At Liyue Harbor's docks, Jiang Yan stood together with Barbatos, feeling the gentle sea breeze carrying a faint salty moisture.
"Jiang Yan, when exactly is that Raiden Shogun you mentioned supposed to arrive?"
Barbatos sat lazily atop a stone pillar at the pier, his face full of boredom.
"What's the rush? We'll probably have to wait a bit longer."
Jiang Yan replied calmly, while Barbatos rested his chin in his hands, occasionally pulling out his flask to take a swig.
After an unknown amount of time, a ship bearing the markings of Inazuma finally appeared on the distant sea.
"They should be here."
Jiang Yan could already see the Guili Fleet escorting the vessel.
After all, not just any ship would warrant the personal escort of a nation's fleet—
and certainly not one from Inazuma.
Before long, under the protection of the Guili Fleet, the Inazuman ship docked at the harbor.
"Jiang Yan!!"
Standing by the railing of the ship, the purple-haired Raiden Makoto waved enthusiastically at Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan smiled and waved back in greeting.
"Immortal Lord, our escort mission is complete. May we return to base?"
At that moment, the captain of the Guili Fleet disembarked and respectfully bowed to Jiang Yan.
"You are cleared to return. Thank you for your hard work!"
Jiang Yan nodded at him.
"Yes!"
The captain saluted once more before returning to the ship.
With a long horn sounding from the Guili, the fleet turned in unison and sailed back toward Guyun Stone Forest.
The upcoming grand parade would be handled by the Tianheng Fleet.
The Qingce Fleet was responsible for patrolling the sea routes.
As for the Guili Fleet, they were stationed at Guyun as the main garrison.
"Jiang Yan!"
Raiden Makoto led Raiden Ei, Kitsune Saiguu, and the others off the ship and toward him.
"It's really been a long time!"
Jiang Yan nodded with a smile and looked at them warmly.
"Yeah, it's been over three years since we last met."
"Hehe, some people, you know, never thought to visit Inazuma again. Someone has been thinking about you every single day…"
Kitsune Saiguu spoke with a light laugh as she stroked the pink fox nestled in her arms.
As soon as those words were spoken, Raiden Makoto's cheeks flushed red, and Raiden Ei's gaze began to drift awkwardly.
"Ahem… my fault, my fault."
Jiang Yan scratched his head, clearly embarrassed.
Then he looked around and asked in confusion,
"Hm? Didn't Chiyo come with you?"
"No. Chiyo stayed behind to guard Inazuma. This time, it's just the few of us."
Raiden Makoto nodded, her eyes fixed steadily on Jiang Yan.
The way she stared made his scalp tingle.
Uh… I didn't do anything wrong, did I?
Jiang Yan wasn't quite sure.
"Jiang Yan, who is that?"
Raiden Ei's sharp gaze locked onto Barbatos, who was still swinging his legs casually atop the stone pillar.
Raiden Makoto followed her gaze, her eyes widening in surprise.
"The Anemo Archon?"
As one of the Seven who had once ascended to Celestia together, Raiden Makoto naturally recognized Barbatos.
"Ehe~ You finally noticed me?"
Barbatos chuckled lightly, smiling at Raiden Ei and Raiden Makoto.
"I was wondering why the victor of the Archon War looked so… gentle. Turns out there's another 'Raiden Shogun' who looks exactly the same…"
His tone was calm—far removed from his usual carefree and unrestrained demeanor.
Raiden Ei narrowed her eyes slightly, a dangerous aura surfacing.
"Oh, give it a rest. You've got the nerve to say that about others?"
Jiang Yan rolled his eyes and shot Barbatos a sarcastic glance.
"Who do you think had the easiest time ascending to godhood, if not you?"
Barbatos laughed sheepishly and leapt down on a gust of wind to Jiang Yan's side.
"Hey now, don't expose my secrets in front of everyone~"
"I'll get embarrassed, you know."
The tense atmosphere instantly dissipated thanks to Jiang Yan's interruption.
"Alright, everyone's here. Let's go."
Jiang Yan pushed Barbatos away in mild disgust—this guy reeked of alcohol.
Seriously, if he wasn't drinking, he was on his way to drink.
At this point, he might as well stop being called the Anemo Archon and become the God of Wine instead.
He then led Barbatos and the Inazuman group toward Yuehai Pavilion.
Along the way, the Inazumans couldn't help but marvel at Liyue's prosperity.
Vendors lined the streets, bustling and lively, with calls of trade rising and falling.
Two children holding pinwheels ran past Jiang Yan and the others, their laughter drawing smiles from everyone present.
Liyue's commerce was flourishing—merchants from all seven nations came here to purchase, supply, and sell goods.
As a result, even with Barbatos and Raiden Makoto wearing foreign attire, their presence on the streets caused no alarm among the people.
As for Jiang Yan, he wore only a plain dark-cyan robe, looking utterly ordinary.
However, he never bothered to hide his appearance.
That iconic silver hair and pointed ears quickly drew the attention of passersby.
In Liyue Harbor, if you saw a handsome silver-haired man with pointed ears, there was no need to guess—
it had to be their Grand Steward of Liyue, Immortal Lord Jiang Yan.
"Immortal Lord, weren't there supposed to be important guests today? Are you done with your work already?"
"Immortal Lord, come try our Sunset Fruit! Brand-new variety—super sweet!"
"Immortal Lord, are you free later? If you are, come eat with us!"
The people of Liyue were deeply familiar with Jiang Yan.
Because of his easygoing nature, he often wandered the streets casually.
Sometimes he'd even buy a bowl of noodles from a street stall, sit on a small bench, and slurp them down while watching the bustling crowds.
As a result, the citizens of Liyue felt incredibly close to their Grand Steward.
Because their Immortal Lord truly cared for them.
Sometimes, when someone casually complained about an issue to Jiang Yan, the problem would be effectively resolved the very next day.
For such a down-to-earth Immortal Lord—one who always thought of the people—the citizens' love and respect came naturally.
"Hahaha, maybe after these next couple of days."
"Old Li, I don't believe your Sunset Fruits anymore. Last time they nearly soured my teeth."
"You all get back to your work, don't worry about me. I'm just taking a stroll."
Jiang Yan laughed as he greeted the people around him.
Meanwhile, Raiden Makoto, Kitsune Saiguu, and the others watched Jiang Yan's interactions with curiosity.
To be honest, this kind of scene was nearly impossible in Inazuma.
Whenever Raiden Makoto appeared on the streets of Inazuma City, the people would respectfully step aside.
Sometimes, even if she wanted to buy something, the merchants wouldn't dare accept payment.
But here in Liyue, the way Jiang Yan interacted with the people was truly eye-opening for Raiden Makoto and the others.
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