Citra Lili was a legendary priestess of the tribe.
Her daily duties included conversing with Great Spirits.
For her, calming a Great Spirit Manifestation was child's play.
Within seconds, the hostile Manifestation had cooled down.
"You brat! Look what you did — you frightened a Great Spirit Manifestation!"
Citra Lili spun to Liang Chuan, scolding.
"I frightened it? I didn't do anything…
As soon as I landed it attacked me!" Liang Chuan spread his hands, playing innocent.
"Besides, wild monsters attacking people is normal out here, isn't it?"
"A wild monster?" Citra Lili's eyes snapped.
She jabbed a finger at him. "You call a Great Spirit a wild monster?!"
She planted both hands on her hips and sighed. Then, seeing he was an outsider, she softened.
"Fine. You're a traveler from elsewhere, so I won't scold you too hard. But I'll teach you properly: what a Great Spirit is, and what a Great Spirit Manifestation means."
Citra Lili launched into a short lecture. Liang Chuan listened and gradually understood.
Great Spirits were the honored names of Natlan's people — after death, they linger in a spiritual state.
A Great Spirit had no fixed form but could attach to anything.
A Great Spirit Manifestation was a special kind of possession: a Great Spirit borrowing a totem's power to take shape.
If Liang Chuan summed it up bluntly in his head: Great Spirits are the ghosts of Natlan people, and the Manifestations are advanced forms of those ghosts after possession. He kept that thought to himself — Citra Lili would have scolded him for speaking like that.
"You… you must be a traveler from Liyue, right?
Did you come to Misty Canyon for trade?" Citra Lili asked.
Liang Chuan hesitated. How should he answer?
Pulled here by a gacha, life nearly drained away — that wasn't a reply he could give.
His current purpose was simple: get stronger as fast as possible to survive the coming Natlan war or worse conflicts.
At minimum, he did not want to be one-shotted by whatever major AOE war might sweep the land.
"Is that a difficult question?" Citra Lili asked when he fell silent. She waved a hand. "If you don't want to answer, that's fine. Come — let me see you properly."
Liang Chuan nearly objected — but then he felt a cool, tingling touch. Citra Lili had taken his hand and closed her eyes to read him. Her brow furrowed.
"A traveler from another world… your past is shrouded in mist.
This is the first time I've ever been unable to perceive a visitor's past.
But I can sense your honest heart: you mean well toward this world.
So long as your safety isn't at stake, you're even willing to pay a price to protect it."
Liang Chuan exhaled. No wonder she was called the tribe's high priestess — a single touch and she could read a person's nature.
As for why she couldn't see his past: he knew the culprit — his system.
"Since you're not evil, I should return hospitality. Come with me to the tribe. Don't go wandering and accidentally anger another Great Spirit." Citra Lili guided him onto her summoned pillow-mount, Citra-Lin, which resembled a giant cushion and shared a name with her.
She had two summon familiars: the big cushion mount Citra-Lin and a small doll called Izpapa.
As they floated toward the Misty Canyon tribe, Citra Lili pulled out a book — Tales of the Mirage — and began reading with delight.
"You read novels?" Liang Chuan peeked at the cover.
"What, a priestess of Obsidian can't have hobbies? I might get drunk and forget the time reading a book — but my work won't be harmed!" she snapped sweetly. Liang Chuan wiped his forehead at her bratty charm.
Suddenly she noticed the little drake that had been trailing them. "What's that little one's relation to you? Why's it following us?"
Liang Chuan panicked internally. If the tribe learned he'd collar-tamed a Myncis Drake, they might think ill of him. He signaled for a pause and removed the Control Collar from the drake's neck, freeing it.
But the drake didn't leave. On Liang Chuan's follower panel its loyalty did not drop. It simply stayed.
"Looks like it likes you — let it follow," Citra Lili suggested. Liang Chuan was oddly relieved. So collars could be removed once loyalty was high — a useful trick.
They arrived at the Misty Canyon tribe. Citra Lili first escorted Liang Chuan to meet the tribe leader, Biran.
"Welcome to the domain of Misty Canyon. I am the tribe leader, Biran. Visitors usually come seeking answers, but I prefer they think carefully before asking… To seek secrets and reveal prophecies — omens exist, but not everything must be told…" Biran introduced himself, pausing to add a handful of florid phrases. Liang Chuan squinted — were all Misty Canyon people part-time soothsayers? And that height… he'd make a decent basketball player.
When the ceremony of words ended, Liang Chuan plucked up courage. He had a question.
"Leader Biran, I'd like to ask where in Misty Canyon would be suitable to build a home."
"Build a home?" Biran blinked, genuinely surprised. "What do you mean by 'build a home'?"
"Literally," Liang Chuan replied. "I need a place to set up a base. Somewhere with few monsters nearby, access to water, and preferably land good for planting."
Biran's expression changed. Building a settlement in Natlan triggered memories. "You want to build in Natlan proper?" he asked, turning his gaze toward Citra Lili. "We've had challenges before. The last ones who tried to establish a base here were —"
"Don't worry," Citra Lili interrupted. "He's fine. I've seen him."
Biran nodded to Citra Lili. "If she says so, I'll let her take him. Citra Lili — show him."
Citra Lili pouted. "Me? I don't know where's best for him!"
"Then ask Oloren," Biran suggested. "He lives alone in the wild and tends plants and beasts. He's gifted with cultivating land and rearing spirit-honey insects. There's no one in our tribe more suited to advising where to build."
Citra Lili brightened and led Liang Chuan away.
If he was going to make a home in this land, Oloren was exactly the kind of hermit to consult.
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