lay face-down beneath the chair, on the verge of tears.


    Damn it! When did my annoying little sister get so strong? I can''t beat her at all!


    Lumine noticed the Millelith and quickly explained.


    "No worries, no worries, he''s my brother. We''re just messing around, it''s fine, really. Don''t trouble yourselves, good sirs."


    The Millelith compared their appearances¡ªthey really did look quite alike.


    So¡ª


    The Millelith waved and withdrew their team.


    After they left, Lumine stood up and clapped her hands again.


    "Ah, refreshing. Paimon, let''s go. Time to head back for a nap."


    Without looking back, Lumine walked out of Aether''s teahouse.


    On the way out, Paimon even grabbed two cups of bubble tea from the counter.


    Amphoreus.


    Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon returned to Okhema.


    Not long after their return, Aglaea arrived with Phainon and Castorice.


    "Ms. Tribbie, Ms. Trianne, Ms. Trinnon, you''re back," Castorice greeted politely.


    Trianne stood with her hands on her hips.


    "Yup, we''re back. Castorice, you and Tribbie, Trinnon, and Phainon are going to Xuanfeng City tomorrow, right?"


    Castorice nodded.


    "Yes, Ms. Tribbie. When the time comes, we''ll need your help to open the gate."


    Trianne waved a small hand.


    "No problem! Open it as much as you want, open a hundred times if needed!"


    Castorice gave a wry smile.


    "Ms. Trianne, the Gate of a Hundred Worlds isn''t something that can be opened casually. Every time takes a toll on your body."


    Trianne puffed up proudly.


    "I''m not like before anymore! Now I really can open it as many times as I want!"


    Aglaea added from the side.


    "That''s right, Ms. Trianne can now freely open the Gate of a Hundred Worlds."


    Castorice and Phainon were confused.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Aglaea explained.


    "We visited Stelle and her group''s train. While we were there¡ª"


    She recounted the story of how Ye Yun had given Trianne medicine.


    After hearing it¡ª


    "I think we should find a way to repay this favor," Castorice said.


    Phainon agreed.


    "Yeah, if it were a small favor, it wouldn''t matter between friends. But this one... is way too big."


    Aglaea thought for a moment.


    "I remember there are a lot of treasure chests around Okhema City. Let''s go find some. They contain something called Star Jades.


    Those can be exchanged for Star Coins. Later, we can go buy stuff from Ye Yun.


    But let''s leave that for now. You two get some rest¡ªyou''re heading to Janusopolis City tomorrow."


    Castorice and Phainon agreed and left the Hero Bath.


    The next day arrived.


    Stelle and Dan Heng arrived early at the Hero Bath.


    Before long, Hutao, Amber, Eula, Ayaka, and Yoimiya stepped out of the teleportation portal.


    Hutao looked around.


    "So this is Okhema? Looks pretty nice~"


    Amber glanced around.


    "This seems to be a bathhouse? All bathing areas, huh."


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yup! This is called the Hero Bath. Only heroes get to bathe here. Pretty cool, huh?"


    Hutao gave a thumbs-up.


    "Cool! So when are we heading out? I thought there was a fight involved?"


    Dan Heng replied.


    "Still waiting for a few more people. Don''t be in such a hurry."


    The group relaxed and played around the bath for a bit before Mydei, Phainon, and Trianne arrived.


    Mydei noticed the extra few people and asked Dan Heng:


    "Who are these?"


    Dan Heng introduced them.


    "They''re our friends, joining us on this trip to Janusopolis City."


    Mydei nodded and greeted them all.


    Phainon, standing to the side, urged them on.


    "Let''s save the friendly chit-chat. Time to head out."


    Trianne stepped up beside them.


    "Everyone ready?"


    The group nodded.


    Tian stretched out her hand.


    "Gate of a Hundred Worlds¡ªOpen!"


    A portal glowing with holy light appeared and sucked in Stelle, Mydei, and the rest.


    Through the gate, they arrived in a ruined building.


    Tian stood beside them.


    "All done! This time I''m coming with you. If anything dangerous happens, I''ll open the gate and get everyone home safe!"


    The group began exploring Janusopolis City.


    As they walked, Hutao''s eyes lit up. She tugged Stelle''s sleeve.


    "Stelle! Look over there! Isn''t that a treasure chest?"


    Stelle followed her finger and indeed saw a wooden box.


    "Let''s go check it out."


    Stelle led Hutao over and opened it.


    Inside were 5 Star Jades and some materials.


    Stelle picked up the Star Jades and called to the group.


    "Everyone! Hold up a second¡ªI''ve got something important to say!"


    Mydei, Phainon, Dan Heng and the others returned.


    "What is it, Stelle?" Bai''e asked.


    Stelle opened her hand to show the 5 Star Jades.


    "There are treasure chests here. Should we split up or work together?


    If we work together, we split the Star Coins evenly after converting them."


    Hutao, Amber, and Eula immediately agreed.


    Seeing that everyone was on board, Xing said:


    "Great. We''ll split evenly at the end. Let''s form groups¡ªthis place is big and there should be lots of chests. Splitting up will be faster."


    Mydei, Phainon, and Dan Heng formed one group.


    Hutao, Ayaka, and Yoimiya formed another.


    Stelle, Amber, Eula, and Tian formed the third.


    Castorice''s group focused on dealing with the Conflict Titans.


    The other two groups focused on chest hunting.


    Hutao zoomed around Janusopolis City on her wind-fire wheels, taking out any Titan minions she ran into with one shot.


    Ayaka and Yoimiya followed behind at a slower pace, just opening the chests.


    Yoimiya watched Hutao''s impressive display with awe.


    "Liyue is full of hidden talent. She''s about our age but already this strong..."


    ***


    Ayaka spoke.


    "You might not know this¡ªMaster Hu is the 77th head of Liyue''s Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, constantly traversing the boundary between life and death, dealing with all sorts of demons and spirits.


    Also, the Geo Archon of Liyue is the Parlor''s consultant and has watched Hu Tao grow up since she was little."


    Yoimiya responded in surprise.


    "I see! No wonder Hutao is so powerful¡ªshe was taught personally by the Geo Archon!"


    Ayaka smiled.


    "In terms of spear techniques, yes, she was taught by the Geo Archon. But the main reason for Hutao''s strength is actually her equipment.


    Her gear was made by Ye Yun''s shop, and it''s extremely valuable."


    Hearing this, Yoimiya got excited.


    "Is that so? Then we need to find more treasure chests! I want a set of powerful equipment too!"


    Ayaka nodded with a smile and led Yoimiya to continue searching for treasure chests.


    Meanwhile, the minions of the Titan of Strife had all been taken care of by Hutao, so the two could safely loot the area.


    Elsewhere...


    Stelle, Amber, and Eula had arrived at a grand hall.


    Stelle stood in front of a control panel, controlling a giant stone hand flying around in the air.


    "Hehe~ This is fun! Oho~ There''s a monster¡ªtake this punch, bang! Eliminated!"


    Eula stood guard with her greatsword, while Amber had her bow ready, a flaming arrow nocked and waiting to be released.


    While playing, Stelle''s head got a little itchy and she reached to scratch it, but her grip on the controller slipped, and the stone hand slammed into the central platform.


    She quickly lifted the stone hand again. As it rose, a spiraling staircase revealed itself underneath.


    Amber, with her sharp eyes, called out:


    "Stelle! Something''s there¡ªit looks like a secret room. Should we go check it out?"


    The mention of a secret room lit up Stelle''s eyes like dollar signs.


    "A secret room?! There''s gotta be treasure! Let''s go!"


    With the Judgment of Shamash slung over her shoulder, Stelle jumped straight down toward the platform.


    Amber and Eula quickly followed.


    They descended the spiral staircase and stepped onto an elevator, which brought them down into a hidden chamber.


    Inside were three luxurious treasure chests.


    Stelle drooled with excitement and rushed to open them. As she did, radiant light spilled out, illuminating her face.


    She looked inside and grabbed all the Stellar Jades¡ªninety in total across the three chests.


    "This is a huge win!"


    "Whoa! So many Stellar Jades! Quick, check if there are more nearby!"


    Amber and Eula were also thrilled and began searching the chamber thoroughly.


    After confirming there were no more chests, the three returned to the platform via the elevator.


    Stelle carefully stored the 90 Stellar Jades.


    "Let''s keep going and see what else we can find."


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, Dan Heng, Phainon, and Mydei had found the Titan of Strife and engaged it in battle.


    The trio was stronger overall, but the Titan of Strife had a broken ability¡ªan insane regeneration factor.


    Mydei took the lead, clashing head-on with the Titan.


    Dan Heng and Phainon supported from the side, looking for openings to strike.


    Once again, they wounded the Titan badly, only to see it quickly regenerate right before their eyes.


    Mydei frowned.


    "Dan Heng, Phainon, you two fall back! I''ll hold it off!"


    But before he could make his move, a voice came from above.


    "Yoohoo~ Running into trouble? Want this Parlor Master''s help?"


    The three looked up to see Hutao standing on a flaming wheel, smiling down at them.


    Just then, the Titan, now fully healed, hurled a spear at Hutao.


    She somersaulted out of the way.


    "Wow, sneak attack? Not very sportsmanlike! Time to teach you a lesson!"


    She spun her spear in a flourish, flames bursting from its tip.


    "Take this!"


    In a flash, Hutao appeared in front of the Titan and plunged her spear into its body.


    The Titan roared in pain and reached for her, but Hu Tao released the spear and flipped away.


    Landing smoothly, she formed a hand seal, a smirk on her lips.


    "Try this new trick I developed¡ªFiretip Spear... explode!"


    With her shout, the embedded spear exploded in a burst of flames, severely wounding the Titan.


    But even that wasn''t enough¡ªit began healing again.


    Hutao summoned another fiery spear into her hand.


    "Dang, this big skeleton heals crazy fast! No wonder you guys are having trouble.


    Well, let''s see how many times you can regenerate! Come on!"


    She charged again, with Mydei, Dan Heng, and Phainon joining her.


    Soon, Ayaka and Yoimiya arrived and joined the fight.


    With six of them attacking at once, the Titan was overwhelmed, unable to fight back effectively.


    Before long, Stelle, Amber, Eula, and Tian also arrived.


    Seeing the battle, Stelle shouted:


    "Out of the way! Galactic Fire Hero, coming through!"


    Hearing her, everyone cleared a path.


    Stelle leapt high, raising her Judgment of Shamash.


    "Judgment of Shamash, unsheathe!"


    The Titan took the full force of the blow and collapsed.


    Stelle landed and eyed it cautiously.


    "Whoa! What is this thing? Took my ''Heavenly Fire Unsheathe'' and it''s still alive? Is it a Bloomed Emanator? Doesn''t look like one..."


    Trianne explained:


    "This is the Titan of Strife. It can infinitely regenerate its injuries."


    Stelle rolled up her sleeves and turned to Trianne.


    "Trianne, open a gate¡ªget them outta here."


    Trianne was puzzled.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Dan Heng caught on.


    "Miss Trianne, open the gate. Stelle''s going to finish it off. Her next move is too dangerous¡ªit might hurt us too."


    Trianne understood.


    "Got it! Right away!


    Hundred Realms Gate¡ªopen!"


    Everyone leapt into the gate and vanished.


    Left alone, Stelle faced the fully recovered Titan.


    "Healing fast, huh? Let''s see how you recover when I vaporize your cells!"


    She gripped her weapon tightly.


    "Second Stellaron¡ªactivate!


    Judgment Of Shamash, Unsheathe: Annihilation!"


    ¡ª


    Back at the top of the Ochema Garden, Trianne and the others returned.


    Mydei and Phainon looked nervously toward Janusopolis City.


    Hutao reassured them.


    "Don''t worry. Stelle''s got this."


    Dan Heng nodded slowly.


    "Yeah."


    Suddenly, the ground trembled violently, and Mydei and Phainon''s eyes widened in shock at what they saw.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165 - 165Toward Janusopolis City.


    A mushroom cloud soared into the sky, and the entire Janusopolis City region was engulfed in scarlet flames¡ªan explosion.


    Mydei and Phainon were both too shocked to speak. That attack!


    Hutao looked at the mushroom cloud and sighed.


    "Every time I see Stelle activate Annihilation Mode, it gives me chills~ This destructive power is even fiercer than our family''s Guest Consultant."


    Dan Heng nodded slightly.


    "Indeed. The first time Stelle used this mode, she created a habitable zone on Belobog."


    Hutao raised an eyebrow and asked:


    "Belobog? That ice-covered planet?"


    Dan Heng nodded.


    "Yeah. That time, someone from the Company angered Stelle. She didn''t even know how powerful her strike was back then, so..."


    Hutao gasped.


    "Hisss~ They didn''t survive, did they?"


    Dan Heng paused in silence.


    "They didn''t."


    "HISSS!!!" Hutao gasped again.


    Just then¡ª


    Aglaea arrived hurriedly with Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon.


    "Are you all alright?"


    Tribbie asked in concern.


    Mydei shook his head.


    "We''re fine. But Stelle... is still in there."


    Upon hearing Stelle was still in Janusopolis City, Tribbie''s heart leapt into her throat, and her eyes filled with deep worry.


    She looked toward the flaming inferno that was once Janusopolis City and tried to reassure herself.


    "Little Grey... she''ll be alright!"


    It took more than two hours for the flames in Janusopolis City to die down.


    Trianne quickly opened a Hundred Realms Gate and led everyone back to the Titan of Strife.


    Tribbie rushed out first, scanning the area for any sign of Stelle.


    Finally, in front of the Titan''s body, she saw her.


    Stelle was leaning against the corpse of the Titan of Strife, casually munching on an apple.


    While eating, Stelle looked around at the scenery¡ªcompletely relaxed.


    "Little Grey! Are you alright?" Tribbie flew to her, checking her over anxiously.


    Stelle smiled.


    "Don''t worry, Teacher Tribbie. I''m fine. It was just a Titan¡ªnothing I couldn''t handle."


    Tribbie let out a sigh of relief.


    "Whew~ That''s good."


    At that moment, Phainon arrived and looked behind Stelle.


    The Titan''s corpse had been carbonized by the flames, flaking away when Stelle shifted slightly.


    Tribbie spoke to her.


    "Little Grey, could you stand up for a moment? We need to extract the Ember."


    Stelle stood up and stepped aside.


    Tribbie turned to Bai E.


    "Little Phainon, it''s your turn now."


    Phainon nodded and approached the corpse.


    He reached out to touch it, then retracted his hand, his expression grave.


    "How could this be? I don''t sense the Ember inside it."


    Tribbie frowned as well.


    "We don''t know what''s going on either... but there''s someone who surely does."


    Stelle asked:


    "Who?"


    Tribbie smiled.


    "The Titan of Time¡ªOronyx. She definitely knows."


    Stelle thought for a moment.


    "So... we have to fight this Time Titan now?"


    Tribbie shook her head.


    "No need to fight. We just have to meet her."


    She turned to Trianne.


    "Trianne, open a Hundred Realms Gate. Let''s head back first."


    Trianne waved her little hand, and a gate appeared.


    Everyone stepped through it and returned to Okhema.


    Trinnon said:


    "Everyone, get some good rest. Tomorrow, we''ll go look for the Time Titan¡ªOronyx."


    Stelle and the others nodded.


    "Alright. I''ll go for a stroll."


    Everyone dispersed for free time.


    Stelle, Hutao, and the others headed to the marketplace. Stelle cleared her throat.


    "Alright everyone, let''s move out¡ªtreasure chest hunt time!"


    Hutao and the others chuckled and spread out in search of treasure chests.


    Stelle and Ayaka eventually wandered into the Dromas Workshop.


    There, Stelle spotted the Dromas that had first brought her to Okhema.


    "Oh! It''s you¡ªyou''re still alive!"


    She ran over excitedly. The Dromas didn''t understand her words.


    If it could, it would probably curse her out.


    What do you mean, "you''re still alive"? Of course I''m alive! What, my being alive offends you now?


    Stelle reached out and patted the beast. The Dromas lowered its head and nudged her gently.


    Stelle giggled, looked around, and found its food¡ªa kind of red soil.


    She ran over, grabbed a shovel, scooped up a big chunk, and brought it back.


    "Here! Time to eat."


    The Dromas''s eyes lit up at the sight of the red soil and it chomped it down eagerly.


    As it chewed, its tail wagged slightly¡ªclearly in a good mood.


    Ayaka watched from the side, too afraid to approach. The Dromas was huge, and she was a bit scared.


    Stelle noticed and waved to the Dromas.


    It lowered its head. Stelle pointed to Ayaka and spoke a few words.


    The Dromas, as if receiving a command, walked over to Ayaka, squatted down, and let out a friendly sound.


    Though it couldn''t understand Stelle''s speech, it could follow simple instructions.


    Ayaka realized¡ªit wanted her to ride on it.


    She climbed onto its back, and Stelle followed with a leap.


    Stelle grabbed the reins.


    "Ayaka, sit tight. Let''s go have some fun!"


    Ayaka quickly sat down, gripping the reins tightly, afraid of falling.


    Stelle patted the Dromas, and with a roar, it began walking down the main road.


    As it moved, Ayaka''s whole body tensed.


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Don''t worry, Ayaka. The Dromas is really steady. You could even nap up here. Look at the view¡ªit''s beautiful, isn''t it?"


    Ayaka relaxed a little and looked around.


    She had never seen scenery like this from atop such a massive creature.


    As they moved, the view kept changing, and because they were high up, they could see quite far.


    Along the way¡ª


    Stelle and Ayaka ran into Hutao, Amber, and Eula.


    The three of them were on a rooftop chasing a treasure thief sprite.


    They had just found a luxurious chest when the sprite suddenly dashed out of nowhere and stole it.


    Fortunately, they ran into Tianing, and with her guidance, they caught the sprite and retrieved the Star Jade from the chest.


    In the Hero''s Bathhouse¡ª


    Aglea and Phainon were chatting.


    "Lady Aglaea, aren''t you worried that letting Stelle and the others freely roam around the city might expose their status as otherworlders?"


    Aglaea replied calmly.


    "No worries. I trust Stelle and the others can keep their mouths shut.


    Even if they are exposed, it doesn''t matter¡ªStelle''s power can help us overcome this crisis.


    The ruins of Janusopolis City are still right there, after all."


    Phainon nodded in agreement.


    After all, that one slash from Stelle had turned the ruins of Janusopolis City into... actual ruins.


    ***


    In the ruins of Janusopolis City, not a single follower of the Titan of Strife could be found now¡ªall had been devoured by flames under Stelle''s sword.


    That strike from Stelle could be said to have solved a major problem for Okhema. For a long while, the people of Okhema could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    At this moment, Aglaea was in a good mood. She looked at Phainon.


    "Everyone has worked hard lately. Phainon, take a few days to rest."


    Phainon shook his head at the words.


    "I''ll pass. Tomorrow I''m going with Stelle and the others to the Temple of the Time Titan."


    Aglaea responded, "Alright then, take care of yourself. I''m heading back¡ªstill got some things to take care of."


    Phainon smiled. "Sure, suit yourself."


    Then the two left the Hero''s Bath.


    At Ye Yun''s shop.


    Ye Yun was playing with Klee and the others when the system''s voice rang in his mind.


    [Notice: Congratulations, Host''s soul has turned 20 years old. Birthday gift granted: QQ Farm Space.]


    Ye Yun was dumbfounded.


    What the heck?


    Soul turning 20 years old? His soul was 20?


    Ye Yun did the math¡ªif counted from his previous life''s birthday, today really was his 20th birthday.


    Ye Yun called Rios to play with Klee and the little ones while he returned to his room to check out what the system''s birthday gift was.


    Once back, he shut the door and communicated with the system in his mind.


    "System, where''s my birthday gift? Bring it out, let me see."


    As soon as he finished speaking, a wooden door wrapped in bubbles appeared before him.


    The moment Ye Yun touched the bubbles, a stream of unfamiliar information surged into his mind.


    It took him half an hour to digest it, and he finally understood what his birthday gift was.


    QQ Farm¡ªit was the game he used to play as a kid in his past life!


    Each player had a plot of land to farm. The crops they grew could be sold for money, which in turn gained experience and unlocked more advanced crops and livestock.


    Players could also water, fertilize, or even steal crops from each other.


    The only difference now was that the in-game currency had been changed to star coins.


    Everything in the farm¡ªfrom buying seeds to selling products¡ªwas done using star coins.


    Ye Yun brought the farm''s wooden door into the shop and placed it beside the dungeon portal.


    After setting it up, he took out his phone and sent a group message.


    Ye Yun: Everyone, if you''re free, come to the shop. I have something important to announce.


    Three Realms'' Greatest Chef: What''s up, Ye Yun? Is it a feast? I''ll come help right away.


    Raiden Mei: I''ll be right over too.


    Ye Yun: A feast sounds good. It''s my birthday today.


    Real-name Internet User: Didn''t expect it to be your birthday today, Ye Yun. I''ll be there shortly.


    Morax: Happy birthday. I''ll be there soon.


    Galactic Fire Hero: What? It''s your birthday? I''m on my way back now!


    The Lone Wolf: Yo~ Happy birthday! Kafka and I are shopping in Penacony. We''ll bring a big cake back.


    Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Director: Happy birthday, Ye Yun!


    After browsing his phone for a bit, Ye Yun headed to the kitchen to prepare ingredients. It was his birthday today, after all¡ªdefinitely a good reason to treat everyone.


    And along the way, he''d tell everyone about the QQ Farm.


    On the HSR side¡ª


    Aventurine saw the message in the group chat and was thinking about what birthday gift to give Ye Yun.


    Just then, Sparkle barged in.


    "Little Peacock, did you see the group chat? It''s Ye Yun''s birthday today~"


    Aventurine smiled and nodded.


    "Yeah, I saw it. I was just thinking about what to get him. Got any good ideas?"


    Sparkle grinned.


    "Of course! I just placed an order on your company''s website. Wanna guess what I bought?"


    Aventurine thought for a moment.


    "A luxury watch?"


    Sparkle shook her head.


    "Nope~ Try again."


    Aventurine thought again. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Designer clothes?"


    Sparkle looked disappointed.


    "Come on, Little Peacock. Do I look like some tacky guy? Of course, I bought a prank toy~ Hee hee!"


    Aventurine chuckled. That really was Firefly''s style.


    "Want to go together later?"


    Sparkle nodded.


    "Sure! I''ll ask Aha to open a portal."


    Over in the Xianzhou Luofu¡ª


    Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Huaiyan, Jiaoqiu, Fu Xuan and the other were discussing what birthday present to give Ye Yun.


    Feixiao suggested, "I say we bring some good liquor. It''s Ye Yun''s birthday¡ªhe''ll definitely want to drink."


    Huaiyan shook her head. "No way. He already has plenty of liquor. We should give something more meaningful."


    Yunli said, "How about a sword? Doesn''t he use one?"


    Jing Yuan agreed. A sword was a practical and heartfelt gift.


    "I think it''s a great idea. What about you guys?"


    No one objected. A fine sword was both useful to Ye Yun and carried their sincerity.


    Around 6 p.m.


    Ye Yun''s shop was packed¡ªalmost everyone had shown up to celebrate his birthday.


    Ye Yun had originally planned to cook, but Himeko, Xiangling, Mei, and the Evil God directly kicked him out of the kitchen.


    How could the birthday star cook?


    So Ye Yun took the opportunity to show everyone the QQ Farm.


    Unsurprisingly, everyone was intrigued by it.


    This thing could generate a steady income in star coins!


    Stelle ran into the QQ Farm door first.


    Once inside, each person was sent to a private space. To visit others'' farms, you had to add them as a friend.


    Stelle followed the tutorial and planted a plot of wheat. Seeing it would take over 7 hours to mature, she decided to check out others'' farms.


    After adding Firefly as a friend, she visited her space and noticed something strange.


    Above Firefly''s wheat sprouts, there were buttons for watering and fertilizing.


    Stelle tried pressing them. Under both their gazes, the crop''s countdown timer instantly shortened by half an hour.


    Both were stunned.


    "What the heck? You can actually speed it up like that?"


    Stelle had Firefly try it on her own farm¡ªit worked the same. Fertilizing reduced crop maturity time.


    Excited, Stelle started visiting everyone else''s spaces. Each person could fertilize up to three times a day.


    But while exploring, she made another discovery: you could steal crops from others!


    That got her really interested. Stealing crops? That sounded fun!


    Stelle quietly visited all the farms, jotting down the harvest times.


    Looking at the schedule on her phone, she grinned.


    Perfect! Today''s the day to get rich! Once the time comes¡ªsteal them all!


    Ye Yun also opened up a farm space and had the seven little ones manage a plot of land together.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166 - 166After playing around in QQ Farm for a while, everyone returned to the shop.


    Xiangling, the Little Evil God, and Mei had already prepared dinner. The table was overflowing with delicious dishes, making Paimon and Yunli drool just looking at it.


    Yunli scanned the table and locked onto the cold pot skewers with laser precision.


    She squeezed in with all her might, pushing her way to the cold pot skewers, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth as she waited for the meal to start.


    Paimon also found a good spot, squatting beside a roasted suckling pig, clearly planning to hog it all to herself.


    Ye Yun stood in the center, looking around. Everyone was gathered around him, smiling warmly.


    Off to the side, a pile of birthday presents had been stacked¡ªgifts from everyone.


    There was a wide variety¡ªeverything you could imagine.


    Ye Yun felt genuinely happy to have so many people celebrating his birthday.


    In his previous life, after entering society, he had mostly spent his birthdays alone.


    On his birthday, he''d take a day off work, sleep in, treat himself to a fancy meal, quietly say "happy birthday" to himself, and then head home to rest and prepare for the next day.


    But now, he was surrounded by so many friends. He felt truly content.


    Ye Yun smiled at everyone.


    "Alright, everyone! Let''s eat!"


    At his words, everyone let out a cheerful "Oh~" and started digging in.


    Aglaea, Tribbie, and Trinnon had also come to celebrate Ye Yun''s birthday.


    Trianne didn''t come¡ªshe was on duty protecting Okhema.


    Everyone served themselves and found a seat, chatting about funny things that had happened recently.


    Silver Wolf, Bronya from Honkai Impact 3rd, and Bronya from Star Rail sat at one table, exchanging awkward glances.


    Nearby, Kiana, Stelle, and Seele were visibly shocked.


    Kiana moved back and forth between Silver Wolf and the two Bronyas, examining them closely.


    "Whoa! You guys look way too alike!"


    Star Rail Bronya was just as stunned. How could someone look so much like her?


    Silver Wolf and HI3 Bronya weren''t as surprised¡ªthey''d met before and often gamed together when they had free time.


    Amber pointed toward another group: Mei, Acheron, Raiden Ei, and Raiden Makoto were gathered together, also a bit stunned.


    Mei and Acheron had met briefly in Penacony before.


    Mei looked toward Ei and Makoto.


    "Hi, I''m Raiden Mei. What are your names?"


    Makoto smiled. "Hello, Mei. I''m Raiden Makoto, and this is my sister, Raiden Ei."


    Lumine walked over at this point.


    "All four of you are named Raiden? Acheron''s full name was Raiden something too, right?"


    Acheron nodded as she introduced herself.


    "Raiden Bosenmori Mei."


    Lumine clapped her hands. "Right! That''s the one. Four Raiden girls, huh? Honestly, I''ve never met a counterpart of myself. Wonder what she''d be like...


    Probably something super cool, right? Like a queen or a holy maiden or something."


    Aether overheard and immediately jumped in with a jab.


    "There''s no way your counterpart would be like that. I bet she''s some street punk type¡ªsmokes, drinks, perms her hair, the works."


    Lumine scowled and rolled up her sleeves.


    "Oh-ho~ Three days without a beating and you''re already climbing the walls, huh?"


    Her little fists cracked menacingly. Aether immediately remembered getting beat up in the bubble tea shop and shrank back, then fled to sit next to Zhongli with his tray.


    Calestia came over with her food and asked Kiana:


    "Hey Kiana, wanna play a few rounds later?"


    Kiana agreed. Things were peaceful in the Honkai world for now, and Kevin hiding in the Quantum Sea hadn''t made any moves yet.


    "Sure. But aren''t you guys moving? Still have internet access?"


    Calestia waved her hand nonchalantly.


    "Of course. We moved everything to New Teyvat. I even brought the entire Wangsheng Hall¡ªincluding the net caf¨¦ building."


    To her, Wangsheng Hall was the most important place in all of Teyvat.


    The day Liyue''s relocation started, she had the whole thing transported.


    Kiana nodded. "Oh~ That''s awesome. Let''s go there later. I haven''t explored New Liyue yet. How''s the scenery?"


    Hutao chimed in from the side.


    "It''s beautiful~ Our Guest Consultant and Ningguang carefully planned everything. They preserved the original natural landscape. The views from the mountains are amazing~"


    Kiana responded, "Let''s go on an adventure in New Liyue sometime! Just wander around."


    Hu Tao grinned. "Let''s do it tomorrow afternoon!"


    Aglaea looked around at everyone, then walked over to join Jean, Ningguang, Topaz, Jade, and Fu Xuan.


    "Mind if I join you?"


    Jean smiled. "Of course not. Welcome! I''m Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius."


    Aglaea sat down. "Nice to meet you, Jean. I''m Aglaea, from Amphoreus."


    Hearing that name, Fu Xuan remembered that Welt had come to her earlier today asking about Amphoreus.


    "Amphoreus? Mr. Welt came to ask me about that today. He said March got frozen as soon as she got near your area. I examined her¡ªshe was encased in a substance called Six-Phase Ice. It''s extremely rare. Do you know anything about it?"


    Aglaea shook her head. "I don''t, but I''ll check the archives when I get back and see if I can find anything."


    Fu Xuan nodded. "Alright."


    Aglaea continued, "What were you all talking about just now?"


    Topaz answered, "Some business collaborations. I''m Topaz, from the Interastral Peace Corporation."


    Aglaea gave her a careful look. "Interastral Peace Corporation? Mr. Dan Heng mentioned you yesterday. He said you''re the largest trading company in the galaxy?"


    Topaz nodded. "That''s right. But in terms of product variety and quality, we still can''t compare to Ye Yun''s little shop."


    Fu Xuan added, "Ye Yun''s shop has an endless supply of amazing goods¡ªno point comparing. But the company''s inventory is still impressive.


    For instance, most of the infrastructure for New Teyvat came from their supplies."


    She turned to Aglaea. "If you ever need basic supplies, talk to Topaz. She can give you a discount.


    The best part is, she accepts credit points. Ye Yun''s place only takes star coins.


    And star coins¡ªeveryone who knows about Ye Yun''s shop treats them like gold. You''d split one in half if you could."


    ***


    Aglaea, upon hearing this, took out the phone that Ye Yun had given her and added everyone on Group Chat.


    She had realized that these people were all high-ranking figures in their respective factions.


    Now that the train crew had arrived in Amphoreus, contact between Amphoreus and the outside world had become inevitable.


    Aglaea believed this was a good thing. In just the past two days of interaction, Okhema had already gained unimaginable benefits.


    Not only did Teacher Trianne gain a continuous source of life energy, but Stelle also helped resolve the issue with the Titan''s followers, bringing temporary peace to Okhema.


    Contact with the outside world wasn''t the disaster they had once imagined it to be.


    Meanwhile, Tribbie and Trinnon were eating together with Klee and the others.


    Trinnon, like a big sister, was looking after Klee and the others alongside Yaoyao.


    Seeing this, Bailu spoke up.


    "Trinnon, Yaoyao, you should sit down and eat too. You don''t need to take care of us."


    Trinnon smiled at her words.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll come after I finish getting the juice."


    She ran off with a tray to get juice and returned to hand out a cup to each of the children before sitting down to eat.


    Stelle and Firefly were sitting together. Stelle glanced around to make sure no one was watching before whispering to Firefly.


    "Firefly, later we''re going to go ''crop stealing'' ¡ª looks like Zhongli and Uncle Yang''s crops will be the first to ripen."


    Firefly frowned slightly.


    "Isn''t that kind of... not right?"


    Stelle reassured her.


    "It''s fine! That''s just how QQ Farm is supposed to be played. It''s part of the game!"


    After thinking about it, Firefly agreed that stealing crops was indeed a QQ Farm mechanic, so she nodded and agreed to go with Stelle.


    As time passed, midnight struck.


    Xiangling and Mei finished tidying up the table and placed Ye Yun''s birthday cake on it.


    As everyone sang, Ye Yun made a wish and blew out the candles.


    Just as he was about to cut the cake, he noticed the mischievous look on Stelle''s face.


    He looked again and saw Stelle already had disposable gloves on ¡ª of course! She was planning to smear cake on him!


    Ye Yun acted first, cutting a piece of cake and flinging it at Stelle''s face just as she was about to make her move.


    Because he used too much force, the cake splattered, getting on others as well.


    There was a brief moment of silence ¡ª then the cake war erupted!


    "Ye Yun! You have no honor! How dare you ambush me, the Galactic Flame Hero!


    Hutao! Amber! Attack! Avenge me!"


    With the chaos spreading, more and more people were caught in the battle and joined in.


    Trinnon quickly pulled Klee and the others away from the scene. The nine little ones hid behind the bar counter, laughing as they watched the cake war unfold.


    "Look! General Jing Yuan''s face is covered in cake! Haha!"


    "Go Ye Yun! Go Ye Yun!"


    "Run Hutao! Amber is catching up!"


    "Woohoo~ Grandpa Zhongli finally got hit with cake!"


    The little cuties were enjoying the spectacle when suddenly, Little Evil God peeked out from behind the counter, holding two big pieces of cake.


    "Ohoho~ So this is where you all were! Hehehe! Hahaha! Stuffed jam cake throw!"


    The cakes landed right on Tribbie and Bailu.


    Bailu wiped the cake off her face and glared at Little Evil God.


    "Jammy!!! Klee! Hook! Let''s get him!"


    Hook and Klee charged toward the cake pile, each grabbing a handful and chasing after Little Evil God.


    Seeing this, she turned to run. Bailu, along with Hook, Klee, and Diona, chased after him.


    Yurine saw this and slyly stuck out a foot just as Little Evil God passed by.


    Little Evil God turned around to taunt Bailu and the others, but suddenly her vision tilted as she fell forward.


    Lying on the ground, she shouted:


    "Yurine! You betrayed me!"


    That turned out to be his last sentence of the night.


    Bailu, Klee, and Hook pounced and gave her a full-body cake "massage."


    Little Evil God tried to plead for mercy, but Qiqi slowly crouched beside her, holding a giant apple.


    Their eyes met ¡ª her blank stare locking with her frightened one.


    And then, Qiqi shoved the apple into her mouth. She could only make muffled sounds.


    Herta stood calmly in the middle of the battlefield.


    Because dozens of her puppet guards were standing protectively around her.


    No one could breach her defenses.


    Stelle led Firefly, Amber, Hutao, and Yoimiya in a full assault ¡ª but alas, they were all repelled and had to flee, covered in cake.


    Sunday had cleverly hidden early in his room, thinking he''d escaped.


    But then a knock came at the door, and Robin''s voice followed.


    "Big Brother~ Are you in there? You are, right? I know you are~"


    Robin opened the door and walked in with Furina, both holding big cakes, smiling "kindly." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furina egged her on.


    "Sunday! Why did you leave without saying goodbye? I know! It must be because you don''t care about Robin!"


    "Hmph! Shinji Ziwa is poking your belly! You! Don''t! Care! About! Robin!"


    Robin looked confused.


    "Furina, what does Shinji Ziwa is poking your belly mean?"


    Furina explained:


    "Oh, it''s a line from a detective anime Stelle recommended. It means There is only one truth."


    Robin nodded.


    "Oh~ I get it. So, Big Brother, why did you leave without saying anything?"


    Sunday gulped heavily.


    "Robin, let me explain¡ª"


    Under the lamp''s glow, the shadows of two cakes loomed ever larger over Sunday''s face.


    Splat!


    Meanwhile, Huohuo was hiding under a table.


    "Huohuo''s invisible! No one can see Huo Huo!"


    Nearby, Mr. Tail was speechless.


    "Huohuo! Don''t be a coward! Get out there! It''s just cake!"


    Huohuo glared at him.


    "Easy for you to say! The cake isn''t hitting you! I''m staying right here, hmph~"


    Mr. Tail shrugged.


    "Don''t blame me then."


    He flew out from under the table.


    "Everyone! Huohuo''s hiding here! Come get her!"


    The moment he spoke, everyone turned to look.


    Huohuo stared at him in disbelief.


    "My tears now are for the water that once filled my brain!"


    Everyone played until past 1 AM, finally calling a truce. The whole place was covered in cake.


    An 18-layer cake ¡ª not a single bite eaten, all of it destroyed in fun.


    Well, except for Paimon, of course. Even when people smeared cake on her face, she didn''t mind. In fact, she thanked them for feeding her cake.


    ***


    Sorry guys, I''ve only been able to translate about two Chapters a day lately because of my busy work schedule. I''ll return to the old pace if my work hours go back to how they were before.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167 - 167After everyone had tired themselves out from playing around, they gradually dispersed.


    To throw off suspicion, Stelle pretended to head back to the treehouse to rest.


    She quietly cracked open a door and peeked at the rooms of Topaz, Himeko, and the others.


    Seeing that all the lights were off, Stelle tiptoed out of the treehouse.


    Not long after, another figure quietly slipped out as well.


    Stelle and the person who followed her met up beneath the treehouse.


    "Let''s go, Firefly. Time to go veggie snatching!"


    The figure was none other than Firefly. The two were about to start their great veggie heist!


    When they arrived at the entrance to the Simulated Universe store, Stelle put a finger to her lips and gestured for silence.


    "Shhh~ Don''t rush. I''ll go scout the enemy situation first!"


    Firefly obediently crouched down, afraid to make a single sound.


    Stelle poked her head out and peeked into Ye Yun''s store from the entrance.


    A few small nightlights were left on inside the store, enough to see what was going on.


    Stelle scanned the room carefully. Confirming no one was around, she led Firefly inside.


    Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes was secretly watching them.


    Just as they were about to enter the Farm''s main gate, two hands landed on their shoulders.


    "Stelle~ Firefly~ What are you two doing out here so late~?"


    A creepy voice came from behind, scaring both of them stiff.


    Reflexively, Stelle slapped backward¡ªlanding squarely on something soft. A scream followed.


    "OWW!"


    Looking closer, they saw it was Little Evil God, lying on the floor holding her face, tearfully.


    "Jammy? Why are you in Ye Yun''s store so late?" Stelle asked, confused.


    Sniffling, Little Evil God replied,"I should be asking you that! What are you doing sneaking around in the middle of the night? And you hit me! That slap better come with at least a 100-Star Coin compensation!"


    Stelle rolled her eyes. "Jammy, you scared us first! I just reacted instinctively. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for sneaking up on us!"


    Firefly chimed in from the side. "Exactly! You scared us first!"


    But Little Evil God wasn''t having it¡ªshe only wanted compensation. "I don''t care! You need to pay for my medical bills! If not, I''ll tell everyone you two snuck into the store last night!"


    Now their weak spot was exposed. They were here to steal crops¡ªthis couldn''t be leaked!


    Left with no choice, they paid for peace. Stelle handed over 100 Star Coins. Jammy happily accepted and asked, "So, what exactly are you guys doing here so late?"


    Stelle answered, "We''re stealing crops. Wanna join?"


    The moment Jammy heard that, her interest skyrocketed. "Perfect! I am a demon, after all. Stealing crops is my true calling~ Let''s go!"


    So Stelle, Firefly, and Little Evil God slipped into the Koko Farm portal.


    As soon as they entered, Stelle pulled up her friends list and began stealing crops¡ªone by one, no hesitation.


    She first arrived at Amber''s farm and was greeted by golden wheat swaying in the field.


    She walked up and pressed the "Steal" button on top of the wheat.


    In the next second, her farm inventory had gained one unit of wheat.


    In Farm, everyone has a personal farm space just for storing Farm items.


    The trio spent over half an hour just stealing crops.


    Afterward, Stelle sold off all the wheat she had¡ªstolen and homegrown alike.


    Each unit of wheat sold for 5 Star Coins. With 70 units, she made a total of 350 Star Coins.


    And that''s just level-one crops! Higher-tier crops sell for more.


    For instance, she had just planted level-two crops¡ªpasture grass¡ªselling for 10 Star Coins per unit.


    There was even a notification that at level three, the ranch feature would unlock, allowing her to raise animals for profit.


    Satisfied, Stelle tucked away her 350 Star Coins and snuck back to the treehouse to rest.


    The next morning


    Everyone woke up excited to harvest their wheat¡ªonly to be devastated!


    Xiangling was stunned. "Who the heck stole my wheat?! I had three whole units gone! I only planted ten total!Wuwuwuwu~"


    Her outburst triggered the others¡ªAmber, Qingque, and the rest joined in.


    "Same! I''m missing three units too!"


    "Me too. Could it be that someone stole from everyone?"


    Everyone nodded. Clearly, each of them had three units stolen.


    Hutao clenched her little fists. "Unforgivable! Who did this? Who''s the wheat thief?!"


    Ye Yun chuckled. "Well, it''s easy. Just see who''s still sleeping right now. We all stayed up late last night. If someone was up even later stealing crops, they''d probably still be passed out. Or, check who has new crops growing¡ªthat''s another clue."


    Hutao thought that made sense. She looked around and noticed something suspicious.


    "Where''s Stelle? She''s still not up? That''s odd¡ªdidn''t she have stuff to do today?"


    Xiangling responded, "Stelle must be one of them! But who are the other two?"


    Just then, Zhongli walked out of the Farm portal.


    "No need to guess. The other two are Firefly and Little Evil God."


    Hutao tilted her head. "How do you know that, Guest Consultan?"


    Zhongli replied, "I checked everyone''s farm. Only Stelle, Firefly, and Little Evil God had crops planted during the early hours of the morning.You can only steal one unit per target, so with three stolen per person, it had to be three culprits."


    Xiangling clapped her hands. "That matches! Three thieves, three units gone, new crops planted¡ªit all fits! They must''ve harvested and replanted after stealing!"


    Everyone agreed and shouted to storm the treehouse and bring them to justice.


    Stelle was still lying sprawled out on her bed snoring when the door was suddenly kicked open. Even The Tempest Wolf was startled and began barking wildly.


    With a wave of Hutao''s hand, Qingque and Amber tied Stelle up with a rope.


    She finally woke up, blinking at the rope in confusion.


    What?! How did you already figure out it was me?!


    They hauled Stelle to the store for trial.


    Little Evil God had also been captured, currently wriggling on the floor while bound by rope.


    As for Firefly, she confessed quickly and even compensated everyone with Star Coins. After a short scolding from Elio, she was let off the hook.


    ***


    After receiving judgment from everyone, Stelle and Little Evil God returned all the money they had earned from stealing crops.


    Stelle was very frustrated. How did I get caught? So annoying!If she had known, she wouldn''t have stolen from so many people¡ªmaybe just a few. That way, she might not have been discovered.


    Later, after spending some time in the train, the group left the store.


    Stelle and Dan Heng headed to Amphoreus, planning to team up with Castorice and Phainon to search for the Titan of Time.


    Kiana followed Calestia and Hutao back to New Liyue.


    Over half an hour later...


    Kiana, Hutao, and Calestia were strolling through the streets of New Liyue.


    As they walked, Hutao suddenly heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Tartaglia waving at her from a nearby bridge.


    La Signora was standing beside him, quietly observing the trio.


    Hutao walked up to them.


    "Well well~ What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be in New Snezhnaya?"


    Tartaglia spread his hands helplessly.


    "No choice. The Empress assigned both of us to the Northland Bank''s New Liyue branch."


    Of course Tartaglia wanted to return¡ªhe hadn''t seen his younger siblings in a long time.


    Fortunately, Uncle Rooster said that in a few days, his siblings would be brought to New Liyue to reunite.


    After a brief chat, Hutao bid them farewell and continued shopping with Kiana and Calestia.


    La Signora silently watched Hu Tao''s back as she walked away. Tartaglia noticed and teased her:


    "Still remember when you caused a ruckus at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?"


    La Signora''s face darkened immediately. Of course she remembered¡ªshe even paid a hefty bribe, yet was still suppressed single-handedly by Silver Wolf.


    Tartaglia kept going with his jabs:


    "So? Dare to try again? You''re The Harbinger La Signora, after all~"


    La Signora shot him a glare and snorted coldly before turning to leave.


    Go cause trouble at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor again? Might as well dig her own grave.


    With the current lineup of guest consultants at the Funeral Parlor, not even the Empress herself might dare to mess with them.


    Meanwhile, back with Rimuru...


    After finishing a meeting with Benimaru and the others, Rimuru used a teleport gate to arrive at Ye Yun''s store.


    According to the Dryad'' intel, the Orc Lord''s army had already begun to mobilize¡ªtargeting the swamp wetlands inhabited by the lizardmen.


    Rimuru came to Ye Yun''s shop to purchase some weapons and gear.


    To be honest, from how Benimaru and the Dryad described the Orc Lord, Rimuru felt uneasy.It sounded like a battle he might actually lose.


    So, he planned to spend big at Ye Yun''s store to power up.


    Bouncing around inside the store, Rimuru found Noelle.


    "Noelle, I want to buy something."


    Noelle, who was sweeping the floor, immediately set the broom aside.


    "Of course, right this way, Mr. Rimuru."


    She led Rimuru to the bar counter. He hopped onto a high stool and started browsing the display screen.


    He still had over 900,000 Star Coins left¡ªleftover from exchanging magic crystal ores last time.


    After browsing for a long while without finding anything satisfactory, Rimuru turned to the Great Sage.


    "Great Sage, any recommendations?"


    [Advising: Recommend purchasing powerful biological entities to devour and obtain potent abilities.]


    The suggestion made sense to Rimuru, so he searched specifically for powerful creatures.


    In the end, he spent 500,000 Star Coins on a young magic dragon from a mid-tier plane.


    Item: Young Magic DragonDescription: Offspring of a top-tier dragon species from a mid-tier plane. Born with extremely powerful abilities.


