Ying and Paimon's gear was all fifth-tier.
With two fifth-tier healers tending to him, the weakness and fatigue weighing on Morax quickly dissipated by more than half.
While joy filled the air over this reunion after resurrection, the entire world quietly began to ripple with violent tremors.
Fontaine Court.
Since the last time she came here to see the new astrological instruments and ended up encountering the cards, Mona had stayed in Fontaine.
She had long realized just how important Morax was.
So she lodged at Chief Editor Oeuf's home—studying while also writing.
Under Oeuf's guidance, Mona even opened a personal account online. Her follower count had already reached over half a million, many of them genuinely interested in astrology, while others followed out of curiosity.
Today, Mona was as usual engrossed in her astrological research.
Every movement and step she took, she explained to her livestream viewers as if giving a class.
But as she was about to demonstrate the next step, Mona's expression suddenly changed.
"Why is this happening?!" she exclaimed in shock.
Astrology was a mysterious art.
To outsiders, it was little different from fortune-telling—something vague, mystical.
But for a seasoned astrologist like Mona, who proudly called herself "the great astrologist," the world itself was laid bare before her eyes, its threads of fate easily discernible.
And in that very moment—
While ordinary people sensed nothing—Mona saw the world shift.
A normally stable, smoothly running world was like a well-functioning program.
And right now—that program had just thrown an error. It even lagged for an instant!
That was absolutely abnormal.
"Something's happened!" Mona's face grew solemn.
'I noticed too, but my astrology isn't that strong—I can't tell what it was.'
'Yeah, same here. Streamer, you're the technical expert—did you figure it out?'
Mona didn't reply. Instead, she began casting her most reliable water divination.
But before the reading could complete, the astrological disk shattered.
Mona stared in disbelief, scratching her head. "Looks like something really big is coming…"
'Stupid pig, you still don't get it?'
"Who said that?!" Mona scowled.
Everyone online knew her as the great astrologist, a true expert.
And yet someone dared to call her stupid?
'Careful! If Mona catches you, you're finished!'
'Watch your words! Everyone in this stream practices astrology—you don't want to get shamed!'
'Hah! I am the thrice-great astrologist!'
Thrice-great?
Mona's lips twitched. "Old hag? You actually learned how to keep up with the times?"
'What, you expect me to rot away in some forgotten corner like a primitive?'
The chat instantly boiled over.
'Good grief… that's Granny's teacher, isn't it? Respect, respect!'
'Wow, a real master showed up—sorry for the disrespect!'
'So, great master, what exactly happened? A lot of us felt something strange.'
'Simple. The world's fate just underwent a massive upheaval. You'll probably see news about it soon. Look it up yourself.'
Mona immediately pulled her laptop closer, frantically refreshing the page.
Half a minute later, a headline appeared before her:
"Liyue's strongest Yaksha, Bosacius, has been resurrected today by the Geo Archon using a card skill!"
"???"
Mona froze in shock, then realization hit her like lightning.
"Someone who's been dead for five hundred years has come back?! No wonder the world itself shuddered like that!"
'Wait, that's actually possible?!'
'I know cards are powerful, but nobody ever said they could do this! Bosacius has been dead for five centuries! And he's just… alive again?!'
'If someone who's been gone five hundred years can return… doesn't that mean ancient archons could be resurrected too?'
The realization spread like wildfire.
If the world was a framework—like a program—then it made sense why such a violent ripple had occurred.
This was like a computer suddenly running a process it had long ago declared dead. And not only did it run—it ran smoothly! Even a mindless machine would freeze for a second, reloading everything to accommodate the sudden process.
A normal person resurrecting wouldn't cause this.
But Bosacius wasn't ordinary. He was a Yaksha—one of the strongest under the Archon—and he'd been dead for five centuries!
Stack all of that together, and no wonder the world lagged.
"I see now!" Mona finally understood. She frowned and asked, "Old hag, if higher beings were resurrected… would the world collapse?"
The chat went silent.
The resurrection of a Yaksha after five hundred years was already absurd beyond belief. The idea of reviving beings of an even higher order was enough to make everyone's hearts tighten.
'Not that far. Teyvat is far more stable than you imagine. Even reviving an ancient god wouldn't make the world collapse. Besides, there are plenty of powerful card-wielders now—do you think they'd attempt something like that without preparation? Don't worry yourselves sick over it.'
"…Right…"
Mona couldn't shake the feeling that the old hag was mocking her for being weak, even as she worried about heaven and earth.
Weak? Sure. But what, was she eating your rice? Well… actually, she was.
Mona sighed, finally giving up. "Forget it. These are things small fry like us can't control. Let's get back to astrology."
'Child, do you even understand what you're saying? I've listened for half an hour now, and it's all nonsense. Better off compiling your notes and letting an AI read them out loud.'
She's mocking me! She's mocking me!!
But Mona had no way to refute it.
In their field, authority truly belonged to whoever had the greatest skill. And Mona… still fell short of her elder.
Inazuma, Grand Narukami Shrine.
Moonlight bathed the shrine in silver.
Lu Heng sipped his tea, watching Ying's stream as he idly chatted with Yae Miko.
"How do my legs look?" Yae suddenly asked with a mischievous smile.
"?"
The question threw Lu Heng off for a second.
"You've looked at me twenty-one times. Eighteen of those, you found I wasn't looking back, so you shifted your gaze to my legs. So, do you find them pleasing?" Yae tilted her head, eyes glittering.
Lu Heng muttered, "…Auto-aim was left on."
His ancestor once said: if you lock eyes with a girl and she looks away, that's the moment you can glance at her legs.
