Night had fallen like a heavy ink wash over Narukami Shrine. Inside the quiet chamber, a faint oil lamp flickered, casting soft shadows over the wooden desk where Ji Bai sat alone. In his hand rested an ancient brush, faintly glowing with a mysterious purple light. Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance, and the scent of incense mingled with the damp air, filling the room with an aura of sacred mystery.
Ji Bai closed his eyes. Suddenly, fragmented images flashed through his mind: a raging storm, lightning slicing through the sky, a battlefield etched with glowing runes and living paintings. A deep, ancient voice echoed within him:
"Ji Bai, you are destined to inherit the 'Divine Painting Intent.' This power is a relic from the age of the Archons, a bridge between gods and mortals. Only those with a steadfast heart can master it."
His eyes snapped open. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he whispered, "Is this... my past memory?"
He recalled the moment he was transported to Teyvat, confused and alone. With no money, no home, only this brush at his side. But it was no ordinary brush — it was a vessel for the Divine Painting Intent, a power that surged through him, connecting him to something far greater.
The energy pulsing in his veins felt like lightning coursing through his blood, trembling with untapped potential. Ji Bai stood slowly and looked out the window. Far off, storm clouds churned, lightning flashing across the horizon as if the very heavens answered his awakening.
"I must understand who I truly am, why I came here, and how to control this power," he vowed, tightening his grip on the brush.
Returning to his desk, he unrolled an unfinished scroll. This time, his strokes were no longer mere depictions of scenery — he poured his newfound power into the ink. The brush seemed alive, the strokes shimmered with violet lightning as they danced across the paper.
Each mark was deliberate and commanding, as if summoning the very forces of the storm.
The painting became a portal linking the mortal world with the divine, his past with an unknown future.
Suddenly, soft footsteps approached. Yae Miko entered gracefully, her purple eyes glowing in the lamp light. Her voice was calm but carried undeniable authority:
"Your painting intent has awakened, but this is only the beginning. The Raiden Shogun's gaze is upon you now. Your destiny is intertwined with Inazuma's fate—and that of all Teyvat."
Ji Bai nodded, his gaze firm. "I accept this responsibility. I will seek the truth and protect this land."
The night breeze whispered through the open window, thunder fading in the distance. Bathed in the lamp's glow, Ji Bai sat resolute as the storm outside raged on.
"Divine Painting Intent... to see fate within the brushstrokes... I will paint my own destiny."