    Skill 1: Dragon Force ¨C Increases strength tenfold when activated.


    Skill 2: Dragon Body ¨C Boosts defense tenfold and grants immunity to toxins.


    Skill 3: Dragon Flame ¨C An active skill that unleashes extremely high-temperature flames.


    Price: 500,000 Star Coins


    Rimuru tossed 500,000 Star Coins into the vending slot. A dragon egg appeared in front of him.


    He brought the dragon egg back to his own world¡ªand immediately devoured it.


    A moment later, the voice of the Great Sage echoed in his mind:


    [Notice! Unknown egg devoured. New skills acquired: Dragon Force, Dragon Body, Dragon Flame.]


    [Fusion in progress: Dragon Flame + existing skill Black Flame = Black Dragon Flame.]


    [Fusion in progress: Dragon Body + existing skill Steel Body = Steel Dragon Body.]


    After the voice faded, Rimuru decided to test out the new skills.


    He raised a hand and called out:


    "Black Dragon Flame!"


    In an instant¡ª


    A massive stream of black fire burst from Rimuru''s hand.


    Everything touched by the flames turned to ash. The spread was incredibly fast.


    In just a few seconds, everything in Rimuru''s field of view had become scorched earth.


    He quickly retracted his hand, stunned by the sheer destructive power.


    This skill is ridiculously strong...


    But now, with this new power, he didn''t have to worry about the Orc Lord anymore.


    Just as he returned to camp after testing his skill, he saw a group of lizardmen blocking the entrance.


    The leader seemed to be challenging Gobta to a duel.


    "Benimaru, what''s going on here?" Rimuru asked as he approached.


    Benimaru bowed slightly.


    "Lord Rimuru, this is Gabiru from the lizardman tribe. He''s asking us to join forces and fight the Orc Lord''s army together."


    Rimuru responded,"An alliance? That''s not unreasonable."


    But Gabiru shook his head.


    "Not an alliance. We, the mighty lizardmen, will protect your weak little species.


    Be grateful!"


    His three flunkies immediately cheered: S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Gabiru! Gabiru! Gabiru!"


    A drop of cold sweat slid down Rimuru''s forehead.This guy''s brain seems a little... off.


    Gabiru glanced at Rimuru disdainfully.


    "This slime is your leader? Are you kidding me? Impossible."


    Benimaru and the others were instantly enraged.How dare he insult our master!


    Hakuro looked at Gobta.


    "Gobta, don''t hold back."


    Gobta nodded knowingly.


    "Yes, Master!"


    Gabiru howled and lunged at Gobta, shouting taunts all the while.


    Gobta casually sidestepped the attack.


    By the time Gabiru realized it, Gobta had already leaped out of the shadows behind him and slammed a spiked club into the back of his head.


    Thud. Gabiru collapsed instantly.


    Rimuru sighed.Weak and arrogant¡ªthat guy''s gonna suffer a lot in the future.


    He turned to Gabiru''s stunned underlings.


    "Take him back. As for the alliance, I''ll send someone to your tribe to discuss the details."

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168 - 168On the train, 8 PM, inside Ye Yun''s store.


    "Mimi~ Mimi~ Mi-mi-mi-mi!"


    Mimi was flying around the store.


    Himeko, Ye Yun, and the others looked at the little creature with amused expressions.


    Liuying asked curiously, "Stelle, what is Mimi saying?"


    Stelle replied, translating: "Mimi says this place is beautiful. She''s never seen this style of decor before. It feels very cozy, and she really likes it."


    Himeko was a little surprised that Stelle could understand Mimi.


    "Stelle, you can understand Mimi?"


    Stelle nodded as if it were obvious. "Yeah, can''t you?"


    Himeko, Ye Yun, and the others shook their heads, indicating they couldn''t understand.


    Seeing this, Stelle thought for a moment. "That''s strange."


    Danheng pondered. "Maybe it''s because you''re the one who brought Mimi back. You were zoning out for quite a while, and when you snapped out of it, Mimi suddenly appeared next to you."


    Stelle agreed with Danheng. "Yeah, that must be it."


    At that moment, Mimi flew over to Stelle holding a bottle of iced cola, pointing at it curiously.


    "Mimi?"


    Stelle smiled and took the cola from Mimi to open it. "This is cola, a type of drink. Try it ¡ª it tastes pretty good."


    Mimi accepted the cola with both hands, sniffed it curiously, then took a small sip.


    The fizz tingled in her mouth, making her eyes light up. She quickly took another small sip.


    Delighted, Mimi spun around a few times in midair while hugging the cola, then took another little sip ¡ª her expression clearly showed how happy she was.


    Stelle smiled. "Drink slowly ¡ª don''t choke."


    Mimi gave a sweet smile. "Mimi!"


    Upon seeing this, Mika and the little fire monkey instantly got jealous!


    Mika stomped her foot in frustration, ran to the mini bar, grabbed a bottle of iced cola, and ran back to Stelle, tugging at her.


    "Mi-ka! Mi-ka!"


    Noticing her, Stelle patted Mika''s head. "You want one too? Here, I''ll open it for you."


    Stelle opened the can and handed it to Mikai.


    Mika leaned against Stelle''s leg, happily sipping the cola in small gulps.


    While drinking, she shot a smug glance at Mimi.


    The little fire monkey, seeing this, imitated Mika, asking Stelle to open a bottle for him too, then leaned on her other side sipping cola.


    Himeko smiled at the scene. "Mika and the little fire monkey are such jealous little ones."


    Ye Yun, watching the two, suddenly remembered a plan he had forgotten ¡ª


    The Spirit Tournament!


    "Oh right, everyone ¡ª I''m planning to host a Spirit Tournament. Anyone interested can sign up. The grand prize is a divine-level spirit egg, at the very least hatching a spirit on par with Rios."


    Stelle was stunned. "That''s such a big reward?!"


    Ye Yun nodded. "Of course. I want this to be a big event, and I''ll have Topaz help with the promotion. I''m sure many will sign up."


    "Paimon, go call Topaz for me."


    Paimon, who was munching on a bag of chips, flew off to Topaz''s office and soon came back with her.


    Topaz walked up to Ye Yun. "You called?"


    Ye Yun spoke. "I want to do some business with you. I''m organizing a Spirit Tournament and would like your help with promotion and selling spirit essences.


    For the Stellar Jade earned through selling the essences, I''ll give you a 20% cut. What do you think?"


    Topaz agreed without hesitation ¡ª this was a huge opportunity! "Deal! I''ll get Jade and Aventurine working on it right away."


    Ye Yun smiled and nodded. "Good. The tournament is set for three days from now.


    As for the location, you and the others can help me pick a good one."


    Topaz flicked her bangs confidently. "Leave it to me ¡ª I''ll make it look amazing!"


    She ran off to the reception room, where Jade was.


    Since arriving on the train, Jade had been working every day in a makeshift office set up in the old reception room.


    As for Aventurine, he occasionally visited the train, but most of the time he was off developing things with the Joyful faction.


    Meanwhile, Stelle, after hearing the conversation between Ye Yun and Topaz, suddenly jumped off the sofa, grabbed Mika and the fire monkey, and dashed toward Rios.


    Rios, who had been napping, opened his eyes at the noise.


    He was greeted by Stelle''s overly eager face, startling him. "What are you doing?!"


    Stelle grinned. "Do me a favor~ Can you help train Mika and the fire monkey?"


    Rios thought it was something serious and replied: "I can give you the training methods, but you''ll need to train them yourself."


    Stelle immediately pulled out her phone, eager to jot everything down. "Tell me. I''ll take notes."


    Rios began. "For the fire monkey, it''s best to train it in a volcanic area. Its attacks rely mainly on its arms, so you should focus on that.


    As for Mika, I''ve never seen a spirit like that, but I do know about light-type spirits.


    You can take her somewhere with abundant sunlight. Light-type spirits naturally have a skill that lets them absorb light to power themselves up."


    Stelle carefully wrote down everything Rios said, then immediately dragged Mika and the fire monkey through a portal to Herta Space Station.


    She planned to ask Asta if there were any planets that matched the two training environments.


    On Topaz''s end¡ª


    She and Jade were in a video call with Aventurine.


    Jade took a sip of her tea and set the cup down slowly. "This deal is highly profitable. Little Jelena did a good job."


    Aventurine laughed heartily. "That''s right ¡ª we''re going to make a fortune this time!"


    Topaz added: "As for prizes, just offering divine-level spirit essence might not be enough.


    I think we should add a few items of our own. What do you think?"


    Aventurine immediately agreed. "Trading items that cost credit points for Stellar Jade? That''s a win in every scenario ¡ª I''m in."


    Jade also agreed. As Aventurine said, credit point items couldn''t compare to the value of Stellar Jade.


    Stellar Jade ¡ª now that was the kind of currency that could truly change someone''s fate.


    Just look at how many people had changed their lives through Ye Yun''s store:Incredible power, healthy bodies, extended lifespans, even reviving old friends ¡ª and so much more.


    Topaz wasn''t surprised the other two agreed. They were all smart ¡ª it was obvious what kind of opportunity this was.


    "Then it''s settled for the prizes. Next, we need to find a suitable venue for the tournament. Ye Yun left that to us."


    ***


    AventurineSajin pondered.


    "Venue, huh? That''s easy. How about holding it on my end?This little Joyful planet of ours is actually perfect.I believe both Aha and Sparkle will be on board with it too."


    Jade raised an eyebrow."You sure about that?"


    Aventurine nodded."Positive. Plus, this is a good chance to promote the tourism project I''m developing here."


    Jade considered it ¡ª she and Topaz had invested in that tourism project too, each holding shares.


    "Alright then, it''s settled. You handle the venue, I''ll take care of promotion, and Topaz will manage the sales of the spirit essences.Any other questions? If not, meeting adjourned."


    On the Joyful little planet¡ª


    Aventurine ended the video call, glanced out at the beautiful scenery through the window, and stood up to go find Sparkle to discuss the event.


    Arriving at the entrance of the Joyful Grand Theater, he saw Scaramouche manning the ticket booth.


    Though the theater wasn''t officially open yet, a few performances were held each day.


    Aventurine''s staff would come by when they had free time to serve as guinea pigs, testing how well each play performed.


    Scaramouche asked impatiently,"5,000 credits per ticket. How many?"


    Aventurine shook his head."I''m here to see Sparkle, not for a show."


    With that, he walked straight into the theater.


    Scaramouche clicked his tongue at Aventurine''s back, then resumed selling tickets.


    Just before entering the theater''s interior, Aventurine looked back at Scaramouche and sighed, shaking his head."That guy never learns."


    Among all the employees at the Joyful Grand Theater, Scaramouche was the most rebellious ¡ª Sparkle practically had to lecture him daily.


    Judging by his attitude today, another scolding was likely in store for tonight.


    Aventurine walked down the corridor to Sparkle''s office.


    Sparkle''s office had an artistic flair ¡ª oil paintings hung on the walls, and musical instruments were scattered across the floor.


    Wearing a small beret and round black-rimmed glasses, Sparkle was busy writing a script at her desk.


    "Busy, Director Sparkle?" Aventurine leaned against the door, smiling.


    Sparkle looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see him."Well, if it isn''t my little peacock~ Weren''t you busy developing your project? What brings you here?"


    Aventurine chuckled."I came to discuss something with you.


    Ye Yun is planning to host a Spirit Tournament.Topaz, Jade, and I are helping with the promotion and sales.As for the venue, we''re in charge of that too.I want to host the tournament here on our Joyful little planet. What do you think?"


    Sparkle''s eyes lit up at the mention of a Spirit Tournament. This sounded like so much fun!


    "Sounds great~ I''m in!Oh right, I want to participate too.Where can I get a spirit?"


    Aventurine replied,"You''ll need to buy one from Ye Yun.Stop by his store when you have time."


    Sparkle nodded enthusiastically."Then I''ll go right now!"


    She bounced out of her chair and skipped out the door.


    Just then, Aventurine called after her."Oh, by the way ¡ª just a heads-up ¡ª that guy selling tickets at your door has a really bad attitude."


    Sparkle''s lips curled into a mysterious smile."Is that so~? Got it. I''ll give him a nice little training session tonight~ See you later~"


    Aventurine didn''t linger. He still had a lot to do, like preparing the tournament venue.The final elimination rounds would definitely need a proper stadium, though the earlier prelims could just take place anywhere with enough space.


    Meanwhile, over at Ye Yun''s store¡ª sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Yun posted an announcement in the group chat.Jing Yuan, Zhongli, Calestia, and several others quickly showed up to purchase their spirits.


    Sparkle asked Aha to open a portal and arrived at the store.


    "Hey everyone~ Long time no see!"


    She waved at the group.


    Lumine spotted her and waved back."Sparkle, you''re here too?"


    Sparkle nodded."Of course~ The Spirit Tournament''s going to be held on my Joyful little planet, after all.I''m here to buy a spirit and join in the fun~By the way, did you get a spirit yet?"


    Lumine grinned and grabbed Paimon."Yup! Here''s my spirit ¡ª Paimon!"


    Paimon, munching on an apple, was suddenly snatched up and looked utterly confused.


    Wait... was Lumine saying she was going to battle with her??


    Paimon pouted angrily."Lumine! I''m not a spirit! I''m your partner!"


    Lumine then pulled Amber and Eula over."Hey, ask them! You just tell me if Paimon looks like a spirit or not!"


    Paimon turned to Amber and Eula."I''m not a spirit, right?"


    Amber and Eula were about to nod and agree, but then saw Lumine giving them very obvious signals behind Paimon''s back.


    They immediately changed tune."Paimon''s totally a spirit, right?"


    "Yup, Amber, I think so too. She can definitely compete!"


    Paimon looked devastated."You''re all bullying me! I don''t wanna fight! My combat power''s only one-fifth of a wild boar''s!"


    Himeko chuckled and picked Paimon up."There, there. Don''t worry, Paimon''s not a spirit.You''re our partner ¡ª they''re just teasing you."


    Paimon pouted and leaned against Himeko, glaring daggers at Lumine, Amber, and Eula.


    "Hmph! You three are mean! I''m not talking to you anymore!"


    Amber was about to apologize when Lumine stopped her and, with a smug grin, pulled out a bag of teddy bear cookies.


    "Still mad, Paimon?"


    Paimon''s eyes lit up with stars."Whoa! Teddy bear cookies!"


    She zoomed over, ripped open the bag, and popped one into her mouth.


    "Mmm~ So good~"


    Lumine turned to Amber and Eula, raising her eyebrows."Well?"


    Amber and Eula gave her a thumbs-up."Nice move ¡ª classic Lumine."


    Himeko just smiled helplessly as Paimon melted under the power of snacks.


    Meanwhile, Sparkle bought a premium spirit essence from the bar at a hefty price.


    She brought it to the incubator and placed it inside, noting the 10-hour countdown.


    With time to kill, she headed into Silver Wolf''s room to play games together, planning to return to the Joyful Grand Theater after her spirit hatched.


    With Aha there, nothing would go wrong.


    At Ye Yun''s store, anyone who bought a spirit essence¡ªaside from busy officials like Fu Xuan¡ªdecided to wait for their little spirits to hatch.


    Before long, Rimuru showed up too, excited to join in after hearing about the tournament.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169 - 169On Stelle''s Side


    She arrived at the Herta Space Station, landing in Herta''s laboratory. Looking around, she didn''t see Herta, Ruan Mei, or anyone else.


    "Where did they all go? These geniuses aren''t in the lab doing research?"


    Stelle walked out of the lab and wandered around. When she reached the platform, the scene before her shocked her.


    Outside the platform, in the starfield, over a hundred warships stood ready for departure.


    On the platform, countless spherical robots with arms and legs, each wielding a triangular lightsaber, were boarding the warships in an orderly fashion.


    "Whoa¡ªare they heading off to fight?"


    Stelle, holding Mika and Little Fire Monkey, ran toward the departing Asta.


    As she neared Asta, Stelle skidded to a stop.


    "Asta, who are you guys going to fight?"


    Asta replied,


    "Stelle, you''re just in time. Remember those Dummy Units No. 1 that Mr. Screwllum bought earlier?


    He studied them carefully and got them to learn how to warp these warships and robots.


    Now, he''s preparing to lead this entirely robot-composed fleet to eliminate a swarm of bugs. Want to join?"


    Stelle was amazed.


    "Holy moly, classic Screwllum¡ªquietly whipped up an entire fleet. Awesome!


    Count me in! I love this kind of epic scene!


    Oh right, mind if I call a few people over?"


    Asta responded,


    "For that, you''ll need to ask Mr. Screwllum.


    After all, this fleet belongs to him, and he decides who can board."


    Stelle nodded in understanding and immediately pulled out her phone, snapped a few photos of the fleet, and posted them in the group chat.


    Galactic Fire Hero: image.jpg @Screwllum, you''re going to fight a bug swarm, right? I want in too!


    Screwllum: Certainly, I''d be honored. Anyone interested may head to the Herta Space Station platform. The fleet departs in thirty minutes.


    I Shall Ignite the Galaxy: Fleet! Swarm! War! I''m ready!


    Little Strategist of Inazuma: Uh... something about the username above gives me a bad feeling...


    Welt: Please count me in! @Stelle, could you take a few more photos of those robots boarding?


    Galactic Fire Hero: OK, Uncle Yang.


    Screwllum: Mr. Welt, are you also interested in these Purifiers?


    Welt: These robots are called Purifiers? That''s a great name.


    Screwllum: Each Purifier mech contains an independent AI system.


    If a mech is disabled, the AI will automatically return to the data center.


    In other words, the Purifier mechs can keep learning and growing stronger through combat.


    Real-Name Net Surfer: Are these Purifiers really that powerful? I''ll go take a look.


    Topaz Director: @Screwllum, Mr. Screwllum, can I buy a few?


    Soon, many people in the group arrived at the platform to board the special ship Screwllum had sent for them.


    After Welt, Jing Yuan, Zhongli, and Huaiyan boarded, they gathered around a Purifier mech to examine it.


    The Purifier''s design was indeed very cool.


    Its silver-white body was adorned with golden patterns, and it had elegant armor on both arms.


    Welt tested the strength of the Purifier''s lightsaber.


    Put it this way: a piece of high-quality steel, even by Stellaron standards, was sliced cleanly in two by a single strike.


    Soon, the ship carrying everyone arrived at the flagship.


    As they disembarked, they saw Screwllum and four small scout drones waiting.


    "Welcome aboard the flagship Spear of Aedon, it is my great honor," he said.


    Stelle was extremely excited¡ªan interstellar war! She had never witnessed such a large-scale, fleet-level clash.


    "Screwllum, when do we depart?"


    Screwllum gestured politely.


    "This way, please. Lady Herta and Lady Ruan Mei have been waiting. We''re ready to depart."


    Screwllum led everyone to the command room. Herta saw them and said,


    "Finally! A genius''s time is precious. Screwllum, let''s get moving."


    Screwllum nodded slightly and approached the control panel. Seeing that all warships were ready, he gave the order: sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All units, depart immediately. Target: the Bugfang Star System!"


    At his command, over a hundred warships carrying millions of Purifiers began to move.


    Stelle, Amber, and others crowded by the window, thrilled by the sight of the massive fleet.


    "Whoa! So cool! Fleet, charge!"


    "Look over there¡ªso many bird-like ships!"


    Screwllum explained:


    "Those are Phoenix Fighters. They can fly at light speed and are equipped with gravity anchor devices that trap targets in gravity fields.


    Then, they finish the target with four particle cannons."


    Stelle was amazed¡ªlight speed!


    "But to enter light-speed mode, the Phoenix Fighters lose mobility."


    Jing Yuan commented,


    "That''s still powerful. If faced with an unavoidable threat, it''s a good way to escape."


    Welt pointed to another ship with giant pincers like a Hercules beetle.


    "What''s that one?"


    Screwllum responded,


    "That''s a Storm Battleship. Its tactical role is heavy firepower support¡ªit can unleash devastating electromagnetic cannons."


    Screwllum continued to explain the various warships in the fleet.


    Jing Yuan and the others glanced at the small scout drones at Screwllum''s feet.


    To think such tiny things had assembled an entire fleet in such a short time¡ªit was incredible.


    The fleet accelerated, quickly reaching a threshold. At Screwllum''s command, the entire fleet entered warp mode.


    The Spear of Aedon fired an energy blast ahead, which exploded and formed a star gate for the fleet''s jump.


    The ships lined up and entered the gate.


    Ten minutes later.


    Bugfang Star System


    The Bugfang system had long been occupied by remnants of a swarm species.


    The total bug population in the system reached over ten billions.


    They had lived here for hundreds of years in peace, enjoying their insect lives.


    Until today¡ªwhen that peace was shattered.


    A stargate opened at the edge of the system, and a massive fleet emerged.


    The moment it exited the gate, it launched an attack on the nearby swarm.


    Artillery fire thundered from every class of warship, bombarding the planets around them.


    Phoenix Fighters darted among the planets, swiftly eliminating the swarm. To them, the bugs moved in slow motion.


    With smart systems in control, human error was nearly eliminated.


    ***


    Deep within the The Bugfang system galaxy, the swarm sensed the disturbance and took flight, rushing toward the fleet.


    Seeing this, Jing Yuan looked at Screwllum.


    "Mr. Screwllum, aren''t you going to command the fleet? The swarm is about to hit us."


    Screwllum shook his head.


    "No need. Everything is going according to plan. The intelligent system database has already made preparations."


    As soon as Screwllum finished speaking, the twelve Storm Battleships in the fleet began charging their cannons frantically.


    In an instant, twelve raging electromagnetic energy spheres appeared at the muzzles of the twelve Storm Battleships.


    Immediately afterward, the twelve ships fired in unison at the oncoming swarm.


    Seconds later, twelve electromagnetic energy beams blossomed within the swarm.


    In the starry sky, they bloomed like fireworks.


    Then, six carriers in the fleet launched 600 unmanned interceptor drones. Each drone was equipped with two particle laser cannons and could fly at speeds up to Mach 20.


    The 600 drones charged toward the swarm. Their small size allowed them to avoid enemy attacks more easily.


    Soon, the Storm Battleships completed a second round of charging and fired another volley of electromagnetic energy blasts.


    After these waves of attacks, the swarm had lost its threat to the mothership. Most of them had been wiped out.


    At this point, all the battleships began a large-scale airdrop of the Purifiers to cleanse the surface of the swarm.


    Screwllum pulled up a feed showing six Purifier mechs carefully advancing through a ruin.


    Suddenly, the ground of The Bugfang system trembled, and large numbers of bugs poured in from all directions.


    One of the Purifiers quickly pulled out a crystal and placed it on the ground.


    Then, the six summoned their twin laser swords and stood back-to-back to guard the crystal.


    "Bugs! Die!"


    The six quickly swung their laser swords, slaughtering the swarm at lightning speed.


    Seeing this, Firefly couldn''t help but recall the past¡ªback when she and her teammates had fought swarms back-to-back just like this.


    More and more bugs swarmed in. The six mechs began to get overwhelmed and started to fall one by one.


    Even when near destruction, they used their last ounce of strength to fight the swarm.


    After the first wave of attack, only one Purifier mech remained. The others had all been torn apart.


    Firefly couldn''t bear it any longer.


    "Mr. Screwllum, please tell me the location of that Purifier mech on screen."


    Screwllum looked at Firefly, understanding her intent.


    "You want to rescue it?"


    Firefly nodded firmly.


    "Yes!"


    Screwllum said:


    "Exit the command room and turn right to reach the prep hall. There''s a teleportation device there. Once that crystal finishes charging, you can teleport along with the other Purifiers."


    Firefly thanked him and quickly left the command room.


    Stelle, Amber, and Hutao followed after her.


    Stelle called out to Firefly ahead.


    "Firefly, wait for us! We''re coming too!"


    Firefly stopped and turned to look at them.


    Hutao added, "Even this Hall Master was touched by those Purifier warriors. They didn''t surrender, even at the cost of death!"


    Lumine nodded as well. "Yeah! Even I want to help!"


    Stelle said, "We''re friends! How could we let you go alone? We''ll bear this together!"


    Firefly smiled at them. "Alright. We''ll bear it together!"


    Firefly, Stelle, Hutao, and the others arrived at the prep hall. Led by a Purifier mech, they stepped onto the teleportation platform.


    Soon, the platform beneath them lit up, and they were enveloped in light and disappeared.


    In the prep hall, more and more Purifier mechs stepped onto the teleportation platform to head for the front lines.


    At the edge of the The Bugfang system galaxy, on the shell planet in Death Valley¡ª


    This was the battlefield shown in Screwllum''s earlier feed.


    The last Purifier mech slowly stood up. After the previous battle, it had little energy left.


    Looking at the bugs slowly closing in with predatory eyes, the Purifier mech summoned its twin laser swords again, ready to fight to the death.


    At that moment¡ª


    Loud booming sounds erupted nearby. The crystal had completed its charge, and beams of light slammed into the ground.


    Firefly, Stelle, Hutao, and Lumine emerged from the beams alongside over a thousand Purifier mechs.


    Behind them, more and more beams appeared, covering the hills.


    Firefly held her transformation device and whispered:


    "I dreamed of scorched earth


    Of a new bud breaking through the soilIt bloomed toward the morning sun


    Whispering to me


    A moth to flame¡ªreborn in death!"


    Firefly transformed into Sam and led the Purifier army in a charge against the swarm.


    The two armies collided. Every second, lives perished and bugs fell.


    Inside the command room¡ª


    Fu Xuan was puzzled.


    "Why send such a small squad to a planet crawling with bugs? Isn''t that sending them to die?"


    Jing Yuan explained:


    "Lady Fu, this is the correct strategy.


    The swarm can fly and fight in the air.


    If we use landing craft, some will inevitably be shot down.


    By then, the Purifier mechs inside would be damaged before even entering the battle.


    Look at the data over there.


    When the fleet passed through the stargate, a small portion of the landing craft was immediately launched.


    In the end, only thirteen made a successful landing.


    And that was before the swarm even reacted.


    Now that they''ve responded, sending more would only mean greater losses.


    Teleporting directly to the battlefield minimizes casualties."


    Fu Xuan, hearing Jing Yuan''s explanation, finally understood.


    So that''s how it is. Indeed, it was a sound strategy.


    Jing Yuan added:


    "Lady Fu, this is a rare opportunity. Watch closely. Listen. Think.


    Observing such large-scale troop combat will quickly improve your military command abilities."


    Fu Xuan nodded seriously and began paying full attention to the battle.


    Jingliu turned to Yanqing and Yunli behind her and said:


    "You two go down there as well. Whoever kills more bugs, more sword practice with me for a day."


    The moment they heard this, a competitive fire ignited in both Yanqing and Yunli.


    To them, training with Jingliu was a rare and precious opportunity.


    Even if Yunli had to choose between hotpot and sword practice, she would still choose the latter.


    After exchanging glances and a cold snort, the two left the command room to teleport to the front lines.


    Jing Yuan watched them leave with satisfaction.


    Under Jingliu''s guidance, Yanqing and Yunli had improved rapidly. Even some high-tier Pathwalkers might not be able to match them now.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170 - 170On the Shell Planet.


    Firefly, Stelle, Hutao, Amber, and Lumine led the Purifier mech army in a frenzied advance.


    Three-quarters of the entire planet had already been "purified." The remaining bugs had retreated to the last continent, desperately resisting.


    Where the two sides clashed, flesh and blood flew.


    One Purifier mech dashed forward, leaving behind an afterimage.


    In the next second, it appeared above a bug, pounced on it, pinned it down, and drove its laser blade up through the bug''s skull.


    After eliminating the bug, the Purifier mech quickly got up and charged toward the next target.


    Firefly soared into the sky and delivered a flying kick toward the center of the swarm.


    Seeing this, Stelle hurriedly followed. The Judgment of Shamash in her hands gathered flames , and when she landed, she cleared out a wide area of bugs in an instant.


    Amber shot down a bug with her bow, then wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    These bugs were too many¡ªshe had never drawn her bow this many times in a single day.


    She felt utterly exhausted, her chest rising and falling heavily.


    Eula noticed and approached her.


    "Amber, are you alright?"


    Amber caught her breath and replied:


    "I''m fine. Just a bit tired. I''ll be okay after a short rest."


    Just then, dozens of Purifier mechs suddenly surrounded the two, forming a protective circle.


    Looking at the steel-built mechs around them, Amber and Eula suddenly felt a strong sense of security.


    Luosigum had modified the Purifier database¡ªthe first directive was to protect humans.


    Twenty minutes later, the bug swarm on the Shell Planet had been completely eradicated.


    Firefly, Stelle, and the others were warped back to the Spear of Yatton.


    Inside the command room¡ª


    A star chart was projected in the center of the hall. It displayed the Insect Fang galaxy.


    On it were many green and red dots.


    Each green dot represented an allied unit. Red dots were the swarm.


    At present, the green dots had occupied the outer regions of the Insect Fang galaxy, completely blocking off any escape routes for the swarm.


    The remaining bugs had holed up near the largest planet¡ªInsect King Star¡ªpreparing for a final battle.


    Unfortunately for them, the Purifiers weren''t interested in a "grand showdown." All they needed to do was make sure not a single bug escaped.


    Jing Yuan looked over the battlefield situation.


    "The outcome is decided. Next... it''s time for the endgame."


    With the Purifier fleet forming this formation, only one thing was left to do:


    Saturate the planet with firepower.


    Sure enough¡ª


    Soon, all warships and fighters began charging their weapons, preparing to strike the Insect King Star.


    The bugs sensed something was wrong, but it was too late.


    The early stages of the campaign were just to ensure no bugs could flee.


    The latter stage was total annihilation by bombardment.


    There were no civilians in the Insect Fang galaxy¡ªonly bugs.


    Over 100 warships opened fire simultaneously, bombarding the Insect King Star from all directions, causing the entire planet to start breaking apart.


    A minute later, even the planet''s core was exposed.


    Finally, it exploded.


    Every single bug in the galaxy was reduced to pulp under the intense bombardment.


    Screwllum watched the scene and shook his head.


    "Still need to upgrade the AI system when we return¡ªthere was a delay in issuing a few commands."


    With Screwllum''s order, all warships began returning to base.


    Elsewhere¡ª


    The Interstellar Peace Corporation released news of the Spirit Tournament online.


    This tournament was organized by Mr. Ye Yun and sponsored by the Strategic Department of the Interstellar Peace Corp.


    First place would receive a spirit rated above "Pathwalker" class and 10 million credits.


    Second place would receive a high-grade Spirit Core and 5 million credits.


    Third place would receive a high-grade Spirit Core and 2 million credits.


    And so on.


    Only the top 100 would receive Spirit Core prizes. Ranks 101¨C500 would receive credits only.


    Anyone ranked beyond that would get no reward.


    As soon as the announcement went live, countless people across the galaxy saw it.


    Many eagerly opened the event details¡ªinstantly captivated by the spirits.


    The spirits came in all forms: cool, cute, imposing, silly¡ªyou name it, there was one for everyone.


    They could fight, were loyal, and even understood human speech.


    It was just too perfect.


    The only downside? The pricing system. They didn''t cost credits, but Stellar Jades.


    10 Stellar Jades = 1 regular Spirit Core


    100 Stellar Jades = 1 mid-grade Spirit Core


    1000 Stellar Jades = 1 high-grade Spirit Core


    As for divine-level ones? Not for sale.


    Stellar Jades had long been hoarded by major factions. Many people who once owned them had sold them off cheaply.


    Corporations, the Xianzhou, and Penacony had a tacit agreement: they purchased Stellar Jades Jades from civilians at a fixed low price of 10,000 credits per piece.


    Now, with the release of Spirit Cores, those who had sold off their Stellar Jades Jades were filled with regret.


    Just one of those adorable little spirits in the promotional videos was clearly worth far more than 10,000 credits.


    Before long, the price of Stellar Jades Jades on the market had skyrocketed to 100,000 credits per piece.


    Since one regular Spirit Core required 10 Stellar Jades Jades, that meant a base cost of 1 million credits.


    The internet was filled with wails of regret.


    "I''m such an idiot! One million credits! I want to slap myself!"


    "You think that''s bad? Some company brat bought 1,000 from me yesterday at 5,000 credits each! FML!"


    "Damn! Bro, what do you do that you had so many Stellar Jades?"


    "I run a jewelry shop. Damn... I got robbed!"


    "Well... hearing your loss made me feel better."


    "Anyone selling Stellar Jades? I''ll pay 110k each. PM me."


    "Bro, you still trying to outbid? Prices are flying! I only have a 1M credit budget!"


    "Internal deal: regular Spirit Core 900k, mid-grade 9M, high-grade 90M. PM if interested."


    "Don''t trust that guy! He''s a scammer!"


    "How do you know?"


    "Only silence."


    "Ah, got it. Well... I guess the world is still beautiful, isn''t it?"


    At the headquarters of the Strategic Investment Department in Bierpoint¡ª


    The previously peaceful office received an unexpected visitor.


    Oswald Schneider, Director of the Expansion Department¡ªsworn rival of the Ten Stoneheart.


    Schneider stormed into the Diamond Office.


    "Diamond! This time you''ve gone too far!"


    Diamond smiled.


    "Too far? I don''t think so. Everything we''ve done has been within regulations.We didn''t violate any company rules. And our profits this month are up 30% from last month.I see no issue here."


    ***


    Schneider walked up to the diamond desk, bent down slightly, and looked gloomy.


    "You know what I''m talking about, the Spirit! Something like that isn''t for your Strategic Investment Division alone to monopolize!"


    Diamond smiled.


    "You''re right. It indeed isn''t something our Strategic Investment Division can monopolize."


    Schneider felt a bit better after hearing this.


    "Then, give me the supply channel¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Diamond suddenly cut him off.


    "Still, it''s not something you can get your hands on. Let me give you a piece of advice: it''s best not to get involved in this deal. It''s beyond your reach."


    With that, without waiting for Schneider to speak, Diamond sent him off.


    "I have other matters to attend to. My little spirit should be hatching now¡ªI have to go pick up my little cutie. Sorry for the lack of hospitality. Feel free to show yourself out."


    After finishing, Diamond stood up and walked out of the office calmly, as if nothing had happened.


    Schneider turned and looked back at Diamond.


    "Heh~ In this universe, there''s nothing the Pioneer Division can''t stick its nose into!"


    Fuming with anger, Schneider left the Strategic Investment Division.


    At the Herta Space Station¡ª


    The fleet had returned. In this expedition, only one battleship was heavily damaged; the rest were lightly damaged.


    Over 300,000 Purifier mechas were lost. According to Screwllum''s previous records, under normal productivity, it would only take half a month to recover them.


    This batch had been produced by Screwllum with no regard for cost, pouring in resources.


    On his planet¡ªinhabited entirely by mechanical life¡ªall production lines were pushed to maximum output. All other projects had been forcibly halted to support this fleet.


    You can imagine how terrifying the productivity on his planet must be.


    Zhongli looked at the massive fleet and couldn''t help but wonder: when would Liyue have such a powerful fleet?


    It was only through this observation that Zhongli realized just how far Liyue¡ªor rather, all of Teyvat¡ªstill had to go.


    Zhongli followed the main group through the teleportation gate back to the train. After chatting with everyone for a bit, he returned to New Liyue.


    For convenience, a teleportation gate had also been placed at New Liyue Port.


    The gate was set right next to Calestia''s esports room.


    That arrangement was something Calestia insisted on. As for her reason?


    Calestia had said:


    "Put the gate next to my place¡ªit''ll be easier for me to go find Kiana to play!"


    Though the Liyue folks were a bit speechless, they agreed in the end.


    After all, only a few people used the teleportation gate, so its location didn''t really matter.


    Besides, on the bright side, with Calestia nearby, the gate''s safety was guaranteed.


    This also meant Yelan could be relieved of guard duty.


    Zhongli and Hutao walked out of the teleportation gate. Hutao said:


    "Guest Minister, shall we go downstairs for some late-night snacks?"


    Zhongli agreed immediately.


    "Certainly."


    Hutao and Zhongli arrived at the front of the Wangsheng Hall internet caf¨¦ building, where the original food street had now been relocated.


    The vendors were still the same¡ªmostly because Calestia liked their food.


    Just as Hutao and Zhongli stepped out the front door, they saw Huohuo about to escort a client to New Wuwang Hill.


    "Huohuo, where are you going?" Hutao asked cheerfully.


    Huohuo was taken aback, a bead of cold sweat forming on her forehead. She held up the urn in her hands.


    "Sister Hutao, are you messing around again? I''m doing my job here."


    Huohuo looked exasperated. When she first came here, Hutao had been guiding her diligently.


    But now, she hadn''t seen Hutao working in a long time.


    Hutao scratched her head awkwardly.


    "Uh... that''s not true! Of course I knew¡ªyou just caught me being friendly!


    You go ahead, quick trip! The Guest Consultan and I are going for grilled fish¡ªI''ll save you a piece!"


    Grandpa Bo clicked his tongue and exposed her.


    "Hutao, has anyone ever told you that you''re a terrible actor? You clearly forgot."


    Hutao waved her little hand.


    "No way! Absolutely not! I''m the 77th-generation head of the Hall! I will carry on the glory of Wangsheng Hall!


    Grandpa Bo, I''ll sue you for slander!


    Guest Consultan! He''s slandering me! Do something! Seal him!" Hutao tugged hard on Zhongli''s sleeve.


    Zhongli turned his head and asked solemnly:


    "Hall Master, were you calling me?"


    Hutao stared at him with dead-fish eyes.


    "Guest Consultan, has anyone ever told you that your acting is terrible?"


    Zhongli didn''t feel awkward being called out. Instead, he seriously reflected:


    "Is that so? Looks like I need to learn more acting from Barbatos."


    Hutao twitched at the corner of her mouth upon hearing that.


    "Maybe not... If you start acting like Venti¡ª"


    Huohuo smiled.


    "Sister Hutao~ I''d like the mildly spicy grilled fish. I''ll be back soon."


    Hutao quickly took the excuse to exit the conversation.


    "Alright, alright! You go ahead¡ªthanks for your work! I''ll give you a bonus at the end of the month!


    Guest Consultant! Let''s go!"


    Hutao took Zhongli to Old Liu''s grilled fish stand.


    "Old Liu! Three grilled Tigerfish! Two mild, one extra spicy! Make one of the mild ones later.


    And grill up some other stuff you think we''d like.


    Get started¡ªI''m off to Old Li''s for some seafood fried rice."


    Old Liu replied cheerfully:


    "Got it! Coming right up!"


    Hu Tao ran off again to buy fried rice.


    At Old Li''s seafood fried rice stall, Hu Tao ran into some old friends.


    "Xinyan? Xingqiu? Chongyun! You guys are here too?"


    The three turned to Hutao.


    "Hutao, it''s you. You''re quite something¡ªkeeping this whole other-world thing from us for so long."


    Hutao laughed sheepishly.


    "Aiya, don''t take it personally¡ªI''ve just been super busy. You know how it is.


    Running Wangsheng Hall, managing the internet caf¨¦, helping Stelle and the others fight.


    No time! Just slipped my mind."


    Xingqiu twitched at the corner of his mouth.


    "I''ll reluctantly believe you."


    Hu Tao grinned at him.


    "Want to have some grilled fish? I had a few prepared at Old Liu''s."


    Xingqiu glanced at Chongyun and Xinyan. The three exchanged looks and agreed.


    "Sure, let''s go."


    Hutao also asked Old Li to stir-fry a box of rice and send it over, then led the group to sit beside Zhongli.


    The moment Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Xinyan saw Zhongli, they instantly regretted coming.


    Anyone in Liyue with any power would recognize Zhongli as the Geo Archon. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhongli gave the three a calm look.


    "No need to be formal. Treat this body as Zhongli alone¡ªjust a Guest Consultant of the Hall."


    Soon, Old Liu''s grilled tigerfish and Old Li''s seafood fried rice were delivered.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171 - 171Hutao, Xingqiu, Zhongli, Chongyun, and Xinyan were all sitting on small folding stools, each holding a bowl of seafood fried rice and eating from it.


    Xingqiu put down the disposable white foam lunch box he had been using for the seafood fried rice.


    "Hutao, where have you been playing around these days?"


    After swallowing a mouthful of fried rice, Hutao began recounting her recent experiences to the others.


    Things like riding a snowmobile on the Belobog tundra, attending the martial arts ceremony in Luofu, and shopping during the Golden Moment in Penacony.


    There was also fooling around at Ye Yun''s store, having dinners together, doing dungeon runs and playing games, gardening, and so on.


    The experiences Hutao described filled the others with envy ¡ª what a colorful and exciting life she was living.


    Xingqiu in particular got really excited when he heard about the martial arts ceremony.


    It was a martial arts tournament for the younger generation, to determine the strongest among their peers.


    Xingqiu had dreamed of becoming a wandering hero since childhood, and participating in tournaments like that was essential for a true hero.


    And why, you ask?Xingqiu could only say ¡ª haven''t all the great heroes in the novels competed in martial arts tournaments?


    "What a pity I missed the martial arts ceremony on the Xianzhou Luofu, sigh~" Xingqiu sighed.


    Chongyun spoke up.


    "I''m not that interested in martial arts ceremonies, but I am really curious about the tundra in Belobog. I''d like to go see it sometime."


    Hu Tao caught on to what Chongyun was thinking.


    "Chongyun, are you thinking about going there to see if it can help with your Pure Yang constitution?"


    Chongyun nodded.


    "Yeah. The whole world is nothing but snow and ice ¡ª I want to give it a try."


    Zhongli spoke at this point.


    "If you''re going for the sake of your Pure Yang constitution, then it''s not worth the trouble.


    The ice in Belobog is just a product of the mundane world. It won''t resolve your condition.


    However, living there would certainly make things more comfortable for you."


    Chongyun shook his head in response.


    "Living there? No thanks. I like where I''m staying now.


    After moving to this new Liyue, I found a secluded pond that stays cool all year round, and I built a little cabin next to it."


    Xinyan nodded.


    "True that. Chongyun''s new place is really chilly. In the middle of summer, if you sleep there, you still have to use a blanket at night ¡ª or you''ll freeze."


    Hearing this reminded Xingqiu of when they had last visited Chongyun''s place. It was so late and raining that they all ended up staying the night.


    That night was really cold ¡ª he woke up shivering the next morning.


    Xinyan then turned to Hu Tao.


    "Hu Tao, did you say there''s rock music in Penacony?"


    Hu Tao nodded.


    "Yup! I met a cool older lady who owns a bar there. She used to play rock music."


    As Hutao described her, Xinyan imagined a super cool big sister-type figure.


    "Can you take me to meet her? I wanna play rock with her!"


    Hutao thought for a moment.


    "Sure, I''ll take you tomorrow. Come find me in the morning."


    Xinyan agreed enthusiastically.


    "No problem! I''ll come find you first thing in the morning!"


    ¡ª


    Near the Hanu Celebration Planet in the surrounding star system, a fleet bearing a pirate emblem slowly approached.


    On the flagship, the leader of the fleet was video calling someone.


    His demeanor, gestures, and tone all showed the utmost respect for the person on the screen.


    If anyone from the Company had been present, they would have recognized the person immediately. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Schneider ¡ª and he was dead set on getting involved in this business.


    Through his investigation, he discovered that the Spirit essence wasn''t actually produced by any of the Company''s properties.


    Even the Strategic Investment Department had been sourcing it from outsiders.


    To track down the mastermind behind this, Schneider decided to dispatch a secret, dirty-work fleet under his command to the tournament venue to stir up trouble.


    He believed that once the fleet reached the area, the person behind it all would surely show themselves.


    ¡ª


    In his office, Aventurine had naturally noticed the fleet''s arrival. When he saw the emblem on the ships, he recognized it instantly.


    "The Exploration Division just won''t give up, huh? Already found their way here.


    Oh well, not important ¡ª they''re just here to die."


    Sure enough¡ª


    The moment the fleet arrived above the Hanu Celebration Planet, Aventurine summoned Aha.


    "Aha! Go greet our guests!"


    Aha put down his unfinished script and dashed out of the Joy Theater excitedly.


    In the next moment¡ª


    Aha appeared around the fleet, letting out a thunderous laugh that echoed across the entire star system.


    Everyone on the fleet was instantly infected by the laughter and began laughing hysterically.


    Eventually, someone couldn''t take it anymore ¡ª their mind broke, their brain overloaded, and they became completely catatonic.


    In the end, Aha left the last 100 people who had managed to endure it, planning to take them back as extras.


    As for the rest of the idiots? Someone else would clean up that mess.


    Not long after Aha left, Aventurine boarded the flagship.


    He glanced at the now-idiot leader in disgust, dragged him over, and pressed his right hand onto the palmprint scanner.


    After gaining control of the fleet, Aventurine waved his hand, and two subordinates came to take the man away.


    Then Aventurine did a few things at the console, changing the destination to Pierpoint, the Exploration Division headquarters.


    After finishing, he put on his hat and left the warship.


    ¡ª


    At Ye Yun''s store¡ª


    Stelle and Firefly stepped into the portal leading to Rimuru''s world.


    Today was the day of the final battle between Orc Lord and Rimuru''s group, and Stelle and FIrefly planned to go help ¡ª they had nothing else to do anyway.


    Tomorrow, they would go retrieve the Ember of Conflict Titan.


    Today, Aglaea and the others seemed to have more urgent matters to deal with.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, in the "Eternal Holy City" Okhema in Amphoreus¡ª


    Castorice, Phainon, Mydei, Aglaea, Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon were busy leading a search for treasure chests.


    That''s right.


    For the past two days, they''d been gathering Stellar Jades from around the city.


    But progress wasn''t great ¡ª many of the chest locations were now empty.


    Aglaea asked some townsfolk and found out that a little gray-haired guy had led a group of beautiful girls and looted all those chests recently.


    Aglaea sighed in frustration when she heard that ¡ª another example of losing out due to lack of information.


    Before they even understood the importance of Stellar Jades, someone else had already been collecting them.


    Now, all they could do was ramp up their search and grab whatever was left.


