Three days passed quickly. On the day the forging was completed, Yae Miko left without saying much, only mentioning she wanted to go explore for a bit. Lisa's assignment had also ended, and she returned to the Knights of Favonius. Lumine was engrossed in completing various commissions—especially those from Saphir. Just yesterday afternoon, she even made a few dishes herself and brought them over to Saphir, clearly angling for a reward afterward.
Saphir had been left speechless by her antics. Are you seriously trying to exploit a bug here? But Saphir understood Lumine's true motive—it was all about completing her offering to the Frostbearing Tree on the mountain as quickly as possible. However, if Saphir recalled correctly, the situation atop Dragonspine wasn't truly resolved. Things had merely settled down for the time being.
She had already been in this world for far too long—so long she couldn't even remember how many versions had passed. But one thing was certain: the events on Dragonspine came after Liyue's arc. With that in mind, Saphir pinched Lumine's cheek and asked, "Not going to Liyue?"
If her timing was correct, the Rite of Descension was about to begin. Was Lumine planning to miss it?
Lumine yelped in pain and batted Saphir's hand away, rubbing her cheeks. "Of course I'm going! But I want to finish up everything here in Mondstadt first."
"The bard said the Geo Archon will appear during the Rite of Descension," Paimon added, floating nearby with a look of strategic command. "We calculated the timing. If we leave in a couple of days, it'll be just right."
Saphir nodded in response. Thanks to her influence, the tasks involving the three temples and gathering the crystallized tears had been completed much more quickly. Even the final battle had taken place at Starsnatch Cliff, saving them a trip to Stormterror's Lair to solve puzzles. As a result, Lumine still had plenty of time to handle other matters before heading to Liyue.
Lumine wasn't in a hurry—but Saphir was done waiting. So she left Mondstadt first. Originally, she planned to go straight back to the Yanshang Teahouse, but on second thought, she detoured to Stone Gate.
Uncle Zhou was still running his roadside tea stall as always, serving tea to porters and travelers passing by.
Seeing him, Saphir walked up and asked for a bowl of tea. Uncle Zhou glanced at her a couple of times before recognizing the girl in front of him. "Oh! You're the one who went to Mondstadt for business, right? I heard the dragon crisis is over?"
Saphir put down her tea bowl and nodded. "Don't worry, Uncle Zhou. It's been resolved—by a traveler. I'm sure her story will spread across the nations soon."
Uncle Zhou nodded solemnly. "That's good to hear. The dragon crisis really hurt my business this time. Not that it matters to an old man like me—losing a bit of money is nothing. But those who died… they didn't deserve that."
With a sigh, he turned to pour tea for the other guests.
Watching Uncle Zhou's departing figure, Saphir felt something stir inside her. What she saw in that silhouette wasn't just one man—it was the reflection of thousands of common folk, the multitudes.
In the face of unstoppable catastrophe, it was always the ordinary people who were the most vulnerable. But once the disaster passed, it was still those same people who proved the strongest—like the grass that refuses to die, always sprouting anew when the spring winds return.
After finishing her tea, Saphir left a few Mora on the table and moved on. Past Dihua Marsh lay the Wangshu Inn. Seeing its silhouette in the distance, she hesitated. Things had deviated from her original plan. Would Xiao lash out once he realized he'd been deceived?
"You're afraid to see me?" A cool, calm male voice rang out from behind her, scaring her half to death.
Turning around, she saw the ever-serious Adeptus Xiao, his expression as cold as ever. Yup, this thousand-year-old child is pissed. Saphir forced a smile. "Of course not! I just… hadn't figured out how to say hello yet. It's called…" She hesitated for a moment before blurting out a phrase that made Xiao shake his head in disbelief, "Stage fright?"
Xiao sighed. "That's not how the saying is used in Liyue. But I suppose the sentiment is close enough."
Saphir broke into cold sweat. Yeah, she knew she'd used it wrong, but what else could she say? So she started thinking of how to change the subject.
Thankfully, Xiao lived up to his reputation as a gentle soul beneath the cold exterior. Seeing her flustered, he didn't press further. Instead, he said calmly, "The Lord of Geo has already informed me of your situation. There's no need to hide it from me. As for what happened before, I can let it go. But from now on, I ask that you not speak recklessly or lie so freely."
Saphir nodded rapidly, as obedient as could be. "I was forced by the situation before. It won't happen again. But hey, how much did the Lord of Geo actually tell you?"
She really didn't know how much Zhongli had revealed to the other Adepti. Did he lay out the entire plan? Or only mention part of it? The room for maneuvering here was significant. But too little disclosure, and she might get hunted down. Too much, and it would test the acting skills of the Adepti—one misstep could turn the whole affair into a cringe-fest.
Xiao thought for a moment before answering, "I can't say for sure. But I know what I've been told isn't everything. The Lord of Geo will likely speak to you personally. You can discuss it with him directly."
With that, he vanished.
Saphir just managed to shout after him, "Let's drink tonight, okay?!"
The only reply was a faint hmph on the wind.
