Just as the Raiden Shogun read the storyteller's tale and prepared to depart for Liyue…
At that moment, in Liyue Harbor at Wangshu Inn…
It was already the second day.
Like the day before, even before Li Mo had appeared, Wangshu Inn was already packed to capacity.
Some held cups of tea, others cradled bird cages, all waiting for the storyteller to appear and continue the tale of Inazuma's Raiden Shogun.
Keqing, her hand resting on her sword, suddenly turned and spotted a familiar figure.
"That lazy fellow came to listen too? He certainly knows how to enjoy himself."
Shenhe looked puzzled. "That fellow?"
Keqing raised her slender hand and pointed toward another corner of the inn.
"That new consultant from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"A lazy man—all he does is drink tea and stroll with his birds… never lifts a finger to work."
"Last time, during Lord Rex Lapis's funeral, he even tried to sit at the children's table."
Shenhe blinked. "Oh… something like that actually happened?"
Keqing said irritably, "Why would I lie to you? I really don't understand how he hasn't starved to death."
Shenhe replied calmly, "Perhaps it's because Hu Tao is kind-hearted and took him in as a consultant."
At the mention of Hu Tao, Qiqi grew visibly flustered. "That Hu Tao is not kind-hearted at all. She chases me with her shovel every day."
"If I weren't so fast, she would have buried me long ago…"
Come to think of it, Qiqi hadn't seen Hu Tao around for the past couple of days.
As she spoke, Qiqi quickly stood up and began doing her childish stretching exercises.
"One, two, Qiqi… two, two, Qiqi…"
"Stretch…"
"Make body soft…"
Only by keeping her cold body flexible could she move like a normal person and better evade that Hu Tao's relentless pursuit.
Meanwhile, atop the elevated stage, after a round of applause, Li Mo—the storyteller the audience had been eagerly awaiting—finally reappeared.
He paused for a moment, then continued the tale of the Electro Archon in his slightly magnetic voice:
"Last time, we spoke of Inazuma, a land overrun with gods and demons, consumed by endless war."
"The boy who had become the Thunder Demon, in order to save the severely burned Electro Archon sisters, challenged the great Tengu chieftain and emerged victorious."
"But after defeating the Tengu chieftain, the boy himself was grievously wounded, his strength all but spent."
"He endured the searing pain in his body."
"Clutching the Feather of the Divine in his hand, he pressed forward step by step… each stride sent stabbing agony through him, drenching him in cold sweat."
"Beyond the Tengu clan's territory, countless gods watched the wounded Thunder Demon boy intently. The moment he fell, a horde of them would swarm in to tear him apart and devour him."
"The boy endured the pain… using the last remnants of his elemental power, he pressed on, one step at a time."
"Two hours…"
"One hour…"
"Thirty minutes…"
"Dawn was approaching… the first rays of sunlight were about to illuminate this war-torn land."
"Dragging his broken body, the boy ran as he counted the minutes. Blood spilling from his lips, he muttered over and over: 'I'll make it… I have to make it…'"
"'Baal—'"
"'Beelzebul—'"
"'Wait for me…'"
"When the first rays of sunlight finally touched the land, the boy made it back to the woman's village."
"The door opened…"
"With the last of his strength, the boy held out the sacred Feather of the Divine to the woman."
"'The Feather…'"
"'Save them…'"
"Before he could finish, the boy collapsed from exhaustion, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud."
"He had fallen unconscious."
...
Having told this much, Li Mo let out a deep, relieved breath.
Over the long course of ninety-nine lifetimes, he had experienced far too many sorrowful stories.
He had never shared them with anyone—they had all been buried deep within his heart, weighing him down until he could barely breathe.
Now, telling these stories to the people of Liyue had lifted some of that burden from his shoulders.
After catching his breath, Li Mo continued.
As he spoke, powerful Electro energy gathered once more above the inn, forming images of ancient Inazuma.
In the images…
The moment the boy handed the Feather of the Divine to the woman, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
No one knew how much time passed.
In the darkness, streams of black Electro energy flowed, slowly healing the boy's wounds.
He wanted to open his eyes.
He wanted to know whether Baal and Beelzebul—the two infants—had been saved.
But no matter how hard he tried, he could not see the world again.
Days passed like this.
Finally… he awoke.
The woman, seeing him conscious again, looked at him in astonishment.
"You're finally awake…"
"You're incredibly lucky. Your injuries were so severe, even I could do nothing… and yet you healed on your own."
The boy slowly regained consciousness, forcing his eyes open. His voice was urgent. "How are they?"
The woman smiled. "You made it just in time…"
"The Feather you brought back saved them."
She gestured toward a small bed nearby.
Lying side by side upon it were two sleeping infants, their faces utterly adorable.
They were Baal the elder sister, and Beelzebul the younger.
Their skin, once charred black, had become fair and smooth as snow, restored by the sacred Feather.
Just then, as if sensing the boy's gaze, both infants opened their eyes and looked at him.
Under his astonished stare, they both let out small, childish voices:
"Big… big brother…"
"Want… hug…"
Tears welled up in the boy's eyes.
In that moment, he felt that everything he had endured was worth it.
Witnessing this touching scene, the woman's face also broke into a warm smile.
"Truly two clever little ones…"
"In just a few days, they've already learned to speak."
...
At Wangshu Inn, Li Mo told his story on stage while the audience listened below.
Through the images formed by Electro energy above the inn, they could clearly see everything that had happened in Inazuma back then.
When they saw the two infants learn to speak and reach out to the boy for a hug, they could not hold back their tears.
"This storyteller is something else…"
"Thank goodness… whether or not Baal and Beelzebul in the story are the real Electro Archons, I hope they can live peacefully."
"The storyteller already said this is the story of the Electro Archon. Why are you still doubting it?"
"This doesn't add up. Why haven't Baal and Beelzebul gained Electro powers yet? Aren't they the Electro Archons?"
"I have a bad feeling… there's probably tragedy ahead…"
As Li Mo paused to sip his tea, the audience began discussing what might happen next.
Many felt something was off.
If this was the story of the Electro Archon, why was it constantly focused on the Thunder Demon boy?
And how did the Raiden sisters become so powerful? How did they gain their strength?
On the elevated stage, Li Mo set down his teacup and composed himself.
He continued recounting the story of that lifetime in a measured tone:
"Though the boy had gained the terrifying power to become the Thunder Demon…"
"Ever since his battle with the great Tengu, his life force had been severely depleted. The black Electro power had vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, never manifesting again."
"To protect the two infant girls and raise them as the future hope of Inazuma, the boy chose to live in seclusion in a mountain village…"
"As the two girls grew, they displayed astonishing talent."
"Baal, the elder sister, excelled at mastering all kinds of theoretical knowledge…"
"Beelzebul, the younger sister, devoted herself to the pursuit of ultimate swordsmanship…"
...