    Aside from hunting for chests, Aglaea and the others also went to collect crops from the Koukou Farm at regular times, to prevent their crops from being stolen.


    Aglaea wasn''t too worried about the safety of Okhema ¡ª with Teacher Trianne, who could open portals to any world, guarding the city, nothing major was likely to go wrong.


    And if something did happen, they could just spend some credits and bring in reinforcements from the train.


    Thinking back to the sword strike from Stelle in Janusopolis, Aglaea didn''t believe there was any problem in Okhema that they couldn''t solve.


    ***


    Aglaea, Phainon, and the others were currently gathered together, counting today''s gains.


    Aglaea glanced at the record book in her hand.


    "Congratulations, our star coin count has finally broken six digits¡ª100,300 star coins."


    Everyone applauded, and Tribbie said,


    "These past two days have been hard on everyone. I''ll treat you all to milk tea. Come take a look and choose your flavors."


    Tribbie pulled out her phone and started placing the order for everyone.


    The pickup location could currently only be set to Ye Yun''s store, as Amphoreus was not yet listed on the company''s delivery map.


    Once the order was placed, Trianne raised her hand.


    "I''ll go pick up the milk tea for you guys!"


    Not giving the others a chance to refuse, Trianne dove straight into the portal.


    Trianne jumped out from the portal.


    "Woohoo~ Trianne has landed successfully! Let''s see what everyone''s up to."


    She wasn''t in a hurry to get the milk tea and decided to look around first.


    Trianne had wanted to visit the train these past few days but hadn''t had the chance. Now that the opportunity finally came, she wasn''t going to miss it.


    Looking around, she saw Himeko, Kafka, and others training a strange little creature.


    "Himeko! What are you doing?"


    Trianne walked up to Himeko, curiosity in her eyes.


    Seeing Tian, Himeko smiled.


    "Hello, Trianne. We''re training little spirit creatures. How come you''re here? Didn''t Tibo and the others come with you?"


    Trianne smiled and put her hands on her hips.


    "I came to pick up the milk tea. Tribbie ordered for everyone.A little spirit? Is that what this is?"


    Himeko''s spirit was a fox entirely covered in icy blue fur, named Akshia.


    When Himeko first hatched it, even Ye Yun was stunned.


    Seriously? She used a high-level essence and got an Akshia? That thing''s insanely strong.


    Freezing landscapes, absolute zero¡ªthat''s the kind of powerful ice-type moves it could wield.


    Also, Akshia was a planetary guardian¡ªone of the strongest kinds.


    When Ray was young, he had even trained under her for a while.


    Stelle was dumbfounded when Ye Yun told her that and refused to believe it until her Fire Monkey and Mika challenged Akshia to a fight.


    Unsurprisingly, Mika and Fire Monkey were no match at all and were instantly defeated.


    Neither Fire Monkey nor Mika had trained properly; they just fooled around on the train all the time. Naturally, they stood no chance.


    Had Stelle trained them from the beginning, the result might have been different.


    Mika still had untapped potential, and Fire Monkey''s fire attribute actually countered ice.


    Seeing her spirits get instantly defeated, Stelle demanded that Ye Yun ban Himeko from the tournament.


    With such a strong spirit, how could anyone else compete?


    The tournament was just two days away.


    In two days, what could they possibly do? At best, build a bit of rapport with their spirits.


    Ye Yun explained,


    "Spirits can grow stronger through battles. Training only reinforces their foundation.


    If you raise them in a greenhouse, they''ll fall with the first gust of wind.


    Once the tournament starts, lots of people''s spirits will grow rapidly through fighting."


    Only then did Stelle give up on banning Himeko.


    Himeko introduced,


    "That''s right, this is my spirit, Akshia. Akshia, this is Trianne, my friend."


    Akshia nodded at Trianne as a greeting.


    Trianne curiously stared at Akshia.


    "Wow~ it''s so smart! It can actually understand what you''re saying!"


    Himeko smiled and explained,


    "Spirits have intelligence on par with humans. Ye Yun even said that some of them can speak.


    By the way, is anyone from Amphoreus joining the spirit tournament?"


    Trianne looked puzzled.


    "Spirit tournament? What''s that?"


    Seeing her reaction, Himeko realized the others probably hadn''t received the news yet.


    So Himeko explained Ye Yun''s upcoming spirit tournament to Trianne.


    After hearing the news, Trianne grabbed the milk tea and bolted, eager to tell Aglaea and the others.


    Once Trianne told them everything, Aglaea and the others got ready to sign up for the tournament.


    This was Ye Yun''s event, and he had practically saved Trianne''s life.


    If it was Ye Yun''s show, of course Amphoreus would support it.


    Aglaea turned to Tibo and said,


    "Teacher Trinnon, bring the star coins¡ªwe''re going to buy some spirits."


    Trianne cheered with joy.


    "Yay! Trianne''s getting her own spirit!"


    Soon, the Amphoreus group headed to Ye Yun''s store to purchase spirits.


    In the treehouse realm, inside March 7th''s room.


    Bubu Flower looked worriedly at the sleeping March 7th on the bed.


    She waddled over with her short little legs and reached out to touch March 7th.


    As soon as she made contact, a piercing cold surged through her, making her hand sting with ice.


    Bubu Flower yelped in pain and withdrew her hand, her face full of sadness.


    Usually, whenever she got hurt or fell while playing at night, March 7th would always comfort her and pick her up.


    But now, March 7th just lay there quietly, fast asleep.


    Bubu Flower once again reached out, trying to shake her awake.


    Even though it was bone-chilling, Bubu Flower didn''t let go¡ªshe just wanted March 7th to wake up.


    At that moment, Welt walked in. He had just returned from Herta and came to check on March 7th.


    Seeing the scene before him, he immediately scooped Bubu Flower into his arms.


    Her hands were covered in frost, showing signs of severe frostbite.


    Even so, Bubu Flower kept struggling, trying to get close to March 7th.


    "Bubu~ Bubu~"


    Welt hugged her tightly.


    "Bubu Flower, you can''t go near her anymore¡ªyou''re already badly frostbitten."


    Bubu Flower looked back and pointed at March 7th, her face full of sorrow as she whimpered.


    "Bubu~ Bubu~"


    As she cried out, tears welled up in her eyes.


    Seeing this, Welt said gently,


    "Don''t worry, Bubu Flower. Little March will definitely get better.


    Let''s treat your wounds first."


    Welt carried Bubu Flower out of the room and returned to the train.


    As soon as they arrived at the store, Ye Yun saw Bubu Flower''s serious frostbite.


    He frowned.


    "What happened? Why is Bubu Flower so badly frostbitten?"


    Welt explained everything to him.


    Looking at Bubu Flower as she received treatment, Ye Yun sighed.


    "Don''t worry, Bubu Flower. March 7th will be okay.


    Don''t forget, she has the Immortal Totem. Since it''s still active, that means she''s not in real danger, understand?"


    Bubu Flower nodded.


    "Bubu~ Bubu~"


    Himeko, sitting nearby, said,


    "Ever since March was frozen, Bubu Flower has been gloomy every day. I really don''t know what to do.


    I even had Fire Monkey and the others try to play with her, but she wasn''t interested."


    Ye Yun thought for a moment.


    Bubu Flower''s state wasn''t good. Prolonged sadness could lead to emotional damage.


    He needed to find a way to distract her.


    After thinking for a bit, Ye Yun had an idea.


    He looked into Bubu Flower''s eyes and said,


    "Bubu Flower, do you want to join the spirit tournament?


    Think about it¡ªwhen March wakes up and sees you holding the championship trophy, won''t she be super happy?"


    Himeko and Welt chimed in.


    "That''s right, Bubu Flower. Little March will definitely be happy to see you win."


    Hearing this, Bubu Flower agreed.


    "Bubu! Bubu!"

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172 - 172Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.


    All participants were now heading toward the Hype Mini Planet.


    This time, over 30,000 people had signed up¡ªmainly due to the limit on Stellar Jade; otherwise, the number might have reached the trillions.


    Over the past few days, only these 30,000 participants managed to buy their own sprite essences.


    Ye Yun had made a huge profit this time, earning nearly 40 million star coins. After giving 8 million to Jade, Topaz, and Aventurine, the rest was all his.


    And what he had to pay was merely one god-level essence, worth just 1 million star coins.


    Topaz, Jade, and Aventurine had been insanely busy during this period, but they enjoyed it and even wished they were busier.


    The preliminary rounds would last three days. Each player had to compete in three matches per day, and only those who won all three could advance.


    One round per day, for a total of three rounds. The top 1,000 would proceed to the knockout stage.


    The knockout matches would be in a 1v1 format to determine the final champion.


    On the Hype Mini Planet¡ª


    Welt was with his sprite''s juvenile form, Jonas, a small black hole about a meter tall.


    Yes, Jonas was a black hole. Welt was overjoyed when he drew this one.


    A black-hole-shaped sprite? That was truly amazing.


    Next to Jonas, Bubu Flower carried March 7th''s former camera¡ªthe exact one she wore in the original story.


    The one Stelle currently had was bought later from Ye Yun.


    Welt looked at Bubu Flower.


    "Bubu Flower, let''s go. Let''s finish our three matches for today.


    Go, Bubu Flower."


    Bubu Flower clenched her tiny fists, her face full of determination.


    "Bubu!"


    Welt smiled faintly and led Jonas and Bubu Flower off to find today''s opponents.


    With the Grand Theater of Hype as the center, the 10-kilometer area around it was the designated zone for the preliminary matches.


    Each participant received a battle recorder issued by the organizers, and the results were determined by it.


    The moment someone lost a match, the recorder would emit a red light to indicate elimination.


    As Welt walked out of the Grand Theater with Bubu Flower, they ran into a group of three¡ªtwo women and one man.


    The man was dressed flamboyantly, looking every bit like a nobleman.


    "Hey, I haven''t seen those two sprites in the guidebook before."


    Welt glanced at the man.


    "Sprites hatched from high-level essences don''t appear in the guidebook."


    The man nodded with an "I see" expression.


    "I get it now. Interesting¡ªcoincidentally, my sprite is also from a high-level essence.


    Wanna battle? I just need one more win today."


    Upon hearing this, Bubu Flower stepped forward and struck a fighting pose.


    "Bubu!"


    The man looked more intrigued.


    "Not bad, full of fighting spirit.


    Come out, Moby! Let''s claim our victory in style!"


    The man threw out a capsule, and a sprite made entirely of rock with tiny feet appeared.


    Welt scanned it with the sprite guidebook.


    [Sprite: Moby


    Level: Lv.3


    Type: Ground


    Description: A rare ground-type sprite.]


    After reading Moby''s info, Welt had already lost interest in the fight.


    How could Moby be a match for Bubu Flower?


    Not to mention the elemental disadvantage¡ªjust by level alone, the gap was huge.


    One was a starting sprite, the other a fully evolved one. What chance did Moby have?


    The nobleman waved grandly.


    "Go, Moby! Use Tackle!"


    Moby charged straight at Bubu Flower.


    The nobleman, seeing that Bubu Flower didn''t dodge, was ready to celebrate victory.


    Moby slammed hard into Bubu Flower.


    The nobleman pumped his fist.


    "Nice! Moby, direct hit!"


    But the next second, the nobleman''s raised hand froze mid-air, his expression blank.


    He saw¡ª


    Moby collided with Bubu Flower, got pushed in a bit, then bounced back.


    Bubu Flower rubbed her tummy where she was hit and casually summoned a vine, hooking Moby upside down as she looked at the nobleman.


    "Bubu?"


    The nobleman stood speechless.


    What?! My invincible Moby couldn''t even break through her defense?


    Did I get a defective sprite? But no, I won my first two matches easily...


    Welt spoke.


    "My friend, Bubu Flower is asking if you surrender."


    The nobleman snapped out of it. Though reluctant, he had to accept the reality¡ªthey weren''t on the same level at all.


    "I surrender. Friend, how did you raise your sprite? She''s so strong."


    Welt shook his head.


    "Bubu Flower isn''t mine. She belongs to a companion of mine who couldn''t make it today, so I brought her along." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The nobleman responded,


    "I see. Well, tough luck for me. Goodbye."


    Bubu Flower released Moby. Moby returned to the nobleman, who picked him up.


    "Let''s go, Moby. Back to training! We''ll be back next year!"


    Moby responded.


    "Mo~ Mo~!"


    After they left, Welt continued to challenge a few more participants with Bubu Flower and Jonas.


    It was a breeze¡ªboth won all three of today''s battles.


    Welt didn''t head back just yet. He planned to wander around to scout potential opponents.


    As he walked¡ª


    He encountered Stelle and Firefly.


    Stelle was commanding Mika against a Clefairy.


    "Mika! Use Light Beam!"


    Mika leapt high, the gem on its forehead firing a white beam.


    "Mi!! Ka!!"


    The beam struck Clefairy, sending it flying and knocking it out.


    Stelle''s battle recorder lit up green.


    Stelle put her hands on her hips triumphantly.


    "Wahaha! As expected of my Galaxy Fire Hero''s sprite¡ªawesome! Mika, return!"


    Mika bounced happily back to her side.


    Welt walked over.


    "Stelle, Firefly."


    The two looked over.


    "Uncle Welt? You''re finally here! How''d your three matches go?"


    Welt nodded.


    "Jonas and Bubu Flower both won. What about you?"


    Stelle raised her chin proudly.


    "Of course we won~ Mika and Fire Monkey have gotten way stronger~


    Huh? Bubu Flower? She''s here too?"


    She looked down and saw Bubu Flower at Welt''s feet.


    Welt explained what had happened.


    Both Stelle and Firefly looked at Bubu Flower with sympathy after hearing the story.


    Stelle walked up to her.


    "Bubu Flower, let''s do our best. See you in the finals!"


    Bubu Flower smiled and nodded.


    "Bubu!"


    Stelle glanced around.


    "Uncle Welt, wanna head back together?"


    Welt shook his head.


    "I want to look around more, get a feel for the competition."


    Stelle nodded.


    "Alright then, take your time. We''ll head back first."


    ***


    Walter continued strolling with Bubu Flower and Jonas, while Stelle and Firefly returned to the train.


    Onboard the train, the group that had secured three victories for the day were now resting.


    Jing Yuan picked up his teacup and took a light sip.


    "After my match today, I wandered around a bit. One young man''s Spirit left a deep impression on me.


    Here, take a look. I recorded it with my sprite guidebook at the time."


    Jing Yuan took out his sprite guidebook and displayed the information of a particular Spirit to the others.


    "Spirit: Thunder Mouse


    Level: 20


    Type: Electric


    Description: The final evolution of Bibi Mouse, possessing the power to control lightning."


    Zhongli examined it carefully.


    "This Thunder Mouse will likely achieve a very high ranking. Its level alone already surpasses 99% of the other contestants."


    Fu Xuan was intrigued.


    "I''m quite curious¡ªhow did his Thunder Mouse level up so quickly?


    I''ve looked into Bibi Mouse before. Its potential isn''t considered high; it''s just a rather ordinary Spirit."


    Jiaoqiu thought for a moment.


    "I can think of two possibilities.


    First, it was continuously made to battle¡ªSpirit gain experience through combat and level up that way.


    Everyone here knows this.


    Second, this Thunder Mouse is an exception, a naturally gifted individual among the Bibi Mouse species."


    Huaiyan stroked his beard and chuckled.


    "If it''s the first case, that could be worth emulating¡ªrapidly leveling a Spirit through intense, frequent battles.


    But doing so would definitely lead to an unstable foundation."


    Jing Yuan said,


    "Then it''s best we don''t try that method. Don''t we all hope our Spirit can become truly powerful?


    Alright, let''s stop talking about this. Have some tea."


    Amphoreus ¨C Hero''s Bath


    Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon were playing by the bath with their little Spirit.


    All three had cleverly chosen Spirit of the same species¡ªSproutling.


    Tribbie had a shiny Sproutling, while Trianne and Tribbie had regular ones.


    "Come on, Green Bean! Come play!" Trianne called loudly to her Sproutling.


    The Sproutling named Green Bean leapt into the water and splashed toward her.


    "Yaa~ yaa~"


    Trinnon''s shiny Sproutling was named Yellow Bean. She was wiping water off Yellow Bean with a towel.


    "Yellow Bean, we''ve got to keep working hard tomorrow¡ªlet''s try to win a few more battles, alright?"


    Yellow Bean flexed its leafy arms to show off its imaginary muscles.


    "Yaa!"


    Trianne''s Sproutling was named Red Bean, the quietest of the trio. She and Trianne were sitting by the bath, feet gently swaying in the water.


    Aglaea was feeling frustrated¡ªshe had been eliminated on the very first day.


    Her Spirit was a small water-type turtle named Bell.


    Unfortunately, not long after arriving at the competition venue, she ran into a contestant with a grass-type Spirit, a Cacnea.


    The opponent challenged her to a battle.


    According to the rules, unless you had already won three matches for the day, you were required to accept all battle invitations.


    Mydei rubbed the small Yiyou sitting on her shoulder.


    "These Spirit battles are pretty fun. Plus, I met a lot of new friends today."


    Phainon agreed.


    "Yeah! These Spirit battles are super fun. I''m already really looking forward to tomorrow''s matches."


    Aglaea glanced at them.


    "Everyone, get some rest early. We still have things to do tomorrow.


    Don''t forget¡ªwe still need to retrieve the Ember of the Dispute Titan."


    Phainon and Mydei both nodded in understanding.


    In Ye Yun''s Room


    He was currently communicating with the system.


    **[Congratulations, Host! You have completed the task: Revenue reached 10 million star coins! Reward: Peak Emanator-level strength!


    New task issued: Earn 30 million in revenue!


    Congratulations, Host! You have completed the task: Revenue reached 30 million! Reward: One Enhancement Machines!]**


    Ye Yun was overjoyed at the system''s string of announcements.


    He hadn''t expected to finish two tasks at once.


    Enhancement Machine? If he was right, that thing came from some game, didn''t it?


    Ye Yun went to his shop and took out the enhancement machine to inspect it.


    Yup¡ªexactly what he thought. It was that very machine from a certain dungeon-themed game.


    His activity caught Stelle''s attention. She walked over holding a cup of iced Cola.


    Stelle reached out and touched the enhancement machine.


    "What is this thing?" she asked, knocking on its outer casing.


    Ye Yun explained,


    "This is an enhancement machine. It can enhance any item¡ªno matter what it is.


    But you need enhancement stones to use it. I sell them in my store¡ª1,000 star coins each."


    Stelle was intrigued. She took out Judgment of Shamash.


    "Can this thing be enhanced too?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Yup. No matter what it is, it can be enhanced.


    But the higher the quality, the more enhancement stones are required."


    Stelle asked,


    "How many enhancement stones does it take for my Judgment of Shamash?"


    Ye Yun pointed at the machine.


    "Just place it on there. The screen beside the input slot will show you the required number."


    Stelle placed her weapon on the machine, and the number quickly appeared.


    100 stones.


    Stelle frowned at the number.


    100 stones? That''s 100,000 star coins! So expensive?


    Still... not unthinkable, especially since she''d just made a lot of money in Amphoreus.


    In the end, she pulled out 100,000 star coins and bought 100 enhancement stones.


    As she dropped the stones into the machine, it activated. Two giant hammers appeared out of thin air and slammed toward Judgment of Shamash.


    Stelle instinctively reached out, afraid the hammers would destroy her weapon.


    Thankfully, Ye Yun stopped her.


    "It''s fine."


    After a few strikes, the hammers dissolved into light particles, followed by an electronic announcement:


    [Enhancement successful!


    Judgment of Shamash +1


    Fire Attribute Attack +10%


    Sharpness +10%]


    Stelle picked up her weapon and tested it out.


    "Holy Beans! Awesome¡ªit really did increase by 10%!


    Firefly! Come check this out¡ªthis thing''s amazing!"


    Hearing her, Firefly ran over.


    Before Ye Yun could even explain, Stelle excitedly introduced the machine to Firefly.


    After listening, Firefly decided to try enhancing her transformation device.


    She spent 100,000 star coins, and the enhancement succeeded.


    [Enhancement successful!


    Sam Transformation Device +1


    Fire Attribute Attack +10%


    Overall Sam Armor performance +10%]


    The loud clanging soon attracted the others, who all gathered around.


    After learning what the enhancement machine could do, nearly everyone gave it a try.


    Silver Wolf stepped forward with flair.


    "Outta the way! Let the unbeatable Lady Silver Wolf see what this thing''s all about!"


    She placed her weapon onto the enhancement machine...

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173 - 173Silver Wolf was full of confidence.


    Unexpectedly¡ª


    [Congratulations! Enhancement failed! Hacker Dagger destroyed!]


    Upon hearing the word "congratulations," Silver Wolf put her hands on her hips and laughed loudly.


    "Hahaha! I knew it''d work! Come on, let me see what new effects my precious Hacker Dagger got!"


    She looked at the enhancement machine¡ªand immediately froze.


    Silver Wolf rubbed her eyes in disbelief.


    "This... this is my Hacker Dagger? That can''t be right. Why is it in pieces?!"


    Stelle placed a hand on Silver Wolf''s shoulder, gloating.


    "Hey, Silver Wolf, I think you didn''t hear the message clearly. Let me repeat it for you:


    Congratulations! Enhancement failed! Hacker Dagger destroyed!"Stelle even mimicked the mechanical tone of the system announcement.


    Silver Wolf''s mouth dropped open.


    "Damn it! This thing can fail?!And what''s with the ''congratulations''?! There''s nothing to celebrate! Ugh!!"


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "I forgot to mention¡ªthis enhancement process has a chance of failure.See the enhancement level behind the success message?


    The higher the enhancement level, the greater the failure rate.You can enhance up to +15."


    Stelle perked up at that.


    "Oh ho? You can go up to +15? Let me try again!"


    Without hesitation, Stelle bought 200 enhancement stones and fed them into the machine.


    After two heavy hammer strikes¡ª


    [Congratulations! Enhancement succeeded!Judgment of Shamash +1Judgment of Shamash +2Fire Attribute Attack +20%Sharpness +20%]


    Stelle was just about to grab her weapon when Ye Yun spoke.


    "Stelle, try one more time. If it works, you''ll get a special effect.Enhancement levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 each have their own effects."


    Without hesitation, Stelle bought 300 more stones and started the process again.


    After the clang of hammering¡ª


    [Congratulations! Enhancement succeeded!Judgment of Shamash +2Judgment of Shamash +3Fire Attribute Attack +30%Sharpness +30%Attacks now inflict 1% true damage]


    Upon hearing that, Stelle''s eyes lit up with stars.


    "True damage?! Is it the kind I''m thinking of?!"


    She looked at the Judgment of Shamash again, delighted.


    Not only did it gain true damage at +3, the blade now glowed with a faint blue light.


    Stelle swallowed hard.


    "Shllp~ My Judgment of Shamash! It¡ªit¡ªit''s glowing!!"


    She recorded it and swung it a few times.


    "This is too cool! I LOVE this enhancement machine!" she beamed.


    Silver Wolf stared wide-eyed at the glowing Judgment of Shamash, full of envy.


    Noticing Silver Wolf''s expression, Stelle chuckled slyly and walked over.


    "Hey Silver Wolf, doesn''t my My Judgment of Shamash look awesome?"


    Silver Wolf scoffed and turned away.


    "Tch~ It''s just +3. Didn''t you hear Ye Yun? The max is +15. You''re not even halfway there."


    Kafka chuckled.


    "Darling, could you stop sneaking glances at her sword while saying that?"


    At that, Silver Wolf broke character.


    "I was not! I''m the great Silver Wolf¡ªhow could I be jealous?! No way! Absolutely not!+3? Pfft, I''ll get my own!"


    She pulled out another Hacker Dagger and tossed it into the machine.


    Since the Hacker Dagger wasn''t as high quality as the Heavenly Fire Judgment, the first enhancement only needed 10 stones.


    Silver Wolf threw in 10 stones and started the enhancement.


    A few seconds later¡ª


    [Congratulations! Enhancement failed! Hacker Dagger destroyed!]


    Silver Wolf snapped, flailing her arms.


    "What the hell!!! Is this machine out to get me?! Huh?! Why am I the only one failing?!


    Looks like I need to teach this thing a lesson!"


    She yanked out another Hacker Dagger and smashed it against the enhancement machine. It shattered on contact.


    She stared blankly at the hilt left in her hand.


    "No way... It''s that tough?! AHHH!!! I''m so mad!! I need to play a few games to calm down!!"


    Ye Yun couldn''t help but feel a little sorry for her¡ªnot even getting to +1.


    "Silver Wolf, try one more time. I''ll cover the enhancement stones this round."


    Silver Wolf brightened and held out her hand.


    "Give me the stones first."


    Ye Yun smiled and handed her two stones. She gleefully threw them into the machine and readied another Hacker Dagger.


    Clang clang clang¡ª


    [Congratulations! Enhancement succeeded!Hacker Dagger +1Sharpness +10%]


    Silver Wolf''s face lit up like she''d heard heavenly music.


    "That sound... so beautiful~"


    Just then, Kiana jumped out of the portal.


    "What''s that beautiful sound? Let me hear too!"


    She ran over curiously.


    Himeko filled her in about the enhancement machine.


    After listening¡ª


    "Can I use it to enhance my Athena Valkyrie Armor?" Kiana asked.


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Unfortunately, no. That armor is tied to your title¡ªsee the one over your head?


    Only items that are still in physical form, like if you haven''t equipped the title yet and it''s still a wooden plaque, can be enhanced."


    Walter chimed in.


    "So it has to be a physical item, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    Kiana pouted¡ªshe couldn''t enhance her armor. What a shame.


    Ye Yun looked at her.


    "You can enhance other stuff¡ªmaybe buy some gear from me or something."


    Kiana''s eyes lit up. She raised her hand.


    "Oh yeah! Ye Yun! I want to buy a Golden Trash Can!"


    Everyone was stunned at her request.


    Golden Trash Can? That thing... does have a physical form, so it should be enhancable.


    The real question was: how many enhancement stones does it take?


    Kiana spent 10,000 Star Coins to buy one and put it into the machine.


    The machine quickly displayed the number of stones required¡ª


    500 stones.


    That''s 500,000 Star Coins. Kiana instantly reconsidered. At that price, it didn''t feel worth it.


    Ye Yun was also curious what a Golden Trash Can would become after enhancement.


    He asked the system mentally:


    "System, what happens if the Golden Trash Can is enhanced?"


    [Response: A Golden Trash Can will upgrade to a Platinum Trash Can, which can contain items worth up to 10 million Star Coins.]


    Ye Yun turned to Kiana.


    "Kiana, once enhanced, your Golden Trash Can becomes a Platinum Trash Can. It can yield items worth up to 10 million Star Coins.


    If you want to buy a Platinum one directly, it costs 1 million."


    ***


    Himeko did some calculations.


    "So, based on this, if we use the enhancement machine to get a platinum trash can, it''ll only cost 510,000 star coins?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Technically, that''s correct. But you have to consider one thing: if it fails, that 510,000 star coins is gone."


    Kiana raised her hand and asked the crucial question.


    "Then... should I enhance it?"


    Stelle, who always enjoyed the drama, immediately grabbed Kiana''s shoulders.


    "Of course you should! Don''t you want to know what amazing things could come out of a platinum trash can? Don''t you want to feel the thrill of opening it?"


    Kiana was taken aback by the excitement.


    "Oh! I do!"


    Stelle gave her an approving pat on the shoulder.


    "Then go for it!"


    Kiana clenched her fist.


    "Let''s go!"


    Without hesitation, Kiana bought 500 enhancement stones and tossed them into the machine, placing the golden trash can in as well.


    After a series of clanging and banging sounds, the enhancement machine suddenly fell silent. It looked stuck and didn''t make a sound for quite a while.


    "Is it jammed?" Kiana rubbed her chin thoughtfully.


    "Congratulations! Enhancement successful! Luck off the charts! Enhancement level +1 bonus!


    Golden Trash Can ¡ú Diamond Trash Can!!!"


    As the announcement ended, a sparkling trash can made entirely of diamonds appeared before everyone.


    Silver Wolf, the unlucky one, held her head in disbelief.


    What?! There''s a bonus enhancement level now?


    Then what about me failing twice in a row at +1? Am I really that unlucky?


    Kiana, thrilled by the success, rushed to grab the diamond trash can.


    She excitedly hugged the trash can and brought it to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun! What can I get from this diamond trash can?"


    Ye Yun didn''t answer immediately. His mind was flooded with system alerts.


    [Notice! Customer Kiana is banned from using any luck-based products from this system!][Notice! Customer Kiana is banned from using any luck-based products from this system!][Notice! Customer Kiana is banned from using any luck-based products from this system!]


    The system''s alert volume was maxed out, ringing three times and leaving Ye Yun dazed.


    Seeing him unresponsive, Kiana waved a hand in front of his eyes.


    "Ye Yun! Hey, Ye Yun!"


    Ye Yun finally snapped back to reality.


    "Huh? Oh, Kiana, what is it? I was just thinking about something."


    Kiana repeated her question.


    "So what can come out of this diamond trash can?"


    Ye Yun responded,


    "This diamond trash can will give you an item worth at least 10 million star coins, and it could go as high as 50 million.


    Kiana, you might be unstoppable now."


    Everyone present was dumbfounded.


    At least 10 million star coins?!


    Stelle urged her excitedly.


    "Kiana! Open it now!"


    Kiana nodded and placed the diamond trash can on the floor.


    With everyone watching eagerly, she opened it.


    In an instant, a golden light illuminated the entire shop!


    As the light faded, a bracelet inlaid with a red gem appeared.


    Kiana walked up and picked it up, examining it closely with one eye squinted.


    "What does this bracelet even do? It just looks like a normal bracelet to me."


    Ye Yun checked its details:


    Item: Enhanced Rainbow Stone (Makdo Edition)Description: A rare gem from a certain universe, it grants abilities based on the user''s personality.


    This Rainbow Stone contains the original abilities of its previous owner, Makdo.


    Skill 1: Chinese Meat Bun Fist


    Skill 2: Ramen Golden Staff


    Skill 3: Meat Bun Acceleration


    Skill 4: Meat Bun Spinning Bomb


    Skill 5: Giant Rice Dumpling


    Skill 6: Great Chinese Noodle Cake


    This Rainbow Stone is an enhanced version! Extremely powerful!Market value: 25 million star coins


    Ye Yun took a deep breath and sighed.


    "Whoa... Kiana, are you the protagonist or something?"


    Kiana was confused.


    "Huh? The protagonist? I''m the protagonist?"


    Ye Yun waved it off.


    "Doesn''t matter. Just put it on. This is a Rainbow Stone ¡ª it gives powers that match your personality.


    And this one is enhanced."


    Kiana put it on. The moment she did, a rush of unfamiliar information flooded her mind.


    She also seemed to hear music in her ears:


    "The familiar scenery aheadIs gradually blurring our promiseYou, wandering under the starry skyAre suddenly bathed in radiant lightAs long as there''s a brilliant sky ahead...Let''s go again!"


    She vaguely saw a young man.


    He wore a chef''s outfit, one hand on his waist, the other raised high making a pinky-promise gesture.


    The boy shouted loudly:


    "Those who believe in miracles are as great as miracles themselves! Rainbow Ocean! Let''s go!"


    After a while, Kiana returned to normal, having absorbed the information.


    Stelle and Firefly came over eagerly.


    "How was it, Kiana? You spaced out just now."


    Kiana grinned.


    "Looks like I really got something incredible."


    She gestured for them to step back, preparing to demonstrate.


    They moved aside.


    Kiana circled her hands, shouting:


    "Ramen Golden Staff!"


    A glowing rod appeared in her hands.


    She grabbed both ends and pushed inward ¡ª a red-and-gold intertwined staff emerged.


    She picked it up and swung it hard, sending out a blast of fierce energy.


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers, dispelling the energy instantly.


    "That power is no joke. It''s on par with a standard Arbiter''s attack.


    No wonder it''s worth 25 million star coins." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From this moment on, Kiana truly became what people from Ye Yun''s previous world had called her online:


    Qi Tian Dasheng (Great Sage Equal to Heaven ¡ª Kiana edition).


    Jing Yuan was astonished.


    "25 million star coins? That explains it. With that kind of price, this power makes sense."


    Himeko looked at Kiana.


    "Kiana, want to test your power? About three star systems away, there''s an Anti-Matter Legion.


    One of them is a Doomsday Beast. It should be a good warm-up."


    Kiana twirled the staff in her hands. She had been unsure of its power earlier, which is why it exploded with such force.


    Now that she understood it better, she controlled her energy and just spun it around without any blast.


    "Sure! I''ve still got a bunch of moves I want to try!


    Like the Chinese Meat Bun Fist, the Giant Rice Dumpling, and so on!"

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174 - 174Himeko gave the coordinates of the Antimatter Legion to Kiana and let her navigate over.


    With just the distance of two star systems, it didn''t take long for Kiana, with her strength, to fly over.


    Kiana summoned her Athena Valkyrie armor and flew off following the navigation on her phone.


    Himeko pulled out a computer, tapped a few commands, and a projection appeared in front of everyone.


    The projection showed Kiana''s current situation.


    Far away, two star systems from Amphoreus.


    Phantylia was leading the Antimatter Legion in an invasion of a civilization that had yet to leave its home planet.


    Phantylia lounged on a sofa, watching the panicked masses flee for their lives through the ship''s porthole.


    "Despair, rage, the yearning for mercy... such delightful emotions~"


    Reclining comfortably, she propped her chin on one hand.


    Suddenly, a loud crash rang out, and the Antimatter soldier piloting the warship panicked.


    Phantylia, immersed in her enjoyment, was interrupted and furrowed her brows.


    "What''s going on? Why the panic?"


    An Antimatter soldier ran over to report.


    "Lady Phantylia! We''re under attack! One of our warships was blown up!"


    Phantylia jumped to her feet.


    "What happened?"


    The soldier pointed out the window.


    "It''s her, Lady Phantylia!"


    Phantylia looked in the direction he was pointing and saw Kiana, wearing the Athena Valkyrie armor and holding a ramen-themed golden staff.


    Upon seeing the hellish city below, Kiana was instantly filled with rage.


    "Damn you all! I, Kiana, will blast you to pieces!"


    Kiana spun her ramen staff and swept it out.


    The ramen staff extended rapidly and, in one sweeping strike, blew up three warships.


    The other ships quickly turned their cannons on Kiana.


    Shells filled the sky and shot toward Kiana¡ªshe reached out and pinched her fingers.


    "Chinese Giant Pancake!"


    With a loud shout, a spinning, ever-growing pancake appeared in her hands.


    Kiana pinched it, and the pancake wrapped around her, absorbing the shells as they hit it. The dough trapped them, gradually draining their momentum.


    Once all the shells were embedded in the pancake, Kiana burst out, raising it high.


    "Mega Rice Dumpling!"


    The pancake bundled up and transformed into a giant dumpling the size of a mountain.


    Kiana hoisted the dumpling overhead and hurled it at Phantylia''s flagship.


    "Your turn is over, right? Now it''s mine! Take this dumpling!"


    Seeing the rapidly approaching giant dumpling, Phantylia teleported away.


    Just as she stabilized in mid-air, the flagship behind her exploded into fiery fragments.


    Phantylia''s pupils contracted. Had she been a moment slower, her physical body would''ve been destroyed.


    Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared in front of her.


    It was Kiana¡ªshe had been tracking Phantylia''s escape.


    Kiana struck down with her ramen staff, and Phantylia barely dodged in time.


    Thankfully, her current physical body was durable enough to withstand the attack.


    Kiana missed and charged again, staff in hand.


    Phantylia turned and fled¡ªshe had already realized she stood no chance against this girl.


    Seeing Phantylia run, Kiana gave chase.


    The two darted through space¡ªPhantylia ordered wave after wave of warships to block Kiana''s path.


    "Stop her!" Phantylia yelled as Kiana closed in. The Antimatter Legion rushed to intercept.


    Dozens of Windrunners charged at Kiana, but she swung her ramen staff and destroyed them all.


    Clearing the blockade, she continued the chase.


    Kiana pursued relentlessly while the Legion tried to slow her down.


    One warship after another exploded. Legion soldiers fell in droves.


    Even the Doomsday Beast was shattered by a single blow from Kiana.


    Unfortunately, Phantylia still managed to escape.


    After blowing up another warship, Kiana watched Phantylia flee and clenched her fists in frustration.


    "Damn it! You got away! Just wait till next time!"


    Phantylia fled rapidly. Her body was near collapse, leaking light from cracks.


    She looked back and saw Kiana wreaking havoc on her fleet, her teeth grinding in fury.


    "Damn it! If only my most powerful body were here¡ªI''d make her pay!"


    As she ranted and prepared to escape again, a chill ran down her spine¡ªa cold voice came from behind.


    "Going somewhere, Phantylia?"


    Phantylia turned around.


    There stood three generals, each having summoned their divine forms.


    Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and Huaiyan.


    To her sides were Blade and Dan Heng ? Imbibitor Lunae, both glaring coldly.


    Above her, Jingliu¡ªnow with her blindfold removed¡ªlooked down silently.


    Earlier, Jing Yuan and the others had seen Phantylia''s plight through the surveillance drones released by Himeko.


    They exchanged glances and swiftly moved to intercept, cutting off Phantylia''s escape route.


    Phantylia froze.


    "Wait, really? You Arbiter-Generals hold grudges this much? All this for little ol'' me and a single Destruction Order?"


    Realizing she had no way out, Phantylia gave up fleeing¡ªthere was no escape with those people around.


    Their response: a full-force combined strike from Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, Feixiao, Dan Heng, Blade, and Jingliu.


    Watching the attacks close in, Phantylia smiled bitterly.


    "You Arbiter-Generals are all so petty~"


    Before she could finish, her body was engulfed by the attacks and vanished.


    ¡ªAt Ye Yun''s shop¡ª


    Xiangling watched the rainbow-colored techniques Kiana used, stars twinkling in her eyes.


    "Whoa~ That fighting style is way too cool!"


    To Xiangling, using food ingredients as combat techniques was absolutely perfect.


    She was a little disappointed the Rainbow Stone hadn''t ended up in her hands.


    Sigh~ If it had, she was sure she could''ve come up with even more tricks.


    Hutao noticed Xiangling feeling a bit down. Glancing at Kiana in the footage, she understood.


    Hutao quietly headed to the bar to buy Xiangling a regular version of the Rainbow Stone. She remembered Xiangling''s birthday was the day after tomorrow¡ªit would make the perfect gift.


    The normal version of the Rainbow Stone wasn''t expensive¡ªjust 100,000 star coins.


    Having spent plenty of time aboard the train, Hutao could afford that.


    She bought the Rainbow Stone and tucked it away, planning to give it to Xiangling on her birthday.


    Meanwhile, everyone continued watching Kiana''s spectacular battle against the Antimatter Legion fleet.


    Not long after, Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and the others returned to the train. No one even bothered to ask about Phantylia''s fate.


    ***


    Half an hour later, Kiana had completely wiped out the entire Antimatter Legio fleet. Except for Phantylia, not a single one escaped.


    If it weren''t for the fact that there were still native inhabitants on the planet below, Kiana would have unleashed her full power long ago ¡ª it wouldn''t have taken this long at all.


    It''s like counter-terrorism: if you''re sure there are no civilians in the target area, you can go full-on with the bombardment.


    You want to play a siege game with me? Dream on. I''ll just go in with brute force and raze the ground.


    On the ground, the surviving native inhabitants of the planet looked up at the sky toward Kiana standing midair, their eyes full of gratitude.


    Kiana stood firm in the sky, her expression resolute, a pair of pure white wings slowly flapping behind her.


    The setting sun cast its glow on her face, giving her an almost divine aura.


    An old high priest glanced back at the broken statue behind him, then made a bold decision.


    He knelt to the ground, crossing his hands over his chest, gazing devoutly at Kiana in the sky.


    "Goddess of salvation, please accept this old man''s devout faith!"


    None of the surviving worshippers around him criticized the old high priest for abandoning his faith.


    In their eyes, it was better to believe in a living, real savior than some illusory, intangible deity.


    The followers imitated the old high priest, kneeling down and offering their devout faith to the goddess above the sky ¡ª Kiana.


    Unaware of all this, Kiana was just getting ready to return.


    Little did she know, for generations to come, the people of this planet would revere her as their deity.


    Back on the train, Kiana excitedly bragged to Stelle and Firefly about her recent battle.


    She described it with vivid detail, full of flair and exaggeration. If Stelle and the others hadn''t watched the whole thing live, they might have believed her.


    After playing around for a while, Kiana, Stelle, and Firefly were called to rest by Himeko.


    It was getting late, and they had a competition the next day.


    The girls moved their "battlefield" back to the treehouse.


    Kiana didn''t return to her own place that night ¡ª she planned to stay with Stelle.


    The next morning arrived.


    Kiana looked at the sleeping Stelle next to her and sprang up with a cheerful sound.


    She shook Stelle awake.


    "Stelle! Get up! The lottery results come out today!"


    Stelle, forced out of bed, went to wash up. She had wanted to stay under the covers a little longer.


    Kiana and Stelle arrived at the shop to find Ye Yun, Xiangling, and Little Evil God already preparing breakfast.


    Himeko, Welt, Jing Yuan, Huaiyan, and others were reading newspapers while eating.


    Today''s breakfast was very light ¡ª white porridge with steamed buns and meat buns.


    Seeing Kiana and Stelle arrive, Himeko put down her newspaper and meat bun.


    "Kiana, Stelle, have you washed up? If so, come eat."


    Kiana pulled Stelle over and sat next to Himeko.


    "We''ve washed up, Himeko¡ªuh, I mean, Himeko sis!"


    Himeko smiled.


    "Alright, go ahead and eat. The lottery results will be announced soon."


    Kiana and Stelle each grabbed a small bowl and served themselves some white porridge, then each took two meat buns and began to eat.


    As everyone ate, more and more people arrived at the shop.


    There were only thirty minutes left until the lottery announcement ¡ª and this time, the prize was something everyone wanted:


    Revival Cards!


    And not just one ¡ª a full set of six!


    Makoto came to the shop with Ei and Yae Miko. They still had many friends who hadn''t been revived.


    Like Fox Shrine Maiden and Sasayuri.


    Yae Miko walked over to Lumine, who had just arrived with Paimon and was getting a bowl for breakfast. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh my~ isn''t this Lumine? Why haven''t you visited Inazuma lately?"


    Lumine rolled her eyes and imitated Miko''s tone.


    "Well well well~ isn''t it Lady Guuji herself? What brings you to the shop today? Not out catching criminals?"


    Makoto chuckled at the exchange.


    "Lumine, don''t worry. I''ve revoked your wanted notice. You''re welcome to visit Inazuma anytime. If I''m free, I''ll show you around."


    Lumine looked over at Makoto.


    "You''re so kind, Makoto. Unlike someone who had me wanted just for doing a little business. Isn''t that right, Miko?"


    Yae Miko giggled behind her hand.


    "That''s right ¡ª and I must say, you''ve improved a lot, Lumine."


    Lumine wiped her nose.


    "''Improved a lot''? Please, I''ve always been awesome!"


    Soon, Zhongli, Azhdaha, and Guizhong arrived at the shop as well.


    Guizhong immediately ran over to find Clara.


    Clara was eating breakfast and got startled by Guizhong''s sudden approach.


    "S-Sister Guizhong? What are you doing?"


    Guizhong happily pulled out a textbook with the title:


    Elementary Physics Textbook (Company Edition)


    "Clara, I finished this one. Do you have the middle school version? I want to study it!"


    Clara was relieved it wasn''t anything serious.


    "Sure, I''ll bring it to you in a bit, Sister Guizhong~"


    Guizhong was delighted. A few days ago, she saw Clara assembling a robot and was amazed that such a young girl knew how.


    She asked Clara how she learned, and Clara showed her the textbook.


    Guizhong got instantly hooked and borrowed the elementary physics textbook.


    Surprisingly, studying systematically made a big difference ¡ª even an elementary book had taught her a lot about physics.


    Now that she''d finished it, she was ready for the next one.


    Soon, it was time for the lottery draw. Everyone gathered around, all eyes on Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun took a spherical device from under the counter, opened it, and pulled out a slip of paper.


    He looked at the number.


    "Oho~ this round''s number is interesting."


    "Who''s got number 66?"


    As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at their tickets.


    Suddenly, Little Evil God burst into laughter.


    "WAHAHAHAHA!! I WON!! WAHAHAHA! Of course! I''m the unbeatable, furious little demon!"


    Everyone looked at her with envy.


    She rushed up to Ye Yun, handing over her ticket.


    Ye Yun checked it, a bit surprised that this time Little Evil God hadn''t tried anything fishy ¡ª it really was hers.


    He handed her the prize: six Revival Cards.


    Little Evil God happily accepted them and scanned the crowd before clearing her throat.


    "Ahem ahem~ Hey hey hey! Welcome to the Jammy-Filled Demon Auction!


    We''ve got six Revival Cards here ¡ª starting bid: 1 million star coins!"


    She started the auction right then and there ¡ª after all, she had no use for these cards.


    Her friends and family didn''t need them.


    The only one who might was Yurine, but she was still young ¡ª no need to worry about that for now.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175 - 175As soon as Little Evil God said that, the room fell completely silent.


    She looked around at the silent crowd, feeling confused¡ªwhat was going on?


    Why wasn''t anyone bidding? Just moments ago, everyone seemed so eager to win.


    "Uh... why aren''t you bidding?" she asked.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Jammy-chan, your starting price is way too high¡ª1 million. Everyone here can afford it, but if they did, they''d barely have anything left in their wallets."


    Upon hearing that, Little Evil God looked around. The crowd remained silent.


    Seeing their expressions, she finally understood.


    At that moment, Lily Bell spoke up.


    "Jammy-chan, lower the price. Start from 100,000. We don''t really use star coins on a daily basis¡ªno need to go that high."


    Little Evil God thought for a moment.


    "Alrighty~ Let''s start at 100,000 then. But! Each raise must be no less than 50,000!"


