Kuki Shinobu skillfully skewers the Sunsetti fruit with a stick.
She lights a fire and starts roasting…
"A pinch of salt… some pepper too."
[?! No, don't eat Paimon!]
[Flying Roasted Lavender Melon!]
[She's really emergency food now.]
Seeing Lumine standing nearby, Shinobu stands up. "Roasted Sunsetti is delicious. Try some later."
"Okay."
"There's sweet and salty versions. Which do you prefer?"
"Either is fine."
[Yes, yes, yes, Shinobu's ready for action too?]
[Friends, I love war. Salty faction, assemble!]
[Sweet and sticky? Who actually likes that?]
…
The plot sets the pace, and the comment section heroes join the fray.
Guinaifen groans, overwhelmed…
— — — — — —
While Shinobu roasts the Sunsetti,
Lumine returns to the starting point
and brings Mu Yang and Yanfei over.
Everyone gathers around the fire, eating.
In situations like this, staying calm and keeping spirits high is crucial.
Mu Yang has "recovered" quite a bit by now.
It's like he's just shy of reaching the fountain for an auto-heal to full HP.
But of course, he can't say that.
Otherwise, one sword to split the heavens, and what's the point of playing along?
Just as Mu Yang's about to speak, Kuki Shinobu tactfully prepares to take Itto and leave.
Yelan had already mentioned
that this place might hold secrets not meant for Inazumans to know.
Knowing too much isn't a good thing.
Mu Yang stops her.
"This secret domain is strange and perilous. Pooling everyone's wisdom is the best strategy."
Hearing Mu Yang's words, Itto smugly glances at Yelan.
"Now this guy gets it."
Yelan doesn't bother arguing. Isn't it obvious who Mu Yang's referring to?
Though Yelan prefers not to involve outsiders in this matter,
after emerging from the domain, she's realized the gravity of the situation.
She also acknowledges Shinobu's capabilities.
In both action and awareness, Kuki Shinobu is as impressive as she is.
In a place even Mu Yang respects, having a strategist like Shinobu join the discussion is something Yelan doesn't object to.
Once Kuki Shinobu sits back down,
Mu Yang begins recounting his experience, with a touch of artistic embellishment.
The real story is this:
After Mu Yang fell, he didn't see a cave.
Instead, he landed on a platform under a starry sky.
It was similar to the place Lumine would later see in the small house, but not quite the same.
Mu Yang didn't dwell on it—analyzing it was pointless.
He didn't need to figure out why he was thrown so far.
Getting back to Lumine was the priority.
Now that he's part of this plot, he's become a variable.
If the story changes and Lumine ends up in danger, what then?
This place is different from the outside world.
It's better to stay by her side.
So, he started tracking Lumine's aura.
As a unique existence in Teyvat, Lumine was easy to locate.
Mu Yang timed it perfectly, slicing through space with one sword after another…
until he finally reached the group.
However, this simple, almost boring story was spun by Mu Yang
into a thrilling, danger-filled adventure.
Secret domains, magical beasts, fateful encounters…
Especially the final part, where he fought his own mirror image.
It captivated everyone listening.
The Sunsetti nearly burned.
— — — — — —
Guinaifen, hearing this tale, marvels.
"Folks, isn't this the whole 'with great power comes great responsibility' thing?"
"No wonder he ended up in Traveler's arms. Makes sense!"
[This short adventure feels like it covered an entire fantasy novel's secret domain arc.]
[Haha, fighting himself? So real.]
[One sword to slay the inner demon, breakthrough!]
Guinaifen adds, "Mu Yang wouldn't be playable if he wasn't nerfed a bit."
"That's the power of the plot. Otherwise, he'd just slice his way out and be done."
[Not necessarily. He could keep cutting because he locked onto Traveler.]
[Exactly. Without a target, you could dull your sword and still get nowhere.]
[What about going up?]
[Didn't you see in the domain? All that spinning—up might not even be up. Who knows?]
— — — — — —
Back in Teyvat,
the group has heard a rollercoaster of a story.
They also understand that Mu Yang's overexertion means he can't slice through space as freely as before.
Paimon is indignant. "This domain is awful, making a mirror Mu Yang!"
Even she knows how hard it is to fight yourself.
The stronger the opponent, the stronger their mirror.
The most exhausting yet domain-compliant scenario Mu Yang could think of was fighting himself.
Of course, that's just something he made up.
A domain like this couldn't actually trap Mu Yang in such an illusion.
Even Clarisse's powerful dream abilities,
when sealed, couldn't affect him at all.
His mental fortitude isn't something a mere domain can shake.
Hearing Mu Yang's story, the group feels reassured.
Though Mu Yang says the spiritual energy here is thin and the space is strange,
slowing his recovery,
a slow recovery is still a hopeful one.
It's better than running around like headless chickens.
Mu Yang is their trump card.
[He's always the one to save the day.]
[Joker, for Mu Yang, means the ace in the hole.]
Mu Yang suddenly says, "I just saw Xiao."
"Yeah, there's also the Vigilant Yaksha. He seemed in better shape than Mu Yang," Yanfei adds.
"We saw him too." Lumine's expression turns serious, a bad feeling creeping in.
"Xiao?"
She tries calling his name.
Xiao doesn't appear.
"Could it be… even Xiao can't sense our presence?" Paimon says, her face full of worry.
This is a first.
[He's Qing'ing it, he's Qing'ing it!]
[ECD, bro, ECD!]
[He's stealing the spotlight now?]
Kuki Shinobu analyzes, "Mr. Mu Yang just said he had to focus intensely in the domain to barely locate us."
"If Mr. Xiao is fighting right now, then…"
Thinking of Mu Yang's story and the tough battles he described, the group grows worried for Xiao.
"Xiao wouldn't…"
Mu Yang, seeing their expressions, thinks to himself,
'Oh no, did I overdo the story? Now I'm the bad guy killing morale.'
He quickly says, "Xiao is strong. No need to worry about him. He'll be fine."
Though his words of comfort don't do much,
there's little else to do but trust for now.
Mu Yang can sense it.
Right now, Xiao is fighting Bosacius's lingering shadow.
This shadow is clearly no match for Xiao.
The only reason Xiao might get hurt is because he's holding onto hope.
He wants to awaken Bosacius.
But how could that be possible?
Bosacius died long ago…