In that instant, all the doubts clouding Himeko's mind evaporated.
No wonder the "Honkai energy" saturating this place was so obedient.
No wonder the scenery felt so ethereal, like something out of a fairy tale.
No wonder Alice could stroll between worlds, and the Heavenly Dao of this "Shu Mountain World" could slap the very source of Honkai across the face.
They were never some "martial sect" from a pseudo-medieval fantasy.
All that talk of martial arts and antiquity had been nothing but her own projections.
Mount Shu was an immortal sect.
And everyone here… were immortal cultivators.
Cultivation. The concept was all over Shenzhou webnovels. Himeko herself didn't read much fiction, but Schicksal's database had records. Long ago, a so-called "Crimson Plume Immortal" in Shenzhou had single-handedly shattered a Schicksal eastern crusade.
Himeko wasn't sure if the "cultivation" Alice and the others practiced was the same as that Crimson Plume's, or something entirely different.
"You're thinking about that Crimson Plume Immortal from your world, aren't you?"
Alice saw straight through her and waved a hand with a grin.
"We're not the same. She lived a very long time, was called an immortal, and her strength was impressive, yes."
"But at her core, what she had was technological power. You know what fusion warriors are, right? She's a fusion warrior—of the previous civilization, at that."
Furina, listening from the side, raised a brow.
"Elder Alice, how do you even know those kinds of secrets?"
"I went treasure hunting in Shenzhou back then and picked up a little girl named Cangxuan," Alice said matter-of-factly. "She told me."
She sighed, a hint of genuine regret flickering in her eyes.
"I wanted to take Cangxuan with me, but she said she didn't want to leave that world. So I didn't force it."
Himeko stared at Alice for a long moment before asking quietly:
"So… when you say cultivation, you mean…"
"Mm… how should I explain this…"
Alice scratched her cheek, then suddenly brightened and clapped her hands.
"You've read Journey to the West, right?"
"Of course. It's one of Shenzhou's Four Great Classics. Even with Honkai running wild, it's still widely circulated."
Himeko nodded immediately, a vague understanding taking shape.
Alice's smile widened.
"Our Dragonhead Peak's Peak Lord, Zhongli, cultivates a method connected to Erlang Shen from the Heavenly Court."
"???"
"Those realms—Refining Essence into Qi, Refining Qi into Spirit, Refining Spirit to Void, Unity of Void and Dao—you know them, right?"
"I've… heard of them…"
"That's our cultivation system."
"…"
"If it's still hard to picture, just treat us like the immortal cultivators from those xianxia novels," Alice chuckled softly, seeing Himeko's dazed expression.
Himeko drew a long breath, forced herself to focus, and looked at Alice as if seeing her for the first time.
"I… think I understand. More or less."
She didn't like novels, but she did have a certain manga-obsessed headmistress. Whenever she confiscated Theresa's comics, she'd occasionally flip through a few pages out of boredom.
She'd seen these cultivation systems before. Himeko had even joked to herself: if such a cultivation system really existed, Honkai wouldn't be so hard to deal with.
Now, fantasy had ambushed her from behind and become reality.
"In that case, let me introduce things properly."
Alice smiled brightly at her.
"My name is Alice, Enforcement Elder of the Disciplinary Hall on Dragonhead Peak, late-stage Refining Qi into Spirit cultivator."
"You're currently on the summit of Great Bamboo Peak, one of Mount Shu's Seven Veins."
"And, sidenote, this world—Mount Shu's world—was created by our Sect Master, for us cultivators to train in."
"Our Sect Master is at peak Return-to-Void."
Himeko stared at her, stunned. It took a long while before she managed to move her lips at all.
When she finally spoke, it was in a small voice:
"Late-stage… Refining Qi into Spirit… What is that like?"
"Mm… how do I put this…"
Alice pinched her chin, thought for a moment, then clapped again.
"Based on what I know about your world, if I went all out, I should be able to slap your sun into pieces."
"But who knows? I don't know your world's qi density or how tough the world itself is."
"But as for our Sect Master—at peak Return-to-Void, with the arts he commands—destroying your Tree-and-Sea cosmos would take a single thought."
"As for that gem of yours, the power inside it is roughly at the peak of Refining Essence into Qi, maybe brushing the early stage of Refining Qi into Spirit."
"In quality, though, it's far behind."
Himeko glanced down at the Gem of Plague she'd carried here. With its will erased, it had become docile, like an extension of her own strength.
She could feel a massive vitality flowing through her body.
That vitality was what had saved her. Even what remained was enough to let her live out a human lifetime in perfect health, free of disease.
"Elder Alice must have paid a heavy price to save me…"
She looked at Alice with mixed feelings. She'd originally thought: if this were truly a medieval world, she might pull some tech from Schicksal's database and help them advance to a technological civilization.