    Though Little Evil God was a bit greedy and cheeky, she still knew when not to mess around with serious matters.


    She clearly understood how much people like Ei, Zhongli, and Theresa wanted this resurrection card.


    If she didn''t have any sense, would she lower the price? Not a chance. In fact, she''d probably raise it even higher.


    She chose the auction format for two reasons:


    First, to respect everyone''s feelings¡ªif she gave it away directly, others might not accept it. After all, this resurrection card was extremely valuable.


    Second, mostly just for fun. Auctions are entertaining¡ªthat''s the whole point.


    Suddenly, Little Evil God pulled out a small wooden gavel from who-knows-where and tapped it twice on the table.


    "Alright, everyone! First resurrection card, starting price: 100,000 star coins! Let the auction begin! Any bids?"


    Zhongli immediately placed a bid.


    "150,000."


    Hearing someone bid, Little Evil God was overjoyed.


    "Wonderful! Mr. Zhongli has placed a bid of 150,000 star coins! Anyone else?"


    Theresa raised the stakes.


    "200,000!"


    The price reaching 200,000 made Little Evil God even happier¡ª200,000! She could try the golden garbage can 20 times!


    She''d heard from Stelle that the golden trash bin was super fun¡ªthe prizes depended entirely on luck.


    With good luck, you could even get something worth 5 million star coins.


    "Masaka! Theresa-chan bids 200,000! As expected of the headmistress¡ªso rich! Any higher offers?


    Going once for 200,000!"


    Just after the first call, Ei made her move.


    "250,000 star coins."


    Little Evil God was just about to praise her when Zhongli raised again.


    "300,000 star coins."


    Little Evil God was stunned, dramatically turning to Zhongli.


    "Whoa!!! 300,000 star coins! Mr. Zhongli bids 300,000! Going once! Going twice! Going three times!


    Sold!


    Congratulations to Mr. Zhongli for winning the first resurrection card at 300,000 star coins!"


    Little Evil God brought the card over to Zhongli and held out her hand for payment.


    Zhongli handed over 300,000 star coins. Instead of giving him the card right away, she tucked it under her arm and counted the money several times to confirm it was all there. Only then did she hand it over.


    Zhongli stored the card without using it immediately. He still had over 400,000 star coins left and planned to bid on another.


    Soon, the second auction began.


    This time, Ei successfully won the second resurrection card with a bid of 280,000 star coins.


    She had brought 310,000 with her. When Theresa called out 200,000, Ei instantly jumped to 280,000 to show her determination.


    Venti and Theresa had no choice but to give up, having brought even less money¡ªVenti had 210,000, and Theresa had 200,000.


    The third and fourth resurrection cards were eventually won by Venti and Theresa, one each.


    The final two cards were both claimed by the wealthy crew from the Xianzhou ship.


    Jing Yuan held the two cards and looked at Feixiao and Huaiyan.


    "These should be left for the Marshal to decide."


    Feixiao shrugged.


    "Fine by me."


    Huaiyan stroked his beard.


    "I agree. These are serious items. The Marshal should make the call."


    Jing Yuan stored the two cards in his spatial ring.


    "Alright, I''ll hold onto them for now."


    After the auction, Little Evil God was happily hugging the over 1.5 million star coins, ready to go spend it all at a bar.


    Suddenly, two evil hands appeared and snatched all the star coins out of her arms.


    "Who dares to rob me, Jammy-chan?! Huh?! Do you have a death wish?!" she shouted, looking around furiously.


    Her eyes locked on Lily Bell.


    Calmly, Yurine packed the coins into a box and slowly picked it up.


    "Jammy-chan, you spend money way too recklessly. I''ll keep it for you. You''ll get 100 star coins in pocket money per day."


    Little Evil God, of course, couldn''t accept this and immediately tried to take the money back.


    Suddenly, she froze and slowly withdrew her hand.


    Yurine looked at her with a "nuclear-level kindness" expression.


    "Jammy-chan, you''re not trying to take it back, are you?"


    Not wanting to suffer, Little Evil God immediately gave up.


    "Who, me? Nah~ I was just trying to help you carry it. That''s a lot of money¡ªmust be heavy, right?"


    Yurine handed her the box of coins.


    "Okay, then you carry it. It is pretty heavy."


    With that, Yurine and Little Evil God left Ye Yun''s shop and returned to their apartment.


    With Jammy-chan''s interlude over, everyone turned their attention to the next prize.


    [Next Prize: One item of your choice from the Little Doraemon Treasure Bag.]


    Description: A treasure bag filled with many magical items.


    Next Draw Time: 6d 23h 59m 59s


    After reading the next prize info, Lumine turned to Ye Yun with a puzzled look.


    "Ye Yun, what exactly is in that treasure bag?"


    Ye Yun answered:


    "A ton of stuff¡ªlike the big-small light, Anywhere Door, Time Machine, Bamboo-Copter, Gourmet Tablecloth, and more.


    A lot of them are pretty practical. If you''re interested, you can buy a couple of tickets."


    Hearing that, Lumine decided to buy two tickets. Some of those items did sound really interesting.


    Like the Time Machine¡ªjust from the name, you could tell it had something to do with time.


    If she actually won it, maybe she could travel to the past.


    She flipped the tickets a few times and tucked them into her storage ring.


    At that moment, Paimon flew over.


    "Lumine, can you give me 30 star coins? I''m just 30 short of getting a ticket~"


    Lumine looked at her.


    "You want to buy a lottery ticket? That''s rare. Don''t you usually spend all your coins on snacks?"


    Paimon giggled.


    "I want to win! Ye Yun just secretly told me that the Gourmet Tablecloth can conjure up any food I want!"


    ***


    Stelle, Jing Yuan, and Welt each bought a few lottery tickets.


    Afterward, everyone went to their QQ farms to harvest crops. Once done, they got ready to participate in today''s spirit competition.


    Stelle arrived at her QQ farm. Her farm level was about to reach level 3.


    As long as she harvested the pasture grass in front of her, she would level up to 3 and unlock the farm''s sub-module¡ªthe QQ Ranch.


    Stelle entered the two acres of land planted with pasture grass and clicked the sickle button in the shop to harvest them.


    The moment the grass was harvested, a notification sounded in her mind.


    [Congratulations! Farm level has reached 3. Ranch space unlocked. You can enter through the portal next to your farm.]


    After hearing the message, Stelle looked at the ranch portal nearby.


    Without hesitation, she darted in, curious to see what this QQ Ranch was all about.


    Passing through the portal...


    Stelle found herself in a space with blue skies and white clouds.


    Inside was a single ranch with a patch of empty land.


    Stelle walked onto the empty patch, and another notification sounded in her mind:


    [QQ Ranch allows you to raise small animals, which can produce different items daily¡ªStar Coins, Enhancement Stones, and more.]


    Following the prompts, Stelle opened the Ranch Shop to check the animals she could buy.


    At first, it was normal¡ªchickens, ducks, geese, cows, pigs, etc.


    But later it got ridiculous¡ªphoenixes, qilins, and the like showed up.


    And they could produce some wild things.


    For instance, a White Tiger could produce a celestial sword each month.


    A Phoenix could produce one drop of Phoenix True Blood per month.


    An Undying Phoenix could produce a resurrection card monthly.


    Seeing this, Stelle instantly got interested¡ªthis ranch was no joke.


    With things like celestial swords and resurrection cards being producible, she realized it was worth investing more time into the QQ Farm and Ranch.


    Currently, her ranch was only level 1, so she could only buy one baby chick that produced one Enhancement Stone per day.


    Also, at level 1, only one animal could be raised.


    Stelle bought a chick and placed it on the empty land.


    The chick immediately started running around with its tiny legs.


    Stelle looked at the nearby feed processor, which could convert pasture grass into animal feed.


    She checked her inventory¡ª30 units of pasture grass.


    Stelle converted 10 units into chicken feed.


    Once the feed was ready, the processor detected the chick and dropped a pack of feed in front of it.


    After eating the feed, the chick''s spot suddenly produced an Enhancement Stone encased in a bubble.


    Stelle walked over, picked it up, and happily stored it in her storage ring.


    After playing with the chick for a while, she left the ranch.


    Meanwhile¡ª


    Xiangling was arguing with the system.


    "Why does the chick produce an Enhancement Stone and not an egg? I want eggs! Change it to eggs!"


    [Notice: In QQ Ranch, baby chicks only produce Enhancement Stones.Eggs require Ranch Level 6 and unlocking the egg-laying hen.]


    Xiangling shook her head.


    "No! That makes no sense! It''s a chicken! Why is it producing stones instead of eggs? That''s totally unreasonable!"


    The system had had enough and fell silent.


    It had been arguing with Xiangling for over ten minutes, but she wouldn''t listen¡ªshe just wanted eggs, not stones.


    At first, Xiangling had been thrilled to see animals could be raised¡ªshe thought she could go straight from ranch to table.


    But to her dismay, she got hit with this nonsense.


    Xiangling was furious! She didn''t want Enhancement Stones! She just wanted eggs!


    "Don''t ignore me! Let me ask you¡ª


    Why can''t this chick lay eggs? Is it a fake?!"


    The system was speechless.


    [...]


    Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and the others, upon seeing the absurd animals in the ranch shop, also decided they''d be spending more time there in the future.


    The ranch''s yields were seriously good, and those future items were incredibly tempting.


    After finishing up with their QQ Farm and Ranch tasks, the group headed to Joyous Small Broken Planet to participate in today''s preliminary matches.


    Welt brought Bubu Flower and Younas to the competition venue. When the other contestants saw him with Bubu Flower, it was like they''d seen a demon¡ªeveryone steered clear.


    And it wasn''t just Welt.


    Jing Yuan, Himeko, Stelle, Firefly, Amber¡ªall of them had the same effect. Many competitors were terrified of going up against them.


    Himeko shook her head at the scene.


    "Looks like we''re pretty famous now."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "Yes, someone likely gathered data on us.But it doesn''t matter. Contestants without three wins can''t refuse a challenge¡ªrefusal means forfeit."


    Upon hearing this, Stelle felt a surge of confidence rising within her.


    With hands on her hips, she scanned the crowd and smirked.


    "Heh, nobody move! If anyone runs, I''ll challenge them by name!"


    The competitors who were just about to run froze instantly, terrified of being singled out.


    Stelle swaggered up to a young boy, who panicked, clutched his name tag, and bolted.


    Run! If he didn''t run, he''d be eliminated! He wanted to go further in the tournament!


    Stelle let out a villainous laugh and chased after him.


    Firefly quickly followed her.


    Welt led Bubu Flower off in another direction to look for six opponents to win against for the day.


    If there was still time, he planned to wander around a bit like yesterday.


    As he walked, a young boy stepped in front of him.


    At the boy''s feet stood a sky-blue, muscular, bipedal mouse.


    Yes¡ªit was the contestant Jing Yuan had mentioned yesterday. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The boy looked at Welt.


    "I heard you''re strong. I want to challenge you."


    Welt responded calmly.


    "Do you want to fight my Younas, or my companion''s Bubu Flower?"


    The boy thought for a moment.


    "I''ll start with Bubu Flower."


    Bubu Flower stepped in front of Welt, full of fighting spirit.


    The boy gave his command.


    "Thunder Mouse! Use Charge, then Spark!"


    Thunder Mouse crackled with electricity as it charged up.


    Then it fired a Spark attack at Bubu Flower.


    Bubu Flower quickly used the "Withdraw" skill, doubling its defense.


    The Spark only did minor damage.


    Bubu Flower tanked the hit, used "Photosynthesis" to heal up, then pointed both hands at Thunder Mouse¡ª


    Countless petals and leaves shot out toward it.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176 - 176Bubu Flower unleashed "Leaf Storm", a move with tremendous power.


    The boy hurriedly called for Thunder Mouse to dodge.


    Unfortunately, it was too late¡ªLeaf Storm hit Thunder Mouse directly.


    Thunder Mouse was instantly covered in numerous wounds. Taking advantage of the moment, Bubu Flower struck again with another Leaf Storm, completely knocking Thunder Mouse out of the battle.


    Walter thought the battle was over, but to his surprise, the boy sent out a second Spirit¡ªthe evolved form of Chimchar, Infernape.


    Welt was a bit surprised. This boy really had some skill¡ªboth of his Spirit had evolved.


    It seemed this young man truly was a talent in this field.


    However, his journey in this Spirit tournament ends here.


    Infernape might have a type advantage over Bubuhua, but the level gap was too great¡ªa pure strength mismatch.


    [Spirit: Bubu Flower


    Type: GrassLevel: 60


    Info: A rare Grass-type Pok¨¦mon with enormous potential.]


    [Spirit: Infernape


    Type: FireLevel: 18


    Info: An outstanding Fire-type Pok¨¦mon.]


    One at level 60, the other at level 18¡ªthe gap in raw strength was immense.


    Walter never thought Bubu Flower would lose from the start, because he knew exactly how strong it was.


    Back during training before the competition¡ª


    Even when Jonas and Axia teamed up, they could only barely draw with Bubu Flower.


    Mainly because Jonas and Axia hadn''t grown much¡ªtheir levels were too low.


    At equal levels, Jonas and Axia would certainly be much stronger than Bubu Flower.


    But now, Bubu Flower used Leaf Storm again, instantly defeating Infernape.


    The boy''s pupils shook in shock.


    "How is this possible? How did your partner''s Bubu Flower get trained like this? It''s only been a short time and it''s already this level?"


    Welt replied calmly:


    "Bubu Flower''s situation is a bit special. Alright, I still have matches to go¡ªsee you around."


    Walter didn''t want to tell the boy that Bubuhua had already been in this world for a long time.


    If that got out and someone with bad intentions used it against them, they might say things like: "Unfair! Why are already-developed Spirit allowed to compete?" and so on.


    Welt wasn''t afraid of trouble, but if he could avoid it, why invite it?


    Why create problems for yourself when you could have peace?


    Welt took Bubu Flower and Jonas to challenge others, quickly finishing his matches for the day.


    Meanwhile, on the train, the little Evil God had just received her daily allowance of 100 Star Coins from Yurine.


    This 100 Star Coins also included food money for both her and Yurine.


    The Evil God strolled around Ye Yun''s shop with a 100-star-coin note in hand.


    "Aaah~ So bored~"


    Xiangling, who was reading a recipe, heard her complain.


    "Didn''t Yurine ask you to buy groceries? Did you get them?"


    The Evil God shook her head.


    "Nope~ Buying groceries? No way!


    I''ll just grab something from the fridge later. I need to save this 100 Star Coins¡ªonce I save up to 1000, I''ll buy another lottery ticket!"


    Xiangling thought for a moment.


    "But you only get 100 a day. You''ll need 10 days to save up enough, and the lottery draw is in just over six days!"


    The Evil God froze¡ªoh no! She might miss this round of the lottery!


    No way, she couldn''t miss it no matter what!


    "I''m going to ask Yurine for more money!!! That''s my money! Ugh!"


    Xiangling watched her enter the portal.


    A minute later, the Evil God flew back out¡ªbruised and beaten, looking half-dead.


    Xiangling wasn''t even surprised anymore. The Evil God got beat up nearly every day¡ªshe was used to it.


    It would be strange not to see her beaten up.


    At that moment, a voice rang out.


    "Jammy-chan, Xiangling, long time no see."


    The Evil God looked over and saw Rimuru hopping out of the portal.


    Seeing Rimuru, the Evil God immediately had an idea.


    "Yaa~ Isn''t that Rimuru-sama~ Long time no see."


    She snuggled up beside Rimuru, greeting him enthusiastically.


    Rimuru looked at her bruised face and immediately guessed she''d been beaten up again.


    "Jammy-chan, you got beaten again?"


    The Evil God waved it off casually.


    "That''s not important. I have a huge investment opportunity. Interested?"


    Rimuru saw her scheming face and lost interest.


    "Can I say no?"


    The Evil God shook her head.


    "Nope. All I need is 1000 Star Coins from you so I can buy a lottery ticket. If I win, you get half the prize!Trust me, my luck is amazing¡ªI won six revival cards in the last draw!So, are you in?"


    Rimuru thought for a moment. Since she''d just won, maybe she was still lucky. Besides, it''s only 1000 Star Coins.


    "Alright, I''ll invest."


    The Evil God cheered and held out her hand.


    Rimuru handed her 1000 Star Coins, and the Evil God dashed off to the lottery shop.


    Xiangling sighed, then turned to Rimuru.


    "Rimuru, what brings you here? I thought you were dealing with a monster army?"


    Rimuru replied:


    "The monster army is taken care of. I''m here to invite everyone to a celebration banquet tonight."


    Xiangling nodded.


    "Got it. I''ll help you tell everyone. They''re all probably at Hanabi''s place for the Spirit tournament right now."


    Rimuru blinked.


    "Huh? Spirit tournament? How come I didn''t know?"


    Xiangling explained everything to him.


    After hearing it, Rimuru looked regretful.


    "What? I totally missed it? A Spirit tournament? That sounds so fun!"


    At that moment, the Evil God returned with a lottery ticket.


    "If you really want to join, I might have a way."


    Rimuru perked up.


    "What way?"


    The Evil God rubbed her fingers together. Rimuru got the hint and handed over 100 Star Coins.


    She frowned.


    "Just 100? That''s not very convincing."


    Rimuru rolled his eyes and gave her another 100 Star Coins.


    "That''s all I''ve got. If you won''t say it, give me my money back."


    Knowing she couldn''t milk more out of him, the Evil God finally spilled the beans.


    "Okay, okay. Here''s the deal: you can join as a Spirit! With your look, as long as you don''t speak, no one would suspect a thing."


    ***


    Rimuru''s face instantly turned dark.


    He wanted to command Spirit in battle¡ªnot jump in and fight himself!


    "How stupid can I be, actually trusting Jammy-chan to come up with a good idea..."


    The little Evil God gleefully tucked the 200 Star Coins into her tiny wallet.


    "Hehe~ Just admit it, this idea does let you participate in the Spirit tournament, right? So I''m keeping the money¡ªthanks for your business~ hehe~"


    With that, the Evil God wagged her tail and skipped away, heading to the fridge at the small bar to scrounge up something to eat.


    Buying groceries? What nonsense. If you can mooch, why pay? That''s one of the Evil God''s life mottos!


    She opened the fridge and stuck her head in to pick something.


    The fridge was stocked full of all sorts of food¡ªeverything people on the train usually ate was stored here.


    The Evil God took out two heads of lettuce, grabbed a piece of beef, and planned to make a grilled meat wrap with lettuce leaves.


    To keep up appearances, she even brought a shopping bag from a local supermarket near Yurine''s apartment in advance.


    Putting the lettuce and beef into the shopping bag, the Evil God walked into the teleportation portal with great satisfaction.


    She returned to the apartment.


    Yurine was at class¡ªno one was home.


    The Evil God first placed the lettuce and beef in the kitchen.


    Opening the bag, she was in a fantastic mood.


    "Got to mess with someone today, scored a lottery ticket, stole some food, and didn''t spend a single coin¡ªwhat a perfect day!


    If only every day could be like this~Now let me see... the grill, the grill... oh! There it is."


    At that moment¡ª


    She plugged in the grill, but it didn''t work. Her mood soured instantly.


    "Huh? Broken again? You''ve got to be kidding me. Ugh~ looks like I''ve gotta get it fixed."


    She picked up the grill and left the apartment.


    As she walked, she ran into Medusa.


    "Medusa!"


    Medusa, wearing a paper bag over her head, turned around. The moment she saw the Evil God, she lit up with joy.


    "Jammy-chan!"


    Medusa ran up to her.


    "Jammy-chan, I haven''t seen you in forever! What have you been up to lately?"


    The Evil God puffed up proudly.


    "Hmph~ I just came back from another world! Impressive, right?"


    Medusa clapped in amazement.


    "Ooh~ That''s so cool, Jam-chan! Take me to that other world sometime, okay?"


    The Evil God nodded.


    "No problem¡ªbut you gotta help me with something first."


    Medusa smiled and agreed.


    "Sure~" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Evil God opened the bag on her back, revealing the broken grill inside.


    "My grill at home is busted. I was gonna go fix it, but I forgot to bring money, so..."


    As she spoke, she gave Medusa an intense look¡ªwell, not subtle at all.


    Medusa caught the hint.


    "No worries, I brought money. Let''s go get it fixed together."


    The Evil God happily clung to Medusa''s arm.


    "Let''s go! Let''s have dinner together later, okay? I brought back some beef~"


    "Sounds good, Jammy-chan."


    The two walked off chatting happily.


    Meanwhile, aboard the Joyful Little Sphere...


    Aventurine, Jade, and Topaz were chatting in Aventurine''s office.


    The office had a cozy setup. In the center was a sandbox made of stacked building blocks¡ªa model of the development plan for the area around the Grand Theater of Joy.


    Topaz looked around the office.


    "Wow, can''t believe you decorated your office like this. Not your usual style."


    Aventurine smiled slightly.


    "People change.


    The list for the second round of auditions is out. I had someone organize the info. Want a copy?"


    Topaz sighed.


    "I''m out already, no need for me."


    Jade looked a little surprised.


    "Oh? You got eliminated already?"


    Topaz shrugged helplessly.


    "I ran into Bubu Flower and had to battle her."


    Aventurine, hearing it was Bubu Flower, wasn''t surprised at all.


    "Well, that''s fair. Bubu Flower is easily a top-tier contender among all the Spirit this time.


    But Topaz, what were you thinking going up against her?"


    Topaz replied:


    "I wasn''t planning on it¡ªit just sort of happened. I ran into Welt and Bubu Flower by chance and chatted with Welt for a bit.


    While Bubu Flower and Numby were off playing, I guess Numby asked her for a favor or something... and when they came back, she challenged me. I couldn''t go back on my own rules, could I?"


    Jade glanced toward the corner at the visibly guilty Numby and smirked.


    This little one... quite the jealous type.


    Jade was right.


    After separating from Topaz, Welt had also asked Bubu Flower why she did it.


    Bubu Flower''s response:


    "Numby asked me to beat up Topaz''s Spirit. We''ve been friends for a long time and play together a lot. Of course I had to help."


    Welt couldn''t help but laugh. That Numby sure was crafty.


    Topaz''s Spirit was a shiny little sprout, one she adored dearly¡ªshe carried it everywhere she went.


    Jade then changed the subject.


    "Enough of that. Aventurine, how''s the elimination match venue coming? It''s the day after tomorrow."


    Aventurine smiled confidently.


    "Relax. I always deliver. The venue''s ready.


    I built a stadium nearby that can hold 300,000 people. It cost a fortune to rush it out, but it''s done."


    Jade nodded in approval.


    "Good to hear."


    She then looked at Topaz.


    "What about your end? How''s the plan to invite Nightingale and Furina to sing at the opening ceremony?"


    Topaz said:


    "No worries¡ªthey both agreed. They''ll be here tomorrow for rehearsal."


    Jade nodded again, pleased.


    "Excellent. The upper management is putting a lot of weight on this tournament. Two of the board members are even showing interest in our Strategic Investment Division."


    Diamond says we have to make this event a huge success. Most importantly, we need to satisfy Ye Yun.


    As for the opinions of certain other board members? Their priority is below Ye Yun''s."


    Aventurine smiled and looked out the window.


    "Speaking of Ye Yun, I heard his shop just rolled out a new item. Something called an Enhancement Machine that can power up objects¡ªtrue?"


    Topaz answered:


    "Yep. Kiana used it to upgrade a gold treasure chest. Her luck was insane¡ªit jumped two tiers and turned into a diamond chest.


    She opened it and got a bracelet worth 25 million Star Coins. Using the power from that bracelet, she wiped out an entire fleet from the Antimatter Legion."


    Aventurine whistled.


    "Is that so? I''ll have to stop by sometime. Sounds like it was tailor-made for me."

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177 - 177Jade looked at Aventurine.


    "You''ve always had good luck. Maybe the enhancement machine really is perfect for you."


    Aventurine chuckled at her words.


    "I''ll head over when I have time. For now, let''s focus on making the elf tournament a success.If we do a good job with the first edition, then the second, third, and even more in the future will be much easier to organize."


    As long as the first tournament is done well, it could serve as the foundation for future editions, with added rules and features, saving a lot of effort down the line.


    At that moment, Jade remembered something.


    "Right, Aventurine, didn''t the Market Development Division try to meddle with the tournament before?"


    Aventurine nodded.


    "They did. They sent their Black Glove Fleet¡ªthe ones they use for dirty work. But, unfortunately for them, Aha wiped them out. Oh, wait, correction¡ªthey weren''t wiped out completely. There are still a hundred of them doing background acting at the Theater of Elation."


    Topaz clicked her tongue.


    "Tsk tsk~ That Market Development Division sure is bold. Trying to mess with the Elation Mini-World directly... I''ve gotta admire their guts."


    Jade said,


    "It was an intel issue. They didn''t know the Aeon of Elation was here. Otherwise, even with a thousand guts, they wouldn''t have dared."


    She glanced at her watch.


    "All right, that''s enough talking for today. Topaz, let''s head back."


    Topaz nodded and left Aventurine''s office together with Jadeite.


    On the train, it was already past 2 PM. Most people had returned from the Elation Mini-World.


    Rimuru extended an invitation to everyone, inviting them to a celebration banquet¡ªto relax and have fun.


    Stelle, Firefly, Amber, Kiana, and Hutao, who were free, agreed right away.


    Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and others politely declined¡ªthey still had other things to do.


    Ye Yun looked down at Klee, who was sitting in his arms, and gently rubbed her head.


    "Klee, do you want to go?"


    Klee looked up at him with a beaming smile.


    "Klee wants to go! Klee wants to ride the big wolf-wolf!"


    Bailu chimed in right after.


    "This miss is going too! My little wolf pup''s still too small to ride."


    Qiqi echoed blankly,


    "Qiqi... ride big wolf... want to play."


    Hearing that, Ye Yun decided to attend the celebration and take the girls along to have some fun.


    Ye Yun, the seven little ones, Stelle, Himeko, Welt, and Kafka followed Rimuru into a portal to join the banquet.


    Passing through the portal, the group arrived at Rimuru''s monster city-state.


    After a period of development, what had once been just a few shabby goblin tents had become a bustling town.


    All the houses in the town had been built by construction robots, each with its own unique style.


    Miss Shizu was waiting near the portal. As Stelle and the others stepped through, they immediately saw her.


    "Shizu! Long time no see!"


    Shizu smiled and greeted them.


    "Long time no see, Stelle, Amber, Hutao."


    After the greetings, Stelle''s eyes landed on a familiar figure¡ªRanga.


    "Yo~ isn''t that Ranga? You''ve got another horn on your head! Come on, let me feel it."


    Ranga tried to dodge, but he wasn''t as fast as Stelle. She grabbed the horn right away.


    Ranga struggled for a bit, but seeing it was futile, he gave up and let her touch his horn and head.


    Klee, Bailu, Hook, and the other little ones spotted Ranga too and cheered as they ran over.


    "Big wolf-wolf!"


    Bailu stood next to Ranga and looked longingly at his back.She grabbed his fur and started climbing up with both hands and feet.


    Ranga glanced back at her, but didn''t stop her. He knew who these little ones were.


    They were the favorites of the group. Rimuru-sama had once mentioned that a guy called "the Doctor" had offended them.


    The result? He was hunted across worlds with no chance of rest.


    Ranga didn''t want any part of that. Besides, they were just kids¡ªno big deal.


    Soon after, Shizu led Stelle, Huyao, and Kiana off to play.


    Ye Yun, Himeko, Kafka, and Welt were brought by Rimuru to the banquet area.


    Stelle, Huyao, and Kiana followed Shizu to a plaza.


    There, a simple open-air kitchen was set up.


    Inside, a chubby goblin, Shuna, and several goblin girls were cooking food.


    Stelle also saw the bee and beetle honey-gathering duo arriving with a bucket of honey.


    The two had been busy all day collecting honey for the evening banquet.


    Stelle walked up to the bee and peered into the bucket.


    "This is honey?"


    The bee looked at Stelle and nodded.


    Seeing that, Stelle dipped her fingers in and tasted some.


    The pure, natural honey was delicious¡ªStelle''s eyes lit up.


    "Mmm~ this stuff is tasty! Gimme more!"


    She reached in for more, but the bee quickly picked up the bucket and flew away.


    Stelle chased after it.


    "Don''t be so stingy~ just a little more!"


    Seeing this, the beetle rushed in heroically to protect the bee.


    The beetle charged! It sped up! It got closer! And... it got smacked away!


    The beetle ran right into Stelle''s swinging hand and got slapped across the plaza.


    Stelle looked back, confused.


    "Eh? Did I hit something just now?"


    She looked around and spotted the fleeing bee.


    "Never mind, honey first!"


    And she chased after it again.


    Ye Yun, watching this unfold, couldn''t help but sigh.


    That Stelle really is a handful¡ªshe''s already turned Rimuru''s city into chaos.


    First grabbing Ranga''s horn, then chasing the little bee for its honey.


    Ye Yun sat down and chatted with Rimuru, the Ogre chieftain, and Benimaru.


    Soon, Shuna arrived with two Ogres carrying a giant plate of roast meat.


    They set the stone tray on the table, and Rimuru invited everyone to begin eating.


    Ranga brought the seven little ones over to join Ye Yun and the others.


    The seven crowded together on Ranga''s back.


    Klee poked her head out.


    "Brother Ye Yun~ Klee is so happy! So much fun!"


    Ye Yun smiled fondly and went over to carry Klee, Bailu, and the others down one by one.


    Himeko and Kafka also came over to help¡ªeach taking two of the little ones to the table.


    The dining table was low, similar to a tea table. The seven little ones stood beside it, drooling over the roast meat.


    Bailu stood on tiptoe and took down two skewers of lamb, handing one to Klee.


    "Klee, here, take it."


    ***


    Klee took it and glanced at Ye Yun, who was clinking glasses with Benimaru. Mimicking Ye Yun''s action, she lightly tapped her skewer of lamb against Bailu''s.


    "Cheers!"


    Bailu saw this and tapped her own skewer of lamb as well.


    "Cheers with skewers!"


    Hook saw this scene and found it amusing. She pulled Diona beside her and tapped skewers together too.


    "Cheers with skewers!"


    Yaoyao and Qiqi stood in front of Kafka. Qiqi was nibbling slowly on a grilled mushroom skewer.


    Yaoyao picked up a skewer of grilled beef and handed it to Kafka.


    "Sister Kafka, have some beef!"


    Kafka smiled and accepted the beef skewer from Yaoyao.


    "Thank you, Yaoyao."


    Yaoyao smiled, then lowered her head and started eating a mushroom skewer. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Benimaru and Welt were chatting when Shuna walked over.


    "Big brother, come try this special dish I prepared just for you."


    Benimaru was overjoyed to hear that¡ªhis little sister really was an angel!


    But when he saw the food on the plate, he immediately looked distressed.


    That''s right¡ªit was a full bowl of carrots, Benimaru''s most hated food.


    His eye twitched a few times as he looked at Shuna.


    "Shuna, I''m not hungry right now. You should eat this."


    Shuna gave a "sunny" smile.


    "Big brother, I made this especially for you."


    She emphasized the word especially.


    Benimaru gulped hard, then reluctantly ate a piece of carrot like a hero facing doom.


    Immediately, sweat beaded on his forehead as he sneaked a glance at Shuna.


    Seeing that she hadn''t left and was still watching him closely, Benimaru had no choice but to force it down.


    Only when he swallowed did Shuna leave, satisfied.


    After she left, Benimaru quickly grabbed a cup of water and rinsed his mouth.


    Welt saw this.


    "Mr. Benimaru, are you allergic to carrots?"


    Benimaru shook his head, then nodded.


    "Allergic? Not really. I just really hate them."


    Welt nodded in understanding.


    The rest of the time was filled with food, drink, and laughter. Everyone had a great time.


    That night, instead of returning to rest, everyone stayed in Rimuru''s monster federation town.


    The Next Morning


    Stelle was still sound asleep in bed.


    Outside the window, birds chirped as they flew in groups.


    Down on the streets, early-rising monsters were bustling about the morning market.


    The morning produce was the freshest¡ªjust picked from the forest.


    Suddenly, a streak of fire tore through the sky and a fireball crashed not far from the town.


    Souei, along with his dragonkin, immediately rushed to the scene.


    Rimuru followed close behind, bringing Benimaru and the others.


    Stelle, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up by the loud noise, annoyed and restless.


    They had partied late into the night, not sleeping until around 3 or 4 a.m.


    "Who is it? So noisy early in the morning?"


    Stelle jumped out of bed and ran to the window.


    Outside, people were fleeing in panic.


    Looking further out, Stelle saw smoke rising from the forest.


    "This is bad! Something happened!"


    Stelle quickly woke up Hutao and Firefly. The girls didn''t even have time to wash up and rushed toward the scene.


    Meanwhile, Ye Yun and Welt had already arrived at the site.


    They were early risers and happened to be strolling around the town when they saw the fireball fall.


    At the impact site, a pink-haired twin-tailed girl stood in the crater, hands on her hips, looking at Ye Yun.


    Just as Ye Yun suspected, it was Milim¡ªone of the strongest beings in this world.


    Milim curiously sized up Ye Yun and used a scan skill on him.


    "Huh? A regular human? That can''t be right! You just suddenly appeared out of nowhere~"


    Milim teleported beside Ye Yun, curiously circling him.


    Ye Yun reached out and pressed her head gently to stop her.


    "Calm down. I''ll give you something tasty later."


    Milim, hearing this, protested and shook off his hand, continuing to circle him rebelliously.


    Ye Yun responded by buying a jar of honey, scooping a spoonful, and forcefully feeding it to Milim.


    She froze in place as if hit by a critical strike.


    Milim held her cheeks, her tongue rapidly licking her lips.


    "What is this?! It''s so delicious!!!"


    She reached for the honey in Ye Yun''s hand.


    Ye Yun dodged.


    "Want some?"


    Milim nodded.


    "Mhm mhm mhm! Give it to me!"


    Ye Yun replied,


    "You can have it, but on one condition."


    Milim frowned.


    "No way! One is too much! At most, just one!"


    Ye Yun nodded¡ªone was fine.


    "Alright, just one. You''re not allowed to hurt anyone in this area without my permission. Of course, if someone offends you, go ahead."


    Milim seemed troubled.


    Not being able to attack freely? That''s hard for her! She was all about living freely and doing what she wanted.


    Ye Yun took out another jar of honey.


    "How about now? Two jars."


    Milim''s eyes sparkled, but she still hesitated.


    Ye Yun added,


    "Three jars. That''s the final offer."


    Milim finally gave in to the temptation.


    "Alright! Deal!"


    Ye Yun handed over the three jars of honey. Milim happily began eating.


    Welt glanced at Milim and whispered to Ye Yun,


    "This little girl is very strange. The energy inside her is intense¡ªalmost on par with an Emanator."


    Ye Yun responded,


    "Of course. She''s one of the strongest in this world. Right, Milim?"


    He turned to Milim with a question.


    Milim, hearing her name, jumped up and proudly declared with hands on her hips,


    "Wahahahaha! That''s right! I''m the Demon Lord Milim Nava! Impressive, right?"


    But the reactions from Ye Yun and Welt disappointed her.


    They were both calm¡ªnot at all surprised or shocked as she had expected.


    At that moment¡ª


    A figure descended from the sky holding a flaming greatsword.


    "Demon Lord Milim? Sounds like a villain! Waking me up so early¡ªI''ll show you the power of my Galaxy fire Hero!"

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178 - 178Stelle raised the Judgment of Shamash high and brought it down, but Milim didn''t try to block it with her hands¡ªshe chose to take the blow directly with her head.


    Getting hit didn''t matter. What mattered was protecting the honey in her arms.


    Stelle''s sword struck Milim squarely on the head.


    "Clang!!!" A crisp, ringing sound echoed. Ye Yun gave a thumbs-up.


    Nice. That was a solid hit. Good head.


    Stelle landed and looked at Milim like she was an idiot.


    Milim was still tightly shielding the honey in her arms.


    Seriously? For a jar of honey?


    Milim stowed the honey into her dimensional storage, then rolled her shoulders and prepared to fight.


    "You interrupted my snack time. That''s a grave offense¡ªI''m going to teach you a lesson!"


    Stelle, not backing down, leveled Judgment of Shamash.


    "Bring it on. I''m not afraid of you!"


    Milim threw a punch at Stelle¡ªher fighting style was always straightforward and brute-force.


    Stelle raised her greatsword to block.


    The moment the two collided, a terrifying surge of energy burst out, rippling in all directions.


    Fortunately, Rimuru arrived in time and used Predator to absorb the energy, then released it safely into the sky.


    A powerful energy wave shot upward, blasting a hole in the clouds.


    Just then, Ye Yun suddenly appeared between them, placing a hand on each to separate them.


    "Alright, break it up. We''re all on the same side."


    Milim, hearing Ye Yun''s words, stopped immediately. In her mind, fighting wasn''t nearly as worthwhile as eating honey.


    She turned around, hopped onto a large rock, took out another jar of honey, dipped a finger in, and popped it into her mouth, face full of bliss.


    Stelle turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, what is going on?"


    Ye Yun thought for a moment and explained,


    "Don''t worry. Milim isn''t hostile¡ªshe''s just here to hang out."


    Hearing that, Stelle put away her weapon and looked toward Milim.


    At that moment, Rimuru, Benimaru, Shuna, and the others gathered around, all staring intently at Milim who was happily eating her honey.


    Benimaru sensed the overwhelming magical energy radiating from Milim.


    "Lord Rimuru, she''s strong. Be careful."


    Then, a green light shimmered before them.


    As the light faded, the forest guardian, Dryad Treyni, appeared.


    She bowed respectfully toward Milim.


    "Lady Milim, welcome to Tempest."


    Milim looked up when she heard her name.


    "Oh, hey there. I think I remember you. A dryad, right?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Treyni smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, long time no see, Lady Milim. The last time you visited, you stayed with us for a few days."


    Milim chuckled and nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah! Don''t mind me. I''m just here to have some fun again."


    As she spoke, Milim noticed Rimuru in the crowd.


    In a blink, she teleported in front of him.


    "You''re the one who defeated the Orc Lord, right?"


    Rimuru thought for a second.


    "Yeah, that was me. Why?"


    Milim eyed him up and down, then suddenly said,


    "Let''s fight!"


    Rimuru was baffled.


    "Huh? Why!?"


    Milim answered seriously,


    "Because I want you to be my underling!"


    As soon as she finished, Ye Yun flicked her on the head.


    "Clang!!!" Another sharp sound¡ªsolid head, once again.


    "Where did you learn that nonsense? Are you trying to start a gang? Making people your lackeys?"


    Milim was about to throw a tantrum, but Ye Yun stuffed a lollipop into her mouth.


    Milim immediately went quiet and walked off to enjoy her treat.


    Truth be told, Milim had lived a long time and possessed top-tier strength in this world.


    But mentally, she was still a child¡ªplayful, impulsive, and always hungry.


    Rimuru, still in disbelief, turned to Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun, who exactly is this Milim?"


    Ye Yun looked toward Treyni.


    Treyni understood and began to explain.


    "Lady Milim is a Demon Lord of great renown."


    Upon hearing that, everyone¡ªexcept Ye Yun, Welt, and Stelle, who already knew¡ªwas shocked.


    Rimuru looked at Milim.


    You''re telling me this little girl, squatting on a rock licking a lollipop, is a Demon Lord?


    Ye Yun noticed Rimuru''s skeptical expression and added,


    "It''s true. And not just any Demon Lord¡ªshe''s one of the strongest in your world. Top tier."


    Hearing that, Rimuru had no choice but to accept the truth.


    He was lucky Milim had been in a good mood today¡ªand that Ye Yun was around.


    If a fight had broken out for real, he wouldn''t have stood a chance.


    His current strength might barely qualify as an average Demon Lord.


    Without the dragon egg he''d bought from Ye Yun and absorbed, he probably wouldn''t even have reached that level.


    Ye Yun glanced at Milim and called everyone to head back.


    "Let''s go. Milim''s just here to play¡ªthere''s no danger. I''m getting hungry. At this hour, Xiangling should''ve finished breakfast."


    Everyone turned to head back.


    Ye Yun called out to Milim,


    "Milim, wanna come with us?"


    Milim immediately leapt off the rock, landed beside Ye Yun, and put her hands on her hips.


    "Yes!"


    At Ye Yun''s Shop


    Milim sat at the dining table, crying tears of joy.


    Everyone watching began to once again question whether she was really a Demon Lord.


    Just now, Milim had followed the group onto the train.


    After taking one bite of Xiangling''s braised beef noodles, she broke into tears.


    "It''s so delicious! How can something taste this good!?"


    Milim looked at the chopsticks and found them too annoying, so she reached out with her hands instead.


    Himeko, sitting beside her, smacked Milim''s hand with her chopsticks.


    Milim was about to protest, but when she saw Himeko''s serious expression, she inexplicably backed down.


    With Himeko''s stern gaze urging her, Milim obediently picked up the chopsticks and continued eating.


    While eating, she cried again.


    "Oh my god! What kind of miserable life have I been living until now!?"


    Milim looked at Xiangling, who was still cooking.


    "Xiangling! Are you the goddess of cuisine or something!?"


    Xiangling froze.


    "Huh? Goddess of cuisine? Why would you say that?"


    Milim pointed at the bowl of braised beef noodles in front of her.


    "This is too good! I''ve never eaten anything this delicious. Only a goddess of food could make something like this!"


    Xiangling blushed from the praise¡ªit was a bit over the top.


    Still, it made her really happy. There was no better reward than having someone recognize the value of food you made with your own hands.


    ***


    Xiangling smiled.


    "Thanks for the compliment, but I''m really not a god."


    Milim shook her head at that.


    "I don''t care. To me, you''re the goddess of cuisine."


    Xiangling asked,"Would you like another bowl?"


    Milim immediately raised her hand!"Yes! I want the same big bowl that little shorty has!" she said, pointing to Paimon, who was clutching her personal food bowl and slurping noodles.


    Hearing someone call her, Paimon lifted her head from the bowl, a strand of noodles still hanging from her mouth before she slurped it in.


    "Is someone calling me?"


    Lumine rolled her eyes at Paimon, feeling embarrassed, and pushed Paimon''s head back into the bowl.


    "No one called you. Just keep eating."


    Paimon took that as permission and resumed slurping her noodles.


    To her, food was the most important thing in the world.


    Seeing this, Xiangling took a soup bowl from the cupboard, about the same size as Paimon''s, and cooked up a full bowl of noodles for Milim.


    Half an hour later, Milim lay flat on the ground, her belly round and full.


    She let out a satisfied burp."Buuurp~ So full... I''ve never eaten this much in my life. Ugh, I''m stuffed."


    Himeko looked at her.


    "Milim, don''t just lie on the floor. Get up and go lie down in the lounge area."


    Hearing that, Milim struggled to her feet and obediently waddled over to the lounge area and flopped down on a floor mat.


    She glanced at Himeko, confused about why she was so afraid of her.


    If Ye Yun were here, he''d say one thing:


    That''s the natural parental dominance over a child.


    Milim took another look at Himeko, then turned away.


    Oh well. It''s not like she disliked the feeling.


    It didn''t take long for her eyelids to start drooping, and soon she fell asleep.


    Himeko sighed and shook her head, then went into the small bar area. From one of the cabinets, she took out a blanket and covered Milim with it.


    There was a specific cabinet in the bar just for blankets.


    These blankets were prepared for Klee, Bailu, and the others.


    Sometimes, when they played too late or it got a little cold, they''d take out blankets to cover the kids and keep them from catching a cold.


    Milim ended up sleeping for an entire day.


    In her sleep, Milim vaguely felt a tickling sensation on her nose.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Stelle, Firefly, and the others brushing a feather against her nose.


    Seeing that Milim was awake, Stelle stepped aside.


    "You''re finally awake. You''ve been asleep the whole day."


    Milim sat up and stretched.


    "Huh? I slept a whole day? Oh my gosh!"


    Firefly nodded.


    "Yep, you''ve been out all day."


    Milim was instantly struck by the horror.


    "Does that mean... I missed a delicious lunch?!"


    Firefly was dumbfounded by that reaction.


    Oh no... another foodie.


    But after hearing Ye Yun talk about Milim''s past, she could understand why Milim loved food so much.


    Can you imagine eating nothing but raw carrots every single day for thousands of years?


    Just imagining it gave Firefly chills.


    At that moment, Hutao spoke.


    "Milim, get up. We''re about to play flight chess. Want to join us?"


    Milim responded,"Flight chess? Is it fun?"


    Hutao thought for a moment.


    "Of course it is! Come on, I''ll teach you. Xiangling, Ye Yun, Sandwich Sauce, and Mei are all busy cooking. It''ll be a while before the food''s ready."


    Hearing that, Milim agreed.


    Not only would she get to play something fun, but she could also eat Xiangling''s food afterward¡ªthis life was just too perfect.


    Hutao pulled a huge flight chess mat from her storage ring and spread it out on the floor.


    It was a special version that allowed up to 10 people to play at once, and the entire board was enormous.


    They had played it before, and even the fastest game had taken over half an hour.


    Judging from the progress in the kitchen, they could finish a round before the food was ready.


    Hutao had Milim sit next to her and started explaining the rules.


    Milim listened carefully. Though it was her first time, she picked up the rules quickly.


    After all, she was a demon lord¡ªher learning ability was far above normal.


    Soon, the game officially began. Milim shook the dice in her hands and tossed it on the board¡ªfive.


    Seeing the result, Milim instantly pouted and sat on the ground, sulking.


    So close! Just one more point and her plane could''ve taken off.


    Next up was Hutao. Her luck was good¡ªshe rolled a six and launched one of her planes.


    After one round, only three players had gotten a plane airborne.


    In the second round, Milim''s upper player Kiana rolled another six, but instead of launching a new plane, she moved the existing one six spaces forward.


    Milim rolled again¡ªthis time, she got a six and was finally able to launch her plane.


    Another round passed. Milim didn''t roll another six and could only move her plane forward a few spaces.


    Seeing that a few players still hadn''t launched, she relaxed.


