Cloud Retainer looked at Shenhe. "Shenhe, a few years ago, I watched you sneak down the mountain and quietly return."
"This time, coming to Liyue Harbor, has your state of mind changed?"
"Yes, though I can't quite explain it..." Shenhe glanced at Lumine and Paimon. "But it's happier than I imagined."
Lumine nodded knowingly. After spending so many days together and fighting side by side,
their friendship had clearly deepened significantly.
[Laughing my head off—Shenhe sneaking down the mountain didn't fool anyone.]
[Look at True Lord and Mu Yang's expressions—it's like watching their daughter grow up.]
[Absurd! Mu Yang's my treasure; he's not some old dad!]
[Well... it's not impossible?]
"Good. Traveler, this child Shenhe is fated to be with you. I hope you get along well."
"Speaking of which, this Immortal recalls many amusing stories from her childhood..." (Here, there should be two emotes: pointing to the sky, yellow-bean glasses.)
Shenhe and Ganyu's faces changed at her words.
Here goes True Lord again.
But Shenhe wasn't as soft as Ganyu. "That won't be necessary."
The Great Immortal Bird was rebuffed and turned to Ganyu.
Ganyu quickly waved her hands.
[Honest Truthseeker going full chat mode!]
[Ganyu's so scared, lol!]
[If you want chatter, you've gotta look at that woman.]
True Lord turned her head. "Hmph, both of you acting like this."
"If you don't want to hear, fine. This Immortal won't speak then. I'm leaving."
Despite her pique, True Lord didn't forget Mu Yang, offering to escort him back to Chenyu Vale.
Mu Yang declined, saying he wanted to settle things before leaving.
Cloud Retainer left first.
Ningguang stepped in to wrap things up. "Rest well for now. Once your fatigue is gone, come back to the Jade Chamber."
At Liyue Harbor, Chihu Rock.
[Three Bowls Won't Cross the Harbor] was bustling with noise. Ever since the new owner took over,
the tavern's business had been booming!
The wine was good and cheap, and the storytelling was fresh every day, absolutely captivating.
The second floor was just as lively, hosting rock enthusiasts, so it ran late.
Xinyan, the resident singer, performed passionately on stage with fiery effects, the atmosphere electric.
In stark contrast, the third floor was quiet and subdued.
A few people sat together, Paimon unusually silent.
Mu Yang spoke up, and after getting Shenhe's consent, he entrusted the second floor's management to her.
Then he turned to Lumine with a request.
He asked her to look after Shenhe and help her adjust to her new role.
Lumine didn't agree immediately.
"I can, but can't you give us a hint about where you're going?"
"We're really worried about you..."
Shenhe nodded along—she, too, wanted to know what her Master was up to.
Mu Yang knew that this year, he couldn't brush off Lumine without saying something.
"It's an agreement."
"An agreement?"
"You should know that during the Lantern Rite, demons and evil spirits become unusually active."
Paimon nodded. "Zhongli told us about that."
Mu Yang continued, "Chenyu Vale no longer has as many Adepti to protect it, but I will honor the agreement..."
"...to guard that place."
[You're an agreement superhero too?]
[What a pity for those gone...]
[Ask why there aren't other Adepti anymore—did they kick the bucket?]
[You little—someone, fork him out!]
Lumine, sharp as ever, caught the shift in Mu Yang's tone.
Chenyu Vale must have faced a major upheaval.
It made sense—look at what happened to Changsheng.
"But in your current state, can you even fight?" Understanding was one thing, but Lumine was still worried.
Mu Yang reassured her not to worry. The reason he was like this
was because he had already diverted his power to protect Chenyu Vale.
Once he returned and merged with it, he'd be back to normal.
Staying in Liyue Harbor would only slow things down.
That's why Cloud Retainer wanted to take him back sooner.
With Mu Yang explaining this far, Lumine and Shenhe had little left to say, urging him to return to Chenyu Vale and rest.
In truth, they'd already come to terms with it.