Clearly, she'd been thinking too small.
Technology…
They didn't need it at all.
These people walked a path where personal might trumped everything.
How was she ever going to repay a life debt like this?
"Elder Alice used a Third-Turn Rebirth Pill," Lisa said with a soft chuckle, clearly enjoying the look on Himeko's face.
"A very precious pill used by cultivators to heal."
"Right now, there's still unconverted life-force in your body. If you manage it properly, you won't have to worry about Honkai erosion ever again."
"In fact, that life-force will enhance you to a level that's very difficult to imagine. From a mortal standpoint, you'll have an exceptionally rare constitution."
Hearing that, Himeko didn't brighten at all.
Instead, she grew more troubled.
There was no way she could repay this. At least not now.
Even if she went home and squeezed Schicksal dry, they probably couldn't offer anything equivalent to that pill.
This was a true cultivator's medicine.
Even Otto would be interested if he saw it.
"That's enough, Lisa," Alice cut in, giving her a look when she saw Himeko's expression.
Lisa shrugged.
"In that case, Elder Alice, I'll return to cultivation. In the time before the Nine Nether expedition, I plan to remain in seclusion and push for the peak of Refining Essence into Qi."
Alice nodded.
"Go."
Lisa dipped her head to Himeko, then turned into a streak of light, shooting back toward her cave.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave as well. The Returning-Origin Pills are still in the cauldron; I can't stay away too long."
Baizhu followed shortly after Lisa.
The others all had things to do. Guests from beyond the world were fascinating, sure—but cultivation still came first.
Soon, only Alice and Venti remained with Himeko.
She looked down at the flyer Hu Tao had stuffed into her hand—Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's brochure, complete with clearly printed tombstones. The implication was obvious.
Himeko started to feel… lost.
After a brief silence, she asked quietly:
"Elder Alice… am I being rejected by everyone?"
"How would you get that idea?"
Alice looked genuinely puzzled. Himeko shook the flyer.
"Then why did Miss Hu Tao give me this?"
"Ah, that… don't worry about it."
Alice coughed lightly and laughed.
"Hu Tao's always been like that. In her eyes, funerals aren't some taboo topic."
"Just the other day she advertised Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in front of several million people. I hear the results were pretty good."
"Someone went straight there afterward to sign up for a membership card and pre-ordered the deluxe coffin package on the spot."
Himeko stared.
She'd gone from mild exasperation to genuine shock.
To speak of life and death so casually—
to go to a funeral parlor and buy a VIP membership, then book your coffin in advance?
She truly could not comprehend the mindset of people in this world.
"Really, don't overthink it. No one has anything against you. It's just that the Nine Nether exploration is about to begin."
"The Nine Nether Secret Realm is unimaginably dangerous. Its Seven Kings are peak Refining Qi into Spirit demon lords with a blood feud against Mount Shu."
"Under them, Refining Essence and Refining Qi demons are too many to count. To survive and seize as many resources as possible in the expedition…"
"Everyone has to fight for every second to cultivate."
Venti spoke up with a light smile, and Himeko finally understood.
She looked at Alice, worried.
"Isn't that… too dangerous?"
"It's fine. The Sect Master said Mount Shu's disciples can't hide in an ivory tower forever. Every prodigy in our history walked an invincible path over mountains of corpses."
Alice thumped her chest confidently.
"If our ancestors could do it, so can we! We can't disgrace Mount Shu."
Himeko sighed inwardly. She didn't know just how terrifying the Nine Nether Secret Realm was—
But if someone like Alice thought it was dangerous, then it probably made even a so-called Final Herrscher look tame.
The cultivators' world was hardly peaceful.
Though the unrest here was something they sought out on purpose.
"Right… and this is…?"
Himeko's gaze finally shifted to Venti, and Alice introduced him:
"This is Venti, acting Peak Lord of Chaoyang Peak. Same realm as me—late-stage Refining Qi into Spirit."
"In Teyvat, he's one of the Seven Archons—the Anemo Archon, ruler of Mondstadt."
Venti gave Alice a helpless look.
"Hey, Alice, I told you you don't need to mention the Wind God bit."
"I may not have gotten some grand ceremony like the old man, but I'd say I'm 'retired,' right?"
Alice ignored him. Himeko, on the other hand, stared at Venti in surprise.
White stockings, young boy, wind…
Why did that combination feel suspiciously similar to a certain Herrscher who'd once been taken away by Cocolia?
"Nice to meet you, Peak Lord Venti…"
Saying the title out loud felt strange, but Venti didn't mind. He waved cheerfully.
"Hello, traveler from another world. I hope you have fun in Teyvat."
Himeko blinked.
"Not… in the Mount Shu world?"
"Huh?"
Venti's eyes glinted with mischief as he smiled at her.
"If you dare, that's an option too."
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