    But unexpectedly, in the next round, Kiana''s plane landed on the same space as Milim''s.


    Milim''s plane was instantly sent back to the airport, waiting for relaunch.


    Milim threw a tantrum, rolling on the ground.


    "Ahhh!!! Kiana! That''s so mean! You crashed into my plane!"


    Kiana just grinned mischievously.


    "Bleh~ If you''ve got what it takes, crash mine back!"


    That provocation lit a fire in Milim''s eyes. Today, she was determined to settle the score with Kiana!


    Stelle and the others were having a blast playing flight chess.


    Meanwhile, in the reception room¡ª


    Qingque, Guinaifen, and Lumine were sitting by the Divination Jade table.


    Lumine said,"How about I go get someone from the flight chess game? I saw Kiana already won¡ªshe''s just watching the show now."


    Qingque and Guinaifen shuddered when they heard Lumine mention getting Kiana to play Celestial Jade.


    Guinaifen''s mouth twitched.


    "Let''s not, okay? Kiana''s... just no."


    Qingque agreed immediately.


    "Yeah, let''s not. Her luck is just too absurd."


    The last time they played Celestial Jade with Kiana, they thought they could crush the newbie.


    But they were dead wrong. Kiana''s luck was beyond belief.


    At her peak, she reshuffled five times in a minute.


    That''s five wins in a single minute. If that''s not absurd luck, what is?


    Since then, Qingque and Guinaifen swore they''d never play Celestial Jade with Kiana again.


    There''s just no fun in it. Qingque may be confident in her skills, but against an overpowered lucky draw machine? Not worth it.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179 - 179Soon, Ye Yun, Xiangling, and the little mischievous evil god finished preparing tonight''s meal.


    Every night, there were at least 20 people eating.


    Each meal had at least 20 dishes.


    As for whether anyone worried about having too much food and not finishing it?Paimon said, "How little do you think of my appetite! With Paimon here, there''s no need to worry about waste ¡ª it will all be eaten clean."


    Ye Yun called out to the group playing in the sofa tea area.


    "Stelleg, Firefly, Milim, dinner''s ready, go wash your hands quickly."


    Milim immediately perked up when she heard it was time to eat.


    This flying chess game was really hard to play ¡ª her plane would get hit back by Kiana or others just after a short time.


    This flying chess game was impossible to play!


    Milim dashed to the small bar and took out her personal rice bowl from the cabinet.


    In a flash, Milim appeared at the dining table holding her bowl. Looking at the table full of delicious food, she took a deep breath.


    The aroma of the food filled her nostrils and instantly excited her, making her twin ponytails swing wildly.


    "Wow!!! So much delicious food! I''m going to eat it all up!"


    At that moment, Himeko came over, scrutinizing Milim.


    "Milim, did you wash your hands?"


    Milim felt guilty as soon as she heard the question and became restless.


    "Um... I washed them!"


    Himeko softly hummed and asked again.


    "Really?"


    Milim broke out in a cold sweat, jumped up from her chair, and ran to the small bar to wash her hands alongside Klee and Bailu.


    Milim waved her hands under the faucet for a moment and tried to leave, but Bailu grabbed her.


    "You need to use some soap to get them clean!"


    Bailu squeezed some hand soap onto Milim''s hands, rubbed them together, and rinsed with water.


    "All done, now they''re really clean."


    Milim looked at her hands ¡ª indeed, they looked much whiter than before.


    "So amazing! My hands actually got whiter."


    Bailu rolled her eyes at Milim.


    "You didn''t just whiten them, you cleaned them! How long has it been since you last washed your hands?"


    Milim didn''t feel embarrassed and answered seriously.


    "Probably decades."


    As a demon lord, Milim had a long lifespan and a vague sense of time.


    Also, in Rimuru''s world, the hygiene standards of an entire world were just average at best.


    So Milim didn''t think much of it.


    After washing her hands, Milim returned to the table and waved her hand next to Himeko.


    "Look! I washed my hands!"


    Milim looked at Himeko expectantly for praise, and Himeko smiled.


    "Good. Remember, you must wash your hands before every meal, got it?"


    Milim was overjoyed to get praised.


    "Okay! I''ll definitely wash my hands before every meal from now on!"


    Then everyone gathered around the table and started eating.


    At that moment, Topaz''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw a message from Aventurine.


    "Everyone, Aventurine sent over the schedule for the first round of tomorrow''s elimination matches. Want to take a look?"


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others nodded eagerly.


    Topaz said, "I''ll send it to the big group so everyone can see."


    Soon, everyone''s phones rang, and they all looked at their screens.


    Milim looked up with her mouth full, feeling confused.


    What are these people doing? Each of them holding a glowing tablet, staring at it and not even eating?


    Paimon sat beside Milim and was surprised Milim hadn''t buried her head in her bowl.


    "What''s wrong, Milim?"


    Milim pointed at the others with her spoon.


    "Why aren''t they eating?"


    Paimon glanced at them indifferently.


    "Don''t mind them. We eat our own food. After this bowl, we''ll get another."


    Milim nodded and focused on eating, ignoring the others.


    Stelle looked at the schedule. Her opponent tomorrow was a girl from an unknown planet with three spirits:


    Water-type spirit: Steeltooth Shark.


    Mechanical-type spirit: Paipai.


    Flying-type spirit: Little Firefly.


    Among them, Steeltooth Shark was the strongest, at level 30.


    Stelle felt a bit worried.


    This Steeltooth Shark was pretty strong and just happened to counter her Blaze Monkey.


    "This is a bit tough. Could it be that the mighty Galactic Fire Hero is going to be eliminated in the first round? That would seriously damage my reputation."


    Ye Yun smiled and said to Stelle:


    "How about this? Want to spend some money?"


    Stelle shrugged helplessly.


    "Spending money won''t help, unless I buy a god-level spirit core and hatch a super powerful spirit now."


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "No, I mean, do you want to level up Mika? Her combat power is pretty strong."


    Stelle looked at Mika, who saw her looking and stood up with hands on hips, expectantly staring at Stelle.


    Stelle looked at Mika for a while, then turned to Ye Yun.


    "How many star coins?"


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers, and a stone wrapped in bubbles appeared in front of Stelle.


    "This is Mika''s exclusive evolution stone. Using it will instantly raise Mika''s level to 60 and evolve her into the Miris form, greatly boosting her combat power.As for the price, it''s not cheap ¡ª 200,000 star coins. So, how about it? Want one?"


    Stelle hesitated. She only had 400,000 star coins left.


    Her daily fixed income from the farm was about 500 star coins now.


    With that little daily income, if she wanted to collect more stellar Jades, she''d have to find a way to sneak into Amphoreus to open boxes secretly.


    "I''ll think about it."


    Silver Wolf teased her.


    "Yo, A Stelle, you can''t even spend 200,000 star coins?"


    Stelle rolled her eyes.


    "Why don''t you get one? Easy for you to say. Besides Topaz and the others just took on a big order from Ye Yun, who else has 500,000 star coins?"


    Almost everyone had spent their coins during the last lottery store event.


    No one wanted to miss the resurrection cards.


    Then everyone continued eating, and after dinner, each went home to rest.


    Milim looked at the dispersing group and ran to Himeko.


    "Himeko, can you arrange a place for me to stay?"


    Himeko, about to take Bailu to wash up, asked:


    "Aren''t you going back to your place?"


    Milim shook her head.


    "I don''t want to go back. I can''t eat well or play well there. I want to stay and play here~ okay~ Himeko~" Milim tugged on Himeko''s hand, shaking it and acting cute, trying to get a place to stay from her.


    ***


    Upon hearing this, Himeko said,


    "Alright, come with me, I''ll take you to the treehouse."


    Milim was happy that she could stay, spinning around in place excitedly.


    Then, Milim followed Himeko to first send the seven little ones back to the Rose Castle to rest.


    Next, Himeko led Milim to the treehouse.


    As soon as they entered, they saw Stelle, Hutao, Silver Wolf, Amber, and Calestia sitting in the hall playing console games.


    "Stelle, are you guys going to stay up all night again?"


    Stelle shook her head in response.


    "We''ll play a bit more, then go to sleep."


    Himeko said,


    "Okay, don''t play too late, you have a match tomorrow. By the way, Milim is staying here tonight, so take her along later."


    Stelle looked at Milim and waved to her.


    "Milim, come sit here. After I finish this round, I''ll find you a room."


    Milim happily ran to Stelle''s side, curiously staring at the big screen.


    "What game are you playing?"


    Stelle thought for a moment and restarted a game, inviting everyone including Milim to play.


    They were playing a game similar to Contra, supporting up to ten players, but the more players, the higher the difficulty. Each player''s lives are counted separately.


    Milim got absorbed in the game quickly. For a kid like her, this kind of video game was absolutely irresistible.


    Inside St. Freya Academy,


    Theresa gathered Kiana, Mei, Bronya, Fu Hua, Durandal, and Himeko at Kiana''s house.


    Under their gazes, Theresa took out the resurrection card she had bought from the little evil god.


    "Kiana, Durandal, are you ready?"


    Kiana and Durandal nodded.


    "Don''t worry, Auntie, I''m ready!"


    "Yes, I''m ready too."


    Theresa tore the resurrection card and shouted loudly the name.


    "Revive! Cecilia!"


    As Theresa finished speaking, a door appeared in the center of the group. The door slowly opened, and a woman resembling Kiana and Durandal floated out.


    The woman landed on the ground and slowly opened her eyes, looking around in confusion before fixing her gaze on Theresa.


    "Theresa? Are you dead too?"


    Theresa looked at the woman, trembling with excitement.


    "It''s not me who''s dead, it''s you who revived, Cecilia. Welcome back!"


    Cecilia was curious.


    "Revived? What''s going on?"


    Just as Cecilia finished speaking, a white figure flashed before her eyes¡ªa white-haired girl with a ponytail appeared in front of her.


    "Mom! Let me explain. Actually, you died many years ago. Then we met some friends from another world. They gave us something that can revive people. So, you were revived!"


    Cecilia was puzzled but quickly understood.


    She looked at Theresa.


    "Theresa, she''s my daughter, right?"


    Theresa nodded.


    "Yes, Kiana is your daughter, and so is Durandal over there."


    Cecilia was trying to make sense of things, now more confused.


    "I remember when I checked back then, there was only one. How could there be twins? That''s impossible. Did I remember wrong?"


    Seeing Cecilia''s confusion, Theresa explained the whole situation.


    "In short, that''s the situation. Anyway, genetically, Kiana and Durandal are 100% your daughters."


    Cecilia was very angry. "Otto! How dare you! How could you do this to Kiana!"


    "Theresa, where is Archbishop Otto now?"


    Theresa replied,


    "He has been executed and is currently imprisoned in a special prison in another world. The situation there is very complicated. If you want to see him, I can help you arrange it."


    Kiana heard Cecilia wanted to see Otto and bounced excitedly, waving her hands.


    "Mom~ Mom~ Do you want to see Otto? I can take you. I''m very close with Dparkle; I''ll just call her!"


    Cecilia smiled warmly at lively and cute Kiana.


    "Good, my Kiana is really great and amazing. Alright, let''s not talk about him now.


    Kiana, Durandal, come here."


    Kiana and Durandal approached Cecilia.


    Cecilia wrapped her arms around them and gently stroked their hair. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, come tell mom, have you been eating well?


    Did you make good friends at school?


    Have you been exercising regularly?"


    Theresa, Mei, and the others saw this scene and quietly left the room, giving Cecilia, Kiana, and Durandal some space.


    The three talked for more than an hour before coming out.


    Cecilia looked at Theresa and the others waiting outside and smiled.


    "Sorry, we talked for a while."


    Mei smiled.


    "It''s okay, Senior Cecilia."


    Kiana jumped happily next to Mei and introduced her to Cecilia.


    "Mom~ This is Mei, my best, best, best friend. She cooks really delicious meals!"


    Cecilia looked at Mei and smiled.


    "Hello, Mei, thank you for taking care of Kiana."


    Mei shook her head.


    "No need to thank me, Senior Cecilia. Kiana is my good friend. It''s what I should do."


    Kiana then ran to Bronya.


    "Mom~ This is Bronya, a little dwarf, a big idiot, hehe~"


    Bronya rolled her eyes at Kiana, looking very disgusted.


    "Dummy Kiana, poor thing, I don''t know when you got delusional, always talking nonsense."


    Kiana responded,


    "What? I''m not sick. I''m very healthy!


    And! I''m not an idiot. I''m the owner of the Athena Valkyrie armor! The strongest Valkyrie of destiny! The incarnation of wisdom and war!"


    Bronya chuckled.


    "Hehe~"


    Cecilia, watching the two tease each other, realized that although they insulted each other, their relationship was actually very good.


    If they weren''t close, they would have fought by now.


    "Hello, Bronya."


    Bronya heard Cecilia greet her and stopped paying attention to Kiana.


    "Hello, Senior Cecilia. I have read about your deeds countless times when browsing books."


    Cecilia smiled.


    "Oh? My deeds are even recorded in books?"

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180 - 180Theresa said,


    "Mm, as a Valkyrie who made outstanding contributions to humanity, of course your deeds would be recorded in books.


    This way, future Valkyries can learn about the events of the past and be inspired by a proper role model."


    Kiana then proceeded to introduce the others, such as Fu Hua, Himeko, and so on.


    After chatting with the group for a while, Cecilia suddenly asked,


    "Kiana, how do you get to that other world you mentioned? I''m really curious about it."


    Kiana replied,


    "Through a portal! The portal is at my place. Mom, stay at my place tonight, and I''ll take you there tomorrow.


    There are so, so many good friends over there too¡ª


    Stelle, Firefly, Amber, Hutao, and even March who''s a little sick. So many people~"


    Cecilia smiled and agreed.


    "Alright~ I''ll listen to you, Kiana."


    Seeing that Cecilia agreed, Kiana was overjoyed and happily held her mother''s arm as they headed to the dormitory.


    Theresa and the others saw this and, after saying goodnight to Cecilia and Kiana, went their separate ways.


    In Mondstadt,


    Under the moonlight, Venti sat quietly atop the Statue of the Anemo Archon, silently gazing at the resurrection card in his hand.


    To ensure there would be no mistakes, Venti had spent the entire day organizing his memories.


    So many years had passed, and his memories of that old friend had grown hazy.


    After confirming everything once more, Venti tore the resurrection card and murmured softly,


    "Come back, Venti."


    As the card was torn, it transformed into glowing motes of light and formed a doorway before Venti. The door slowly opened, and a young man who looked exactly like Venti appeared before him.


    The boy slowly opened his eyes.


    "You are... Barbatos?"


    The boy instantly recognized that the person who looked just like him was Barbatos in disguise.


    Venti smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, it''s me. Long time no see, Venti."


    As Venti finished speaking, his form shifted and returned to his original appearance¡ªa wind spirit.


    The boy asked, confused,


    "Wasn''t I dead? What''s going on?"


    Venti thought for a moment.


    "It''s a long story. Let''s find a place to sit, order a couple bottles of wine, and talk it over."


    The boy agreed.


    Venti then took back his boyish form, and the two of them made their way to the Angel''s Share.


    New Mondstadt wasn''t finished yet¡ªcurrently, only construction personnel were working there.


    Most of Mondstadt''s residents still lived in the old city.


    As soon as they entered the tavern, they saw Diluc, who was temporarily acting as bartender.


    Diluc was briefly surprised to see two identical Venti figures, but quickly understood.


    Though the two looked very similar, there were differences.


    Lord Barbatos was wearing the attire of a bard.


    The other wore something more akin to a ranger''s outfit.


    "Boss Diluc, please get us a private room," Venti said.


    Diluc nodded and led the two to a private room on the second floor.


    Once seated, Diluc poured three glasses of red wine and looked at the two.


    "Venti, who is this?"


    Venti introduced him,


    "This is the young man who once wielded the Skyward Harp and helped overthrow tyranny alongside your ancestor."


    Hearing this, Diluc confirmed his suspicions.


    He turned to the young man.


    "Hello, My lord. I''m Diluc, owner of this tavern. What should I call you?"


    The boy glanced at Venti.


    "A name, huh... I''ll have to think. Since you''ve been using the name ''Venti'' for so many years, Barbatos, you keep it.


    As for me... let''s see¡ªjust call me ''Wind.''"


    Diluc responded,


    "Alright, Lord Wind. I didn''t expect Venti to resurrect you."


    Wind was surprised.


    "Oh? Diluc, you know about my story too?"


    Diluc nodded. Then he and Venti spent over half an hour explaining all the events that had transpired over the years¡ª


    Mondstadt''s history, its current state, and the story of his resurrection.


    After hearing it all, Wind said,


    "I didn''t expect so much to have happened... but it''s wonderful. Mondstadt has become just what I dreamed it would be."


    Diluc added,


    "Yes. After Lord Barbatos took the throne, he returned freedom to the people of Mondstadt. It''s now known throughout Teyvat as the land of freedom."


    Wind was very pleased.


    "Let''s go. I want to take a stroll around Mondstadt. Venti, be my guide."


    Then Wind turned to Diluc and smiled in thanks.


    "Diluc, your wine is excellent. Thank you for the hospitality."


    Diluc shook his head.


    "No need to thank me. You are one of Mondstadt''s great heroes. If you ever want to drink again, just come by anytime¡ªit''s on the house."


    Wind agreed.


    After that, he left Angel''s Share with Venti.


    The two strolled through Mondstadt. Wind looked around curiously like a child seeing the world for the first time.


    Seeing how prosperous, peaceful, and thriving Mondstadt had become, he smiled in satisfaction.


    As they walked, they arrived at the front gate of the Knights of Favonius.


    Venti introduced it,


    "This is the Knights of Favonius headquarters. Thanks to them, Mondstadt is what it is today."


    Wind smiled.


    "Come, let''s take a look inside."


    The two entered the building and were greeted by Lisa and Jean.


    Lisa saw the two identical Venti figures and, after a moment''s thought, guessed the other''s identity.


    Jean, however, immediately saluted.


    "Lord Barbatos."


    Venti waved dismissively.


    "Jean, how many times have I told you, no need to salute when you see me.


    Oh, and let me introduce you¡ªthis is Wind."


    Jean turned to Wind and greeted him,


    "Hello, Wind. Welcome to Mondstadt. I''m Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius.


    By the way, I''m really curious¡ªwhy do you and Lord Barbatos look so alike?"


    Before Venti could explain, Lisa suddenly said from the side,


    "If I''m not mistaken, this must be the youth who led the charge to overthrow tyranny back in the day, correct?"


    Wind looked at Lisa and smiled.


    "That''s right. It''s me. How did you know?"


    Lisa explained,


    "Because I once heard Lumine say that Lord Barbatos took his current appearance from an old friend.


    And according to historical records, there are only two who could be called Barbatos''s dearest companions¡ª


    One is His Excellency Morax, and the other is the young man who led the people to freedom by overthrowing tyranny."


    Wind looked at Lisa with admiration. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s correct. You''re very clever to have guessed it so quickly."


    Lisa replied,


    "I wouldn''t say clever. There are many smart people out there. I just happened to have read a few more books than most."


    Wind shook his head, not agreeing with her modesty.


    "No need to be so humble. Your intellect is indeed exceptional."


    ***


    Lisa smiled.


    "That''s too much praise, My Lord."


    Jean was surprised upon learning about Wind''s identity.


    "What! You''re that Lord!?"


    Wind smiled and said:


    "Don''t keep calling me that¡ªjust call me Wind, that''s my name now."


    Jean nodded in agreement.


    "Alright, Lord Wind, what are you doing? Need any help?"


    Wind replied:


    "No need. I just asked Venti to show me around Mondstadt. You all go about your own business¡ªdon''t mind me."


    After chatting for a while, Wind and Venti left the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.


    The next day arrived.


    At Ye Yun''s shop, nearly everyone had gathered.


    Today was the first round of the Spirit Tournament eliminations, and basically everyone in the group had a match.


    Stelle yawned as she walked out from the realm rift.


    "Morning~ Xiangling, Ye Yun, Jammy-chan."


    As usual, she first greeted the three chefs.


    Jammy-chan was at the griddle frying eggs with a spatula.


    "Morning, Stelle. Today you get eggs made by yours truly, the invincible feisty little devil¡ªwant a few more? Hehe~"


    Stelle raised her eyebrows.


    "Sure, gimme three. I''ve got a tough battle today!"


    Hearing Stelle talk about a tough fight, Silver Wolf came over to tease her.


    "Stelle, tsk tsk, I''ve got a feeling you''re gonna lose in the first elimination round. So sad~"


    Stelle crossed her arms confidently.


    "Heh, today''s me is different from yesterday''s me!


    Miris! Come on out!"


    With that shout, a humanoid Spirit with a V-shaped cursor on its forehead appeared in front of everyone.


    Silver Wolf scanned Miris with her Spirit Book.


    [Spirit: MirisLevel: 60Type: LightDescription: Known as the Queen of Light-type Spirit, standing at the top of the Spirit pyramid.]


    Silver Wolf read the info and practically dropped her jaw.


    "What the heck! You actually spent money?!"


    Stelle smugly wiped her nose.


    "What? Problem? I got cash~"


    Himeko, Jing Yuan, and others also looked at Miris'' info and were amazed.


    That "Light Spirit Queen" title... impressive.


    ing Yuan commented,


    "Tsk tsk, to be called a Queen¡ªit must be truly powerful."


    Stelle waved her hand confidently.


    "Ah, just average. I''ll probably casually win the whole tournament~"


    Silver Wolf tugged on Ye Yun''s sleeve.


    "Ye Yun, can I spend on my Nier too?"


    Ye Yun checked the system.


    "Sure. 100,000 star coins, and Nier can evolve straight into her final form, Esphea, at level 60. And it''ll be a shiny variant."


    Silver Wolf immediately started digging through her pockets.


    A minute later¡ª


    She pulled together just over 98,000 star coins.


    Grinning, she nudged Ye Yun.


    "Ye Yun~ Think I could..."


    Ye Yun smiled at her.


    "Fine, I''ll let you owe me. You''re short 2,000 star coins¡ªremember to pay me back."


    Silver Wolf cheered and jumped three feet high.


    "Yes! My Nier can pay-to-win too!"


    Ye Yun took the 98k, bought a Nier-exclusive evolution stone, and handed it over.


    Silver Wolf slapped it onto Nier.


    As soon as the stone touched Nier, she was enveloped in a holy light.


    A few minutes later¡ªUnder everyone''s gaze, the light faded, revealing Nier''s final form: Esphea.


    Silver Wolf scanned her with the pok¨¦dex:


    [Spirit: EspheaType: PsychicLevel: 60Description: An extremely rare Spirit who often shapeshifts to play with others.]


    Ye Yun felt a bit nostalgic looking at Esphea.


    Back in the day, he had to battle tons of Sharpfang Fish just to find Nier.


    Nier would only appear randomly in wild battles¡ªit was all luck.


    Not long after, Nier became a limited-time Spirit¡ªno longer catchable in the wild.


    Silver Wolf nodded in satisfaction.


    "Mhm, very nice! Level 60. Gotta say, pay-to-win is the way. Grinding would''ve taken forever."


    Just then, the little evil god''s voice rang out.


    "Breakfast time, everyone!"


    At that, they stopped admiring the elves and sat down at the table.


    Stelle took a fork, stabbed an egg, and started chewing.


    While eating, a portal shimmered¡ªand Kiana and Mei walked out with Cecilia.


    Kiana immediately greeted everyone:


    "Good morning, everyone!"


    Xiangling called her over.


    "Morning, Kiana! Had breakfast yet? Come eat with us."


    Kiana nodded.


    "Yes!"


    She pulled Cecilia over and sat down at the table.


    Stelle swallowed her bite and asked:


    "Kiana, who''s this?"


    Kiana, about to eat another egg, put her fork down.


    "This is my mom!"


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others were surprised.


    "Your mom? This is the first time I''ve heard you mention her."


    Kiana replied,


    "That''s because she just got resurrected."


    Cecilia smiled.


    "Hello, I''m Cecilia, Kiana''s mother."


    She looked around at the others.


    "You''re Stelle, right? Kiana told me last night that you''re a close friend of hers.


    And you must be Firefly, Amber, Hutao, and Lumine."


    Lumine was puzzled.


    "Aunt Cecilia, how did you recognize us? We never introduced ourselves."


    Cecilia smiled.


    "Kiana described your appearances to me last night. I matched you based on those descriptions.


    Judging by your reactions, I didn''t get it wrong."


    Blonde beauty.


    Bunny-eared beauty.


    Silver-haired beauty.


    Plum-eye beauty.


    Little gray hair.


    Let''s just say, although her daughter''s descriptions were super vague, she still managed to guess correctly.


    If Stelle knew Kiana called her "little gray hair," she''d definitely complain.


    Everyone else got "beauty," why is she just "little gray hair"???


    Lumine gave her a thumbs up.


    "Impressive!"


    Welt walked over to Cecilia.


    "Cecilia, it''s been a long time."


    Cecilia looked a bit surprised.


    "It has been, Welt. You''ve changed a lot."


    Welt nodded.


    "True. You, though, haven''t changed a bit. As expected, I knew Theresa would bring you back."

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181 - 181Cecilia nodded.


    "Yeah, I didn''t expect that either.


    By the way, I heard Archbishop Otto is also in this world?"


    Welt nodded at her words and said:


    "That''s right, he''s currently being held at the Theater of Joy.


    Don''t worry, the security there is absolutely tight. It''s guarded by a powerful Aeon, so Otto absolutely won''t be able to escape."


    At this, Welt suddenly remembered something.


    "By the way, Sparkle just told me that there''s going to be a performance by Otto at the Theater of Joy tonight. She reserved the best box seat for me.


    Do you want to come along and watch?"


    Just as Welt finished speaking, Sparkle suddenly popped out from the side.


    "I heard someone calling my name? Who is it? Who''s talking about the invincible Lady Sparkle behind her back~"


    She glanced at Welt, then at Kiana and Cecilia.


    Walter said:


    "It was me. Isn''t there an Otto performance tonight? I wanted to invite Kiana and her mother to come along."


    Sparkle responded:


    "Oh~ I see~ So, Kiana, do you want to come?"


    Kiana nodded eagerly.


    "Yeah! I want to go. Mom wants to see Archbishop Otto perform."


    Sparkle smiled at her words.


    "Oh~ in that case, to celebrate your mother''s resurrection, I''ll modify tonight''s program and add a performance featuring the little blonde girl."


    Kiana''s eyes lit up instantly.


    "Really? Thank you, Sparkle!"


    Kiana hugged Sparkle tightly, cheerfully resting her head on Sparkle''s shoulder.


    Sparkle struggled free from Kiana''s hug.


    "No need to thank me~ Alright, alright, I can''t chat with you now¡ªthe invincible Lady Sparkle has to go join the elimination rounds!"


    With that, having eaten and drunk her fill, Sparkle skipped away into a portal.


    After breakfast, Kiana, Stelle, and the others also headed to the Joyful Mini World.


    As soon as Stelle stepped out of the portal, she was called over by Topaz and Emerald.


    Although Sparkle, Hutao, and the others were a little puzzled, they didn''t think much of it.


    After all, Topaz and Jade weren''t strangers¡ªthey were part of the organizing committee of the tournament. If they were calling Stelle over, it must be something important.


    First Spirit Tournament Elimination Stage


    The venue was a nest-shaped stadium, divided into five battle arenas.


    The first arena had a rainforest terrain.The second, a desert terrain.The third, a glacier terrain.The fourth, a grassland terrain.


    The fifth was the most special, located in the center. Above it was a dueling platform, and behind the platform was an ascending staircase.


    On both sides of the staircase were many platforms.


    At the top of the staircase stood a throne forged entirely from diamond, gleaming in the sunlight.


    There were no spectator areas for the fifth arena; anyone who wanted to view its battles had to watch from the other four arenas'' stands.


    Host Aventurine slowly made his appearance.


    "Good morning, everyone! Welcome to the First Spirit Tournament!


    After three days of intense battles, 1,000 contestants have made it to the elimination stage through nine matches!


    That''s right! The ones standing in the arenas now are the elite fighters who broke into the Top 1,000!"


    As his voice fell, spectators turned their attention to the Rainforest, Desert, Glacier, and Grassland arenas.


    Each arena already had 250 contestants standing ready.


    A spotlight shone down on each contestant, illuminating them.Apart from the central fifth arena, the ceilings of the other arenas were sealed off, with no natural light shining in.


    Under the spotlight, each contestant looked like a brave warrior bathed in holy light¡ªnoble and majestic.


    In the stands, people cheered for the contestants they recognized.


    Cecilia was among them, standing in her own viewing area and cheering for Kiana.


    "Kiana, go for it! You must win!"


    Aventurine continued introducing the rules:


    "I''m sure you''re all wondering¡ªwhy are there no contestants in the central arena?


    That''s because only the final top two contestants will earn the right to step onto that glorious stage, the arena of renown!


    And the final victor will have the opportunity to challenge the current strongest Spirit Trainer¡ªGalactic Fire Hero, Stelle!"


    With that, Aventurine pointed toward the throne.


    All the spotlights turned off, and the ceiling above the stadium slowly opened.


    A single beam of light shone down on the throne.


    At that moment, Stelle descended, holding the blazing Judgment of Shamash, her expression stern and imposing.


    Beside her stood Mires, arms crossed, gazing down at everyone with an air of supreme dominance.


    Stelle slowly spoke, her voice echoing across the entire arena:


    "I am the trainer of the Light-type Spirit Queen¡ªMires!


    Challengers! Step forth! Defeat me and prove you are the true Champion Trainer worthy of the throne!


    This is the name of the Ace Trainer!"


    As she finished, Stelle swung the Judgment of Shamash, and a scorching wave of flame spread out from her, lighting up the entire stadium.


    In that instant, the crowd''s passion was fully ignited.


    "Holy crap! Spirit Queen?!"


    "Hsssss!!! That''s insane! She''s not holding back at all!"


    "Ace! Ace! I want to be the Ace!"


    "Dream on, you couldn''t even make it into the elimination round."


    Aventurine once again spoke:


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we''re also honored to have invited the world-renowned singer Robin, the famous singer Furina, and the girl group from New Teyvat to perform for us!


    Now, let''s cheer for their performance! Where''s the applause?"


    With that, Aventurine cupped his ear as the crowd of hundreds of thousands erupted in cheers.


    Aventurine quickly exited the stage. A minute later, a series of loud booms erupted around the stadium¡ªdozens of fireworks launched into the air and exploded.


    Moments later, a rain of colorful streamers fell, igniting the crowd''s excitement.


    Fireworks erupted again, and along with them came Robin''s sweet, melodious voice, and more flying streamers.


    "Welcome to my world!"


    The spectators had not expected to see Robin performing live today.


    Audiences around the four battle arenas cheered and waved, watching her perform on the central stage.


    When Robin finished her song, Furina immediately took the stage.


    The song she performed today was one given to her by Ye Yun¡ªA song from Ye Yun''s past world, a famous piece from a certain canyon.


    "Rebirth!"


    A song very fitting for the occasion.


    *"Endless peaks shrouding the path home,Lit by burning flames to guide the way,Colorful clouds dance in the distance.Oh, the cycle of life, every trial and test,


    All to bloom in flight,


    With a rainbow-feathered crest.Through thorns and storms we rise, clearing every twist and turn ahead!Soar to the sky! Unfold your wings! Oh oh oh!Ascend to the clouds, voices echoing far, riding across the heavens!"*


    Furina sang with great passion, further elevating the energy of the live audience.


    No one watching in the livestream¡ªnumbering in the trillions¡ªregretted tuning in.


    ***


    "Damn it! I hate myself! Why didn''t I go to the venue!"


    "Exactly! I''m such an idiot! The atmosphere at the venue totally exploded!"


    "Fresh sprouts! You bunch of newbies! All the tickets for the upcoming shows are gone now!"


    "Heh, still waiting? Don''t you understand the principle of ''fast hands get it, slow ones miss out''?"


    "What the heck is this ''Teyvat Girl Group''? Never heard of it. I have no impression of them at all."


    "Same here. I know Furina¡ªshe recently went viral¡ªbut this Teyvat Girl Group? What even is that?"


    "They''re out! They''re out! Whoa¡ªthree girls!"


    "The one in the middle looks amazing! Totally radiates that noble lady aura!"


    "Yo-ho, the show crew has good taste. They even labeled the names. Let me see¡ªoh~ it''s Kamisato Ayaka. What a lovely name."


    On stage.


    Ayaka, Nilou, and Barbara exchanged glances, then began their performance.


    Their debut song¡ªprepared by Ye Yun.


    "Everlasting Flame! Moon Halo!"


    As the music began, Ayaka started singing:


    "Some deserts on this planet were oceans once..."


    Once Ayaka finished the first verse, Barbara sang the second:


    "Sometimes I see a dying bird fall to the ground..."


    Then it was Nilou''s turn for the third verse:


    "I thought I were no more than a bystander / Till I felt a touch so real..."


    Then, at the climax, all three sang together:


    "A shoulder for the past


    Let out the cries imprisoned for so long


    A pair of wings for me at this moment


    To soar above this world"


    The audience was shocked by their performance. No one had expected such a powerful showing from an unknown girl group.


    Just their vocals alone were already incredible!


    "This girl group has something going on. I''m gonna follow them!"


    "Totally! Way better than those screeching banshees from the big agencies!"


    "Chicken, You Are Beautiful???"


    "What did you just say?! What did you say?! Bring your chat logs to court!"


    Soon, Ayaka, Barbara, and Nilou finished their performance, and Aventurine returned to the stage.


    He asked the audience how the performance was¡ªhe received a unanimous response.


    "Amazing! Beautiful! We want more!"


    Aventurine pretended to be alarmed by their enthusiasm.


    "No, no, no¡ªif we run this again, I''ll go bankrupt! Their appearance fees aren''t cheap!"


    This drew laughter from the crowd.


    Aventurine cleared his throat.


    **"Alright, enough talk! Let''s get to the main event!


    The Spirit Tournament elimination round officially begins! Contestants, take your places!


    Begin!!"**


    As his voice fell, the venue lit up and all 1,000 contestants began competing.


    Backstage, Stelle was bouncing with excitement.


    Ye Yun, meanwhile, was chatting with Topaz, Jade, and Aventurine.


    Seeing Stelle return, Ye Yun called her over.


    "Stelle! Over here!"


    She ran over, and Ye Yun gave her a look-over.


    "How does it feel? Pretty awesome, huh?"


    Stelle nodded wildly.


    "Awesome! Super awesome!"


    Jade chuckled.


    "Of course it''s awesome. You''ve basically become famous across the galaxy. That stream had tons of viewers."


    Topaz added: S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''ve used every available resource to promote this Spirit Tournament. The peak viewer count hit 18 trillion."


    Stelle blinked in confusion.


    "Trillion? What kind of unit is that?"


    Aventurine explained:


    "One trillion is a thousand billion."


    Stelle sucked in a sharp breath.


    **"Hssssss! So that''s 18 trillion!? Dang¡ªI''m really famous now!


    Wahahaha! The name ''Galactic Flame Hero'' now echoes across the stars! Hahaha!"**


    Aventurine laughed.


    **"Then shouldn''t you thank the four of us?


    Ye Yun came up with the idea, and Jade, Topaz, and I rushed to build the throne."**


    Stelle waved it off grandly.


    "No problem! Once we''re back, hot pot''s on me¡ªSnowfield Venison Hot Pot! A whole one!"


    The four clapped their hands.


    "It''s a deal, then."


    Stelle patted her chest.


    "Don''t worry! I''ve got this!"


    Just then, Barbara, Ayaka, and Nilou returned backstage.


    Topaz immediately called them over.


    "Hey, come look! You''re famous now!"


    The three girls came over excitedly.


    Topaz handed them a laptop.


    **"Check this out. As soon as you started performing, I uploaded your song online.


    Downloads have already passed a million."**


    Jade added calmly:


    "Meaning¡ªafter Topaz takes her cut, each of you has earned around 3 billion credits from this song alone."


    Ayaka, Nilou, and Barbara were thrilled at the news.


    Ayaka in particular¡ªInazuma''s reconstruction had been going slowly. With this income, she could now buy a massive batch of materials and equipment.


    Aventurine spoke:


    "Check your phones¡ªif nothing went wrong, the first payment should already be in your accounts."


    Ayaka quickly checked¡ªsure enough, 3 billion credits had been deposited.


    She immediately transferred it to Yae Miko.


    Ayaka: [Transfer: 3 billion credits]


    Lady Fox: Hm?? Ayaka, where did you get so much money?


    Ayaka: From the song I released!


    Lady Fox: Oh~ I saw your performance earlier. It was excellent. Keep it up!


    Lady Fox: [Accepted 3 billion credits]Ayaka: Got it! I''ll do my best!


    Not long after, Furina and Robin came strolling in, chatting and laughing.


    Topaz spotted Furina and said:


    "Furina, there''s something I need to tell you."


    Furina scratched her head in confusion.


    "What is it?"


    Topaz pulled out an electronic contract.


    "Please sign this. Your account has reached its credit limit. I''m upgrading it for you."


    Furina took the contract and signed it right away.


    After signing, she casually glanced at her account balance.


    "Sigh~ still 200 billion left. Why does it feel like my money only grows the more I spend it?"


    Hearing this, Ayaka, Barbara, and Nilou¡ªwho had just earned 3 billion¡ªwere full of envy.


    200 billion! That''s insane! They''d only earned 3 billion.


    Robin smiled.


    "Furina, don''t get too excited. You''ll need a lot more money down the line. The development of the new Fontaine isn''t cheap."


    Furina thought for a moment.


    "You''re right. I should transfer some public funds to Neuvillette."


    She pulled out her phone and messaged:


    Furina: Butler @Neuvillette [Transfer: 100 billion credits] For public use.


    Neuvillette: Understood.


    Neuvillette: [Accepted 100 billion credits]


    Sigewinne: Bow down to Lady Furina!


    Clorinde: No one compares to our Lady Furina!


    Lyney: Lady Furina is forever Our Goddess!


    Lynette: Lady Furina is forever Our Goddess!


    Clorinde: Our Goddess.


    Witnessing Furina''s transfer, Barbara, Nilou, and Ayaka were even more motivated to work harder.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182 - 182At the Spirit Tournament venue¡ª


    A thousand Spirit Trainers were battling simultaneously.


    The match locations were entirely determined by drawing lots¡ªwherever you drew, that''s where you went.


    Different terrains naturally had varying effects on the performance of Spirit. For instance, fire-type Spirit would have their fire-based moves greatly weakened if fighting in wetlands. Conversely, water-type and grass-type elves would gain a boost in such an environment.


    Kiana was relatively lucky. Her Spirit was fire-type, and she got assigned to a desert zone, where fire-type moves would be enhanced.


    Himeko and Akxia weren''t as fortunate¡ªthey also drew the desert region.In this terrain, all of Akxia''s ice-type moves would be weakened.


    Luckily, Himeko''s opponent wasn''t very strong, so Akxia won the battle easily.


    After securing the win, Himeko exited the arena and walked along the competitor''s passageway toward the exit.


    Along the way, she saw many people with dejected expressions. These were all the losers¡ªespecially the ones who looked most bitter¡ªlikely thinking that if they had drawn a better battlefield, they would''ve won.


    As they reached the exit, all of the eliminated contestants couldn''t help but turn around and glance once more at the divine ascent behind the central stage, and the throne at its summit.


    Many silently vowed: Next year, I''ll be back. I''ll climb to the top. I''ll become the strongest trainer.


    As for the winners, they looked relaxed and cheerful.They left the arena, planning to grab some food and rest nearby¡ªthere would be a second elimination match that afternoon.


    Almost everyone was participating today¡ªeven Xiangling had entered the competition.


    That meant lunch today had to be settled by everyone individually.


    Fortunately, a commercial street had already been developed near the venue.


    Kiana, Amber, Firefly, Stelle, Hutao, Cecilia, Himeko, Kafka, and others strolled along the commercial street.


    There were over a thousand brand-name shops lining the entire street¡ªrestaurants, entertainment venues, cosmetics, clothing, shoes¡ªyou name it.


    Stelle walked proudly in the center. Her appearance on the throne earlier had instantly made her famous. She hadn''t even been on the street for long when fans began showing up asking for autographs.


    Stelle satisfied each fan''s request for autographs or selfies.


    Though she looked calm on the surface, she was practically bursting with joy inside.


    Seeing this, Hutao clicked her tongue.


    "Stelle''s totally famous now. How many people have asked for her autograph already?"


    Sparkle smiled and said, "The biggest forum on the company''s site has her entrance clip as the hottest topic right now."


    Kiana, holding Cecilia''s arm, had just won her match with overwhelming strength.


    "Mom, wasn''t I awesome just now?"


    Cecilia smiled gently. "You were amazing¡ªKiana is the best."


    As they walked, the group arrived at the food street.


    Amber spotted a BBQ restaurant and made a suggestion. "How about barbecue? Sounds good?"


    Hutao shook her head. "Barbecue? I''m not really feeling it."


    Amber looked around again and locked eyes on a hot pot place. "What about hot pot? That one over there looks pretty popular."


    Eula said, "With the weather so hot, eating hot pot might be a bit much."


    Amber kept looking until she saw something she hadn''t tried before. "What about that? Wild mushroom hot pot. Judging by the photos, it looks light and healthy. Besides, I don''t think any of us have tried it before."


    Stelle glanced at it and nodded. "I think it''s worth a try. What about the rest of you?"


    Himeko spoke up. "You guys go try the mushroom hot pot. Kafka and I are going to have pasta. Haven''t had it in a while."


    With that, Himeko and Kafka walked off into the distance.


    The remaining group¡ªStelle, Kiana, and the others¡ªentered the wild mushroom hot pot restaurant.


    Since it was crowded, the staff gave them a private room.


    After placing their order, the waiter brought in a large pot filled with wild mushrooms.


    The waiter specifically reminded them,


    "You must boil it for at least 20 minutes before eating!"


    After the waiter left, Stelle eyed the tempting mushrooms in the broth, and once it started to boil, she immediately scooped a bowl for herself.


    The broth of this hot pot was drinkable.


    Seeing this, Firefly quickly stopped her. "Stelle, the waiter said you have to cook it for at least 20 minutes!"


    Stelle brushed it off casually. "Pfft~ why listen to him? The water''s boiling¡ªwhat''s the harm? Eat! Big bites!"


    Saying that, Stelle picked up a green mushroom slice and chewed it. Her eyes lit up instantly."Mmm~ This mushroom is delicious! So fresh! You all have to try it!"


    Seeing her reaction, Hutao and the others also started serving themselves bowls.


    Firefly, wanting to be cautious, decided to wait a bit longer.


    Stelle drank some of the soup, savoring it."This broth is amazing~ Feels like we wasted our money ordering anything else. Just this pot is enough."


    Hutao took a sip too."This Hall Master agrees¡ªshould''ve just ordered mushrooms, right?"


    Amber happily munched on her mushrooms."Yeah yeah~ Let''s order another plate of mushrooms, how about it?"


    Eula, holding her empty bowl, got ready for another serving."Sounds good, especially these green mushrooms¡ªthey taste the best. Let''s get more of those."


    Kiana put down her chopsticks."I''ll place the order¡ªone more portion for everyone, okay?"


    Everyone agreed.


    After ordering, they continued enjoying the food.


    About ten minutes later, a server opened the door and saw Stelle, Hutao, and the others swaying and giggling deliriously.


    He glanced at the now-empty pot and immediately panicked."Oh no! Didn''t I tell you to boil it for 20 minutes?! You can''t eat it before that!"


    The only one who hadn''t eaten¡ªFirefly¡ªimmediately called Ye Yun and asked him to bring Bailu over.


    Stelle looked at Firefly."Firefly~ why are you wearing a banana costume? You look like a giant banana~"


    Hutao shook her head."What are you talking about? That''s clearly a roast chicken!Firefly, your outfit looks really tasty~ slurp~"


    Amber and Eula were in the same state¡ªboth mistook the waiter for a hilichurl and were about to attack him with weapons, if not for Firefly stopping them.


    Kiana and Cecilia were in the worst condition, having eaten the most.The mother and daughter kept urging each other to eat more, piling food and soup into each other''s bowls.


    Soon, Ye Yun arrived with the seven little ones.


    He clicked his tongue in disbelief at the chaotic scene of Stelle, Hutao, and the others."Yikes... Red caps, white stems¡ªeat ''em and you''re flat on a board.


    Good thing you all have strong bodies. If it had been regular folks, we''d be planning two funerals today."


    ***


    Bailu found the waiter and, after confirming the mushroom species, looked at Stelle and the others and sighed.


    "Sigh~ I really give up on you guys. You actually dared to eat King-level ''Green See-and-Die'' mushrooms raw? Do you seriously have no common sense?"


    This particular type of "Green See-and-Die" mushroom, ranked at the king level, was something Bailu had seen before¡ªthere had been patients who ate it raw too.


    And let''s just say... even among the Xianzhou people, who were blessed by the power of abundance, those folks had dropped dead on the spot.


    Bailu pulled out a medicinal gourd and handed it to Firefly.


    "Give this to them¡ªone mouthful each, no more. They''ll be fine after taking it."


    Firefly quickly took it and fed it to Stelle and the others.


    Stelle, Amber, Hutao, and the rest soon returned to normal after drinking the medicine.


    Seeing the amused look on Ye Yun''s face, everyone suddenly felt utterly humiliated.Especially Cecilia¡ªshe was an adult! How could she fall for it too?!


    They hurriedly paid the bill and left the wild mushroom hot pot restaurant.


    Only Lumine glanced back at the place, eyes flickering with a devious idea.


    The afternoon matches quickly began, and within just over half an hour, the top 250 contestants were decided.


    Aventurine stepped up to the stage and began announcing the rules for the next day.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, contestants¡ªFirst off, congratulations to the 250 players still standing in the arena!


    You''ve made it through the first elimination round!


    Now, I''ll explain the rules for the second elimination round.


    Tomorrow! The format changes to a full-scale free-for-all!


