"What card did she just use?" Venti asked curiously. "That wheelchair gave off an incredibly powerful vibe, almost like seeing Decarabian again..."
"Wheelchair?" Childe scratched his head.
He had heard of Furina's ancient divine throne.
Thinking about how Furina had just fled while sitting on that throne... well, you had to admit, it did kinda look like one!
"Decarabian? The fallen god of storms?" Focalors was slightly stunned.
As a divine being, her perception was sharp. The moment she saw Venti, she sensed a familiar aura. However, Venti's presence was so faint that she couldn't quite pin down his identity.
Now, hearing the name Decarabian, Focalors suddenly understood.
So this was the legendary Anemo Archon who could be seen anywhere?
"Yeah," Venti replied casually, unbothered that Focalors had figured out his identity.
There was no point hiding it anyway—no need to put on airs and make things awkward.
After all, from the perspective of the Seven Archons, they were all colleagues.
He and Focalors had no conflicts, so there was no reason not to be friendly.
"I don't know much about him," Focalors shook her head.
"A ruler... whose heart was in the right place, but whose methods were wrong, and who didn't understand the people," Venti carefully chose his words.
As the victor, he didn't want to paint Decarabian as some tyrannical monster—there was no need.
But for the people of Mondstadt at the time, Decarabian's self-righteous "protection" was hard to endure.
"Let's not talk about him," Venti waved his hand and changed the subject. "Why did you split yourself into two? It's pretty strange."
"A last resort," Focalors replied, not yet close enough with Venti to reveal the full truth.
"Alright," Venti didn't press further.
Focalors turned to Lu Heng and asked, "After leaving, can I really come back anytime?"
"Why wouldn't you be able to?" Lu Heng looked puzzled. "It's just opening a portal—how hard could that be?"
If he didn't have this teleportation skill, traveling between Liyue Harbor and Fontaine would be a hassle.
But with portals, it was just a matter of thought.
"Just give me a call when you want to come back," Lu Heng raised his phone.
"Okay~" Focalors smiled.
As the divine aspect, her smile seemed gentler and more serene than Furina's.
"When are we setting off?" Venti asked.
"No need to rush. I'd like to take a look around first," Lu Heng said. "It's almost evening—we should have dinner first. How about tomorrow at noon?"
"No objections here," Childe chimed in.
Venti nodded too.
The two of them were more like tag-alongs, so Lu Heng could decide the schedule.
"Then it's settled. Dinner tonight at Hotel Debord, my treat," Lu Heng announced.
"Sounds great!" Venti grinned.
Childe thought for a moment and decided to stay until after dinner before heading back to the Northland Bank to make arrangements.
Lu Heng walked to the shop's entrance and wrote his phone number on the notice board, adding a note:
Priority appraisals for 5-star gold cards. 4-star purple cards, please wait. For bulk appraisals (5+ cards), feel free to call.
Nearby Fontainians quickly jotted down the number.
But this wasn't a number to call lightly—misuse would lead to... unpleasant consequences.
Evening.
Furina was curled up under her blankets, only her face peeking out.
Her phone screen glowed faintly.
Ring...
"Hello?"
"Feeling better? We're at Hotel Debord. Come join us for dinner—bring Neuvillette too."
"Huh? It's already dinnertime?"
"Yeah, we're all waiting for you."
"C-Can I not go...?" Furina whispered, her fingers nervously twisting under the covers.
If she went, she'd definitely be teased, right?
Ugh, why was this so embarrassing?!
"Don't be shy. You're the 'queen'—show some confidence! Come on."
"Okay..."
Furina finally mustered her courage and threw off the blankets.
She hurried downstairs, grabbed Neuvillette, and set off.
When they arrived at Hotel Debord and entered the private room, Furina saw everyone chatting happily.
"Come sit—we've been waiting for you," Lu Heng smiled.
Furina quickly took the empty seat to Lu Heng's right.
She glanced around the table.
The unfamiliar green-cloaked boy seemed to have just finished playing a tune, and Focalors was clapping for him.
Childe was intently feeding a small frog, his expression full of care—clearly, it was important to him.
No one seemed to be mocking her.
Furina let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Now that everyone's here," Lu Heng said, "let's eat while we chat. No point letting the food go cold."
As the meal progressed, the topic turned to Venti being the Anemo Archon.
Neuvillette stared at Venti for a few seconds.
But there was no tension.
After a moment of internal struggle, Neuvillette shook his head.
There was no need for conflict—it would only ruin the mood.
Just After Sunset.
Liyue Harbor was ablaze with lights, though the floating Jade Chamber above remained serene compared to the bustling city below.
The peace of the night was soon broken by the arrival of two figures.
"Fontaine is in chaos."
Yelan, dressed in her signature white-sleeved qipao and leather pants, leaned against the table as she spoke.
"Fontaine is in chaos?"
The Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang, slowly looked up from her paperwork.
Elegant and dignified, her every movement exuded grace.
"Is it their prophecy crisis?"
The prophecy crisis in Fontaine was no secret among the leaders of other nations—though its authenticity remained uncertain.
"No," Yelan shook her head. "Something beyond our imagination is happening there. The balance between nations has been shattered. Power comparable to—or even surpassing—that of the Archons is emerging one after another."
"...Are you joking?"
Ningguang let out a light laugh, but her expression gradually turned serious.
"Lady Ningguang—"
The two looked up as another figure approached.
Ganyu gasped softly. "Yelan's here too."
Yelan crossed her arms and nodded in acknowledgment.
"It's quite late. Is there an urgent matter?" Ningguang asked.
"Yes. A merchant from Yilong Wharf witnessed something extraordinary while doing business in Fontaine. Here's the detailed report."
Ganyu handed her the documents.
"Seems we're talking about the same thing," Yelan remarked.
Ganyu blinked but didn't respond.
The two fell silent as Ningguang's office was filled only with the sound of flipping pages.
After a long while...
"Ganyu, it's not that I distrust you, but the contents of this report are simply unbelievable. Can you confirm its accuracy?" Ningguang asked.
Ganyu straightened. "I can guarantee its truthfulness. If anything, it might even understate the shop's capabilities."
"May I take a look?" Yelan asked.
Ningguang handed her the documents.
After skimming through them, Yelan nodded. "This aligns with the intelligence I've gathered."
Ganyu's information came from a merchant, while Yelan's was from professional intelligence networks.
With both sources corroborating each other, no matter how unbelievable, the truth was undeniable.
"It seems I've been a frog in a well," Ningguang sighed.
Humans struggle to comprehend what lies beyond their understanding.
For over 3,700 years, the people of Liyue had known only the might of Rex Lapis, their Archon, whose power was unrivaled.
But now, a shop had appeared, selling items that could easily surpass the Geo Archon's strength.
How could the people of Liyue believe such a thing?
Yet there was no time to mourn the shattering of their worldview.
The next step was to determine Liyue's position in this new era.
"Summon the Qixing. Emergency meeting!"
--------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 50 chapters in advance on my Patreon : p@treon.com/furinaimpact
Thank you, @ Azure1, for supporting us