But that was enough. It meant he hadn't refused. So Saphir made her way toward Wangshu Inn.
The monsters in Dihua Marsh hadn't decreased. She fought her way through, all the while feeling occasional gazes upon her. She knew it was Xiao, watching from the shadows.
It made her sigh. This guy works himself to death every day—yet it's still not enough?
In truth, she was being unfair. It was precisely because of Xiao's efforts that the monsters in Dihua Marsh were kept at a manageable level. Without him, the area would've been overrun long ago, and the nearby villages attacked.
Philgodette spotted Saphir returning to Wangshu Inn and immediately came to greet her. She was someone Lady Ningguang had explicitly ordered to report on the moment she was seen.
While calmly signaling her subordinates to pass along the news, Philgodette began exchanging pleasantries as usual.
After a few lines of small talk, Saphir casually asked, "Boss Philgodette, how long does it take to walk from Wangshu Inn to Liyue Harbor?"
Philgodette thought for a moment. "Normally, three days. If you're quick on your feet, and leave in the morning, you could arrive by the following evening. A carriage would be even faster—about a day's travel."
"Oh? Then when do you think I'd arrive if I left right now?" Saphir pressed.
Philgodette chuckled awkwardly. "Miss Sharp, you're putting me on the spot. I don't know what transport you'll be using—how could I guess the exact time?"
Saphir smiled lightly. "Based on the fastest method you know. What's the earliest I could arrive?"
"Hm… a fast horse, without stopping… half a day, give or take," Philgodette replied after some thought.
Saphir nodded. "Half a day, huh." With that, she headed upstairs, leaving Philgodette scratching her head in confusion.
Up on the top floor, Saphir saw the same table and chairs she and Xiao had used the last time they drank together. Since she'd had them moved up here, no one else had touched them. Standing at the railing, she noticed a rider and horse galloping south at full speed—but paid them no mind. Sitting down, she began pondering her next steps.
She definitely had to visit the Salt of the Earth domain at some point, but hadn't decided when. Then there were the leyline seals scattered across the Liyue region. Judging from what had happened in Mondstadt, they wouldn't be easy. After some thought, she narrowed her focus to five likely locations:
Guyun Stone Forest, the Nine Pillars of Peace, Wuwang Hill, Guili Plains… and the Salt of the Earth.
She didn't think the Chasm was likely, at least not for now. Maybe she'd check it out later—or ask Zhongli directly. Surely he wouldn't refuse.
And then there was the Rite of Descension. Even though plans had been made, circumstances had changed. She'd still need to talk to Zhongli again and rework the details. If worse came to worst, she'd just have to tough it out.
Night fell swiftly. The full moon bathed the world in soft silver light. Dishes Saphir had asked Philgodette to prepare were brought out one by one. Once everyone else had left, Xiao appeared.
His eyes immediately locked onto the almond tofu on the table. He could tell it wasn't made by the inn's usual chef, which left only one possibility—the girl in front of him. His expression softened ever so slightly. He scanned the table again, as if looking for something else.
Saphir pulled out a bottle like a magician performing a trick. "If it's wine you're after, it's right here."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Xiao plopped into the chair across from her. But despite how quickly he sat down, he still muttered, "Not too much tonight."
"Don't worry. This wine is from Mondstadt's Dawn Winery—a famous low-alcohol vintage. Barbatos' favorite, in fact," Saphir explained casually.
Xiao nodded, then held out his cup for her to pour.
Saphir couldn't help but laugh. "So you say no drinking, but look at you! Classic case of saying one thing and doing another. The tsundere act from the Vigilant Yaksha himself—textbook stuff."
"I always speak with sincerity," Xiao said seriously. "I don't know what 'tsundere' means, but perhaps because I've spent so long wandering the mountains and rarely speak with people… I may lack proper manners in sharing a drink with you."
His solemn tone and classical phrasing caught Saphir off guard. "Uh… Xiao, do you always talk like this? So… ancient?"
Xiao paused mid-sip, went silent for a beat, then said, "Since we parted, some karmic burden has lifted. I recalled the Dust King's face."
He didn't elaborate further, but the look in his eyes was filled with nostalgia. Confronted with that face again, he couldn't help reverting to old speech patterns.
Saphir sighed. "But I'm not her."
Xiao said nothing, only continued drinking. He wasn't good with words. The Lord of Geo said she was the one—that was enough. Whether the girl in front of him said otherwise didn't matter. He wasn't here to argue—only to do his duty. Just as he had protected Liyue for centuries, now he would do everything he could to protect her as well.
"Xiao, I want to ask… If Osial, sealed beneath Guyun Stone Forest, were fully unleashed—and the Geo Archon didn't intervene—what are Liyue Harbor's chances in a fight?"
Xiao was silent for a long while, clearly weighing his words.
"The Adepti have suffered erosion. Our strength is diminished. If Osial regained his full power… Liyue Harbor would have no chance."
He paused, then added, "Though Osial himself would likely also be weakened by time and erosion… I'd say the odds…"
"…are fifty-fifty."
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