Yun Fan eventually bid farewell to Shenhe, not daring to stay the night. Of course, this wasn't because he had any issues. He simply felt that he couldn't yet promise Shenhe the happiness she deserved, so he didn't want to deepen their relationship further. Continuing down that path might only lead to hurt.
However, before leaving, Yun Fan didn't forget Zhongli's request. He handed the turquoise-green envelope to Shenhe, asking her to deliver it to Cloud Retainer the next day.
This approach was deliberate on Yun Fan's part. Cloud Retainer was famously talkative and skilled at conversation. Once she learned that Rex Lapis hadn't truly perished, the news would quickly spread among the adepti.
Shenhe watched Yun Fan leave, her gaze fixed on his figure until it completely disappeared into the night.
The fairy stood in place, like a stone statue waiting for her husband. After a long while, she sighed softly. With a few hand seals, she used adeptal arts to open the door to Cloud Retainer's abode and quietly made her way to her room in the dark.
"Has he left already?" Just as Shenhe stepped into the front hall of the abode, the candles on the table lit themselves, illuminating the dim surroundings.
"Master?" Shenhe was surprised to see Cloud Retainer sitting in the main seat of the front hall. Shouldn't her master be in her workshop, tinkering with mechanisms at this hour?
"Master, Yun Fan has left," Shenhe respectfully bowed to Cloud Retainer and answered her question truthfully.
"You could have asked him to take you with him. He wouldn't have refused your request," Cloud Retainer suddenly said, her beautiful eyes intently studying her beloved disciple, as if trying to discern something unusual about her.
"Shenhe understands, but Yun Fan said that this trip is to Inazuma, and he might end up fighting the Electro Archon. Right now, I can't help him. If I insisted on going with him, I might just become a burden," Shenhe shook her head, her figure seeming a bit lonely.
"Wait! What did you say? He's going to Inazuma?" Like Shenhe earlier, Cloud Retainer's face also showed surprise. Going to Inazuma to fight the Electro Archon? Could it be that the Divine Sovereign is planning to seize the position of Electro Archon?
If that were the case, the Electro Archon... Hmm. Cloud Retainer suddenly recalled the scene at Guyun Stone Forest—the towering thunder giant, the effortless way he crushed a demon god with a smile, and the golden lightning that could easily dissolve and annihilate the resentment of demon gods...
Honestly, Yun Fan seemed more like the Electro Archon than the current one.
"Master, this letter is from Yun Fan. He asked me to deliver it to you," seeing Cloud Retainer's expression shift between laughter and tears, sometimes showing relief and other times frowning in concern, Shenhe tilted her head in confusion and handed over the envelope Yun Fan had entrusted to her.
"A letter?" Cloud Retainer took the envelope, feeling the Anemo energy swirling around it. She opened it with some confusion.
Such dense Anemo energy... Could this be the work of the Anemo Archon from Mondstadt?
"This is... So it's true after all? I knew it. How could there be a force capable of assassinating Rex Lapis?"
Cloud Retainer had long harbored doubts about whether Rex Lapis had truly perished. Not only was the contract between them still intact, but there was also the matter of the death of a god.
The stronger the god, the more powerful the resentment and pollution left behind after their death. Even the weak Salt Goddess, Havria, left behind enough pollution to turn her people into salt statues.
What about Rex Lapis, who stood at the pinnacle of the gods and was arguably the strongest in Teyvat? If Morax had truly perished, the pollution from his divine power would have engulfed all of Liyue Harbor and its surrounding areas, possibly even spreading to affect half of Liyue.
Yet, according to her investigations, on the day of the Rite of Descension, Rex Lapis's dragon form had merely fallen from the sky. Apart from smashing a few incense burners and offering tables, nothing else had happened.
"Sigh, since you've made up your mind, I won't say more. Follow your heart, and I hope you won't regret your decision in the future," Cloud Retainer sighed and shook her head helplessly. Children have their own paths to walk. Shenhe's matters were best left to her to decide.
———
"Was my approach really the right one?" On his way back to Liyue Harbor, Yun Fan kept repeating this question in his mind. Was he being too irresponsible?
Initially, Yun Fan had planned to take Griseo and Shenhe with him to Inazuma. After all, traveling is more fun with more people. But he quickly abandoned that idea. The situation in Inazuma was far from stable. Aside from the Yashiro Commission, which held the least power, the other two commissions were deeply corrupt. Shenhe and Griseo weren't the type to handle conflicts well, and if they clashed with these so-called official institutions...
It wouldn't be good if Griseo went all out and destroyed Narukami Island.
The Raiden Shogun, representing Inazuma's peak combat strength, might be able to defeat Griseo in her normal state. But if Griseo were injured and her Honkai beast genes activated, entering her Herrscher form, even Ei, the Electro Archon, would likely be forced to her knees.
"Hey, Zhongli, you're still up?" Yun Fan had left at dusk and returned under the stars, the entire trip taking only a few hours. When he arrived back at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he happened to see Zhongli, like a caring father, patiently teaching Nahida about governance by candlelight.
"You..." Zhongli stroked his chin, his gaze full of doubt and inquiry, as if saying, 'Didn't you go to Jueyun Karst? Why are you back so soon?'
Understanding Zhongli's questioning look, Yun Fan quickly explained, "I've already seen Shenhe and handed the envelope to her. She'll deliver it to Cloud Retainer."
"Mm, in that case, this matter is settled," Zhongli nodded slightly, not asking why Yun Fan hadn't delivered the letter to Cloud Retainer himself. In his view, it wasn't important.
"Alright, I'll go rest now. Oh, where's my little Griseo?"
"She's sleeping with Hu Tao tonight. Don't even think about what you're hoping for," Zhongli shook his head, his tone implying something.
Yun Fan: ???
"Zhongli! Don't slander me like that! Explain yourself—what exactly am I hoping for?" Yun Fan suddenly snapped, startling Nahida, who had been focused on her studies. She looked at Yun Fan with a hint of reproach, her small mouth pouting.
But Yun Fan didn't have time to worry about that. How could Zhongli, with his honest face, dare to slander him like this? How could he just tarnish his reputation like that?
"What you're hoping for?"