The Grand Narukami Shrine sits atop the peak of Mount Yougou, guarding the one-and-only Sacred Sakura. It is the largest shrine in Inazuma, providing precious solace and tranquility to its people during these troubled times.
However, climbing Mount Yougou is no simple task. While Vision holders and physically fit samurai can scale the peak with sheer effort, for the weak and frail, the ascent is a living nightmare. Not only is the mountain path treacherous, but in some places, there is no path at all, requiring one to carefully navigate via vines and exposed tree roots.
Fortunately, there are things known as Thunder Spheres scattered around Mount Yougou. If one is favored by the Electro element, they can ride these spheres upward, reaching the shrine shrouded by the massive Sacred Sakura.
Bai Luo waited until he saw Kamisato Ayato reach the stone stairs before choosing to land nearby. After all, he hadn't officially crossed the line with Yae Miko yet; on someone else's turf, it was best to follow the rules as much as possible.
After passing through a torii gate, the path became level. Even the moss-covered stone steps were much easier to navigate than the mountain trails below. Along the way, one could see many red foxes leisurely curled up beneath the torii gates. They weren't afraid of people; in fact, they would proactively approach travelers to beg for food.
Take the little fox in front of Bai Luo right now, for instance. It clearly had its eyes on the Sunsettia in his hand.
"Shoo, shoo. This isn't for you; it's for your Lady Guuji."
Normally, he wouldn't mind teaching the little fox a lesson about the "wickedness of the human heart," but compared to feeding the animal, he really wanted to see Yae Miko eat it. After all, if she didn't eat his Sunsettias, she wasn't his "true friend." Only those who ate them shared a "life-and-death bond" with him.
Unexpectedly, the red fox refused to budge. It lay down directly in his path, acting as if it wouldn't let him pass until he handed over the goods.
"Sir, these little ones are under the protection of Lady Guuji and the Narukami. Please do not be rough with them."
No one had paid attention when the fox was bothering Bai Luo, but the moment he tried to "gently" move it aside, a shrine maiden with long, straight black hair appeared out of nowhere.
"Hmm?"
Seeing the shrine maiden, Bai Luo froze for a second. A few days ago, when he and Yae Miko went to "recruit" Arataki Itto, the shrine maiden she had disguised herself as looked exactly like this woman. This was likely Shinobu's sister —Miyuki.
"You only need to give it the fruit in your hand. It's a very good girl," Miyuki said. She clearly didn't realize how powerful Bai Luo's fruit was, or she never would have made that suggestion.
"This is a gift for your Lady Guuji. I can't give it to this little thing." Bai Luo didn't feel like arguing too much—perhaps because of Shinobu—so he used Yae Miko's name as a shield. Surely, the shrine maiden would back off now?
"Even the Lady Guuji wouldn't mind if her things were eaten by these little creatures. In fact... even if she received your gift, she might end up feeding it to them anyway. You might as well give it to them directly."
Miyuki was telling the truth. Perhaps it was due to their shared ancestry, but even though modern foxes weren't as spiritually gifted as those of the past, Yae Miko's protection over them hadn't diminished. At the end of the day, it was because the Hakushin bloodline had become too thin.
The heavy responsibility of continuing the Hakushin line falls upon us!
"Speaking of which, what is your relationship with Kuki Shinobu? You two look quite similar," Bai Luo said, discreetly putting the Sunsettia away and changing the subject.
He could have easily turned invisible to bypass the fox and the maiden, but their appearance felt a bit too coincidental. Suspecting there might be a reason behind it, he decided to play along and stay for a bit. Hehe~
"Oh? You know Shinobu?" Miyuki's interest was clearly piqued. It wasn't just because he knew her sister, but because he was the first person in years to ask how they were "similar" rather than asking if they were sisters.
It was quite rare. After all, Shinobu had bright green hair, while Miyuki had long black hair. Not just in style, but in personality, habits, and speech, the two seemed to have nothing in common. It was no wonder people doubted their relationship.
"We have a bit of history," Bai Luo replied. Shinobu hadn't eaten his Sunsettias, but her head had certainly "eaten" his wooden club. That counted as history, right? No problem there.
"That child has been hiding out ever since she came back from Liyue. I know she's afraid of the family nagging her. Though we are harsh with our words, in truth... sigh. If you see her again, please tell her to come back and visit when she has time."
Miyuki completely ignored the fox nuzzling her leg. Once the topic turned to her sister, she seemed to forget why she had even stopped Bai Luo.
She wasn't worried about how Shinobu was faring; the girl was recognized by the gods and had lived alone in Liyue for a long time. In some ways, Shinobu was better at adapting to society than Miyuki, who knew nothing other than being a shrine maiden.
"Don't worry, she's staying with some 'gang' right now. She's doing great."
"A gang? A gang?! But Shinobu went to Liyue to study law! It's impossible—"
Bai Luo's "accidental" leak caused a violent reaction from Miyuki. Before this, visitors to the shrine had whispered that Shinobu was hanging around "bad people." Miyuki hadn't believed it then, thinking it was just gossip, but she had kept it in the back of her mind. Hearing it now from someone who actually knew Shinobu made the credibility skyrocket.
"Ah... what gang? I didn't say anything! Don't misunderstand! Goodbye!"
What was "Hei's" title? The Best Actor.
In his persona as Hei, he perfectly inherited the talent of a movie star. He looked exactly like a friend who had accidentally spilled a secret and was now fleeing up the mountain in a panic.
By the time Miyuki realized something was wrong, Bai Luo had already successfully entered the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Walking along the approach, Bai Luo looked up to see Yae Miko, who appeared to have been waiting for him. A smile returned to his face. He wasn't surprised; he had expected this.
Extending his hand, he offered her the Sunsettia. "How was my cooperation?"
Yae Miko glanced down at the conflicted Miyuki below, then back at Bai Luo. Her lips curved into a matching smile. As she turned to walk away, she left him with only one sentence:
"Still needs improvement."
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