Liyue, Mt. Aocang.
Beside the stone table on the mountaintop, Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and Mountain Shaper were enjoying tea and chatting. Nearby, a strange contraption operated continuously, emitting a fragrant aroma from within.
If Yuto saw this contraption, he would surely exclaim: "Holy cow! Teyvat actually has a pressure cooker!"
"Cloud Retainer, speaking of which, where is my disciple Shenhe? I haven't seen her in many days, and I miss her dearly."
"Ningguang, one of the Qixing, said she plans to rebuild the Jade Chamber, which will likely require Adeptus Sigils. So, I sent Shenhe down the mountain to deliver the Adeptus Sigils to Ningguang. It also repays her favor. She's been gone for so many days; she should be back by now."
"Before I came here, I already cast a divination. Shenhe will return to Mt. Aocang today. Otherwise, why do you think I and Mountain Shaper would come here to reminisce with you?"
"Hmph! So that's how it is. I thought you two had long since abandoned me and snuck off to Liyue Harbor to play."
"This… I was also trying to further understand Liyue Harbor. I must say, Liyue Harbor has changed so much. It's completely different from how it looked when the Geo Archon first built it."
"Is that your reason for abandoning me?"
"You've always disliked humans, haven't you? I didn't want to spoil anyone's fun either."
"You… Hmph!"
Just then, Shenhe's figure appeared on the summit of Mt. Aocang. She saw her three masters sitting around the stone table chatting, which surprised her, but then a huge pressure naturally arose.
Shenhe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if she had made a huge decision in her heart. Then she opened her eyes and walked gracefully towards her three masters.
All three Adepti saw their beloved disciple at once. Cloud Retainer was the first to greet Shenhe: "A-He, you're back! Perfect, I've just developed a 'Cooking Divine Machine.' You just need to put ingredients in it, and it will automatically make delicious dishes. From now on, you won't have to eat only flowers and grass like us."
"Thank you, Master."
After thanking her, Shenhe looked as if she had something to say but was hesitant, which puzzled the three Adepti present. They asked: "A-He, did you encounter any problems during your trip down the mountain? Just tell your masters, and we will help you."
"I… I…"
"Did that woman Ningguang intentionally make things difficult for you? How ungrateful! I'll go settle the score with her."
"No, no, it has nothing to do with Ningguang. It's my own problem."
"If you are talking about integrating into Liyue Harbor, do not be anxious. The Red Rope of Binding Soul on you was only recently removed. Although there is no longer a threat of malevolent energy, personality is not something that can be changed overnight. Look at your Master Cloud Retainer; it's been thousands of years, and her personality has never changed."
"Hmph! What about me? Are you disagreeing?"
"That's not the problem. It's… it's that I have a beloved."
"So that's it… Huh? What did you just say?" The three Adepti's eyes widened instantly. Mountain Shaper directly spat out a mouthful of tea.
"Which scoundrel actually stole my disciple's heart? I will seal him in amber for a few hundred years."
"What kind of mischief are you up to, Mountain Shaper? My disciple is naturally beautiful. What's wrong with her finding her own happiness while she's in the mortal realm? Shenhe, tell your master, who have you fallen for?"
"It's… it's… Yuto…"
"What?! It's that brat? No! Absolutely not! I don't agree. The first time I saw that brat, I could tell he had ill intentions towards Shenhe. I didn't expect him to actually become a menace. Where is that brat? I'm going to settle the score with him."
"Uh… Yuto left Liyue a few days ago and went to Inazuma."
"What? He ran away in advance? That brat knows what's good for him."
"Cloud Retainer, don't get so agitated yet. Young friend Yuto is from Inazuma himself. I actually think they make a good pair, a talented man and a beautiful woman. Let me cast a divination for you two first to see your future."
Moon Carver, the most composed of the three Adepti, operating on the principle of rather destroying ten temples than one marriage, finally managed to calm Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper and began to divine for Yuto and Shenhe. However, after a short while, the usually calm Moon Carver also started to huff and puff with anger.
"This little rascal! He's destined to have many romantic entanglements. After getting my disciple, he still dares to flirt around everywhere! I'll definitely teach him a lesson. Went to Inazuma? If he doesn't come back, then so be it. But if he does, I'll make him pay. A-He, you absolutely must not agree. Just pretend he doesn't exist."
"But, Master, I'm already with him."
!!!
"When did this happen?"
"It was the second day after I went down the mountain."
"This… it's been that long? A-He, did you suffer any loss?"
Being asked such a question by her masters, even with Shenhe's usually cool demeanor, she couldn't help but blush and bowed her head in silence.
The three Adepti, having lived for thousands of years, were all shrewd. Seeing Shenhe's shy demeanor, they immediately understood. They were completely broken. The angry Cloud Retainer immediately clamored: "No! I'm going to Inazuma and bring that brat back."
"Inazuma is the nation of the Electro Archon, a god who pursues eternity. If we Adepti force our way in, she'll probably strike us down on the spot. It's better to wait until that brat Yuto comes back to settle the score.
I and Mountain Shaper will guard the Liyue Harbor for him. If he comes back, we'll catch him immediately. Cloud Retainer, during this time, you should talk to A-He and make her see reason, so she doesn't continue down the wrong path."
After speaking, Shenhe watched as her Master Moon Carver and Master Mountain Shaper ascended into the sky, flying towards Liyue Harbor with a fierce demeanor, as if they were about to destroy Liyue Harbor.
It seems that whether Adepti or mortals, for fathers and masters, the feeling of their diligently raised 'cabbage' being taken by a 'pig' is equally complex and heartbreaking.
As for Cloud Retainer, although she and Shenhe are both female, a mother-in-law should theoretically find her son-in-law more and more pleasing. However, because Cloud Retainer acted as both father and mother, and due to certain reasons, she remained unmarried her entire life, leading her to disdain marriage and relationships.
Therefore, she was very unable to understand Shenhe finding a boyfriend. Moreover, wasn't her eldest disciple Ganyu also unmarried for thousands of years? No, she had to find an opportunity to call that girl Ganyu back as well, and together, they would persuade Shenhe. While that brat was in Inazuma, away from Shenhe, they would try to make Shenhe completely forget him.
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