    Except for the central battlefield, all other arenas will be connected! Contestants may move freely between them!


    Only the last 64 players remaining on the battlefield will advance to round three!


    Good luck to you all! See you tomorrow!"


    The moment Aventurine finished, the new rules sent waves of shock through the audience and players alike.


    Tomorrow''s free-for-all... was going to be brutal.


    All four zones opened up into one battlefield.


    "Whoa! For real? Round two''s a straight-up battle royale?!"


    "Kinda expected, though. The first round already weeded out the lucky ones who made it to the top 1000 by chance.What''s left are the elites¡ªmakes sense to go all-in now to find the real contenders."


    "Tomorrow''s fight is gonna be insane. Thank goodness I bought a full pass¡ªI can enter as many times as I want during the tournament."


    "Bro, you''re rich rich! Even back when the passes first dropped, the cheapest one was like a million credits per person!"


    "Shhh, low profile. My family just owns a few small businesses."


    The first day''s elimination rounds ended perfectly. Stelle and the others returned to Ye Yun''s shop.


    But tonight, instead of eating at the shop, they were sneakily summoned by Lumine to the treehouse.


    Stelle, Hutao, Kiana, Amber, and Eula were all confused.


    "Lumine, why''d you call us here? It''s almost dinnertime," asked Amber.


    Lumine grinned mischievously and pulled a big pot out of her storage ring, placing it on an induction cooker.


    Then she brought out a whole tub full of King-level Green See-and-Die mushrooms.


    She poured water into the pot, dumped in a seasoning pack, and happily waited for the water to boil.


    Amber instantly understood what was going on.


    "Wait, are you serious?! You wanna eat those again? I''m not ready to embarrass myself again!"


    Eula looked like she''d seen a ghost."I''m out. I''ve already made a big enough fool of myself at lunch."


    Firefly hesitated."Uh... Lumine? Why don''t we just go eat at the shop? Sandwich Sauce told me tonight''s special is my favorite¡ªMapo Tofu."


    Only Stelle seemed interested¡ªshe''d already run into the kitchen to grab a bowl.(The treehouse had a full kitchen, though they''d never actually used it. Stelle had fully equipped it when she did the renovations.)


    With a flourish, Lumine slammed a few blue drinks onto the table, stored in old mineral water bottles.


    "Relax! I''ve got everything prepared. I asked Bailu for this medicine just now.If things start feeling weird, we just take a sip! Hehehe~"


    Hutao, Amber, and Eula were stunned."Damn, Lumine... you''re wild."


    Lumine took a deep whiff of the bubbling broth and grinned."I even went back to that mushroom hot pot place this afternoon¡ªthe soup base and mushrooms are all takeout from there!"


    At that, Hutao, Amber, and the others all ran to the kitchen to grab bowls in unison.


    This wild mushroom hot pot... was seriously addictive.Its whole appeal was how fresh and savory it tasted¡ªabsolutely mouthwatering.


    Now that Bailu''s medicine was ready and waiting, they were all fully prepped and confident¡ªno accidents would happen this time.


    Meanwhile, in the Rose Castle inside the realm¡ª


    As Klee returned to her room, her magical kitty flew over and nuzzled her affectionately.


    Klee beamed as she hugged it tight.


    "Mimi~ Did you miss Klee?"


    The magical cat meowed in response and rubbed against her cheek.


    "Meow~ Meow~"


    Klee was overjoyed, hugging it tighter.


    "Mimi, I''m going to the amusement park! Want to come?"


    The magical kitty thought about it, then nodded.


    Klee, holding Mimi, happily rushed downstairs.


    Right next to the Rose Castle where they lived was the amusement park Stelle had built earlier.


    The power switch was right by the entrance gate, and Stelle had said anyone who wanted to play could just flip the switch themselves.


    Every night, Klee and her friends would head there to play.


    Tonight, three extra guests joined them¡ªTribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon.


    They had the evening free and came over to play.


    Tribbie flew up and flipped the main switch.


    "Wahoo~ Tribbie''s on the move! Amusement park, here we come!"


    She led the charge into the park, hopping onto the roller coaster and calling for Trinnon, Klee, Hook, and the others to join her.


    It was still early, and everyone had just finished dinner, so there was no concern about disturbing anyone.


    All ten of the little ones got on the roller coaster.The bravest¡ªTrianne and Bailu¡ªsat in the front row.


    The coaster climbed to the top and plunged down suddenly.


    Trianne and Bailu weren''t scared at all¡ªin fact, they cheered like crazy.


    "Wahoo~ So fun! So fun! Super fun!"


    Trinnon, on the other hand, curled up like a little bird, too scared to open her eyes.


    The coaster zoomed ahead. When the ride was over, the magical kitty collapsed on the ground, dizzy eyes spinning.


    Too intense!I, the Great Cat, have never experienced anything like this!Never coming back here again! If I do, I''m a dog!


    Just as the cat stood up... she suddenly felt herself being picked up again.


    Opening her eyes, she found herself back on the coaster.


    Klee stood beside her, kindly helping her fasten the safety harness. She even gave it a tug to make sure it was snug.


    The magical cat''s eyes filled with terror.No... not again! You girls aren''t afraid at all?!


    Seconds later, the roller coaster echoed with mournful cat howls once more¡ª S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Accompanied by the joyful cheers of Klee, Bailu, Trianne, and the others.

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183 - 183After the second roller coaster ride, the magical cat completely passed out.


    Klee was very worried when she saw this and quickly called Bailu over to check what was going on.


    Bailu glanced at the cat and said, "No problem, just a minor issue. It just fainted. Let me give it a quick acupuncture jab."


    She took out a silver needle, closed one eye to aim carefully, and precisely stuck it into one of the magical cat''s pressure points.


    The magical cat instantly sprang up and leapt into the air, fully awake.


    Seeing this, Bailu nodded in satisfaction and put the needle away.


    Then, the ten little ones continued playing in the amusement park.


    Among them, Tiane was the wildest, going from one ride to the next without taking a break.


    Over half an hour later, Ye Yun came to check on them. Seeing that Klee and the others were having a great time, he didn''t call them back, deciding to let them play a little longer¡ªthere was still plenty of time.


    Looking around, Ye Yun decided to head to the treehouse to see what Stelle, Hutao, and the others were up to¡ªthey hadn''t even come for dinner.


    Ye Yun climbed the spiral stairs to the treehouse entrance, and just as he arrived, a ruckus could be heard from inside.


    He frowned and knocked on the door.


    No one answered for a long while, so he knocked again. This time, someone opened the door.


    As soon as the door opened, Ye Yun was speechless¡ªthis place was full of chaos and madness.


    Stelle was blankly climbing onto a bookshelf, mumbling, "I''m a raccoon~ Hehe~ I''m a raccoon~"


    Hutao and Amber had tied up Eula, and Hutao was pulling out a stack of talisman papers. "You seductive spirit! Today, I, the Hall Master, will exorcise you!"


    Amber cheered from the side, "Get her! Get her!"


    Lumine was hugging a floor lamp with a lovestruck expression, "Ehehe~ such long legs~ Ehehe~ slurp slurp, mia~ mia~ so fragrant! And cool to the touch¡ªtop quality!"


    Kiana stood on a table in her Athena Valkyrie armor. "Wahaha! That''s right! I''m the strongest Valkyrie! Honkai beast, take my punch!"


    She leapt up and threw a punch at Ye Yun.


    Ye Yun caught Kiana''s punch with one hand, snapped his fingers, and a chain formed from imaginary energy wrapped Kiana up like a caterpillar.


    Kiana squirmed on the ground. "Damn Honkai beast! You sneak attacked me! You''re no fun! If you have guts, untie me!"


    Seeing that Kiana still wasn''t behaving even after being tied up, Ye Yun grabbed an apple from the table and stuffed it in her mouth.


    He looked at the others, sighed, and shook his head. Then he gave them all the same "set meal" Kiana just got.


    A few seconds later...


    Several "caterpillars" lay squirming on the floor in front of Ye Yun, letting out faint whimpers.


    Helpless, Ye Yun went to find Bailu. She looked at the empty potion bottles on the table and the leftover bits of King-tier Jianshouqing mushroom in the pot.


    "If I had known, I wouldn''t have given them the potion.


    Eating like this is a no-go! Drinking the potion while eating Jianshouqing...


    Sigh~"


    Ye Yun patted Bailu''s little head.


    "Let''s treat them first, Balu."


    Bailu replied, "There''s nothing I can do to treat them. They definitely ate Jianshouqing while drinking potion.


    Now the mushroom and potion are already mixed in their stomachs. All we can do is wait for them to digest it.


    But don''t worry¡ªthe potion will protect them. There won''t be any physical harm, but they''ll experience hallucinations for a while."


    Hearing that, Ye Yun no longer paid attention to the group and simply left the treehouse with Bailu.


    He figured they''d be fine after some time, once the mushroom and potion were digested.


    The next day.


    Stelle, Kiana, and the others who had secretly eaten Jianshouqing hotpot were now sitting calmly on the sofa.


    Stelle lay on a trash-can-shaped sofa with her legs crossed. "That was really stress-relieving~ Even though the hotpot causes hallucinations, waking up the next day feels amazing~"


    Hutao agreed. "Indeed. My insomnia is cured."


    Lumine chimed in, "Let''s make this a regular tradition, shall we? Have a hotpot session now and then to relax."


    Silver Wolf, who was playing a console game nearby, added, "There''s a saying on the internet: ''With all the stress in today''s world, it''s good to go a little crazy now and then to relieve it.''"


    Ye Yun and Jing Yuan, who were having tea nearby, exchanged a smile.


    Stress? What a joke. These people are constantly going crazy¡ªcausing mischief here and fun there. How could they have mental stress?


    Jing Yuan chuckled, "I''ve seen that quote online too. I think it makes some sense."


    Ye Yun nodded. "It''s not wrong. People need to learn to manage their emotions." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, breakfast was ready, and Xiangling called everyone over to eat.


    Milim sat at the table, lightly tapping it with her knife and fork. "What''s for breakfast today, Xiangling?"


    Xiangling placed a big clay pot on the table and opened the lid. "I made soup with Jianshouqing. There are noodles on the side¡ªeveryone can help themselves.


    Oh, and don''t worry about the Jianshouqing. I simmered it for over an hour. It''s definitely fully cooked."


    Stelle shook her head when she heard that. "Xiangling~ the whole point of eating Jianshouqing is its freshness. Fully cooked kind of kills the vibe."


    Ye Yun rolled his eyes. "Oh really? So it''s fresh, and then you end up seeing stars again? Just eat already¡ªthere''s a competition later."


    At the mention of the competition, Hutao remembered something.


    "Ye Yun, today''s match is a battle royale, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded. "That''s right. Only the last 64 people standing will enter the third elimination round."


    Hutao thought for a moment. "In that case, people will definitely form teams, right?"


    Ye Yun nodded again. "Of course. That''s not against the rules."


    Hutao turned to Amber and the others. "Amber, Eula, Firefly¡ªlet''s team up so we don''t get ganged up on."


    Amber and the others agreed.


    Stelle quietly listened to Hutao and the others discuss teaming up.


    "Sigh~ I''m so jealous. You all get to compete. Me? I can only wait to be challenged. Sigh~"


    Lumine was speechless at Stelle''s humble-brag. "If you keep talking, we won''t be friends anymore."


    Stelle chuckled, "What did I say? I was just stating a fact~"


    That smug tone successfully angered Lumine, Hu Tao, and the others.


    Two minutes later...


    Stelle stood there with a giant lump on her head, her face full of defiance.


    Hmph! You guys are just jealous! Jealous that I''m famous across the universe! Jealous that I have Miris!


    ***


    After finishing their meal, everyone arrived at the venue for the Joyful Little Sprite Battle Tournament.


    All 500 contestants entered the battlefield. As the opening speech by Aventurine concluded, the walls separating the four differently themed arenas let out a loud rumble and slowly descended.


    Once the walls were fully down, Aventurine waved his hand.


    "Free-for-all! Begin!"


    As soon as Aventurine''s voice fell, the 500 contestants immediately entered battle mode and released their sprites.


    Hutao, Amber, Eula, Firefly, Kiana, and others gathered together, staying alert for nearby opponents.


    Just as Hutao predicted, the other contestants had all formed alliances¡ªthere were no lone players nearby.


    The battlefield suddenly grew quiet; for a moment, no one made the first move.


    With only 64 players advancing out of 500, the chances were slim. No team dared to start the fight for fear of being ambushed after weakening themselves.


    However, one sprite didn''t wait long before launching an attack.


    That''s right¡ªMarch 7th''s Bubu Flower went straight for the big move.


    A Leaf Storm swept through the surroundings, wiping out two small groups of more than ten people each.


    On the screen above the battlefield, the number 500 instantly dropped to 478.


    The teams near Bubuhua were stunned by its power. Many began to retreat quietly, not wanting to provoke it.


    But it was futile¡ªBubu Flower could chase them down.


    As Bubu Flower hunted down small teams, someone finally realized the threat and quickly rallied others to counterattack.


    "Stop running! If we don''t take down this Bubu Flower, we''re all doomed!"


    "That''s right! Everyone attack together! It has limited stamina¡ªwe''ll wear it down with a war of attrition!"


    In an instant, over a hundred contestants swarmed toward Bubuhua.


    Hutao and the others were about to rush in to help¡ªBubu Flower belonged to March 7th, one of their own, so of course they had to assist.


    But they were stopped by Welt.


    "Don''t worry. Bubu Flower can handle it."


    Just as he said that, the flower on Bubu Flower''s head shook, releasing a cloud of pollen laced with seeds.


    A sharp-eyed contestant recognized the move.


    "Crap! Retreat! That''s Leech Seed¡ªit drains other sprites'' stamina to heal itself!"


    Too late. The nearby sprites were all seeded.


    Seeing this, the attackers launched one final offensive, bombarding Bubu Flower with all their might.


    Bubu Flower plunged its hands into the ground, and countless vines erupted, binding the enemy sprites.


    This was another one of Bubu Flower''s skills¡ªMega Drain, which directly saps stamina from any bound targets.


    Even as the attacks landed, Bubu Flower''s regeneration outpaced the damage it took.


    Soon, all nearby sprites collapsed from exhaustion. The judges, seeing this, ruled those contestants defeated.


    What happened next was obvious. With their sprites down, the contestants had no hope¡ªBubu Flower would just clean up.


    Better to eliminate them now and save time than let them struggle pointlessly.


    Himeko nodded to Akxia. Akxia understood and leaped onto a large boulder.


    Raising one front paw, Akxia slammed it down. Instantly, frost spread out rapidly from beneath its feet.


    In just ten seconds, the entire desert battlefield transformed into an icy glacier.


    This was Akxia''s move: Frozen Wasteland¡ªa large-area damaging skill that also altered the local climate.


    Every sprite in the desert was affected. The weaker ones were immediately knocked back into their sprite capsules.


    When a sprite completely loses the ability to battle, it turns into a ball of light and returns to its capsule.


    The capsules contain a space where sprites can live and recover from injuries.


    As for the survivors, most were afflicted with a status called "Frostbite."


    In this state, a sprite''s speed is reduced by 30%.


    Then, Akxia raised its head and howled. An icy storm formed and swept across the battlefield.


    A few minutes later, Akxia dissipated the storm. Except for Himeko, all other contestants'' sprites had been knocked out.


    The audience, both in the arena and watching the live stream, was stunned.


    "What is that sprite? It''s so strong!"


    "This is broken! How did I not notice this one earlier?"


    "I know it¡ªit''s called Akxia. It''s just been low-key so far. All its previous opponents were one-shot."


    "That Bubu Flower was already crazy, and now there''s Akxia. How is anyone else supposed to compete?"


    Just then, an exclamation drew attention to another battlefield.


    In the rainforest arena¡ª


    Welt''s sprite, Yunus, flew into the air and began to glow.


    A terrifying portal appeared in the sky. As it opened, a dark energy surged across the battlefield.


    Aside from Hutao''s team, all other sprites were instantly wiped out, just like in the desert.


    Seeing this, contestants in the remaining two arenas realized they couldn''t wait any longer¡ªthey had to eliminate the competition now.


    This round''s rule was that the last 64 standing would advance, meaning as long as you defeated others and made it into the top 64, you were safe.


    None of the remaining contestants wanted to be eliminated now. They''d come too far. It was time to fight for a spot in the front ranks.


    The exposure from this tournament was immense. Some of the lesser-known players who had performed well in the desert had already received offers from major galactic forces.


    The Sprite Battle Tournament had become universally recognized as a way to change one''s fate through hard work.


    As long as you had a sprite, you could enter.


    And if you raised your sprite with care, you''d be rewarded.


    Even if you didn''t become famous, you''d still gain a loyal and powerful partner¡ªwasn''t that worth it?


    On the two remaining arenas, over 200 contestants battled fiercely, and soon, the final 64 contestants were decided.


    Among the regulars at Ye Yun''s shop, the surprising part was that Yanqing, Fu Xuan, Honkai Star Rail''s Bronya, Natasha, Gepard, and even Asta were all eliminated.


    Most shocking was Asta¡ªshe had invested heavily in training her sprite for this tournament.


    Her sprite was a water-type named Blue.


    It had already evolved into its final form: Bluekeke.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184 - 184Asta was extremely frustrated. Just now, she had formed a team with Arlan and several Space Station staff members.


    In terms of strength, Asta''s team was among the top in this chaotic battle.


    There''s a saying: "It''s lonely at the top." Asta''s team was ganged up on by three other teams and eliminated.


    After the match, everyone returned to the train.


    Ye Yun, Zhongli, Welt, Jing Yuan, and Huaiyan were drinking tea together in the lounge¡ªa very refined gathering.


    Just then, the lounge doors were pushed open. Stelle, Hutao, and others walked in carrying a few tables.


    Hutao and Amber placed a table next to where Zhongli and the others were seated.


    Zhongli took one look and recognized the table¡ªit was the special kind used for playing Empire Jade.


    "Hall Master, what''s this?"


    Hutao patted the table.


    "Oh, this? We''re planning to play Empire Jade tonight. Guest Consultant, mind switching spots? We might get a bit noisy."


    Stelle put down her table and came over to chime in.


    "That''s right! We''re pulling an all-nighter tonight. You guys might want to find another spot to chat and sip tea."


    Ye Yun was speechless.


    "Have you ever thought about the fact that this place is my shop?"


    Stelle nodded.


    "Yeah, we know. So what? Is there a problem?"


    Ye Yun was dumbfounded by her matter-of-fact response.


    "Stelle, do you believe I won''t change the script for the Sprite Tournament right now? Your final boss storyline? I can throw that out anytime."


    The moment Stelle heard this, she shrank like a kitten grabbed by the scruff of its neck¡ªcompletely caught.


    "No! Absolutely not! Don''t do that! We''ll leave right away!"


    She quickly called to Firefly, Qingque, and the others to change locations.


    "I just remembered a better spot! Let''s go play in the treehouse. That way, when we''re tired, we can sleep in right away in the morning!"


    Hutao, Amber, and the others didn''t even want to comment.


    Stelle, you''re such a fickle woman!


    Just moments ago, you insisted on playing in the lounge so you could eat breakfast in the shop and sleep right after!


    In the end, Stelle and her crew still moved.


    They carried a few Empire Jade tables and headed to the treehouse.


    Welt and the others didn''t chat for much longer before taking their leave¡ªhe had plans to see Otto''s performance at the Joy Theater with Cecilia and Kiana.


    The show was supposed to debut yesterday, but due to Sparkle and Aha focusing entirely on sprite training, the event had been delayed.


    If Welt hadn''t asked about it, Sparkle would''ve forgotten altogether.


    She promised the show would go on as planned today.


    Welt soon arrived at the entrance of the Joy Theater.


    As he approached, he heard someone shout:


    "Mr. Welt! Over here!"


    He looked in the direction of the voice.


    There stood Kiana, Mei, Bronya (Honkai 3rd), Fuhua, Himeko (Honkai 3rd), Cecilia, Durandal, Rita, and Theresa, all gathered at the front entrance.


    Welt walked over, slightly surprised.


    "Theresa, Bronya¡ªyou two came as well?"


    Theresa replied,


    "Yeah, we heard Grandpa was performing today. Things are quiet on our end, so we figured we''d drop by and watch."


    Welt nodded.


    "I see. Let''s head in. Good thing Huohuo reserved a private box for us¡ªthere''s plenty of room."


    He led the group inside the Joy Theater.


    In the box, the audience seats below were already full.


    After a lively intro by Aha as the host, Otto stepped onto the stage.


    He instantly spotted Theresa and the others seated in the central upper box facing the stage.


    But then, his gaze locked¡ªhis expression changed sharply.


    Cecilia! How can it be her?! She actually came back to life!?


    If Cecilia could be revived, then surely she could be, too?


    Otto was overcome with urgency. He wanted to rush offstage and ask Cecilia how she had come back.


    However, from backstage, Sparkle immediately noticed Otto''s abnormal behavior.


    She activated her authority as the Joy Theater''s master and forcibly restricted Otto''s actions, making him continue the show as scripted.


    Sparkle leaned back in her chair.


    "Little Blondie''s getting disobedient again~ Aha, have a chat with him later.


    You know me¡ªI hate forcing people. But I trust that our actors love performing from the bottom of their hearts."


    Aha replied cheerfully.


    "Leave it to me, Lady Sparkle~ I''ll go have a heartfelt talk with Blondie."


    The show went on as normal.


    Compared to the first version that Stelle and the others had seen, this version was much tamer.


    Now, the actors were only made to perform in a ridiculously exaggerated fashion¡ªoften acting out roles they would never want to play.


    For example, Hoolay, who had always been proud and assertive, was repeatedly cast as a servant or slave.


    Scaramouche, who constantly shouted about revenge, often played bullied characters who didn''t even dare to speak up.


    Still, Kiana, Cecilia, and Welt all found the performance delightful¡ªfun, lighthearted, and refreshingly entertaining.


    New Wanmin Hall, Liyue Harbor


    Unlike the old hall, the new Wanmin Hall was five times bigger and sat right by the sea, with beautiful views.


    Xiangling had just returned and was seated at a table, mulling over the menu.


    It was the menu for her birthday banquet tomorrow.


    In the past, she and her father would cook together for her birthday.


    Then they''d invite Hutao, Xingqiu, Xinyan, Chongyun, and the others to join the feast.


    This year was no different¡ªexcept the guest list had grown. Confirmed guests were over 40 people, meaning at least four banquet tables.


    This wasn''t the same as hosting regular customers¡ªa proper banquet required much more effort.


    Even with just four tables, many dishes had to be prepared starting tonight.


    After an hour of planning, Xiangling began working on complex dishes that took a long time to make.


    By now it was late at night, and she was still hard at work in the kitchen.


    Suddenly, the kitchen curtain lifted, and Xiangling looked up to see Little Evil God walk in, her tail swaying.


    "Good evening, Xiangling-chan~So this is your new shop''s kitchen? It''s way bigger than the old one~" she said, looking around in awe.


    Xiangling was surprised to see her.


    "Jammy-chan? You''re still up this late? Did you need something?"


    Little Evil God looked back at her.


    "Oh right¡ªI came to help. I figured you''d be working on ingredients tonight.


    So, what''s on the list? I''ll help!"


    ***


    Xiangling shook her head with a smile.


    "No need to help, Jammy-chan, I can handle it myself."


    Jashin-chan crossed her arms in front of her chest.


    "No way~ You''re the birthday girl, you''re not supposed to cook today! Well, you''re a chef, so I guess you''re an exception.


    Still, it doesn''t feel right to let you do all the work alone~ It''s late anyway, and I can''t sleep. Let me help.


    We''re good friends, aren''t we?Let me check the menu¡ªhmm, this boiled cabbage requires a good broth, I''ll get started on that."


    As she spoke, Jashin-chan put on an apron and started working.


    "Guoba, help me prep a few chickens."


    Guoba responded and ran to the backyard.


    Soon, the backyard echoed with the cries of chickens.


    Time passed as Xiangling, Jashin-chan, and Guoba processed the ingredients.


    Around 2 a.m., Jashin-chan forced Xiangling to go to bed, staying in the kitchen to continue working alone.


    The next day.


    Today was the final round of the elimination matches. By the end, the top 16 would be selected.


    Tomorrow would be the group matches to determine the top 4.


    The day after tomorrow would be the semifinals.


    And the final day would be the grand finals¡ªchoosing the top contestant to challenge Stelle.


    Aboard the Astral Express.


    Stelle and the others had already gone to the "Delight Mini World."Ye Yun stayed in the shop, playing with Klee and the others.


    They had been visiting the Delight Mini World for the past few days, so today he let them have fun on the train.


    Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon didn''t come today; Aglaea and the others were participating in the tournament, and Tian''s team needed to remain stationed at Ochema.


    Ye Yun sat on the sofa, communicating with the system in his mind.


    [Notification: Host, the task "Complete 10 Instances" is just one instance away from completion. Please complete it soon.


    Completion will unlock access to a large-scale instance.]


    Hearing the system prompt, Ye Yun got up and walked to the instance portal. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked at today''s instance details:


    [Today''s Instance: Cat and Mouse]Description: A 5-round game with up to 50 participants.


    Each round, 8 players are randomly selected as "Cats."


    Cat Victory Condition: Catch all the mice.Mouse Victory Condition: At least one mouse survives until the end of each 30-minute round.


    Special Features:


    ? Random items will drop on the field; both cats and mice can pick them up.


    ? Mice can evolve into "Cat-Eating Mice" by stealing and consuming cheese, gaining the power to defeat cats.


    ? Caught mice can be rescued by other mice through "Jailbreak."


    Rewards:


    ? Cat victory: 1,000 Star Coins per player.


    ? Mouse victory: 500 Star Coins per player.


    Ye Yun took a photo of the instance info and sent it to the group chat with a message.


    Ye Yun: "Today''s instance looks fun. Anyone interested can come try it out after the tournament."


    Galaxy Fire Hero: "Looks interesting. I''m just stuck backstage with nothing to do. I''ll head back first."


    I Shall Ignite the Star Sea: "Stelle, wait for me. I''ll finish up quickly and go with you."


    77th Head of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor: "Yeah, no rush. Let''s go together."


    Mondstadt''s Strongest Outrider: "Yeah yeah!"


    After chatting in the group for a bit, Ye Yun turned off his phone and continued playing with Klee and the others.


    Not long after¡ª


    Bronya from Honkai: Star Rail came through the portal into Ye Yun''s shop.


    Ye Yun greeted her.


    "Bronya, didn''t you say you were inspecting the Frost Deer Ranch today? How come you have time to stop by?"


    Bronya replied calmly.


    "Yes, I''ve mostly completed the inspection.


    After today, I realized that relying solely on Frost Deer as our only product in Belobog is too limiting.


    I came to see if your shop had any special crop seeds or unique livestock I could bring back."


    Hearing this, Ye Yun took Bronya to the small bar.


    "I saw something a few days ago and thought of you. I was busy then and forgot to tell you."


    As he spoke, Ye Yun pulled up an item listing.


    [Item: Ice Ocean Fish Fry Mega Pack]


    Description:Contains 12 types of delicious, fast-growing fish species ideal for breeding in cold waters.


    Price: 10,000 Star Coins


    While Bronya read the item info, Ye Yun explained:


    "There are 1,000 fry of each of the 12 types in this pack.


    With Belobog''s environment, they should grow well."


    Bronya nodded.


    "Yes. Since the Stellaron was dealt with, and with that sword Stelle slashed during the founding of New Belobog, we now have many ice lakes.


    This is a perfect opportunity to use them."


    Bronya paid 10,000 Star Coins and bought the pack.


    Afterward, she returned to Belobog.


    Back in Belobog¡ª


    Bronya found Cocolia waiting for her in the office.


    Cocolia had recently been focused on running the orphanage she founded.


    Under her care, the children at the orphanage lived much better than before.


    At least, they weren''t hungry or cold anymore.They could eat, dress warmly, and even go to school.


    "Bronya, you''re back."


    Bronya smiled upon seeing Cocolia.


    "Mother, how''s the orphanage doing lately?"


    Cocolia smiled.


    "Very well. With the supplies you''ve been sending, the children are living happily."


    Bronya nodded.


    "That''s good. Did you come to see me for something?"


    Cocolia said:


    "Nothing urgent. I just wanted to see you.Silverwolf said you''ve seemed troubled lately¡ªalways frowning."


    Bronya smiled.


    "Yes, something came up, but it''s settled now.


    I realized Belobog can''t rely solely on Frost Deer. We need other income sources.


    I went to Ye Yun''s shop and bought a batch of fish fry.


    If we can raise them properly, they''ll provide a steady stream of income."


    Cocolia replied:


    "Aquaculture again?"


    Bronya nodded.


    "Yes. We''ll take it step by step.Just like Topaz suggested, start with a few profitable projects to build our financial foundation.


    Once that''s stable, we can expand."


    Cocolia nodded.


    "Why not let the orphanage handle the fish fry?It''ll give those energetic kids something to do."


    Bronya responded:


    "That''s doable. Mother, I brought back 12 types of fry¡ª1,000 of each.


    How about I give the orphanage 3 of the types? What do you think?"


    Cocolia agreed.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185 - 185Cocolia didn''t take the fish fry directly but left them with Bronya first.


    She needed to return to the orphanage to teach the children some basic fish farming knowledge, so they''d know how to take care of the fry.


    There were a total of 3,000 fry¡ªlosing even one would make Cocolia feel heartache. She didn''t plan to sell them after they matured, but rather wait until they started reproducing.


    Cocolia left her office and returned to the orphanage.


    The orphanage was located next to the Administrative District, covering an area of 10 square kilometers¡ª2.5 km by 4 km.


    The whole orphanage looked like an academy. In Ye Yun''s words, it had a Western European medieval style.


    The outermost layer was an iron fence, with a large castle in the center, surrounded by gardens, playgrounds, and similar areas.


    Security for the orphanage was fully handled by the Silvermane Guards, so there were no safety issues.


    As Cocolia entered the orphanage, a few little ones immediately gathered around her.


    Leading them was none other than Julian, the second-in-command of Hook''s Moles gang.


    Cocolia squatted down slowly as she looked at the little ones.


    "What''s the matter, little ones?"


    Julian exchanged glances with the others.


    "Director Cocolia, can you get in touch with our boss?"


    Cocolia thought for a moment.


    Boss? Oh, that must be Hook, that little one. According to her father, she once formed a gang in the Underworld made up entirely of kids.


    "I can. What''s wrong?"


    Julian''s face lit up with joy upon hearing that Cocolia could contact Hook.


    "We miss her. She hasn''t come back in so long."


    Cocolia thought for a moment.


    "Alright, I''ll help you contact her. You all go play for now."


    Hearing this, Julian and the others happily ran off.


    Cocolia took out her phone and called Ye Yun.


    "Hello? Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun hung up after the call and called Hook over.


    He told Hook that Julian and the others wanted her to come back and play for a bit.


    Hook immediately agreed and shouted that she wanted to go back right now.


    Ye Yun looked at the time¡ªstill early. The others like Stelle probably wouldn''t be back until the afternoon.


    So Ye Yun decided to take Klee, Bailu, Hook, and the others to Belobog for some fun.


    Through the portal, Ye Yun brought Klee and the others to Belobog.


    After arriving, they greeted Bronya and headed straight for the orphanage.


    As they arrived, Hook pushed the door open and shouted:


    "Look alive, Moles! The mighty Hook has returned!"


    Julian and the others, who had been waiting near the door, immediately ran over.


    "Boss! You''re finally back!"


    Hook stood with her hands on her hips.


    "Yup, I''m back! And I brought you guys gifts!"


    As she spoke, Hook took out several large boxes from her storage ring and opened them.


    She leaned over the boxes, stood on tiptoe, and took out a small box to hand to Julian.


    "Here, this is a phone! From now on, you can contact me directly with this!"


    Hook, Bailu, and Klee helped distribute the phones.


    For the rest of the time, Ye Yun played with the seven kids around the orphanage.


    Hook and the others kept teaching the orphans how to use the phones.


    After learning, Julian was amazed.


    "Wow! Boss, I can see you on this thing! And I can hear your voice too!"


    "Boss, is this a game? How do you play it?"


    "Boss, boss! I want to add you as a friend!"


    At Ye Yun''s shop.


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others who had gone to the sprite tournament had already returned to the train.


    After returning, they all signed up for today''s dungeon.


    Ye Yun had already mentioned it in the group chat¡ªif they had time, they should come and participate.


    Soon, 50 people gathered, and the dungeon began.


    All 50 participants were teleported to an amusement park.


    The park was massive and gave everyone a real "mouse vs. cat" vibe.


    In the northern part of the park was a high platform with 50 cages used to lock up captured mice.


    The field also had many giant pieces of cheese.


    The system gave players two minutes to familiarize themselves with the map before the first game began.


    Stelle was assigned to the cat team.


    She looked at her now larger body and the big sword in her hand.


    Then she looked at Amber not far away, who was still small and only holding a little fork, and instantly felt overwhelmingly powerful.


    Amber felt a chill down her spine as Stelle stared at her with a grin.


    She gulped hard and bolted.


    "Help!!!"


    Stelle chuckled and gave chase¡ªcats were faster than mice.


    Amber panicked as Stelle closed in.


    "Stelle! Stop chasing me! Have mercy!"


    Stelle grinned mischievously.


    "Spare you? Not a chance! Hehe, Amber, give it up! A little mouse can''t beat a cat!"


    Just as Stelle was about to land a hit on Amber, a banana peel suddenly flew over and landed under her feet.


    Stelle slipped and fell flat on her back.


    It was Hutao who had thrown the banana peel. She grabbed Amber''s hand and ducked into a side alley.


    Elsewhere.


    Blade was hunting down Dan Heng¡ªhe was on the cat team this round as well. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had spawned right near Dan Heng.


    After being chosen as a cat, Blade immediately began chasing Dan Heng.


    His eyes were fixed on Dan Heng¡ªhe even passed by others at corners who could''ve been captured with a swing, but he didn''t give them a glance. His focus was solely on Dan Heng.


    Kafka was also on the cat team but didn''t go out to hunt. She chose to camp near the prison area to prevent rescues.


    Kiana was locked in a cage and kept talking to Kafka, trying to distract her.


    "Look! Kafka, Stelle is coming!"


    "Kafka! Someone''s rescuing over there!"


    "Kafka! There''s someone behind you!"


    No matter what Kiana said, Kafka remained unmoved and simply kept observing the surroundings.


    Eventually, Kiana gave up.


    "Kafka, can''t you go catch someone? Just standing here is so boring."


    Kafka leaned against the railing of the high platform.


    "It''s fine. I''m not bored. As long as we win, I''m good."


    Seeing someone already guarding the jail, the other cats didn''t bother going there and instead chased other mice.


    Paimon was hiding behind a big chunk of cheese on the edge, shoveling cheese into her mouth with a fork.


    She was amazed¡ªthis was just a dungeon game, but the cheese actually had flavor.


    And it was delicious. Paimon couldn''t stop eating.


    ***


    Paimon kept bragging non-stop, completely ignoring her surroundings.


    At some point, Lumine appeared behind her and sighed helplessly, then struck Paimon on the head with a single chop.


    In an instant, Paimon disappeared from where she was. When she came to, she found herself inside a cage.


    Kiana, who had been caught first, saw Paimon and raised her little head.


    "Yo~ You''re here."


    Only then did Paimon realize she had been caught. She looked at the massive blocks of cheese outside and instantly burst into tears.


    Paimon grabbed the iron bars of the cage and shook them desperately.


    "Let me out! Let me out, waaah! I want to eat cheese! I''m harmless!


    Kafka, can you let me out? Don''t worry, I swear I won''t turn into a predator! I''ll just eat cheese.


    The cheese is really tasty¡ªthere are so many flavors!"


    Kafka chuckled.


    "I believe you won''t turn into a predator, but I still can''t let you out. Those are the rules of the game."


    Hearing that, Paimon tried a different approach.


    "Then could you bring me some cheese instead? I won''t leave, I''ll just eat it in here."


    Kafka smiled but didn''t respond. Paimon got the message and understood she had been refused.


    She sighed quietly, sat in the cage, and gazed longingly at the chaotic amusement park below.


    Now, all she could hope for was that someone would come to rescue her.


    Otherwise, she''d have to wait until the next round to eat cheese.


    As she watched, Paimon muttered to herself,


    "That one''s strawberry flavor, that one''s blueberry, and the one at the highest point¡ªwhoa~ that one''s apple!"


    As time passed, more and more people were caught and locked in cages.


    The prison area now resembled a marketplace, with people shouting loudly, trying to attract Kafka''s attention.


    Not far from the prison area, on a high platform, Hutao, Amber, Dan Heng, and Silver Wolf were discussing a rescue plan.


    Only 10 minutes had passed; there were still 20 minutes left.


    They had to think of a way to rescue some people¡ªotherwise, they''d face a full-on manhunt.


    Dan Heng thought for a moment.


    "Right now, only Kafka and Blade are guarding the prison area. I can guarantee I''ll lure Blade away¡ªcan you handle Kafka?"


    Silver Wolf let out what she thought was a cool scoff.


    "Leave Kafka to me. I can handle her.


    Amber, Hutao, you go rescue the others."


    Amber and Hutao nodded in agreement.


    Dan Heng counted the cages below.


    "There are 27 people caught. Unlocking a cage takes 10 seconds. Rescue as many as you can¡ªdon''t get yourselves caught."


    Amber and Hutao nodded again.


    With that, Dan Heng left the hiding spot and walked straight toward the prison area, looking directly at Blade.


    "Come catch me."


    Blade saw Dan Heng and charged straight at him. Kafka didn''t even have time to stop Blade.


    It was obviously a diversion tactic.


    Kafka sighed and shook her head slightly as she watched Dan Heng and Blade run off.


    She was about to call for another teammate when Silver Wolf suddenly appeared nearby.


    Silver Wolf casually flipped her off.


    "Yo yo yo~ isn''t this Kafka? Let me be honest¡ªyou know that coat you lost a few days ago? I took it.


    And you know what? The quality''s really good. It kept me super warm during my all-night gaming session.


    Thanks a bunch~"


    Kafka''s face instantly darkened.


    "Oh Darling, so it was you who took my limited-edition coat from Penacony~


    Come here, let''s have a little chat, My little Darling."


    Kafka smiled as she walked toward Silver Wolf.


    But Silver Wolf wasn''t stupid¡ªshe turned and ran immediately, with Kafka chasing after her.


    Hutao and Amber saw the scene and both gave Silver Wolf a thumbs-up.


    "Nice one, Silver Wolf! Your sacrifice will be remembered forever by the organization!"


    Taking the opportunity, Hutao and Amber rushed down to rescue people.


    Seeing someone coming to rescue them, Paimon got super excited.


    "Hutao! Save me first! Me first!"


    Hutao glanced at Paimon, thought for two seconds, and decisively skipped her, running to help others.


    Saving Paimon would be pointless¡ªshe''d just go back to eating cheese and wouldn''t even try to hide.


    Paimon watched Hutao run off, utterly devastated.


    Noooo!!! I want fooooood!!!


    While Amber was freeing someone, a flash of white light appeared in a nearby empty cage¡ªSilver Wolf, bruised and battered, reappeared.


    Silver Wolf saw Amber and quickly warned her,


    "Run! Kafka''s coming back!"


    Amber panicked and turned to flee.


    Then a voice rang out:


    "Don''t worry! I''m here! Amber, keep rescuing!"


    Amber looked over and saw Firefly had grown in size¡ªshe now looked just like a cat, holding a fork in her hand.


    Silver Wolf saw it and shouted:


    "Nice one, Firefly! You evolved into a predator! Quick¡ªtake down Kafka and avenge me!"


    Firefly charged forward and engaged Kafka in battle.


    Both cat and predator had 200 health points, and each attack took off 50 HP.


    Kafka and Firefly exchanged blows relentlessly, neither backing down.


    Kafka kindly gave a warning.


    "Firefly, if I were you, I''d run now."


    Firefly shook her head firmly.


    "I won''t run! I still have to save my teammates!"


    Kafka, hearing this, silently used a heart-shaped red item.


    Her HP instantly returned to full. Firefly froze.


    Crap¡ªshe forgot to pick up items!


    In the end, Firefly was also caught.


    Three hours later.


    Ye Yun returned to the shop with the seven little ones and found everyone still discussing the cat-and-mouse game they had just played.


    "Was today''s dungeon finished?"


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others nodded.


    "Yeah, it''s over. The cat-and-mouse game was super fun¡ªwe haven''t had enough of it yet.


    Ye Yun, is there a way to make this dungeon permanent? Some of the other ones aren''t that fun."


    Ye Yun asked the system in his mind.


    "System, is that possible?"


    [Notification:


    Yes. The host can spend 100,000 Star Coins to fix one dungeon.


    Each additional fixed dungeon will cost 10x more.


    For example, fixing a second dungeon will cost 1 million.]


    Ye Yun received the answer and turned to Stelle.


    "It''s possible¡ªbut you can only fix one at a time. Which one do you guys want?"


    Hearing that, Stelle lit up and pulled everyone together to discuss which dungeon to fix.


    Some wanted ones with good rewards, others just wanted the fun ones.


    As everyone chatted, Ye Yun continued talking to the system.


    "System, what about my mission reward? Let me see it."


    [Notification:


    Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Clear any dungeon 10 times.


    Reward obtained: 1x Large Dungeon Unlock Permission.]


    Ye Yun asked again,


    "Is this large dungeon fixed, or can I choose it?"


    [Notification:


    This time''s reward is a fixed dungeon.


    Dungeon: Genshin World (Game Version)]


    Ye Yun suddenly thought of a question.


    "System, can this large dungeon be fixed?"


    [Notification:


    Yes. Starting price: 1 million Star Coins.]

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186 - 186When Ye Yun saw that the latest large dungeon was the "Genshin World (Game Version)," he found it quite interesting.


    Ye Yun clapped his hands to get everyone''s attention.


    "Alright everyone, no need to discuss any further. I''ve already confirmed the fixed dungeon."


    Stelle leaned in after hearing this.


    "You''ve already confirmed it? Which dungeon is it, Ye Yun?"


    Ye Yun glanced at the group from Teyvat.


    "This dungeon is related to many of the people present here."


    Ye Yun''s words piqued everyone''s curiosity.


    Himeko lowered her head in thought.


    "It''s related to most of us? Wait, don''t tell me... is the dungeon based on one of our worlds?"


    Ye Yun snapped his fingers and smiled.


    "Exactly. The fixed large dungeon is called ''Genshin (Game Version).''This dungeon is a game based on the continent of Teyvat."


    Everyone was shocked, especially those from Teyvat like Zhongli, Venti, and Calestia.


    They were literally watching gossip that involved themselves!


    Zhongli asked,"Will this have any effect on the real Teyvat continent?"


    Ye Yun shook his head. "No. It''s just a game set in your world. You could say it''s based on events that would''ve happened in your original timeline."


    Amber looked a bit confused after Ye Yun''s explanation.


    "Original timeline? What does that mean?"


    Lisa explained from the side:"Amber, since we came to Ye Yun''s shop, our fates have already changed.What Ye Yun means is that in a world where we never met him¡ªthat would be our original world."


    Amber suddenly understood."Oh, I see."


    Ye Yun clapped again."It''s hard to explain everything here. You might as well go experience it for yourselves. I''ve already locked in the dungeon, and you can enter at any time."


    Hearing that, everyone turned and headed toward the dungeon teleport gate.


    At the gate, a wooden sign had appeared, next to a floating virtual screen.


    On the screen was the login screen for Celestia Island.


    Calestia saw the login screen and finally believed that this game really was based on Teyvat¡ªCelestia shown in the screen looked exactly like the real one.


    Stelle quickly pressed the login button before anyone else.


    In an instant, she was enveloped in white light and sucked into the portal.


    Everything went black for Stelle, and when her vision returned, a cutscene was playing.


    Someone was drawing in the sand, and another voice spoke.


    Stelle listened closely¡ªWasn''t that Paimon''s voice?


    Paimon: "So, you''re from another world?"Lumine: "Yes, my brother and I..."


    Stelle watched the whole cutscene for a few minutes.


    Once the game officially began, she landed on a beach. Looking at her hands, something felt off.


    She ran to the shoreline and looked at her reflection in the water¡ªand her eyes widened.


    "What the hell?! I turned into Lumine?!"


    Then a realization struck her.


    "Wait a second... This game is based on Teyvat,And now I look like Lumine...So that means Lumine is the main character of Teyvat? Damn, that''s crazy!I wonder who the main character is in our world?"


    Stelle then followed Paimon''s guidance and went off exploring.


    She collected everything she could find¡ªEven a single mint leaf didn''t escape her.


    She couldn''t help it¡ªher obsessive-compulsive side kicked in.All those items glowing with a shiny white light¡ªshe just couldn''t leave them behind.


    Guided by Paimon, she reached the Statue of The Seven at Starfell Lake.


    Paimon: "We can swim across the lake, but be careful! If you run out of stamina while swimming, it could be dangerous!"


    Stelle smirked."Let''s see how dangerous it can get!"


    She jumped into the lake and swam back and forth, refusing to go ashore.


    Heh~ I''m just playing! Not getting out! What can you do?


    As she kept swimming, she suddenly felt all her strength drain away and sank straight to the bottom.


    When she came to, she was back on shore with part of her HP missing.


    "What the hell?! I actually drowned? I''m supposed to be the protagonist!"


    Grumbling, Stelle finally swam properly to the statue and activated the Wind element inside her.


    After using her skills to defeat two waves of Pyro slimes, she continued on.


    Just before entering Whispering Woods, she suddenly turned around and headed in the opposite direction.


    She left Paimon behind and dove into a nearby cave.


    After going through it, she found an NPC, but no quests were available, so she kept moving.


    She was headed toward Windrise¡ªwhere the Anemo Hypostasis was.


    Along the way, she found several treasure chests, including a luxurious one that gave her two Primogems.


    Opening her inventory, she made a shocking discovery.


