After receiving Yuto's reply, Beidou also stated that after the Crux Clash concluded and the fleet was resupplied, they could likely set sail in about half a month. This meant Yuto and Shenhe only had half a month left to spend together.
After the banquet, everyone went their separate ways. Beidou had to handle the initial promotional work for the Crux Clash.
Lumine and Paimon began their pre-competition training for the upcoming Crux Clash. After all, Lumine was a great hero who saved Liyue, and if she stumbled in this Crux Clash, her reputation would be ruined.
Although she could use element power without a Vision, this Crux Clash explicitly forbade Vision holders from participating. So, she naturally couldn't use her element power and had to rely purely on combat skills and abilities to win.
As for Yun Jin, she had to return to the opera troupe to revise, supplement, and rehearse the script for the divine damsel of devastation. At the same time, she needed to prepare thoroughly for the upcoming performance on the Jade Chamber.
This was much grander than performing at the Heyu Tea House. Such a rare promotional opportunity naturally wouldn't be like in the game, where only one performance of the divine damsel of devastation concluded the event. That's only a few minutes! At least a few more shows would be needed to support the celebration feast after the successful completion of the Jade Chamber.
As for Shenhe, she silently followed behind Yuto until they were outside the city. Only then did Yuto slow his pace, allowing Shenhe to catch up gradually, and finally, they walked side by side.
Yuto naturally took Shenhe's small hand. Shenhe's hand was very soft and cool, but Yuto's hand was warm. The moment they held hands, both felt a jolt like an electric shock, a strange sensation welling up in their hearts, making them reluctant to let go.
A strange feeling suddenly surged within Yuto; he wanted to hold Shenhe's hand like this for the rest of his life.
As the two walked on the mountain path home, Shenhe remained silent. Yuto had initially thought she would say something, so he kept waiting for her to ask him. But they were almost home, and there was still no movement.
Yuto sighed, stopped, and was the first to break the deadlock, "Shenhe, don't you want to ask me why I'm going to Inazuma?"
Shenhe was silent for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Although I'm very curious and also very reluctant for you to go, Inazuma is far from Liyue, and the situation is very complex. This trip will certainly be fraught with danger."
"Then why do you..."
"I'm not sure either. Maybe Beidou is right; the other side of the sea is your country, your roots are there. Putting myself in your shoes, if my masters knew Liyue was in trouble, they would definitely go to help immediately. And now, you want to save your country, so how can I stop you?"
Yuto's heart was filled with mixed emotions. Had the persona he had cultivated before been too successful? Now everyone knew he was an Inazuman, a stowaway who had endured countless hardships to reach Liyue, a Vision holder fleeing the Vision Hunt Decree, and also a promising potential resistance member of Watatsumi Island.
However, this did not diminish his growing affection for Shenhe. What more could he ask for than a girlfriend who constantly thought of him?
Given this, Yuto wondered if he should reveal his true identity to Shenhe after returning from Inazuma. Wait, no, that thought was dangerous; it was setting himself up for failure!
Yuto couldn't help but embrace Shenhe and promised her, "Don't worry about me. My strength might not be top-tier yet, but when it comes to self-preservation, I have a lot of experience."
To reassure Shenhe, Yuto rubbed Shenhe's head and showed her his Kamui ability. Shenhe only felt a moment of surprise as she was instantly transferred from the mountain path to a cave dwelling.
At this moment, Shenhe also noticed the change in Yuto's eyes. They were no longer the familiar three-tomoe shape but a more complex pattern, making her 忍不住 reach out and touch Yuto's eyelids.
When she first touched him, Shenhe could feel the contact, but the next second, Yuto's eyes moved, and Shenhe's finger passed through empty space, directly into Yuto's head, with no physical sensation at all. This startled Shenhe, and she quickly withdrew her finger.
"Is this also an ability of your Sharingan?"
"That's right. These eyes are a unique ocular technique of my Uchiha Clan. They can perform spatial transfer and also allow my body to become intangible. You can rest assured now, right?"
Shenhe nodded, a satisfied smile on her face.
In the following days, Yuto and Shenhe acted like a couple deeply in love, inseparable all day. Yuto's main body took Shenhe to explore mountains and rivers, and he also adopted the demeanor of a certain retired old man, listening to stories and music, and savoring tea and food.
Yuto wished he could let her experience everything Shenhe hadn't encountered before, so she could quickly integrate into Liyue Harbor.
As for the miserable shadow clone, he stayed home, grumbling and meditating.
In Liyue Harbor now, on one hand, the reconstruction of the Jade Chamber was in full swing. On the other hand, the Crux Clash organized by Beidou also began amidst the anticipation of the people of Liyue, attracting many onlookers who loved a good show, as well as various martial artists.
Since ancient times, Liyue, besides thriving in commerce, has also maintained a strong martial spirit. In addition to the Millelith, there were also many 民間 martial arts schools widely circulated, though their quality varied.
According to the promotional poster for this Crux Clash, not only would the Traveler, who repelled ancient gods and saved Liyue, participate, but the final reward was an ownerless Vision. Both of these generated immense interest.
That powerful Traveler doesn't have a Vision?
If one could defeat that Traveler, surely one could become famous overnight?
An ownerless Vision—if I could make it Bloom again, would I also soar to great heights like Ningguang?
A Vision represents the gods' approval; it is a ladder to becoming strong. But this world is inherently unequal. Some people pursue a Vision their entire lives and never receive the gods' gaze, while others only wish for one and easily obtain it.
I heard that the librarian of Mondstadt, Lisa A... no, Sister Lisa, hailed as a genius rarely seen in Sumeru for two hundred years, casually said during an experiment, "It seems I need a Vision," and a Electro Vision appeared out of thin air on her desk.
Comparing oneself to others can be infuriating. The gap between people is often greater than the gap between people and dogs.
Therefore, instead of pursuing a vague and distant Vision, some people set their sights on ownerless Visions. Once they heard someone had an ownerless Vision, they would go and try their luck—what if it worked?
Indeed, for those martial artists who sought to grow stronger, fame and strength were their weaknesses. Therefore, the popularity of this Crux Clash remained high. So far, over two hundred moderately famous martial artists had signed up to participate.
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