"Sensei, what's with you today?"
Yingda looked puzzled.
Taro shook his head.
Everything ahead seemed fine,
yet somehow—like something no one else could see,
something you might never witness in your lifetime—
the world had shifted in some strange, invisible way.
Bad luck? Sure, you could call it that.
He was only trying to fish and have a simple bowl of soup.
So why was every catch some bizarre creature?
"So many of these turn out to be Liyue's adepti."
Taro rubbed his temples and sighed, face calm nonetheless.
He had expected this from the moment Venti told him the Fatui were spreading word of his deeds across all seven nations.
Teyvat was crawling with mint leaves, hilichurls, and Fatui agents—
a fact as constant as sunrise.
Which meant that whatever the Fatui wanted publicized,
everyone would hear of it soon enough.
In no time, the whole world would know.
They plotted everywhere, in every nation.
And each nation, in turn, kept its eyes on the Fatui.
They didn't even need to act.
Just talk while under surveillance,
and rumors would spread effortlessly.
It required no special effort at all.
So once tales of Taro's divine feats began to circulate,
many would come to test truth from fiction.
The Little Grass Lord, the Pure Hydro Spirit,
and now—this jade-scaled adeptus, Fujin of Chenyu Vale—
they were only a few of the many to come.
"Well then~"
Yingda sighed, half exasperated, half resigned.
She could understand, but still set the thought aside.
There was no point complaining now.
"Down to business. Fujin, what brings you here?"
Fujin shook her head gently, turning to look at Yingda.
"This time, I come seeking someone."
"Seeking someone?"
Taro waved a hand. "Let's hear it. Your power's almost spent,
yet you came all the way from Chenyu Vale to Yaoguang Shoal.
You're not just here from curiosity, are you?"
"I doubt it's that simple."
Most of Fujin's strength had been bound into the veins of Chenyu Vale; little remained to maintain a manifestation, let alone a journey.
Her mind and memories were mostly scattered—
the same condition as Mashus.
This incarnation probably contained all she could muster.
To gather all remaining essence just to appear here—
and only to "seek someone"?
It was suspicious.
"Indeed."
Fujin smiled faintly.
"This little immortal has recovered mind and memory once more—thanks to Cloud Retainer's great help."
"I came first to offer gratitude. And second, a small request for Sensei."
"Of course, I've heard plenty of your deeds from Cloud Retainer already."
"The offering for this favor is prepared."
As expected.
Another errand—and tied to Cloud Retainer, no less?
A favor of thanks? For what?
They had only just met. How could she owe him anything?
"Fine by me."
Taro didn't overthink it.
He turned and pointed toward Fanan. "Talk with her first."
"I'll decide later whether to take it up."
Before, with no secretary, he had to handle everything himself.
Now, with two of them—Fanan and Yingda—
he was happily a hands-off boss.
"This little immortal understands."
Fujin wasn't surprised. Her smile brightened.
She bowed lightly and drifted toward Fanan,
her manner gentle, respectful, and perfectly poised.
A polite koi, this one.
Easy enough to speak with.
If her request wasn't too troublesome, a trip to Chenyu Vale might not be out of the question.
"Sensei, aren't you even curious what she wants?"
Yingda frowned slightly, watching Fujin's departing back.
The Three Adepti of Chenyu Vale—former demon gods—
each had been a matchless beauty.
The gods were gone now,
but the three divine beasts remained: Fujin the Koi, Yaogun the White Serpent, and Lingyuan the Qilin.
Well, Yaogun had lost her memories,
so she went by Changsheng now.
"Not that curious."
Taro cast his line again, expression unreadable.
Chenyu Vale was fine. No crisis there.
If Fujin had come, it likely meant trouble lay with Lingyuan or Yaogun, not the ley lines themselves.
"Sensei… you're still fishing?"
Yingda's tone turned skeptical, watching him flick the hook again.
After the last three bizarre catches,
was he really not worried what might come next?
"You jinxing me now?"
"Who stays unlucky forever?"
"This time, definitely a normal fish. Edible. Soup-worthy."
Taro glared at her, unwilling to believe he couldn't catch something ordinary.
"Right, right—your luck's turning!"
Yingda covered her mouth, suppressing a laugh,
praising him against her better conscience.
Still, she had no real expectations.
If no fish bit, so be it.
Just please—not another strange beauty or divine creature.
Seeing him look away,
Yingda quietly produced several slices of chilled watermelon.
"Sensei, want some? Cold and sweet."
"Sure."
Taro accepted the offering without hesitation.
The seaside scene was calm and pleasant.
Though… the longer it went, the odder it seemed.
One round sparrow, one Pure Hydro Spirit,
and now an adeptus from Chenyu Vale.
Fanan had already taken out her little notebook, officially on duty,
questioning the trembling Pure Hydro Spirit beside her.
Meanwhile Lanlu had caught hold of the round sparrow,
directly addressing the soul within—the Little Grass Lord herself.
Thus the title "Wisdom Lord" was now firmly pinned on Taro.
And Huoliya reclined on a beach chair nearby,
watching the whole farce unfold with a leisurely grin.
Entertainment was entertainment—
she was here for the melon.
(End of Chapter)
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