And Yae's legs were exactly his type.
"Click."
Yae made a faint sound, half amusement, half something else.
Lu Heng suddenly felt awkward—looking felt wrong, not looking felt worse.
But calming himself, he thought it through.
Yae Miko wasn't simple. She was cunning, her mind sharp as a blade. Playing tricks against her was futile without some kind of cyber-fortune-telling.
But Lu Heng kept his composure.
"People naturally seek beauty. I'm no exception," he said seriously. "Anything beautiful deserves to be admired."
Yae's smile widened. She had thought him a shy, innocent boy, but now she realized his heart was as open as his words—youthful, but not timid.
"You're honest, at least. Then… look all you want."
She chuckled, placing her legs casually atop the low table.
Lu Heng silently praised her generosity in his heart. Truly, a living bodhisattva.
"Unfortunately…" Lu Heng stood, shaking his head, "it's getting late. I need to go."
"Didn't I say a room here was reserved for you? Staying at Narukami Shrine is an honor—those who live here are shrine maidens, after all." Yae blinked teasingly.
"I'm not joking." Lu Heng smiled faintly. "I'm leaving."
Before she could say more, he vanished.
"…Hmph." Yae sighed, shaking her head.
But she didn't dwell on it. His words lingered in her heart.
Opening her phone, Yae resumed her research on legendary quests.
Lu Heng returned to the Liyue branch.
It was just after eight. Shenhe sat inside, quietly eating. She looked up and greeted, "Good evening."
Lu Heng approached and blinked in surprise. "Just two plates of vegetables?"
"It's enough," Shenhe nodded.
"Don't be polite with me. Cloud Retainer gave me millions in living expenses. If you eat so poorly, she'll blame me." He chuckled.
"She won't," Shenhe said calmly. "The herbs I usually eat are far too expensive. I decided to start with vegetables instead."
She wasn't like Ganyu. She could eat meat, but after so long without it, she wasn't used to the taste.
Lu Heng considered. Shenhe was an adult and hardly foolish. She wouldn't starve herself. Relieved, he said, "All right then. Eat up, and rest early."
"Mm." Shenhe nodded, then added, "Focalors bought me clothes."
"…What?"
He knew Furina had taken her to Fontaine, but Focalors buying her clothes?
"I want to show you."
Lu Heng immediately grew wary. Shenhe was untainted, unworldly. If Focalors had led her astray, it'd be troublesome.
"What kind of clothes?"
"Focalors told me… if you asked, I should just say they're normal clothes."
"…What?"
She even predicted he'd ask?
"Finish eating first," he sighed.
When she was done, Shenhe led him upstairs.
"Wait here." She slipped inside to change.
A moment later, she stepped out.
A white short-sleeved top—short enough to reveal her waist.
A pair of women's sport shorts.
Lu Heng exhaled in relief. At least Focalors hadn't put her in anything outrageous.
"Though… it feels a bit short," Shenhe tugged at the hem.
The motion only emphasized her figure, making Lu Heng pause. For someone raised on herbs and a near-vegetarian life, how had she grown like this? Innate talent?
"Does it look strange?" Shenhe asked, tilting her head.
"No," Lu Heng shook his head. "Just wear it at home."
"Focalors said the same." Shenhe nodded.
"What else did she teach you?"
"She taught me things about men and women—like not exposing myself. Then she asked what I thought."
"And you said?"
"I said I'd only wear these clothes for you. She seemed very happy. Why?"
"Because she was thinking of me." Lu Heng grinned. "Focalors is wonderful."
"Is that so…" Shenhe murmured, then asked softly, "Are you happy?"
"…What?"
She fiddled with her phone, inputting her feelings and conditions, then played it aloud: "I mean, if it makes you happy, I'll wear these clothes for you."
"That's what I meant," Shenhe nodded.
"I'm happy," Lu Heng assured her. "Very happy. You're beautiful—it's a joy to see."
Her lips curved faintly, like pixels rising on an expressionless screen.
She, too, felt content.
Focalors had shown her stranger outfits, but those she dared not wear—unless Lu Heng wished it.
"Time's late. Rest well," he said at last, reluctantly turning away.
"Good night," Shenhe answered.
After she returned to her room, Lu Heng stepped into his pocket world, walking quickly to the house.
Inside, Focalors sipped milk tea. She looked up at his bright expression. "What's got you so happy?"
Lu Heng glanced at her, inhaled deeply, then raised his hand.
"Loyalty!"
Focalors blinked, then smiled slyly. "…Ohhh. I see."
"Feel good?" she teased.
"Absolutely." Lu Heng nodded firmly.
"Then I want a reward."
Her eyes sparkled with charm.
"No problem!" he replied without hesitation.
"Then come here~"
Inazuma, Grand Narukami Shrine.
Yae Miko hadn't gone to bed. Instead, she delved into Raiden Ei's legendary quest.
But after finishing the first act, her brows knit.
In the story, Ei secluded herself in meditation. Yet Inazuma remained plagued by unstable lightning storms.
With Ei's strength, how could such a thing be?
"Could her wounds be too severe?"
But judging by the quest's depiction, Ei looked fine.
Yae skimmed through swiftly. The first act wasn't much—just the traveler entering the city and mediating between the Kujou and Hiiragi clans.
In the story, punishment was delayed for fear of leaving the Tenryou Commission leaderless.
But in reality… things were far different.
As Yae began the second act, lights burned bright before Tenshukaku.
The ground had been rinsed with fresh water, but the metallic tang of blood still hung in the air.
And now—
Another group of captives was dragged forward.
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T/N:
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