Who was Mu Yang? His combat prowess didn't need their concern.
Besides, knowledgeable figures like Zhongli and Cloud Retainer weren't worried, which showed their trust in Mu Yang.
Zhongli even mentioned it involved some secret, so until Mu Yang spoke up, Lumine wouldn't pry further.
The matter was settled.
A few days later,
on the Jade Chamber,
Ningguang had prepared a banquet, waiting for everyone to be seated.
She announced, "You are all my honored guests. Today, come and enjoy yourselves to the fullest."
"For guests who don't drink, please use beverages instead. Fine wine is delightful, but it's not the only thing that intoxicates. I believe the scenery from the Jade Chamber can also captivate your hearts."
After Ningguang's speech, the guests buzzed with excitement, as Yun Jin was set to perform today.
Paimon, clutching a chicken leg, said, "Look, Yun Jin's taking the stage!"
Lumine and Shenhe set down their chopsticks, ready to fully appreciate the performance.
Though it was a pity Mu Yang couldn't see the premiere, they could tell him about it.
Yun Jin turned her back to the audience on stage.
The players hadn't yet realized what was coming...
"How—marvelous—"
Her singing began, the Divine Damsel turned, and the entire audience was stunned.
"The autumn goose, once broken, struggles to pair again; the fool's obsession breeds resentment and madness."
"All because the evil beast's sacrifice brought calamity; were it not for the heroine's drawn sword, all would have perished."
The fool summoned a demon god, and all were terrified.
Had the Divine Damsel not appeared, everyone would have paid with their lives.
"Mortal bonds vague, Adeptal fate vast; family ties scatter, the crimson palace beckons."
"Red silk binds the soul of the decayed woodcutter; snow and mud leave distant traces."
"The crane returns, but the old watchtower is gone; spider webs vainly weave soul banners, cause and effect lost in the fleeting mortal dust."
The opera sang of the Divine Damsel, but the visuals told Shenhe's story.
Rescued by an immortal crane, she became an Adeptus' disciple.
Adeptal arts, red ropes binding her soul.
When she revisited her homeland, everything had changed...
"The Divine Damsel of Devastation should end here."
"But today, I add one more verse, to sing—for you all—to hear."
"A lofty song may not go unrecognized; there are always those who appreciate and join in clear verse. The red tassel hunts, the sword flows like a meteor, striking the raging tide to cleanse the sea."
In the visuals, the Divine Damsel and her allies defeated the enemy together.
"Back then, when the crane returned, the vast world offered no refuge, and she left alone."
"Today, reunited, new friends and old fill the hall, gathered in this moment."
As the song ended, the Jade Chamber was set ablaze with excitement, everyone raising their glasses to the moment.
Players hearing it for the first time were moved to tears, calling it incredible...
Two days later, the officials released an animated version of The Divine Damsel of Devastation.
They also dropped a short video, just tens of seconds long, titled The Oath of the Sunken Blade.
The video was strange—no extravagant music or elaborate sets.
In a blizzard, Mu Yang walked alone along a mountain path.
His right hand, contrary to what he said, hadn't recovered upon returning to Chenyu Vale.
His sleeve remained empty.
The snow on the path reached past his ankles, but he pressed on heedlessly.
He kept walking, walking.
Despite the frost hitting his face, he didn't stop.
He finally reached the mountaintop, arriving before an icy lake.
A demon, as if waiting for ages, transformed into a strange shadow, seemingly ready to swallow Mu Yang whole.
Mu Yang drew his sword with his left hand, slashing the shadow.
After the sword's light faded, only the howling wind remained on the mountaintop.
Mu Yang sat cross-legged, cradling [Withering Glory: Snow Burial Over a Thousand Peaks] with his left arm, slowly closing his eyes in the snowstorm...
— — — — — —
The Divine Damsel of Devastation was written casually. Next, we'll explore Inazuma and Sumeru, then head to the Chasm. Writing strictly by the original isn't fun.)