    No way! All the items in the bag could be taken back to the real world?!


    That means she just struck it rich!!!


    Eyes sparkling, she licked her lips and eagerly went hunting for more treasure.


    And she wasn''t alone¡ªOthers had made the same discovery and immediately ditched the main story to search for chests too.


    Amber especially had the upper hand, knowing Mondstadt''s wilds like the back of her hand.


    Back when they were gathering Primogems in bulk, she had found the most treasure chests of anyone.


    Home-field advantage was real.


    Night fell.


    In the new Liyue Harbor, lights glittered and the streets bustled with people. The city was prosperous and peaceful.


    Ye Yun and the others were guests at the new Wanmin Restaurant¡ªit was Xiangling''s birthday.


    Master Mao welcomed everyone and led them upstairs to a private room.


    In the kitchen, Xiangling, Jashin-chan, Mei, and Guoba were busy cooking.


    By 8 p.m., four tables of dishes were finally ready.


    Hutao pulled Xiangling to the center, tapped the mic to test it, and passed it to her.


    "Come on, Xiangling, it''s your birthday. Say something."


    Xiangling took the mic, a bit shy¡ªit was her first time speaking in front of so many people.


    She stammered a bit, then blurted out six words:


    "Everyone eat well and drink up!"


    Then she quickly tossed the mic and ran back to her seat.


    Hutao cheered her on:


    "Nice! Well said! Eat well and... cough eat well and drink up!"


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others joined in the applause.


    Milim, Rimuru, and Shuna were also invited.


    Milim sat with Stelle''s group. Seeing everyone clapping, she joined in excitedly.


    "Nice! Nice! Nice!"


    Master Mao then stood up.


    "Thank you all for coming to celebrate my daughter Xiangling''s birthday.We may not have much else at Wanmin Restaurant,But we have plenty of good food and drink.So tonight¡ªeat and drink to your heart''s content!"


    Upon hearing "eat," Milim pushed aside her small bowl and whipped out a giant rice basin, stuffing it full of food.


    Nobody was surprised anymore.Milim currently topped the food-lover rankings¡ªPaimon was second, Yunli was third.


    Milim had way more combat power than Paimon. She might look tiny, but she was actually a dragon-type.


    As long as there was food, she wouldn''t put her chopsticks down.When her stomach really couldn''t take more, she''d just cast a spell to digest it all¡ªthen keep eating.


    For Milim, the point wasn''t nutrition¡ªit was savoring deliciousness.


    She filled the rice basin to the brim, picked up a ladle, and happily buried her face in it.


    As the meal went on, guests came one after another to wish Xiangling happy birthday.


    Xiangling was overwhelmed¡ªespecially when Zhongli came over with a toast, startling her.


    "The Geo Archon himself? I-I''m not worthy!"


    Hutao patted her on the shoulder.


    "No worries. These days he''s just a guest consultant for the Funeral Parlor."


    Zhongli nodded.


    "Indeed. Today is your birthday¡ªyou''re the most important one.And thank you for always preparing delicious food for everyone."


    Hearing that, Xiangling breathed a sigh of relief.Oh My Archon¡ªif the diehard fans of the Geo Archon knew he toasted me, I wouldn''t even dare sleep at night!


    Hutao handed over her gift.


    "Happy birthday, Xiangling! Here''s your present from the great Hall Master herself."


    Xiangling lit up with joy.


    "Thank you, Hutao!"


    She accepted the box, and Stelle, Firefly, Kiana and others also brought out their gifts.


    There were so many that Guoba had to fetch a large cardboard box to hold them.


    Xiangling opened Hutao''s gift, and the others gathered around to look.


    Kiana gasped,"Huh? Isn''t that a Rainbow Stone? Looks just like mine!"


    Firefly compared carefully.


    "No, yours is oval. This one is round."


    Hu Tao said,"Correct. It is a Rainbow Stone. I had a craftsman turn it into a charm. Try it on, Xiangling."


    Xiangling hung it on her waist next to her Vision.


    The Rainbow Stone lit up and turned crimson red.


    Suddenly, new information popped into Xiangling''s mind.


    Everyone stared in anticipation.


    "So, Xiangling, what kind of power did yours give you?"


    Xiangling casually swung her arm and punched forward.


    "Slime Hotpot!"


    Instantly, seven elemental slimes appeared out of thin air and landed on a nearby boulder.


    Elemental reactions burst forth¡ªexplosions, catalysis, diffusion, melting, and more.


    Stelle, Hutao, and the others clapped wildly.


    "Awesome! That''s so cool!"


    Just then, Childe also came over.


    He, La Signora, and Arlecchino had all come to the party with the Cryo Archon, Tsaritsa.


    "Xiangling, what is that thing? You can summon all seven elements of slimes?"


    Xiangling was very pleased. With this, she didn''t need to catch slimes for cooking anymore.She could just summon them¡ªfresh ingredients on demand.


    "You mean this? It''s a Rainbow Stone. It grants special powers based on the owner''s personality."


    Childe was intrigued.


    "Hutao, where did you buy it?"


    Hutao gave him a look."Where else? Obviously from Ye Yun''s shop. Do you even need to ask?"


    Childe gave a sheepish laugh.


    "Uh... well, what if I''ve never been to Ye Yun''s shop?"


    Hu Tao looked at him like he''d just said something unthinkable.


    "For real? You''ve never been?"


    La Signora spoke up.


    "He really hasn''t. Neither have I. We''ve been busy lately, and before that we were on assignment in Liyue."


    Hutao nodded.


    "Okay, fair enough then.Ye Yun''s shop sells Rainbow Stones. But... do you even have Star Coins? They''re not cheap."


    Childe smiled.


    "Star Coins? The Tsaritsa gave me a few thousand. Hope that''s enough?"


    Hutao raised an eyebrow.


    "Then forget it. The cheapest one costs 100,000."


    Childe instantly gave up.


    100,000?!He only had 5,000¡ªand that was five months'' worth of salary!


    Yep¡ªChilde''s monthly salary was only 1,000 Star Coins.


    Not a coin more.And any Primogems or other resources he found had to be handed in.


    He once thought 1,000 a month was a lot¡ªBut now Hutao could spend 100,000 on just a birthday gift for someone?


    In comparison, he felt absolutely broke.


    ***


    Early the next morning.


    Ye Yun was sleeping soundly in his dreams when he was suddenly awakened by a series of knocks on the door.


    Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Ye Yun had just sat up when the door was violently kicked open.


    Jashin-chan burst in, frantic, grabbing Ye Yun by the collar and shaking him wildly.


    "Ye Yun! Wake up! Wake up! Come help in the kitchen! It''s gonna blow!!!"


    Ye Yun looked confused¡ªwhat? What''s going to blow?


    Jashin-chan dragged Ye Yun outside, and he saw the shop full of people.


    All of them had one thing in common: heavy dark circles under their eyes.


    Jashin-chan pulled Ye Yun into the kitchen and quickly tied an apron around him. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ye Yun! Start cooking! There are too many people eating breakfast today!


    Xiangling-chan and Mei-chan are too exhausted¡ªit''s up to us now!"


    Ye Yun looked over and saw that Xiangling and Mei also had matching panda eyes.


    Ye Yun grabbed Stelle for an explanation.


    "Stelle, what''s going on?"


    Stelle, also sporting massive dark circles, replied,


    "What else? Everyone was grinding Genshin Impact all night long."


    Ye Yun sighed in speechless disbelief, waved Stelle off, and began cooking.


    Meanwhile, the others chatted about the content of the Genshin dungeon.


    Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and Welt were discussing in-game details and story text, much of which was eerily accurate.


    On the other side, Stelle, Hutao, and others were crowding around Lumine, urging her to treat them.


    "Lumine~ You''re the main character! That''s so awesome!"


    "Totally! The protagonist of the story¡ªwow, that status!"


    "Lumine, you''ve gotta treat us to a meal! You''re the hero now!"


    Lumine was getting more and more flattered by their praise.


    "Sure, sure~ Let''s have mushroom hotpot at the treehouse tonight, okay?"


    Everyone agreed.


    "Sounds good! Lumine, move your camper into the teapot realm, okay? Then you can come straight to the treehouse after waking up¡ªit''s closer and more convenient."


    Lumine thought for a moment.


    "Alright, I''ll go drive it over in a bit."


    Jean, Bronya, Keqing, and Neuvillette¡ªthose workaholics¡ªhad already left early, still busy with their duties.


    Neuvillette was fine¡ªhe didn''t need much rest anyway.


    But Jean, Bronya, and Keqing were all clearly annoyed, each leaving with a big cup of coffee.


    Fu Xuan didn''t stay long either. Once Qingque finished her tasks, they left with a copied list of names.


    Half an hour later.


    Jashin-chan stumbled out of the kitchen looking half-dead.


    Way too slow! She was just a little demon¡ªwhy did she have to make breakfast for 60 or 70 people?!


    And within half an hour too.


    If she hadn''t smartly dragged Ye Yun in to help, breakfast would''ve definitely been delayed.


    Yurine looked at Jashin-chan and, surprisingly, gave her a rare compliment.


    "Good job, Jammy-chan."


    Jashin-chan looked like she''d seen a ghost, springing backward on the spot.


    "Who are you?! Get off of Yurine''s body! Yurine would never compliment me! No way!"


    Yurine sighed.


    "Jammy-chan, get over here and eat."


    Hearing that, Jashin-chan instantly relaxed.


    "Ahh~ That''s more like it~ I''m coming!"


    She zipped over and sat down next to Yurine.


    Yurine glanced at Jashin-chan.


    "Jammy-chan, take some food over to Pekora later. I saw her faint from hunger in the park again last night."


    Jashin-chan groaned.


    "What? No way! She''s an angel, I''m a demon¡ªwe''re enemies! I''m not taking her food!"


    Yurine stared into Jashin-chan''s eyes.


    "Take her some food."


    Feeling the threatening pressure in Yurine''s gaze, Jashin-chan instantly gave in.


    "Understood! I''ll go right away!"


    Yurine nodded in satisfaction.


    Everyone watching smiled knowingly¡ªthose two always had such a funny dynamic.


    Then they continued eating.


    After breakfast, everyone left to rest. Staying up all night playing Genshin was exhausting.


    Only then did they realize that physical exertion in the game also drained their real-life stamina.


    The more active they were in-game, the more tired they felt in reality.


    Especially Stelle¡ªshe was the most exhausted after running all over Mondstadt last night.


    Luckily, the prelims for the Spirit Tournament were scheduled for tomorrow.


    Otherwise, in this condition, none of them would be fit to compete.


    Topaz flopped onto her bed as soon as she got to her room.


    She was beyond glad she had insisted on this schedule.


    Originally, Aventurine and Jade wanted the matches to be packed tightly, one per day.


    But Topaz had suggested a break between matches¡ªnot just to give players a rest, but also to boost tourism income for the Joyful Little Planet.


    Some folks came from far away, and they usually only had one day to spend there.


    Having to come and go quickly was just a hassle.


    Back in Stelle''s room.


    She first poured a bowl of dog food for her Tempest wolf.


    Then she let Mires out, telling her to take Blaziken out for training.


    After a quick wash, Stelle collapsed into bed and fell asleep.


    In the Jashin-chan World, inside Yurine''s apartment.


    Jashin-chan, holding a lunchbox, waved to Yuririn and headed out.


    The lunchbox was filled with food for Pekora: six red bean buns, four beef buns, a bowl of warm milk, and a fried egg.


    As she stepped out the door, she looked at the lunchbox with extreme reluctance.


    Still, Pekora was pretty pitiful¡ªno ID, forced to work illegal jobs.


    She only earned enough to barely afford some cheap food that didn''t even taste good.


    And wasting food? That was the one thing Jashin-chan couldn''t stand.


    Well, fine. She''d deliver it to Pekora.


    Wiggling her tail, Jashin-chan headed toward the park where Pekora was.


    As she walked...


    She arrived and immediately saw an angel chasing Pekora and trying to hit her.


    Jashin-chan raised her hand.


    "Uh, could you two stop for a second?"


    The angel and Pekora both froze upon hearing Jashin-chan''s voice.


    Jashin-chan walked up to Pekora.


    "Pekora, this food is from Yurine."


    The angel looked over and sneered.


    "Pekora-sama, you''ve truly fallen¡ªconsorting with a demon.


    I shall now, in the name of the Lord, purify you both!"


    She pulled out a spiked mace and swung it at Jashin-chan.


    Jashin-chan reacted fast, catching the weapon with her bare hands.


    She sneered.


    "Hmph! You think you can ambush the invincible, ferocious little demon? Not a chance!"


    But then came a "shlick" sound¡ªtwo spurts of blood shot from the backs of her hands.


    Only then did Jashin-chan realize¡ª


    Crap! It''s a spiked mace! It''s got spikes!


    She instantly let go, rolling on the ground in pain.


    The attacker, satisfied, grinned.


    "Excellent! What luck¡ªanother demon.


    One more kill, and my position will be even more secure~


    Now to finish off Pekora-sama!"


    The attacker was none other than the angel Poporon.


    Originally just a trainee, she was promoted after Pekora disappeared.


    As a full-fledged angel, she could command trainees and enjoy luxury baths, cloud-soft beds, gourmet meals, and fine drinks.


    Trainees, meanwhile, served as servants for higher-ranked angels.


    Having tasted this good life, Poporon decided to eliminate Pekora to keep her status forever.


    So she came to the human world.


    She never expected to run into a demon so soon¡ªand defeat her so easily.


    Jashin-chan continued to writhe on the ground.


    Poporon approached with the mace.


    Then¡ªcrack¡ªshe stepped on something.


    Looking down, she realized she''d crushed the lunchbox.


    Seeing that, Jashin-chan exploded!


    "You wretched angel! How dare you waste food! That''s it!!!


    Jashin-chan''s Super Flying Kick!!"


    Jashin-chan hated wasting food and immediately launched into the air, kicking Poporon in the face.


    Though not strong in general, she had anti-angel bonus damage.


    Her flying kick knocked Poporon out, and she followed up by suplexing her into the ground.


    Poporon''s head hit first¡ªknocked out cold.


    Jashin-chan looked around, then grabbed some duct tape from the cardboard box that served as Pekora''s shelter and tied Poporon up like a caterpillar.


    Then she hoisted Poporon up and, in ten seconds, sprinted to the distant seashore and chucked her into the ocean.


    Mission complete, she returned to the park and grabbed Pekora''s hand.


    "Come with me to explain what happened.


    The lunchbox got crushed¡ªYurine''s totally gonna think I was messing around again.


    I''ll make you more food too. Saves me another trip later."


    Having just survived a brush with death, Pekora stared blankly at Jashin-chan''s back.


    "Is she... an angel?"


    Back at Yurine''s apartment.


    Jashin-chan opened the fridge¡ªno food.


    Since going to Ye Yun''s place, she hadn''t gone to the market even once¡ªshe''d just been mooching off Ye Yun''s ingredients.


    Left with no choice, she decided to bring Pekora to Ye Yun''s shop.


    "Yurine, I''m taking Pekora to Ye Yun''s for food."


    Yurine, doing homework, looked up and nodded.


    Jashin-chan grabbed Pekora and stepped through a portal.


    Pekora felt the world go dark and instinctively clutched Jashin-chan.


    When her vision cleared, she found herself in a new place¡ªwarm, beautiful.


    Jashin-chan glanced around. Aside from Noelle, no one was there.


    She waved.


    "Noelle-chan~"


    Noelle, sweeping, looked up.


    "Eh? Jashin-chan? Why are you come back?"


    Jashin-chan sighed.


    "I know, right? Bad luck today. The food I brought her got ruined.


    Nothing left at home, so I brought her here.


    Oh, right¡ªthis is Pekora, the useless angel."


    Pekora wanted to object but held her tongue.


    Noelle smiled kindly at her.


    "Hello, Pekora. Welcome. I''m Noelle, a staff member here."


    Pekora bowed slightly.


    "Nice to meet you, Noelle-chan. Please take care of me."


    Jashin-chan patted her on the back.


    "Noelle-chan~ Help her find a seat¡ªI''m gonna whip up something for her to eat."


    Noelle nodded and led Pekora to a booth, poured her a glass of water, and went back to cleaning.


    Pekora sat, holding the glass and curiously observing her surroundings.


    She watched Jashin-chan cooking, Noelle cleaning...


    Sitting here doing nothing just didn''t feel right.


    So she got up and walked over to Noelle.


    "Noelle-chan, is there anything I can help with?"


    Noelle smiled.


    "No, it''s okay. I''ve got it covered."


    Pekora replied:


    "Please let me help a little¡ªI feel bad just sitting around..."

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187 - 187Pekora instantly swallowed hard at Paimon''s words.


    Looking at the chicken wing that Paimon handed over, Pekora was torn.


    White Pekora: No, no! The Lord said, we can''t gain without working for it!


    Black Pekora: Why not? It''s not like you asked for it¡ªit was given to you.


    White Pekora: Still no! You''re an angel!


    Black Pekora: I think it''s fine. Worst case, we treat them to something once we''ve earned money.


    In the end, Pekora still accepted the chicken wing from Paimon.


    "Thank you!"


    Pekora took the chicken wing with both hands as if it were a treasure.


    She admired it like a piece of art, reluctant to eat it.


    Just smelling it made her feel like she could eat a whole bag of toast crusts.


    The aroma was irresistible! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after, Jashin-chan finished cooking and dragged Pekora over.


    Jashin-chan wiped her hands with a napkin.


    "You useless angel, eat up. I''ll take you back after you''re done."


    Pekora nodded and began eating after a quick prayer.


    Evening arrived.


    On the lawn near the Rose Castle lyrics area in the pocket dimension, Stelle, Lumine, Hutao, and others had set up a table outside the RV.


    Lumine opened the side of the RV, revealing the kitchen inside.


    The RV temporarily turned into a food truck, and Xiangling was slicing Amanita phalloides mushrooms at the counter.


    Lumine had invited everyone for hot pot that night. To prepare, she''d gone all the way to Joylight Little Planet to buy 10 jin of wild mushrooms from a hot pot restaurant.


    Everyone was sitting at the table discussing the plot of the Genshin Impact game version.


    Hutao took a bite of mushroom and looked over at Paimon.


    "Paimon, go jump in the pot¡ªyou''re emergency food, after all."


    Paimon stomped the air in fury.


    "Darn you, Hutao! I am NOT emergency food!"


    Hutao smirked mischievously.


    "Hey, I didn''t come up with it! That was Amber and Lumine, hehe~"


    Paimon turned to glare at Lumine and Amber.


    "You two are too much! Giving me a nickname like that!"


    Lumine shrugged innocently.


    "I didn''t say it, the game version of me did.


    And honestly, I think it''s a great nickname.


    When I fished you out, I was originally fishing for dinner.


    Just happened to catch you instead, so... yeah, emergency food fits."


    Paimon fumed.


    "Unbelievable! Lumine! I''m so mad¡ªI''m gonna eat all your mushrooms!"


    Lumine waved dismissively.


    "Go ahead, eat all you want. They''re cheap, just cost a few credit points."


    After teasing Paimon, the group continued chatting about the story.


    Eula was progressing fastest¡ªshe was following the main storyline closely.


    "I didn''t expect Venti to wake up so early. He was already helping when Lumine fought Dvalin."


    Amber nodded.


    "Yeah, and he already seemed to be healing Dvalin in Whispering Woods earlier, but Lumine interrupted him."


    Hu Tao raised a question.


    "If Lumine hadn''t interrupted, would Dvalin have been cured?"


    Amber shook her head.


    "No. Hutao, you don''t know the situation.


    Only Lumine could purify the Abyssal taint on Dvalin.


    So yeah, it had to be her."


    Hutao nodded in understanding.


    "I see~ So Lumine, you really are special.


    Still, your brother seriously deserves a beating.


    He''s the dignified Abyss Prince, and he just left you to wander around?


    Either he wanted to see you suffer, or he didn''t care enough to notice your seal was broken.


    Tsk tsk~ Now I get what Ye Yun meant when he said ''siblings are the ultimate natural enemies.''"


    Lumine was immediately annoyed.


    "Exactly! So, do I have your support in giving him a good beating?"


    Stelle chuckled.


    "Then you should thank me. I helped you catch him with one swing of my sword."


    Lumine raised her cup without hesitation.


    "Cheers to that! Thank you! I couldn''t have caught him alone back then."


    Calestia, who''d been pulled over to eat by Hutao, chimed in.


    "Lumine, your brother really is a scumbag. Now you understand why I went after you two back then?"


    Lumine nodded.


    "Yeah, if I were you, I would''ve done the same.


    That guy just runs off after causing trouble. No responsibility at all¡ªugh! Trash man!"


    Calestia added more fuel to the fire.


    "Exactly! Trash man!He''s living it up now, opening milk tea shops all over New Liyue Harbor.


    Let''s go smash them!"


    Lumine slammed her fist on the table, fired up.


    "Smash them! Smash them!"


    Hutao broke into a cold sweat watching the fired-up Lumine and Calestia.


    Aether, don''t blame the Hall Master¡ªI was just joking. Who knew Lumine and Calestia would react like that?


    After dinner, the group dived into the Genshin Impact dungeon.


    Genshin Dungeon ¨C Hu Tao''s world.


    Hutao appeared at the gates of the Knights of Favonius.


    She was controlling Lisa¡ªdon''t ask why. Her reason? "Lisa''s OP."


    After stretching a bit and marveling at the new sensations, Hutao spotted Paimon waiting by a flowerbed with a golden icon over her head.


    "Oh ho~ Emergency food."


    Hutao approached and hit the dialogue button.


    Her body stopped responding¡ªnormal, just part of the cutscene.


    After finishing the scene, she began following Venti.


    At the cathedral plaza, Venti told the tale of Dvalin.


    Hu Tao listened eagerly¡ªVenti really was a great storyteller. No wonder Lumine and Paimon called him "Master Deceiver Venti."


    Then she followed Venti into the cathedral and witnessed the iconic scene.


    Venti openly admitted to being Barbatos, but the nun didn''t believe him at all.


    Hutao burst out laughing.


    "LMAO! The Wind God of Mondstadt and his own nun doesn''t recognize him! Hahahaha!


    No way! I gotta see this again."


    She quickly logged out and back in to replay the scene¡ªthis time recording it to post later.


    Venti failed to borrow the lyre and told her to come steal it at night.


    That evening, Hutao easily infiltrated the cathedral''s basement.


    She glanced back at the room full of Knights and was baffled.


    Seriously? They can''t see me? Just like that, I''m in?


    Hutao was amazed. "Wow, this Knights of Favonius group sure is... something else."


    As she went to take the Holy Lyre, she suddenly felt something off¡ªan unfamiliar elemental energy.


    Before she could act, she lost control of her body.


    She could only watch helplessly as a Fatui agent snatched the lyre.


    Fine, steal it if you must¡ªbut you''ve got attitude too!? "Shhh" yourself, you big-headed freak!


    If the Hall Master could move, she''d show you real power!


    At that moment, the Knights NPCs rushed in.


    "Who''s there?! Surrender now!"


    Hutao''s vision shifted¡ªshe was already outside the cathedral where Venti waited.


    Paimon shouted, "We''ve been found!" and Venti summoned a wind current to escape with Lumine.


    Riding the wind, they reached Angel''s Share where they met Diluc.


    Diluc calmly talked nonsense to mislead the pursuing Knights.


    Hutao was once again impressed.


    "Wow, not only are the Knights weak, they don''t even get along with each other."


    Elsewhere, Jean had reached the same part of the story.


    She didn''t think it was ridiculous¡ªon the contrary, it felt realistic.


    Before the recent reform, many Knights really were like that¡ªweak, lazy, and coasting under the name of freedom.


    Jean sighed. Fortunately, the Knights had now transformed.


    The slackers from the story had been purged. Though their numbers had halved, their efficiency had improved significantly.


    Hutao and the others played the Genshin dungeon for an hour or two, then logged out.


    With a tournament tomorrow, they needed rest.


    On the train, in the observation car.


    Himeko, Welt, Sunday, Dan Heng, Stelle, Pom-Pom, and Mika gathered for a meeting.


    Stelle crossed her arms.


    "Himeko, what did you call us here for?"


    Himeko smiled and pulled out two voucher cards.


    "These are claim vouchers that Sunday and I got earlier. After discussing, we''ve decided to use them as train group public funds.


    I needed to inform all of you."


    Stelle''s eyes lit up.


    "Ohoho~ Can I use some to open golden trash cans? slurp~"


    Himeko shook her head.


    "Nope. This fund is for medical needs, equipment, daily train expenses, and repairs."


    Stelle instantly deflated.


    "Ah? Oh... okay then."


    Himeko chuckled.


    "With the Genshin dungeon, do you even need credits to open trash cans? Just grind more."


    Stelle nodded.


    "True. I made over 30,000 star credits today~"


    Welt commented.


    "You''re always the most motivated when credits are involved."


    Stelle raised a hand grandly.


    "No! It''s not just about star credits¡ªI''m all in for anything fun! Okay~ hehe~"


    Himeko continued.


    "For the first expenditure, we''ll allocate 200,000 credits. The landing cabin we used on Enfaro was damaged last time.


    I plan to buy a replacement from Ye Yun."


    Welt and Dan Heng had no objections.


    With everyone''s agreement, Himeko took out 1.5 million credits and headed to Ye Yun''s store.


    Back at the observation car.


    Stelle nudged Sunday with her shoulder and raised an eyebrow.


    "Hey, nice one¡ªjust donated 500,000 credits like it''s nothing. Respect!"


    Sunday smiled.


    "I''m a member of the train crew now. Of course I''ll contribute."


    Stelle gave a thumbs-up.


    "Gotta hand it to you. The man who once took on three generals, the Emanator Nihility, the Stellaron Hunters, AND Zhongli, Venti, the five Archons, AND me¡ªall by himself!"


    Sunday instantly regretted his life choices. Why''d you have to bring THAT up?


    Just thinking about it made him cringe. He''d really overestimated himself back then.


    Thankfully, Dan Heng called him away.


    "Sunday, let''s go check the field. The plants we sowed last week need watering and fertilizing."


    Sunday agreed and followed Dan Heng away.


    Stelle pouted. Boring.


    Ever since Sunday boarded the train, he''d been glued to Dan Heng.


    If they weren''t in the library, they were in the field.


    Stelle looked around the now-empty observation car and turned to leave.


    Just then, a voice called out:


    "Please wait, friend."


    Stelle stopped and looked around, spotting a girl in front of a mirror.


    Strangely, the girl had no face.


    Stelle asked:


    "You talking to me?"


    The girl nodded.


    "Yes. I''m a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection. I''d like to make a trade with you."


    A trade?


    "Oh? What kind of trade?"


    The Memokeeper replied:


    "May I view your memories? Don''t worry¡ªI''ll compensate you handsomely."


    Stelle shook her head.


    "Compensation? Do you have Stellar Jade? I don''t want credit points¡ªI''ve got way too many already."


    The Memokeeper smiled and waved her hand.


    "I do. I want to read your memories, and then I will..."


    ***


    Stelle cheerfully accepted the 4,000 Stellar Jades and patted the Memokeeper''s shoulder.


    "Very good, you''ve got potential. I believe in you.


    Keep it up, work hard, and spend more time refining the level you just created."


    After encouraging the Memokeeper, Stelle happily left the observation car to go back to sleep.


    Once Stelle left, the Memokeeper also dove back into the mirror.


    Back inside, she took out a golden-yellow memory essence.


    Memory essence is the physical manifestation of memories, which Memokeeper can use to read others'' memories.


    The memory essence she held was the one she had just extracted from Stelle''s mind.


    She had never seen such a color before¡ªgolden-yellow memory essence? It was hard to believe such a thing even existed.


    Reaching out, she began reading it. Her consciousness was transported into a starry sky.


    She curiously looked around and saw Stelle''s silhouette ahead.


    Just as she was about to walk forward for a closer look, a powerful energy suddenly surged at her, forcibly ejecting her from the memory essence.


    Back in reality, she spat out a large mouthful of blood.


    "Impossible! What kind of terrifying thing is hiding in her memory?!"


    Panicked, the Memokeeper quickly distanced herself from the golden essence, afraid she might die there.


    Inside the treehouse.


    Stelle pushed the door open and walked in. Right away, she saw Silver Wolf, Calestia, and Milim huddled on the couch playing games.


    Milim now spent most of her time here¡ªhanging out with Paimon when she was hungry, and playing with Silver Wolf when she wanted fun.


    Calestia had also moved in, even setting up a room. She would stay here sometimes and return to the Afterlife Hall internet caf¨¦ other times.


    Silver Wolf glanced at Stelle.


    "Why are you only coming back now? Where did you run off to?"


    Stelle, seeing Silver Wolf, pulled out a thick stack of Stellar Coins. She licked her finger and began counting them dramatically in front of her.


    Seeing the crisp new Stellar Coins, Silver Wolf asked suspiciously,


    "Where''d you get those? Off doing shady stuff again?"


    Stelle rolled her eyes.


    "Shady stuff? I earned these fair and square with my skills, alright?"


    Silver Wolf chuckled.


    "Hah, and you think I''d believe that? Come on, where''d you find a treasure chest this time? Or did you smuggle them out of a Genshin dungeon?"


    Stelle grinned.


    "Hehe, neither. You''ll never guess."


    Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow.


    "Then where did they come from?"


    Stelle smugly wiggled her eyebrows.


    "I''m not telling. It''s a secret~"


    With that, she walked back to her room, counting coins as she went.


    Silver Wolf, now even more curious, stared after her.


    At that moment, Milim scooted closer.


    "Silver Wolf, what are you doing? Playing or not? Your character hasn''t moved at all."


    Silver Wolf replied, "Nothing, just got shown up."


    Milim thought for a second.


    "Are those Stellar Coins useful?"


    Silver Wolf nodded.


    "Of course. You can buy anything you want with them.


    By the way, I heard your world has a kind of ore that can be exchanged for Stellar Coins. Know what it is?"


    Milim shook her head.


    "Nope~ What kind of ore? I''ll send my minions to find some. I''ll bring you a bunch!"


    Silver Wolf thought aloud.


    "Maybe ask Rimuru. I think he''s spent some at Ye Yun''s store before."


    Milim nodded.


    "Okay! I''ll ask him tomorrow. Let''s play for now! Hurry up¡ªwe''re almost at the next level!"


    Silver Wolf picked up her controller and resumed gaming.


    The next morning.


    Milim rushed back to ask Rimuru about the ore that could be exchanged for Stellar Coins.


    She arrived at the Monster Federation and immediately saw Rimuru and the others busy with farming.


    Rimuru had bought a lot of vegetable seeds from Topaz and was working in the fields with Benimaru, Shuna, and the others.


    Milim landed beside Rimuru.


    "What are you all doing?"


    Rimuru answered, "We''re farming."


    Milim looked around at the busy fields.


    "Farming? Why?"


    Rimuru pointed toward a nearby chili field.


    "Farming lets us grow delicious ingredients. Like your favorite¡ªchilies."


    Milim''s eyes sparkled.


    "Ooh~ Then grow lots so I can eat more yummy stuff~"


    Rimuru smiled and asked,


    "Milim, what brings you here?"


    Milim finally remembered her reason for coming.


    "Uh¡ªabout that..."


    Rimuru pulled out a magic crystal ore and showed it to her.


    "This is the only ore in our world that can be exchanged for Stellar Coins. One of these can be traded for 100 Stellar Coins."


    Milim''s eyes lit up.


    "Oh~ So it''s this! Got it! I''m off!"


    Without another word, she left.


    Back at the treehouse, Milim found Silver Wolf.


    "Silver Wolf, I know what in my world can be exchanged for Stellar Coins!"


    She jumped on the couch and shook the half-asleep Silver Wolf awake.


    Silver Wolf groaned.


    "Milim, don''t bother me¡ªI was up all night."


    Just then, Stelle, Firefly, and the others came downstairs.


    Firefly asked, "Silver Wolf, today''s the Spirit Tournament group stage. Aren''t you getting up? Don''t be late."


    Stelle patted Firefly''s shoulder.


    "Don''t worry about her. She''s already been eliminated, hehe~"


    Silver Wolf shot awake.


    "Excuse me?! I let Bubu Flower win, okay?


    She only entered the tournament for March 7th''s sake. I respect that. I lost on purpose, got it?"


    Stelle waved her hand dismissively.


    "Yeah, yeah, sure."


    Silver Wolf fumed at Stelle''s completely unconvinced and half-hearted response.


    "I really let her win, alright?!"


    Stelle still wore the same smug look.


    "Aha~ yeah, yeah, I believe you~"


    Enraged, Silver Wolf roared while Stelle grabbed Firefly and ran for it. No way she was sticking around after showing off¡ªshe knew a beating was coming.


    Left alone, Silver Wolf stood on the sofa, flailing in frustration.


    Once she calmed down, she remembered Milim.


    "Milim, what were you saying earlier?"


    Milim repeated, "I know what can be traded for Stellar Coins! And I''ve got tons of it!"


    Silver Wolf''s eyes lit up.


    "Really? Show me!"


    Milim pulled her into a portal.


    They arrived in Rimuru''s world and headed straight to Milim''s domain.


    Milim ruled over a vast territory, filled with powerful citizens.


    Among them, the strongest was the Big Baldy, capable of soloing Demon Lords.


    In the original storyline, even a team of top warriors including the Beast Kingdom''s tiger girl and Gabiru couldn''t take him down.


    Back at her palace, a maid greeted Milim with a cart of boiled carrots.


    "Lady Milim~ it''s mealtime~"


    The sound hit Milim like a demon''s whisper. She trembled visibly.


    The maid placed the cart before her.


    Silver Wolf took one and tasted it.


    "Milim, these aren''t bad. Pretty mild flavor."


    Milim forced a smile.


    "Hehe~ try eating them for ten thousand years."


    Silver Wolf instantly understood her suffering. Eating this every day for eternity? Yeah, no thanks.


    Once the maid left, Milim torched the whole cart.


    Then she summoned Big Baldy to escort her to the treasury.


    As a dragonoid, Milim had a dragon''s instinct to hoard shiny treasures.


    Magic crystals were sparkly and valuable¡ªa perfect match.


    Big Baldy opened the vault. A glittering brilliance spilled out, making Silver Wolf squint.


    When she could finally open her eyes, she was stunned.


    "Milim, do you really need this much treasure in your vault?"


    Milim chuckled proudly.


    "Of course! I love these shiny things¡ªI''ve been collecting for years~


    Look at this magic crystal! Isn''t it huge?"


    She pointed to a chunk the size of a small mountain.


    Silver Wolf was dumbfounded. Sis, you''re rich rich?!


    Milim hefted the massive crystal.


    "Let''s see how many Stellar Coins this baby''s worth~"


    Silver Wolf, still stunned, followed her through a portal to Ye Yun''s store.


    They had to break the crystal into 20 pieces to bring it over.


    After exchanging the 20 chunks, Silver Wolf stared at Milim in awe.


    Each piece fetched 200,000 Stellar Coins.


    In total¡ª4 million Stellar Coins.


    Seeing Silver Wolf''s envy, Milim waved her hand.


    "Let''s split it 50/50~"


    To Milim, Stellar Coins were nothing compared to her friendship with Silver Wolf.


    Silver Wolf was her game buddy. Stellar Coins? Just money.


    What''s that saying again?


    You can''t buy a happy dragon with money? Something like that.


    Silver Wolf froze.


    Wait... did she just say she''d split the 4 million with me?


    She did.


    Milim handed her half¡ª2 million Stellar Coins.


    Silver Wolf confirmed it.


    Milim, you''re my goddess.


    Clutching her prize, she recalled Stelle showing off her coins last night.


    Now it was her turn to return the favor.


    She pulled Milim into a portal.


    Spirit Tournament ¨C Group Stage


    It was the final match: Bubu Flower vs. Himeko''s Axia.


    Spectators didn''t have much faith in Bubu Flower.


    Axia had steamrolled her way into the group stage, showing overwhelming dominance.


    In the last chaotic battle, she cleared an entire field by herself.


    Clearly a title contender.


    Though Bubuhua was strong, her performance didn''t match Axia''s.


    Plus, Axia''s ice-type Spirit had a natural advantage over Bubu Flower''s grass-type.


    Odds on the black market? 100 to 1 in Axia''s favor.


    On the stands, Jing Yuan sighed watching Bubu Flower.


    He admired her loyalty to March 7th.


    She''d joined the tournament just to win and make March 7th smile when she woke up.


    Jing Yuan was touched by her determination.


    Her master lay unconscious¡ªand all she could do was fight, unable to help directly.


    Only Ye Yun secretly bet 1 billion on Bubu Flower winning.


    Because Ye Yun knew something no one else did...


    [Pok¨¦mon: Bubuhua (Undergoing Mega Evolution)]


    Type: Grass


    Level: 65Description: A very rare Grass-type...

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188 - 188"What? Can Bubuhua still evolve? Isn''t this already its final form?" Venti asked in disbelief, voicing what was on the minds of Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and the others present.


    Ye Yun explained:


    "This is mega evolution. A very small number of Spirit possess the potential for mega evolution.


    After mega evolving, their strength increases dramatically.


    For example, Stelle''s Infernape also has the potential to mega evolve.


    Once it evolves into Flame Ape, there''s a chance it can further mega evolve.


    After evolving, it becomes Infernal Flame Ape.


    Infernal Flame Ape has a broken skill¡ªDoomfire.


    It consumes half of its stamina for one use and has a 1% chance to instantly defeat the opponent.


    Of course, there''s a limit¡ªit only works on Commanders and below."


    Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan and the others gasped.


    This skill really was broken¡ªalthough its activation cost was high, it was insanely overpowered.


    No one would want to bet against that 1%. What if they just happened to be the unlucky one? Instant defeat!


    Half an hour later, Akxia lay panting on the ground.


    Himeko was already numb. She just couldn''t defeat it¡ªthis Lisa-Bubu was way too unfair, all its skills were about healing or draining stamina.


    Even Akxia''s Absolute Zero, with its one-in-a-thousand insta-kill chance, didn''t land.


    Eventually, Akxia ran out of stamina completely and was withdrawn back into the Spiritball by Himeko.


    Himeko glanced at Lisa-Bubu and sighed inwardly.


    This little guy was really impressive¡ªMarch 7th sure had great luck.


    Back in Luofu, this little one even helped solve the Alchemy Division''s drug smog problem.


    When the referee saw Himeko forfeit, he announced the result:


    "Congratulations to contestant March 7th and her Spirit Lisa-Bubu for winning and successfully entering the top 16!Ladies and gentlemen! The matches from top 32 to top 16 are now complete! Stay tuned for the quarterfinals this afternoon!"


    With the morning matches over, the audience began to disperse.


    The Spirit tournament had become a universal craze. Many children now dreamed of raising Spirit to win the championship.


    Aventurine even founded a club, recruiting many promising contestants.


    For example, Ye Yun''s shop customers¡ªYe Yun had already said that after this tournament, they wouldn''t be allowed to participate again.


    Now, all 16 remaining contestants were his customers, which kind of went against the original spirit of the tournament.


    Ye Yun''s goal was to promote Spirit. If his own customers always took the top spots, many ordinary trainers might lose hope.


    They''d say, "What''s the point of training hard? Can we beat those people with cheats?"


    So Ye Yun simply announced that his customers wouldn''t be allowed to join future tournaments.


    Jing Yuan, Zhongli, and Amber, who had already been eliminated, had left the Pleasure Planet.


    Those who advanced¡ªlike Firefly, Hutao, and Fu Xuan¡ªfollowed the location Aventurine sent to meet at a hotel for lunch.


    When Firefly, Stelle, and the others reached the hotel entrance, they saw Paimon and Milim squatting there with food trays.


    Paimon flew over as soon as she saw Stelle and the others, pointing angrily at the doorman:


    "Stelle! You''re finally here! That guy is awful! He won''t let Milim and me in!"


    Milim was also fuming.


    "If Ye Yun hadn''t told me not to use force, I''d have punched him straight away! Hmph!"


    Firefly asked curiously:


    "Paimon, Milim, why are you here? Weren''t you supposed to be on the train?"


    Paimon pulled out her phone and opened the group chat.


    "I followed the shared location~ What''s the matter?"


    Firefly chuckled.


    "Nothing. I was just curious how you knew there was food here."


    Then Stelle said,


    "Follow me, I''ll take you inside."


    At the entrance, the doorman spotted Stelle from afar and immediately ran over to greet her.


    "Welcome, Spirit Queen, to our hotel. Please come in."


    Stelle was very pleased with the doorman''s attitude.


    "Not bad~ Not bad. These two are with me¡ªthere''s no problem if I bring them in, right?"


    The doorman glanced bitterly at Paimon and Milim standing with arms akimbo beside Stelle.


    Aventurine had sent him guest photos earlier, and after careful comparison, he had seen no trace of Paimon or Milim¡ªhence why he hadn''t let them in.


    Still smiling, he said:


    "Of course, no problem. You''re a VIP guest, a friend of Director Aventurine. Whatever you say goes."


    Stelle strode into the hotel with a swagger.


    Milim followed, chest out, with a proud stomp. As she passed the doorman, she even gave him a cold snort.


    "Hmph! Wouldn''t let me in? You think I can''t get in on my own?"


    Inside, Stelle and the others were led by a waiter to a private room.


    Once seated, the food was served.


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others didn''t start eating immediately¡ªthey waited for Paimon and Milim to fill their own trays first.


    This was the usual routine¡ªPaimon and Milim would go grab huge trays of food, and then no one would bother them.


    Milim packed her tray with dishes like a storm. After they were done, Paimon and Milim waved goodbye and left the room.


    They planned to return to Ye Yun''s shop to eat, so they could watch anime while eating¡ªjust thinking about it made them happy.


    In the afternoon, Stelle and the others returned to the venue to continue the matches.


    Stelle was summoned by Topaz¡ªshe wanted to talk about the upcoming Pok¨¦mon King challenge.


    There would be some ceremonial events that Stelle would have to perform.


    Meanwhile, Firefly and the others went to continue their matches.


    In New Teyvat, inside New Fontaine Court:


    Furina and Robin walked arm in arm down the street.


    New Fontaine Court had been completed, matching the size and style of the original.


    Fontaine''s construction speed rivaled Liyue''s, largely thanks to Furina''s deep pockets.


    Neuvillette and Focalors didn''t have to worry about finances at all.


    Their account had endless credits¡ªFurina would deposit huge sums every time she took a break.


    Furina was now so famous that she earned over ten billion credits a day.


    When buying materials from Topaz, she paid in full upfront¡ªno IOUs, no installments.


    The key was: wealth. Absolute, overwhelming wealth.


    Furina brought Robin to the Moman Palace, where Focalors and Neuvillette had called her.


    Furina kicked open the office door:


    "Ta-da~ Superstar Furina makes her dazzling entrance~" She jumped into the room with her hands raised in a pose.


    She opened her eyes¡ªand instantly regretted it.


    Inside were Cryo Archon, The Tsaritsa, The Lady, and The Knave.


    She''d made a fool of herself!


    Furina bolted out and closed the door.


    Then came a polite knock. She slowly re-entered with an elegant "proper lady" demeanor.


    "Oh? Isn''t this Sister Tsaritsa? What brings you to Fontaine? Why didn''t you let me know¡ªyou could''ve joined me for some fun!"


    Tsaritsa smiled.


    "Next time, I promise. I''ll tell you beforehand."


    Furina nodded.


    "Okay~ So, what brings you here today?"


    Focalors explained:


    "Furina, Tsaritsa wants to borrow some money from Fontaine to help develop Snezhnaya. So we called you here to ask your opinion."


    Furina looked to Neuvillette, the financial manager:


    "Neuvillette, do we still have a lot of money in the public account?"


    "Plenty," he replied.


    Furina smiled:


    "Then I think it''s fine to lend Sister Tsaritsa some. We all came from Teyvat¡ªwe should help each other.


    Besides, during Fontaine''s crisis, the Fatui helped a lot and saved many citizens."


    Focalors nodded.


    "I thought the same. But since all the money in that account was deposited by you, we had to ask your opinion."


    Furina waved it off.


    "Pfft~ That''s all? Robin and I were out shopping! Don''t bother me with this kind of thing next time.


    If you''re ever short on money, just call me. I''ve got more than I can ever spend.


    Speaking of which, I bought a shop yesterday while inspecting Penacony with Robin. The deed''s in my vanity drawer.


    Focalors, go get it later and take a few people to check it out."


    Focalors nodded. Penacony real estate was pricey, but with the traffic, you couldn''t lose money doing business there.


    The Lady was puzzled:


    "Forgive me for being blunt, but I have to ask¡ªI''m too curious."


    Furina placed hands on her hips.


    "Oh? Ask away."


    "Ms. Furina, how do you earn so many credits? I''ve met a lot of merchants on the company app lately¡ªnot a single one''s easy to deal with. None of them want to give up a dime."


    The Knave chimed in:


    "Yeah, I hauled a shipment to a nearby market planet yesterday¡ªonly made 100,000 credits all day. It''s so hard to earn credits."


    Furina scratched her head in confusion.


    "Huh? Is it that hard? I don''t even check. My account gets over ten billion every day. It''s annoying. Topaz comes every day to ask me to sign transfers.


    She says large sums need authorization. Sure, I sign¡ªbut there''s so many, the stack of agreements is thick. My hand gets sore every time."


    Tsaritsa, The Lady, and The Knave turned to stone.


    What do you mean your account earns ten billion a day by itself? And your hand''s sore from signing?!


    Wow. Not much to say¡ªjust envy. Tsaritsa thought, I want to sign until my hand''s sore too...


    Focalors smiled awkwardly.


    "Tsaritsa, Furina''s... special."


    Tsaritsa nodded stiffly.


    "Yes... I understand."


    Neuvillette asked:


    "Lady Tsaritsa, how much do you wish to borrow?"


    Tsaritsa exchanged glances with The Lady and The Knave:


    "We''d like to borrow 10 million credits. We want to buy a central heating system from Topaz to keep our city warm."


