With a new day, came new struggles... By that, I meant that I was struggling to keep my sanity as five women and in Ei, Shenhe, Eula, Lumine, and Paimon hoarded our houses two bathrooms...
Fucking Paimon and Ei weren't even human! Ei was a puppet and didn't even poop!
At least I think that's how it works. But even then Ei was a woman and you could never know.
But once everyone got their lives back together I looked around at our assembled party and spoke. "Well, I need to take Shenhe back to meet her Master. But our party is... Already a bit too large for surprise guests to just appear on Cloud Retainer's mountain top."
I looked at Ei and Eula and said. "Would you two mind staying here for just a few hours before we return?"
Eula pouted slightly before nodding in agreement knowing I was obviously going to pamper her when I got back. And Ei looked downright mutinous before sighing and saying with reluctance.
"Very well, I will remain here but I request that you do not look for trouble," Ei said firmly, while giving me a scary look that made my lips twitch as I knew she didn't want me to accidentally get killed.
"I will be careful." I replied honestly before looking to Lumine and Paimon before I said. "Alright, lets get going."
From there, we went into the back yard where I summoned my Anemo Hypostasis with the four of us in Lumine, Paimon, Shenhe jumping onto the wind barrier the summon created before we flew off into the air.
"So, how did the mission to deal with Beisht go?" Lumine asked with a wry smile coming across her face as she added. "Well... Obviously, she died, so it went poorly but how did it go?"
Shenhe threw me a look with my lips twitching as I was reminded of being fed magical puffer fish that fucked up our organs and nearly killed us. Then, I had a lovely time playing patty cake with Shenhe's ass as we worked together to break down Beisht's divine serpent body for materials.
Good times...
"The goddess Beisht was clearly mad because she had lived under the gaze of Celestia for so many years and faced the Erosion of her soul and mind... Just like how Azhdaha was driven utterly mad by Celestia's erosion of immortal souls." Shenhe spoke before giving me a look before she added.
"We approached with honest intentions to check with her. To make sure their were no blades in the dark approaching Liyue Harbor, and Beisht invited us into her home under guest rights where she offered us a poisoned meal."
Shenhe took a breath so I took over. "After dealing with the poisoned meal, Shenhe and I fought Beisht in a rather big battle... And then we traveled around Liyue a bit before we went to Inazuma so I could begin my training under the Raiden Shogun."
Paimon carefully flew around in Lumine's arms as we were flying at speeds and she piped up. "What Paimon is suuuuppper curious about. Is how you have the Raiden Shogun's divine sister or whats it with you!?"
My lips twitched before I spoke frankly. "The Raiden Shogun wasn't the first Electro Archon, Raiden Makoto was. Ei just gave up her physical body so her sister could ascend as the first Electro Archon during the Archon wars."
I took a breath and then continued. "Basically, during the fall of Khanreiah... And whatever bullshit that happened there with the abyss. Raiden Makoto, Ei's sister left a sizable chunk of her soul bound to a sakura tree in Inazuma and seeing as me and you have part of Ei's electro authority from touching the statues. I was able to awaken her."
"After awakening her, I dragged her soul chunk into my own soul so my aura and semblance could begin healing her soul. Basically the same situation as Guizhong honestly." I finished with a shrug.
Paimon and Lumine shared a look. And I heard Guizhong pipe up from within my soul. "Oh by the way Jake, could you get us some board games or something in here?"
My lips twitched as I snarked back. "How the hell am I supposed to do that? I can't exactly just kill a board game for my semblance to take it in?"
There was a moment of mental silence before Guizong's voice came back heavily amused. "Yeah you could, just have a monster haunt the board game before you kill it."
I wanted to facepalm at hearing Guizhong's nonsense but I couldn't exactly deny it honestly... After all the abyssal-tainted khanriahn mechs and stuff I killed, I could also summon to great effect.
As not even a Harbinger could ignore being stomped on by a Ruin-Grader
But regardless I refocused as I realized that we were entering the mountains of Jueyan Karst and I hummed as Shenhe pointed me the way to Cloud Retainer's mountain workshop and dimensional pocket so she could hide away from Celestia's sight and Erosion.
The winds became more powerful as we approached the mountain with myself idly noting how my summon was being guided to fly towards the large pond that was at the peak of the mountain.
Where I could see the human form of Cloud Retainer was already waiting for us seemingly drinking from a cup of tea.
"Wait... Is that Cloud Retainer?" Paimon asked as she seemingly remembered how Zhongli had his human form, and likewise had his draconic adepti form.
Cloud Retainer raised an imperious eyebrow as we landed and as Shenhe approached she spoke regally. "Indeed, One is the Cloud Retainer you have had dealings in past events. One is merely enjoying some tea in One's own human form as it is far easier to drink then in this One's natural enlightened aspect form."
Lumine took back my hand into her own as we followed up behind Shenhe, and then I froze and mentally screamed as Shenhe spoke in her typical calm voice. "Master I bring important news."
Cloud Retainer paused in going for another drink before she spoke calmly. "Tell One's her disciples troubles. This one has lived many a year and faced countless crises and was undefeated."
Shenhe tilted her head to the side and then said plainly and all too damned calmly. "Master, I am pregnant."
I remained stock still as I felt Lumine's hand squeeze with crushing weight with her surprise with my fingers popped as Paimon literally fell out of the air and hit the ground with her not even making a noise and just hurriedly looking between me and Shenhe in an endless loop.
The best part... Was Cloud Retainer who violently gagged and choked as her tea went into her lungs and was visibly torn from going pale in fright. To parts of her face going red from the choking before she got it under control.