After dinner, everyone grabbed the Xiao Lanterns they'd made and headed outside for a stroll.
The moon on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was full, bright, and serene.
Laughing and chatting, they made their way down to the docks, where fireworks were already blooming in the sky.
The place was especially crowded tonight—everyone was waiting for the massive humanoid Xiao Lantern to be released.
At some point deep into the night, someone shouted, and then—
The towering lantern suddenly lit up.
It was like watching a sleeping maiden suddenly awaken, lifting her beautiful, sparkling eyes to the world.
Then, as if truly alive, the humanoid Xiao Lantern rose gracefully into the air and drifted skyward like a celestial being.
Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd at the breathtaking sight.
But it wasn't over yet.
High above, the lantern suddenly stopped mid-air.
She raised her arms in a poised gesture—and then began to dance.
"That's The Divine Damsel of Devastation!"
Someone in the crowd cried out, recognizing the performance.
Yun Jin looked up, astonishment in her eyes.
Granny Ping chuckled softly and explained, "There's someone behind it, manipulating the lantern with Adepti arts. It's like a shadow play."
"I see!"
Xia Zhi lowered his gaze to the shimmering reflection on the water, a faint smile on his lips.
Just like during the Moonchase Festival, Yaoyao quietly reached out and held his hand, offering comfort.
What a sweet girl.
Qiqi, without hesitation, also came over and silently took hold of his other hand.
His little apprentice—just as sweet.
The lantern danced until the performance reached its finale, then began gliding over Liyue Harbor in a wide arc.
Wherever it passed, countless other lanterns followed, released into the night sky.
Soon, the entire sky above Liyue was alight with drifting stars—an endless sea of glowing lanterns, breathtakingly beautiful.
Everyone gazed up and murmured, "It's so pretty…"
Xia Zhi mused aloud, "To be honest, this tradition of releasing lanterns is actually kind of dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
"Mm. It's winter. The grass and trees are dry. If a lantern were to fall into a forest or onto a rooftop, it could easily start a fire."
"…That's true."
Granny Ping shook her head. "No need to worry. Liyue's been celebrating like this for thousands of years. The lanterns are monitored. Accidents rarely happen."
"Good to know."
Xia Zhi nodded. After all, this world wasn't like his previous one—here, there were those with elemental powers. If a fire really did break out, a Vision-holder attuned to Hydro could easily put it out.
Once the lanterns were all released and they'd watched a couple more rounds of dazzling fireworks, everyone began to head back and rest.
Back at the shop, the girls all went to bathe in the back.
Qiqi, Xia Zhen, and Guoba sat quietly in the main room.
Xia Zhi looked at her. "Qiqi, aren't you going too?"
With her golden [Corpse Pearl], Qiqi's body could now function just like the living—hot water wasn't uncomfortable anymore.
Qiqi shook her head and said softly, "Master, I have a wound on my leg…"
Xia Zhi recalled the deep, unhealing gash on her thigh.
"Still no sign of healing?"
"It's healing… I've been applying herbs myself. Just slow."
"A bit too slow… Come with me. Let me take a look."
"Okay, Master."
Qiqi slid off the bench and followed him to the back room.
That left Guoba and Xia Zhen alone, exchanging glances.
"Wuu…"
"…Sigh."
Qiqi tiptoed up onto the little bed.
Xia Zhi gently rolled up her pant leg, slowly unwrapping the white bandages from around her thigh.
As he worked, Qiqi's face flushed slightly for some reason.
The wound was still long and deep, still jarring to look at.
But its color wasn't as pale as before—it held a healthier flush now.
A poultice of crushed herbs was packed into the wound. The edges showed signs of scabbing.
Xia Zhi took a sniff and easily identified the ingredients—ordinary herbs with mild healing effects. Better than nothing, but not much.
"I'm sorry, Qiqi. I should've noticed sooner."
"Master…"
"Next time, tell me right away. Don't try to handle things on your own."
"Okay…"
"It's normal for a master to care for their apprentice. You're not bothering me."
"…Mm."
Xia Zhi lightly touched the wound. "Does it hurt?"
Qiqi bit her lip. "A little…"
He frowned. "Liar. Your whole leg is tense. It must hurt a lot."
A faint, aggrieved voice: "It… didn't used to hurt."
He sighed. "That was then. Things are different now. With the Corpse Pearl, your body's like a normal person's—you feel hot, cold, pain… I can't believe you've been enduring this for days without showing it. Let me clean the herbs off."
He carefully removed the old poultice.
Qiqi gritted her teeth and didn't make a sound.
This silly girl.
When he finished, Xia Zhi raised his hand and cast a Healing spell.
A soft white light descended onto her wound.
Before their eyes, the wound began to close.
Though Qiqi was technically a zombie, the effects of the Corpse Pearl made her body functionally human. Healing spells worked.
He glanced at her face—her brows had relaxed, showing no signs of discomfort.
"How does it feel?"
"Very… soothing."
"Good."
With that confirmed, he cast a [Divine Healing].
A golden holy light swept over the injury.
The slowly mending wound sealed up in an instant.
Qiqi's eyes widened in awe.
"Master… you're amazing."
"Right? So next time you run into trouble, just come find me. Things that seem impossible to you are usually no big deal for me."
"Mm."
"All done. Go join the others in the bath. It feels really nice. Enjoy yourself."
"Thank you, Master."
Qiqi slid off the bed, hesitated briefly as she looked at his face just inches away—but in the end, she didn't act on the impulse. She simply turned and padded off.
Xia Zhi noticed the flicker in her expression.
After she left, he raised a brow, shook his head, and began tidying the bed.
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