    Furina raised her hand:


    "Sister Tsaritsa, maybe borrow a bit more? Is 10 million really enough?


    I remember Neuvillette said it cost us around 30 billion to build Fontaine."


    Tsaritsa felt a pang in her chest. Isn''t this a bit too much generosity?


    You''re even encouraging me to borrow more?


    And did you just say Fontaine cost 30 billion? No wonder it got built so fast.


    Wow... This level of financial power is terrifying.


    Tsaritsa made up her mind¡ªshe needed to go have a proper talk with the rich.


    ***


    Tsaritsa returned to Snezhnaya. As soon as she arrived at the Tsaritsa''s palace, she sensed something was wrong¡ªthe atmosphere was off.


    The Rooster, the Wealthy Man, and the Maiden were all standing silently at the gate, making the scene quite awkward.


    Tsaritsa approached them.


    "What are you three doing standing at the door?"


    Just as the Maiden was about to speak, the palace doors opened from the inside, and Calestia walked out.


    Tsaritsa saw Calestia.


    "Lady Calestia, Your Eminence, what brings you to Snezhnaya?"


    Calestia tossed a card to Tsaritsa.


    "There''s ten billion credits on this. Take it and develop your Snezhnaya properly. Don''t lag behind. Go visit Ye Yun''s shop more often.


    Look at Morax, look at Barbatos.


    And look at Furina! Can''t you learn from others?


    These ten billion credits were acquired by Silver Wolf for me. Just use them. You don''t need to pay them back. Just do a good job developing Snezhnaya, got it?"


    Barnabas looked at the card in his hand and nodded heavily.


    "I understand, Your Eminence Calestia."


    Seeing this, Calestia summoned a portal and returned to Ye Yun''s store.


    After Calestia left, Tsaritsa handed the card to the Wealthy Man.


    "Go withdraw the money. I also borrowed ten billion from Fontaine. That gives us twenty billion¡ªenough to solve our urgent problems."


    The Wealthy Man nodded respectfully.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Tsaritsa then waved them off to attend to their own tasks.


    The Wealthy Man returned to the bank, linked the card to his account, and checked the balance.


    Sure enough, there were ten billion credits. This was the first time he had ever seen so much money.


    "As expected of a Sustainer of Heavenly Principles¡ªten billion credits, just like that."


    Just as he was about to withdraw the money, a pop-up appeared.


    [Detected abnormal funds of ten billion credits in account. Funds have been recovered.]


    The Wealthy Man stared at the message, stunned.


    What? Abnormal funds? Wait¡ªwas this money... illicit?


    Meanwhile...


    Inside the treehouse.


    Silver Wolf and Calestia were playing a video game.


    Silver Wolf suddenly asked:


    "So, what did you buy with those credits I got for you? Make sure you place the order before 2 p.m. today. Otherwise, the funds will be recovered."


    Calestia froze.


    "Huh? Recovered? Why?"


    Silver Wolf replied:


    "Because I hacked it out of a corporation. With their tech, they should be able to trace and recover the funds around this time."


    Calestia was speechless.


    Silver Wolf quickly realized something.


    "Don''t tell me... you gave the card to someone else."


    Calestia nodded.


    "I gave it to Tsaritsa. That should be fine, right?"


    Silver Wolf thought for a moment.


    "Shouldn''t be a big deal. At most, the funds get recovered."


    Calestia relaxed upon hearing this.


    To save face, Calestia then asked Zhongli to give Barnabas another ten billion credits, telling him to say it was a gift from Calestia.


    By nighttime, Stelle and the others were still deep in the Genshin Impact dungeon.


    Stelle had explored all of Mondstadt''s map and reached 100% exploration everywhere.


    She was about to head to Liyue, but her progress was halted¡ªshe had to finish Mondstadt''s main questline first.


    Reluctantly, she resumed the main quest, which was currently at retrieving the Skyward Lyre.


    After repairing the Lyre, she went to Starsnatch Cliff with Venti, Jean, Diluc, and Paimon.


    There, Venti played the Lyre and summoned Dvalin.


    Stelle looked at the massive dragon and thought it was pretty cool¡ªshe really wanted to ride it.


    Dvalin glared at Venti.


    "Barbatos! Have you brought these humans to hunt me?!"


    A nearby Abyss Mage was whispering in Dvalin''s ear, manipulating him.


    Stelle got annoyed. Seriously? Just one Abyss Mage? Why didn''t Diluc or Jean just knock him out?


    After the cutscene, she returned to Diluc''s winery.


    Diluc shared info on the Abyss Order with Stelle, Venti, and Jean.


    After some action, the plot moved to the group heading to Stormterror''s Lair.


    After a "tough" battle (really just a one-shot), Mondstadt''s story reached its end.


    Stelle sat on Dvalin''s back, watching Venti doing serious stuff¡ªit felt off.


    Wasn''t Venti supposed to be more... casual? Stelle couldn''t reconcile this serious Venti with the drunkard from the tavern. Aside from looks, they felt like two different people.


    With Mondstadt''s story finished, Stelle was relieved. She could finally go to the next area.


    Following the path from the winery, she crossed a ravine and even caught some fish for her inventory.


    Exploring, opening chests, and having fun, she reached the Stone Gate Inn after half an hour.


    Crossing a canyon, her view opened up¡ªshe saw a large tree with walkways and buildings on it, by a reed-lined river.


    She figured, "That must be Wangshu Inn. Hutao said it''s a fun place."


    Looking at the wide main road and a smaller path leading to an island, Stelle decisively chose the small one¡ªmain roads are efficient, but less rewarding!


    This kind of RPG always hides better loot in harder paths.


    Glancing at the map, she resolved to pull an all-nighter to grind for more coins.


    By early morning the next day, Stelle walked out of the dungeon portal with dark circles under her eyes, full of complaints.


    Seeing Zhongli playing chess, she walked up and vented.


    "Zhongli! Why are your Liyue roads so hard to traverse?! Every mountain is followed by another mountain! I spent hours last night just lighting up the teleport points!"


    Zhongli calmly replied:


    "That is simply the nature of Liyue''s geography. The mountains of Jueyun Karst are majestic and beautiful."


    Stelle rolled her eyes.


    "Liyue''s exploration difficulty is way higher than Mondstadt''s. It''s so troublesome."


    Zhongli replied:


    "Yes, it is more difficult. But aren''t the rewards greater too?"


    Stelle had to admit that was true.


    "Yeah... By the way, I ran into a complex puzzle at Qingce Pool. Can you help me figure it out?"


    Zhongli looked at the photo Stelle handed him and gave her the solution.


    Encouraged, Stelle took out more photos.


    Liyue''s puzzles were numerous and rewarding.


    Zhongli patiently explained one after another, and Stelle jotted them down in a notebook.


    This was basically a walkthrough!


    With Zhongli''s help, she could grind even more efficiently today!


    Yup¡ªno sleep. Time to grind more Genshin dungeons!


    Just then, Firefly walked out of the cave portal.


    She sat next to Stelle.


    "Stelle, you didn''t come back to sleep last night?"


    Stelle pointed at the portal.


    "I was grinding Genshin dungeons all night. I explored all of Liyue and lit up every waypoint."


    Firefly remembered something.


    "Oh right, I forgot to tell you. I got a 5-star weapon in the Genshin gacha¡ªSkyward Blade.


    You can even extract it into the real world."


    She showed the sword¡ªlight blue blade, ornate hilt with wing designs. Very cool.


    Stelle stared, wide-eyed.


    "No way! You got a legendary? I''ve done 85 pulls already and still haven''t gotten anything! How many pulls did you do?"


    Firefly thought for a moment.


    "Maybe... 30? Not many. I didn''t really pull that much."


    Stelle gawked.


    "30 pulls?! Are you serious?!"


    Just then, Kiana arrived at Ye Yun''s shop with Cecilia.


    After seeing Kiana''s Valkyrie armor, Cecilia wanted to try pulling from the golden trash can herself, hoping for a power-boosting title.


    Kiana joined Stelle and Firefly.


    "Morning, you two! What are you chatting about?"


    Stelle pulled her in.


    "Kiana, Firefly says she got a 5-star Genshin weapon in 30 pulls. Do you believe that?"


    Kiana replied casually:


    "Sure, why not? I got a gold character in just 10 pulls¡ªwhat''s his name? Red hair, big sword, cold personality."


    Firefly helped out.


    "Diluc."


    "Yeah! Diluc. He''s fun to use. His skill casts three times in a row! Great for mining, too¡ªhuge range!"


    Stelle looked like she was about to break.


    "Seriously?! Am I the only unlucky one?! I''ve done 85 pulls!"


    Firefly tried to comfort her.


    "It''s okay, Stelle. You''re almost at pity!"


    Stelle turned away, speechless.


    As the wall clock ticked on, more people entered Ye Yun''s store.


    Stelle, Hutao, and others excitedly discussed Genshin dungeons.


    Hutao heard about Stelle''s bad luck.


    "Don''t worry, Stelle, Diluc isn''t that great anyway.


    Ye Yun said the real strong characters are in future banners.


    Also¡ªdid you notice his attack animations look exactly like those torch-wielding Hilichurls?"


    She played two videos for everyone.


    After watching...


    "No way! It''s identical!"


    "Send that video to the group chat! I wanna see Diluc''s face!"


    "He''s definitely going to be triggered."


    "Maybe not, he''s pretty stone-faced."


    "Doesn''t matter¡ªsend it!"


    Hutao shared the videos in the group and continued:


    "Also, my Xiangling does more damage than Diluc!"


    Amber was puzzled.


    "How? My Xiangling''s damage is average."


    Hutao replied:


    "That''s because yours isn''t max constellation. Mine is maxed. Even Guoba does more damage than..."


    S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189 - 189Diluc looked at the messages in the group chat and didn''t feel like talking. He simply muted the chat.


    For the next few days, he had to lay low in the group, or else he''d definitely be dragged out and teased.


    Once the heat died down, he''d reappear.


    After a bout of messing around, everyone piled into the Genshin dungeon.


    Currently, the Genshin dungeon had very generous rewards.


    Not only could you earn Star Coins, but you could also obtain other things like weapons and gear.


    Ye Yun was helping Klee and the others tidy their clothes and check their backpacks.


    He planned to take them on a picnic to Rimuru''s place.


    There was no SpiritTournament today. Aglaea was overseeing things in Ochema, and Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon had tagged along as well.


    As for babysitting duty¡ªit was Rios, Jingliu, Ye Yun, and... Rita.


    Yes, that Rita!The lolicon Rita!


    Rita was now either at the New Fontaine Pavilion or hanging out at Ye Yun''s shop every day.


    Honkai Impact 3rd? Sorry, Rita claimed she wasn''t from that world.


    She was born a Honkai: Star Rail character and would die one too. On this side, there was the ever-young Meroxin. And over here¡ªthe Ten Little Angels!


    Ye Yun crouched down to help Klee straighten her outfit, fix her hat, and dab on some BB cream.


    "Alright, let''s head out!"


    The Ten Little Angels cheered.


    "Yay! We''re going on a picnic!"


    Just as Ye Yun was about to step into the teleportation gate, a voice rang in his head.


    [Host, I have something to discuss with you.]


    Ye Yun turned to Rita and said,


    "Rita, take Klee and the others through first. Something came up¡ªI''ll join you in a bit. Just hang around the town and don''t wander off."


    Rita gave a slight bow.


    "Please rest assured. I''ll take good care of them."


    Ye Yun nodded, then sat down nearby to speak with the system.


    "What''s up?"


    **[Notification: Congratulations to the host for successfully promoting the special product line¡ªSeer Spirits.


    Now, the host has been granted a one-time opportunity to challenge and become the trainer of the pinnacle Seer Spirit¡ªHoly Spirit Arceus. Would you like to accept the challenge?]**


    Ye Yun was shocked.


    "Arceus? As in that Arceus I remember?"


    [Correct, Host.]


    Ye Yun gasped.


    "Whoa¡ªhow could I possibly say no? What''s the challenge?"


    **[Notification: The system will transport you directly to Arceus. Safety is guaranteed.


    Arceus has already been informed of your intention to become its trainer.


    Everything depends on your performance. As long as Arceus accepts you, the challenge is considered a success.]**


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "If there''s no safety issue, then let''s do it."


    [Notification! Initiating teleportation! Due to the long distance, some dizziness may occur¡ªthis is normal.]


    As the system''s voice fell silent, Ye Yun felt a sudden sensation of weightlessness, like he was falling at high speed.


    Once the feeling faded, he found himself in a mysterious space.


    Floating at the center was Arceus.


    Ye Yun looked at it. Hmm... something was off.


    This Arceus was only child-sized, with several white-glowing tentacles floating around it.


    [Notification: This is a juvenile Arceus.]


    Ye Yun understood.


    Ah, that made sense now¡ªit''s just the juvenile form.


    Arceus noticed Ye Yun and floated over.


    "Human! You want to be my trainer?"


    Ye Yun looked straight at it.


    "That''s right¡ªbecome my spirit! I''ll take you to face countless strong opponents! I''ll help you grow stronger!"


    Ye Yun played his trump card. Arceus was born a battle maniac, always either fighting or searching for strong foes.


    As soon as Ye Yun finished speaking, Arceus agreed without hesitation.


    "If what you say is true, then I''m willing to become your spirit.


    If it''s a lie, that voice said I can return anytime!"


    Ye Yun figured the "voice" must be the system.


    "No problem¡ª100% guaranteed."


    Arceus nodded and floated to his side.


    Ye Yun took out a Spirit Capsule and let Arceus leave its mark.


    As for whether Arceus wanted to go inside? Ye Yun didn''t force it.


    [Congratulations, Host, for successfully recruiting Arceus! Returning to the Honkai: Star Rail world. Due to distance, expect slight dizziness.]


    As the system finished speaking, Ye Yun and Arceus vanished.


    Ten minutes later.


    Ye Yun returned to the shop with Arceus. Arceus looked out the window at the starry sky, clearly excited.


    "I can sense it! So many powerful beings here! Are they the Aeons? No rush¡ªI''ll find you!"


    Ye Yun placed the Spirit Capsule in his room and said to Arceus,


    "The capsule is in my room. If you ever want to rest, feel free to go in."


    Arceus nodded.


    Ye Yun continued.


    "Come on, I''ll take you to another world. There are some monsters over there you can spar with."


    Arceus nodded slightly and followed him through the teleportation gate.


    On the other side, they saw Klee, Bailu, and the Ten Little Angels playing near the gate.


    Tian was riding a toy car being pulled by a Tempest Wolf, racing around.


    "Wahoo~ This is fun! Faster!"


    Klee saw Ye Yun and ran over, leaping into his arms.


    She hugged his neck and nuzzled his face.


    "Big bro Ye Yun! Are you done with your work?" Klee sat on his arm, blinking her big, adorable eyes.


    Ye Yun smiled dotingly and pinched her cheek.


    "All done. Come, let me introduce a new friend.


    Arceus!"


    In the distance, Arceus had just KO''d Tempest Wolf with a move. Upon hearing his name, he teleported next to Ye Yun.


    "What is it?"


    Ye Yun said,


    "This is Klee. Get to know each other."


    Klee stared at Arceus curiously.


    "Hi there~ Arceus~ I''m Klee, the Spark Knight of Mondstadt!"


    Arceus nodded.


    "Hello, Klee. If you need help, just call me."


    Then, he teleported off again¡ªthis time to spar with Jingliu.


    Arceus had a sense of restraint, knowing everyone here was Ye Yun''s friend, so he didn''t go all out¡ªjust sparring.


    Ye Yun let him be and then took Klee and the others outside the town.


    Meanwhile, at Herta Space Station, something very strange had just occurred.


    All the Spirits in the station had suddenly looked toward the sky in the same direction.


    This lasted several minutes before they returned to normal.


    Herta quickly caught wind of it. She called over some spirits to ask what happened¡ªand received the same answer from all of them:


    "He has arrived!"


    Herta had developed a Spirit Communicator to translate spirit thoughts into universal language.


    She stared at the word "He" on the screen, instantly intrigued.


    Herta burst out of her lab, dragged a few random people and their spirits inside.


    This scene was witnessed by Ruan Mei and Screwllum.


    They quickly followed her into the lab.


    There, they saw Herta laughing maniacally.


    "Hahaha! What a surprise!"


    Screwllum approached her.


    "Ms. Herta, what exactly are you doing?"


    Herta turned around and, seeing them, said:


    "Come on! We''re going to find Ye Yun¡ªhe has a god!"


    "A god at Ye Yun''s place?" they repeated.


    Herta nodded.


    "Yes! You both saw how the spirits acted, right?


    I just asked a few¡ªsame answer.


    They said a god of spirits has descended. They could sense His presence.


    Then I asked them where they felt it. There''s only one possible place¡ª S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exactly! The Astral Express! Akivili is gone, Aha''s busy writing plays...


    So that leaves only one possibility!"


    Ruan Mei said,


    "Ye Yun''s shop."


    Herta snapped her fingers.


    "Correct~ Let''s go!"


    Ruan Mei and Screwllum followed her into the portal.


    Rimuru''s world.


    After landing, the trio went directly to Rimuru.


    He was healing his subordinates¡ªyes, because Arceus had sparred with every noteworthy monster in the entire federation.


    Rimuru had fought Arceus too... and lost! Though it was a close match.


    If it had been even a teenage version of Arceus, it would''ve been an instant loss.


    "Ruan Mei! Herta! Screwllum! What brings you here?"


    Ruan Mei greeted him warmly¡ªhe''d provided her with many useful samples.


    "Long time no see, Rimuru. We''re here looking for Ye Yun. Do you know where he is?"


    Rimuru replied,


    "Sure, he''s by the lake to the south. What do you need him for?" He couldn''t help but be curious.


    Herta said bluntly,


    "We''re here to find a god. There''s a god at Ye Yun''s shop, and we want to ask him about it."


    Rimuru raised a question mark over his head.


    "A god? Really? Want me to send someone to guide you?"


    Herta shook her head and summoned a magic carpet.


    "No need. After all these years, I can go myself."


    The three rode off to the south.


    Soon, they found Ye Yun and the Ten Little Angels playing by the lakeside...


    ***


    Ye Yun understood after hearing that.


    "You saying that makes it clear. Yes, there is. Why? You want to study Him?"


    Herta nodded.


    "Exactly! Where is He?"


    Ye Yun smiled and called out into the air.


    "Arceus."


    The next second, a phantom appeared not far away and slowly took solid form¡ªArceus appeared in place.


    "Boss, you called me?"


    Arceus had already acknowledged Ye Yun as his boss. This boss could take him to seek out strong opponents, helping him grow stronger.


    Ye Yun pointed at Herta beside him.


    "This is my friend. She wants to study you a bit."


    Arceus glanced at Herta.


    "Even though you''re my boss''s friend, I can''t agree to that. Sorry."


    Arceus rejected Herta, then flickered and vanished again.


    Ye Yun looked at Herta.


    "Arceus was once imprisoned and studied, so he''s very against this kind of thing."


    Herta, after seeing Arceus, became fascinated¡ªitching to study him.


    Spirit were already magical beings, and the strongest among them must be even more mysterious.


    Herta moved closer to Ye Yun and played her trump card.


    "Ye Yun~ I heard Arceus call you boss, right? Help me out, pretty please? I''ll give you 100,000 credits.


    Just talk to Arceus for me, tell him we''re not bad people¡ªjust want him to come play in my simulated universe from time to time, how''s that?"


    Ye Yun shook his head.


    "Even though I''m his boss, I won''t force him to do anything. He''ll be on the train, so you can ask him yourself then."


    Herta stroked her chin.


    "I see. Fine~ I''ll go find Stelle then."


    She turned and left without hesitation.


    Screwllum and Ruan Mei said goodbye to Ye Yun and got on Herta''s magic carpet.


    Nightfall.


    Everyone gathered in Ye Yun''s shop for dinner.


    Arceus had also returned after sparring with Rios, Axia, and Younas near the train in space.


    Arceus was feeling very annoyed¡ªHerta was clinging to him like a sticky plaster. Every time he showed up in the shop, she would rush over and start pitching her glorious simulated universe plan.


    "Arceus~ I''m telling you, my simulated universe is super fun~


    I heard from Ye Yun that you love fighting strong foes, right? I can simulate a Stellaron Hunter for you¡ªhow about it?


    Wanna come try it out?"


    Arceus shook his head.


    "Not interested. Too fake, not fun."


    Herta kept trying to lure the underageSpirit.


    "Aww, but my simulated universe is a perfect replica of reality.


    Guaranteed to give you a thrilling fight. It''s not even far¡ªjust a few steps away through the portal."


    Arceus still shook his head.


    "No."


    Asta and Clara were unfazed watching this.


    "Sigh~ Ms. Herta is at it again. She did the same thing when trying to convince Stelle."


    Clara smiled and said,


    "That''s just how Professor Herta is.


    Oh right, Sister Asta, Professor Herta said she wants to stay in my lab for a while."


    Both Clara and Asta were considered Herta''s students, so Clara calling Asta "senior" made sense.


    Asta replied,


    "I know. Sorry to trouble you, Clara.


    Professor Herta said she won''t leave until she convinces Arceus."


    After returning from Rimuru''s world, Herta had gone straight to the second floor of the train to Clara''s lab, telling her she''d be staying there for a few days.


    Clara was confused¡ªthere was a teleport portal just a few steps away. Why come live in her lab?


    At worst, Herta could have stayed at the treehouse.


    But Herta insisted that wouldn''t show enough sincerity.


    She was convinced: to get Puni to agree, she had to show maximum sincerity.


    Arceus was incredibly annoyed. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly felt a tug on one of his tentacles.


    Arceus looked over to see Klee holding one of his tentacles.


    "Arceus~ Arceus~ Klee has teddy bear cookies for you~" Klee said cheerfully, holding a cookie.


    Arceus had been about to reject her and leave, but the innocent and pure smile on Klee''s face left him speechless. He let Klee pull him over to the tea break sofa area.


    The ten little ones all gathered around Arceus, playing beside him and occasionally feeding him snacks, all of which he accepted and ate.


    Herta saw this and called Asta.


    "Asta! Place an order! Buy every snack available on the company''s app!"


    Herta, seeing Puni eating the kids'' snacks, assumed he loved food and decided to try the "gourmet tactic."


    What she didn''t know was that Arceus simply couldn''t bring himself to refuse the kids.


    He figured if he made them cry, it would be a nightmare¡ªhe wouldn''t know how to comfort them.


    Stelle, Firefly, and Hutao also noticed Arceus and asked Ye Yun curiously:


    "Ye Yun, who''s that big glowing orb?"


    Ye Yun answered:


    "He''s called Arceus. He''s a spirit¡ªstanding at the peak of all spirits."


    Stelle and Hutao both gasped.


    "What? The top of all spirits? That powerful? What about my Miris then? Isn''t she the spirit Queen?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "She is. But your Miris is the Light-type Spirit Queen. Each type has its own strongest¡ªcalled Spirit King.


    Arceus is the Holy-type Spirit King, and the strongest among all Spirit Kings.


    Got it?"


    The group nodded in awe, looking at Arceus with reverence.


    They knew how powerful Miris was¡ªshe could take down an entire antimatter fleet by herself.


    They couldn''t even imagine how powerful Arceus must be. After all, the strongest people they''d met so far were Ye Yun and Acheron.


    Ye Yun looked at Arceus and said:


    "If you''re ever in danger, you can call him. Just shout his name¡ªhe''ll appear.


    But only if you''re in the same world, and only if it''s a truly unbeatable enemy. Otherwise, Arceus probably won''t bother."


    Stelle said excitedly:


    "Whoa! Seriously?"


    Ye Yun nodded.


    "Seriously."


    Hutao, hearing this, picked up a glass of juice and walked toward Arceus.


    "Let''s go say hi to the boss-level guy and get familiar first."


    Stelle, Firefly, and the others followed, each with a glass of juice in hand.


    Ye Yun kept cooking.


    "Jashin-chan, did you finish marinating the meat like I asked?"


    The Little Evil God brought over a big pot of beef.


    "It''s ready!"


    He placed the pot next to Ye Yun and stood there staring at him.


    Ye Yun asked,


    "What''s up? Why are you staring at me?"


    Little Evil God replied,


    "I''ve been thinking... I cook for all these people every day¡ªshouldn''t I be getting paid?"


    Ye Yun smiled and replied with a question:


    "Didn''t Yurine beat you up today?"


    Little Evil God nodded.


    "Nope. I''ve been here all day. Why?"


    Ye Yun said:


    "Then that explains it.


    Want a salary? Sure. But first, how about you pay me for all the ingredients you''ve taken so far?"


    Little Evil God refused instantly.


    "I took them with my own skills¡ªwhy should I pay?"


    Ye Yun smiled again.


    "Then I don''t have to pay you either. Now get to work, chop-chop."


    Unable to get a salary, Little Evil God slinked off to help.


    After he left, Aglaea walked over.


    "Ye Yun, I want to buy something¡ªsomething that can make me stronger. The Black Tide is getting closer, and I need to power up quickly."


    Ye Yun said:


    "Isn''t Trianne there to handle the Black Tide?"


    Aglaea replied:


    "Yes, but we can''t just rely on Teacher Trianne. Every extra fighter helps. If I get stronger, it''ll ease her burden.


    Did you know? Teacher Trianne has already surrounded all of Okhema with multiverse gates¡ªonly one entry point remains."


    Ye Yun looked at Trianne, who was playing nearby, and smiled.


    Trianne, huh? Ever since gaining infinite vitality, she''s been going wild?


    Encircling all of Okhema with multiverse gates¡ªthat''s exhausting work!


    "Alright, got it. Go find Noelle. She''ll take you shopping. I''ll keep cooking."


    Aglaea said:


    "No rush. You go ahead."


    Half an hour later, Ye Yun, Xiangling, Little Evil God, and Mei finished preparing the food.


    Everyone gathered around the table to eat. While eating, Topaz asked Stelle:


    "Stelle, tomorrow''s the final day of the Spirit Tournament. Are you ready? The champion will challenge you."


    Stelle waved her hand.


    "No problem. I''ll handle it in minutes."


    Firefly thought aloud:


    "The top 8 are all our people. Most likely, Lisa-Bubu will be the one to fight you."


    Hearing that, Stelle realized something was off.


    "Wait a sec¡ªGrass beats Light, right?"


    Hutao nodded, gloating:


    "Yep~ yep~ Hehe, with Lisa-Bubu''s broken skills... Stelle, don''t tell me you''re going to lose? Really? Are you?"


    Stelle frowned.


    Uh-oh! This could be bad! Lisa-Bubu''s broken skills mean if she doesn''t get one-shotted, she''ll slowly wear Stelle down¡ªjust like against Axia.


    And Grass beats Light. Miris''s damage will be reduced.


    Yikes! This is bad!


    Stelle quickly checked tomorrow''s match schedule.


    Top 8¡ªLisa-Bubu vs. Fu Xuan''s Psychic-type Spirit, Dawn Bunny.


    Neither side has type advantage, but Dawn Bunny clearly isn''t Lisa-Bubu''s match.


    It''s at final evolution, but no mega evolution available.


    Barring surprises, Lisa-Bubu is making it to the top 4.


    This isn''t like eSports with unpredictable outcomes.


    This is real combat¡ªstrong means strong. You just can''t beat them.


    Lisa-Bubu will likely face Firefly next. Firefly''s Spirit is the Fighting-type, Incaros.


    Incaros is super strong, but its level is too low. Firefly made it to the top 8 mostly by fighting above her level¡ªIncaros has incredible battle talent.


    In the original story, Incaros could even fight Ray, Gaia, and the other Battle God Alliance members.


    It''s one of the top-tier elves aboard the Seer.


    But Incaros is only level 40. Lisa-Bubu is level 69¡ªalmost 70.


    Unless there''s an upset, Lisa-Bubu will face Eula in the final.


    Eula''s elf is the water-type Brookkook, level 50. If not for bracket separation, she couldn''t even beat Incaros.


    After reading the bracket, Stelle instantly...

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190 - 190Aglaea thought for a moment and decided to buy it.


    This "Divine Spark of Venus" truly resonated with her.


    She handed over the star coins to Ye Yun, who accepted them and inserted them into the slot.


    The next second, a diamond-shaped crystal wrapped in bubbles appeared before Aglaea.


    Inside the crystal was a fiercely glowing light, and the whole crystal shone with a rose-gold hue, looking extremely high-class.


    Ye Yun spoke.


    "Just reach out and touch the bubble on the surface."


    Hearing this, Aglaea extended her hand and touched the bubble.


    The moment her hand made contact, the bubble vanished, and the diamond crystal shot toward her, entering her body.


    A massive surge of energy suddenly enveloped Aglaea, lifting her slowly into the air.


    Strange information began to flow into Aglaea''s mind.


    "Love, beauty, prosperity! The Dove of Peace, the Forest of Roses, the Mirror of True Self, the Golden Apple of Life!"


    It took Aglaea more than 20 minutes to fully absorb this unfamiliar information.


    The overflowing energy around her gradually calmed down.


    She gently descended back to the ground.


    Feeling the changes within her body, Aglaea was quite satisfied.


    After absorbing the divine spark, not only did she gain a new surge of energy, but she also instantly learned several techniques:


    Dove of Peace: Summons a dove symbolizing peace, with which Aglaea can share vision. The dove also has a calming effect on people nearby, making ordinary individuals more peaceful.


    Forest of Roses: Summons a powerful forest made entirely of roses.


    Mirror of True Self: Summons a mirror that makes it impossible for ordinary people standing before it to lie.


    Golden Apple of Life: Summons a golden apple with healing powers.


    These abilities were highly compatible with Aglaea, covering various domains.


    She could fight enemies, manage a city-state, and even support logistics through healing.


    Aglaea looked at Ye Yun.


    "I''m very satisfied with this purchase. Thank you, Ye Yun."


    Ye Yun smiled.


    "No need to be polite. You pay, I deliver. Look at Stelle and the others¡ªthey don''t stand on ceremony with me.


    We''re all friends here. Drop by and play anytime."


    Aglaea nodded slightly.


    "Alright."


    She then stood up and left Ye Yun''s store.


    Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon followed Aglaea back as well.


    Klee waved goodbye to them, pouting a little unhappily.


    She had hoped they could all spend the night at the Rose Castle, so they could go play again first thing in the morning.


    Ye Yun gently patted Klee''s little head to comfort her.


    "Klee, Tribbie and the others are busy. They can''t always stay here to play with you."


    Klee nodded.


    "Mm, Klee understands."


    Afterward, Ye Yun led Klee and the others back to the Cave Abode.


    At the entrance, Klee looked back at Arceus, lost in thought, and seemed distracted all the way back.


    Back at the Rose Castle, the seven little ones took a bath and went to their rooms to rest.


    Ye Yun, seeing they were asleep, shut the main door of the Rose Castle and turned to Rita, who was preparing to stand guard.


    "You planning to guard the place?"


    Rita nodded matter-of-factly.


    "Yes."


    Ye Yun was speechless.


    "Get out of here¡ªyou''re the biggest danger!"


    Rita stubbornly refused to leave. Knowing she couldn''t out-argue Ye Yun, she clung tightly to the castle''s main door, exuding a die-hard determination.


    Ye Yun chuckled.


    "Hah, that''s it?"


    He snapped his fingers, and a chain of imaginary energy wrapped around Rita like a caterpillar and forcibly carried her away.


    Around midnight, a small figure quietly snuck out of the Rose Castle.


    It was Klee. She was holding snacks and sneaked into Ye Yun''s shop.


    Peeking through the Cave Abode rift, she spotted Arceus resting on the sofa.


    Klee tiptoed to his side. Arceus opened his eyes.


    "Klee?"


    Seeing him awake, Klee grinned and offered him a bag of snacks.


    "Arceus, Klee brought you snacks. Can you help Klee with something?"


    Arceus extended a tentacle to take the snack, popped a piece into his mouth, and asked:


    "What is it? Just say it."


    Klee said,


    "Klee heard from Brother Ye Yun that you''re really strong. I want to ask you to help Tribbie and the others. Their world is in danger.


    They''re always so busy and don''t have time to play with Klee."


    Arceus asked,


    "Do you know what kind of danger their world is facing?"


    Klee shook her head.


    "Klee doesn''t know~"


    Arceus put the snack away.


    "Go get some rest. I''ll go take a look myself."


    Klee beamed.


    "Okay! You''re the best, Arceus! Klee''s going to bed now~"


    After Klee left, Arceus rose and flew into the portal to Onphalos.


    Outside the city of Janusopolis ¡ª The Deep Abyss.


    Aglaea, Phainon, Tribbie, and the others arrived at this place.


    Although the Titan of Discord had been incinerated by Stelle, some of its minions had survived.


    The Deep Abyss was one of their hiding spots.


    Aglaea had come to test her newly gained powers.


    Phainon looked at her with concern.


    "Lady Aglaea, do you really not need our help?"


    Tribbie also chimed in.


    "Yeah, Aggy, you sure?"


    Aglaea summoned a wardrobe spirit and drew a sword from it.


    "No need. I can handle this alone."


    Holding the sword in one hand, she waved the other over the crowd of over a hundred Discord minions below.


    A wave of pink energy emerged around her.


    Immediately, the ground trembled, and countless roses burst forth.


    The vines spread rapidly, wrapping around the Discord minions, thorns piercing their bodies.


    In seconds, all of them lost mobility.


    Aglaea then clenched her outstretched hand.


    The vines violently contracted, shredding the divine bodies of the minions.


    She then summoned thousands of Peace Doves to scout the surroundings.


    Phainon stood dumbfounded.


    Aglaea''s power had increased this much? That rose attack alone¡ªhe wasn''t even sure he could handle it.


    Tribbie cheered for her.


    "Aggy! Congrats on getting stronger! Now we''ve got a better shot at beating the Black Tide!"


    Aglaea smiled.


    "Yeah. Let''s clean out the Deep Abyss first."


    The three of them swept through the area, slaying every Discord minion they encountered.


    With thousands of Peace Doves, their job was easy¡ªjust follow the birds.


    High above Janusopolis, Arceus floated in the sky, examining the city.


    He looked at the surrounding "Gates of a Hundred Realms" and figured they must be Janusopolis'' defense mechanism.


    The energy resembled what he sensed in Trianne, so it was likely her work.


    And since Klee just wanted to play with Trianne, Arceus figured: why not replace the gates with a stronger barrier?


    Radiating light, Arceus created a powerful seal around Janusopolis.


    This seal was far stronger than the Gates¡ªit only allowed exit, not entry.


    Trianne, who was wandering in the Hero''s Bath, sensed the change and teleported over.


    She saw Arceus and asked,


    "Arceus?"


    He explained:


    "Yes, it''s me. I set up a seal around your city. It''s much stronger than your gates, and only allows things to leave, not enter."


    Trianne thanked him and then asked,


    "Why are you helping us, though?"


    Arceus replied,


    "Klee came to me. She wants you to have more free time to play with her.


    Anyway, it''s done. I''m heading back."


    With that, he vanished in a flicker of light.


    Trianne looked at the seal and waved her hand, closing all the Gates of a Hundred Realms.


    Her face visibly relaxed.


    Not long after, Aglaea, Phainon, and Tribbie returned from their mission.


    Seeing the Gates gone, they feared the worst and rushed into the city.


    Upon seeing everything was peaceful, they relaxed.


    Tribbie ran to the Hero''s Bath to find Trianne.


    "Trianne! What happened to the gates? Are you okay? Let me check you."


    She smiled and reassured him.


    "I''m fine! Arceus helped set up a seal around the city. I don''t need to keep the gates open anymore!"


    She giggled.


    "Now I''ve got lots of time to play~ Hehe~"


    Phainon was confused.


    "Arceus? Who''s that?"


    Trianne answered,


    "He''s Ye Yun''s spirit. Super powerful¡ªmight even be a god."


    Tribbie added,


    "Yeah! See that seal outside? That''s his work. It''s way stronger than my gates."


    Phainon nodded.


    "I see. I haven''t been over there much, so I didn''t know."


    Aglaea looked at Phainon.


    "You should go visit more often. With me around, Okhema will be fine."


    With her newfound strength, she was confident in facing the Black Tide.


    Phainon shook his head.


    "I''ll wait until we''ve dealt with the Black Tide first."


    Aglaea didn''t push it.


    "Alright. Up to you."


    Then the four of them headed into the city.


    The next day.


    In the new Sumeru City.


    In Nahida''s room, a ray of sunlight streamed through the window.


    She opened her eyes, pulled off her covers, and sat up.


    She got out of bed and walked to the window, smiling at the busy streets below.


    It was still early¡ªonly 6 AM¡ªbut many residents were already up and active.


    Some headed to construction sites, others were already firing up their breakfast stalls...


    ***


    Nahida climbed onto her office chair, stood on it, and leaned on the desk with one hand as she searched for a document.


    A moment later, she found what she was looking for, hugged the document, and jumped down from the chair with a soft grunt.


    "Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, I''m heading out to inspect the Shroomboar Ranch," she said.


    The Great Tree King smiled and nodded.


    "Alright, be back early."


    Nahida nodded in agreement.


    Half an hour later, Nahida arrived at the Shroomboar Ranch.


    All the flora and fauna from the old Sumeru had been transplanted into the new Sumeru.


    And 60% of all the shroomboars were concentrated within this ranch.


    Interestingly, there were currently very few prisoners in the new Sumeru''s prison.


    As for the previous inmates? Sorry¡ªthey were all left in old Sumeru.


    There was no place for them in the new Sumeru; they were left to their own fate in the old lands.


    The Shroomboar Ranch was located at the bottom of a river valley.


    The terrain was flat, with a river flowing nearby and fertile vegetation¡ªperfect conditions for developing animal husbandry.


    Led by the staff, Nahida entered the nursery area. She opened the fence gate and stepped inside.


    Shroomboars were currently the biggest industry in Sumeru. Just the nursery area alone had over ten thousand piglets.


    Not to mention the adult section¡ªwhich held over fifty thousand fully grown shroomboars.


    These pigs were fed a premium diet daily¡ªsome bran mixed with a wide variety of mushrooms, which gave their meat an exceptionally tender texture and a rich, fragrant mushroom aroma.


    Nahida picked up a piglet and examined it¡ªit was lively and clearly well-raised.


    She turned to the staff behind her and said,


    "Send a mature shroomboar to my place tonight. I''m hosting a dinner for some friends."


    The staff nodded and called over a few forest rangers to catch a grown shroomboar. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The "Forest Rangers" were now the military force of new Sumeru. The former Eremite 30-man squads had been disbanded.


    Dehya and Rahman served as deputy commanders, with Tighnari as the commander.


    The entire Forest Ranger corps had a total of 30,000 troops¡ªmore than enough to handle the affairs of new Sumeru.


    Tighnari was still actively recruiting, though results weren''t very promising.


    That was due to the limited population¡ªjust over a million people. Recruiting 30,000 soldiers was already quite the feat.


    Most recruits were former desert mercenaries or members of the now-defunct 30-man squads.


    To encourage population growth, the Great Tree King and Nahida implemented a series of welfare policies:


    Have one child? Get 100,000 credits.Have a second? Get 300,000 more.Have a third? Get a free apartment¡ªthree or four rooms, around 150 square meters.


    And it worked. Suddenly, there were far fewer people wandering around the streets at night¡ªeveryone was hard at work.


    Meanwhile, neighboring Liyue was going even harder. Ningguang spared no expense in pushing for childbirth.


    One child? 500,000 credits.Second? Add another 1 million.Third? Free house plus another million.


    According to Liyue''s latest data report, the number of pregnant women had risen by 70% compared to the previous month¡ªremarkable results.


    After inspecting the Shroomboar Ranch, Nahida headed to a nearby farm.


    The farm grew all kinds of crops, fruits, and vegetables sufficient to supply all of Sumeru.


    Since she was already there, Nahida decided to take a look.


    She took a basket from a staff member and strolled through the fields.


    Seeing a good-looking fruit or vegetable, she''d pick it and drop it in her basket¡ªfor tonight''s meal.


    "This tomato looks nice¡ªlet''s slice it up with some sugar tonight.


    This cucumber''s great too¡ªperfect for a smashed cucumber dish.


    Ooh~ this watermelon looks amazing, sounds nice when tapped. Let''s bring it back."


    After gathering her harvest, Nahida headed back.


    Once back at the office building, Nahida handed over the shroomboar and produce to the kitchen staff.


    "I''m having guests over for dinner tonight. There might be dozens of them. Please do your best."


    The head chef smiled.


    "No problem at all, leave it to us, Lesser Lord Kusanali."


    Nahida nodded and took the elevator to the top floor. After greeting the Great Tree King, she stepped through the portal.


    Meanwhile, inside Ye Yun''s store...


    Stelle was looking worriedly at Lisa-Bubu.


    "Lisa-Bubu~ why don''t you stay with March today? Maybe with your presence, she''ll wake up?"


    She was trying to persuade Lisa-Bubu to skip today''s match. Honestly, among all the Spirit, only Lisa-Bubu posed a threat to her Mires.


    The others were no concern¡ªshe could crush them easily.


    Lisa-Bubu wasn''t stupid¡ªshe gave Stelle a look, then turned and walked into the portal to head for the Joyful Little Pebble.


    Stelle sighed.


    "Sigh~ feels like I''m going to embarrass myself today. I hyped myself up so much¡ªif I lose, that''s gonna be humiliating."


    Topaz smiled.


    "Can''t be helped. Originally, none of the Spirit were a match for Mires.


    You were supposed to win the first tournament, stay on the throne as Spirit King, and build up your image as the final boss.


    Who knew Lisa-Bubu would pop up halfway?"


    Stelle turned to Mires.


    "Mires, we have to give it our all."


    Mires pounded her chest.


    "Mika!"


    At that moment, Nahida walked in.


    "Good morning, everyone."


    Furina lit up with joy upon seeing Nahida and ran over.


    "Nahida, long time no see!"


    Nahida smiled warmly.


    "Long time no see, Furina. How have you been?"


    Furina replied,


    "I''ve been great! I''m a huge star in the universe now!"


    Nahida nodded.


    "I heard about that from Nilou.


    By the way, are you free tonight? Want to come over for dinner?"


    Furina smiled.


    "Sure, I only have one thing on my schedule today¡ªsinging at the Spirit King Challenge."


    Nahida turned to the others.


    "If any of you are free, feel free to join us for dinner tonight. I brought back some great ingredients from the ranch and farm¡ªtop quality."


    Naturally, the idle ones like Stelle, Hutao, and Firefly agreed immediately.


    Jing Yuan was about to say yes, but a stern look from Fu Xuan made him back down.


    Fu Xuan said,


    "General, you have a league meeting tonight."


    Jing Yuan nodded.


    "Yes, I''m aware, Fu xuan."


    Qingque, seeing this, sneakily messaged Nahida.


    Hehe, gotta be smart. I won''t say it out loud¡ªI''ll DM her instead.


    Just as she felt smug, Fu Xuan called her out.


    "Qingque, you''re attending too. This concerns you. The product data you collected will be presented at the meeting for the generals and marshals to decide on purchases.


    You''ll also be taking notes during the meeting."


    Qingque was instantly stunned. Huh? I''m just a small office worker¡ªwhat right do I have to attend a league meeting?!


    Sob sob sob I was gonna eat dinner and then grind Celestial Jade tonight... it''s all over!!!


    Nahida estimated the number of guests and messaged the kitchen.


    Then she joined the others heading to the Joyful Little Pebble.


    Inside the entertainment district¡ª


    The entire area was packed¡ªpeople everywhere.


    Today, the final winner among the contestants would be decided, and then they''d challenge the powerful Pok¨¦mon King.


    So everyone came to watch live at the Joyful Little Pebble.


    Even those who couldn''t get tickets stayed outside to watch on massive screens.


    To accommodate the crowd, Aventurine had ordered huge displays to be installed outside the venue overnight.


    Almost the entire universe was watching.


    The corporate execs saw the potential in the Spirit tournament¡ªif managed well, it could become the company''s strongest project.


    The livestream alone had tens of trillions of viewers¡ªoff the charts in popularity.


    Even the divided board of directors was united in full support.


    The project was now under the Strategic Investment Department, and all other departments were required to cooperate.


    This infuriated Schneider. Strategic Investment Department? Just wait¡ªI''ll get my turf back eventually!


    If Aventurine knew what Schneider was thinking, he''d welcome the challenge¡ªfinally a reason to take him down.


    Just a few days ago, Boothill had approached Aventurine, originally to cause trouble.


    But after chatting, they realized¡ªthey were natural allies!


    Aventurine immediately dragged Boothill to a bar, where they vented about Schneider''s evil deeds.


    Boothill liked Aventurine''s vibe and agreed to stay on as Head of Security for the resort.


    Now, whenever they were free, they''d drink and rant about Schneider together¡ªsuch bliss.


    Worried about losing a fight?


    So what? Just call reinforcements~ You think Aventurine sends those group red packets for nothing?


    Worst case, bribe Stelle with star coins¡ªit''s a piece of cake.


    Still not enough? Easy¡ªsend resources or equipment to Theresa, and have her call Kiana.


    Stelle and Kiana not enough? Time for the final weapon¡ªbuy Acheron some medicine to stay awake and have her slash Schneider once.


    Aventurine, afraid of Schneider? Pfft. As a guest of Ye Yun''s store, why would he be scared of a lowlife like that?


    Boothill was also happy in his new job¡ªAventurine gave him complete freedom. Just maintain public order, and he could do whatever he liked.


    He recruited many retired Galaxy Rangers¡ªmany of whom had irreversible injuries like lost limbs.


    The Galaxy Rangers had no base, so life was tough for many.


    Boothill brought them in as security guards.


    These veterans from the front lines found peace here, with good pay and a comfortable life.


    Boothill had a great reputation among the Galaxy Rangers, so they were happy to follow him.


    When Jing Yuan heard the news, he was filled with regret. If only he''d recruited Boothill earlier!


    They were all comrades under the Hunt. If Jing Yuan had made the offer, Boothill would have surely accepted.


    Even the Xianzhou''s internal departments wouldn''t have objected.


    After all, these were true...