How could she keep Ye Xi here?
Yae Miko's mind raced in turmoil, though her expression remained one of alluring poise.
As the head shrine maiden, she had to master the art of masking her emotions.
Feigning casual curiosity, she asked, "What is it?"
"It's like this: I've been feeling a bit tapped out on inspiration lately. I want to travel the continent, seek out some new sights to spark ideas."
Ye Xi offered what he thought was a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Ever since crossing over, he'd been stuck in Inazuma, under Yae Miko's constant care.
Back when he had no power of his own, it was she who'd shielded him from hilichurls.
For three years, he'd lived in this little realm beneath the Sacred Sakura Tree.
He'd long since come to see it as home.
If he left without a word, it might upset the Guuji.
Finding a reason to go out for material-gathering research was perfectly reasonable.
Yae Miko surely wouldn't refuse, right?
"No way!"
"Huh?"
Ye Xi hadn't expected Miko's reaction to be so intense.
He was left with a face full of question marks right then and there.
What was going on?
Normally, Yae Miko was so unflappable in the face of change—why was she losing her composure like this today?
Yae Miko realized her response had been too over-the-top and immediately cleared her throat. "Ahem, I just don't think it's necessary. The stories you write are already captivating enough as they are."
"Besides, Inazuma is so vast—you could just wander around here and find plenty of inspiration."
"Moreover, with your current strength, leaving Inazuma makes me uneasy."
Ye Xi's eyes widened.
[What's going on? Is she actually worried about me?]
[Sure, this sly fox's character is all about teasing people while secretly caring for them, but making it onto her 'concern' list feels like a big deal!]
Yae Miko turned her face slightly away, hiding the flush on her cheeks.
But it didn't escape Ye Xi's notice.
"Miko, your face is a bit red."
"It's just the lamplight playing tricks."
Yae Miko was quick on her feet, brushing it off with a vague excuse.
Seeing Ye Xi turn back to check the candlelight, Miko suddenly reached out with her jade-like hand, cupping his face and forcing his gaze back to her. "In any case, you can't leave my side. Otherwise, I won't be able to protect you."
Her voice was soft and gentle, laced with a hint of allure.
Ye Xi never imagined this sly fox could sound like that.
What surprised him even more was how forward she was being!
Words were one thing, but now she was getting handsy!?
Who could withstand an advance like this!
Chop, chop, chop!
He had to cut down those damn thoughts!
He'd almost been swayed by this wave of tender affection into nodding along.
But for the sake of not letting the world's order collapse, he still had to go!
So, he gently pushed away her slender fingers and wrist, sighing. "Don't worry—with Ei training me regularly, my strength is no longer what it used to be." [And Inazuma's full of elite enemies—it's like a high-level experience zone. Places like Mondstadt and Liyue are just newbie villages; I'd breeze through them no problem.] As he spoke, Ye Xi mused inwardly.
Over these three years, he'd made plenty of friends in Inazuma—even Ei in the Plane of Euthymia counted among them.
Don't forget, he was something of an artist at heart. How could he not know the weaknesses of the characters he'd helped design?
A few Tri-colored Dangos, and he'd successfully won Ei over.
Of course, the real key to cracking open Ei's heart had been the light novels he'd written.
She was just an otaku girl, after all.
So, whenever he had time, he'd go visit her. He might not be able to tank a full-on strike from her, but he could hold out for a while.
Ei was the current Electro Archon, after all. Even though Baal was gone, Beelzebul was no pushover.
Gods seemed to transcend mortal limits thanks to the Gnosis, granting them such immense power.
Hearing Ye Xi's words and inner thoughts, Yae Miko's emotions roiled even more.
This guy could lie through his teeth without batting an eye!
What a two-faced, no-good man!
Yae Miko pressed on relentlessly. "Oh? You're not getting cocky just because Ei went easy on you a few times, are you? How strong could you possibly be?" Though her tone carried its usual playful lilt on the surface, inside she was in utter panic.
She hoped Ye Xi would back down and drop the idea of leaving!
But she knew he'd already explored every corner of Inazuma.
He'd even ventured into many dangerous forbidden zones, home to foul abominations that were nearly impossible to defeat.
Coming back alive proved he was indeed very strong.
Probably even stronger than her.
She just wanted to bluff him into staying, without resorting to outright begging—something unprecedented for her.
Unfortunately, Ye Xi didn't have the ability to read Yae Miko's mind.
He simply wanted to use this chance to make her see him in a new light.
So, he stood up. "Alright, let me show you what I've achieved."
With a thought, he led Miko out of his little domain.
Inside the domain, it was like his personal realm—he could manipulate things freely there.
So, demonstrations in the domain didn't count.
They arrived outside the barrier, under the Sacred Sakura Tree.
Facing the ancient tree, Ye Xi extended his hand, and a small cluster of Pyro Elemental Force began to coalesce in his palm.
This world had seven elements, symbolizing the seven nations and seven gods.
Not everyone could wield elemental power.
Only those who obtained a Vision could use it.
And each person's Vision attribute was fixed from the start.
Only the protagonist—Aether or Lumine—could gain different elemental forces by touching the Statues of the Seven.
There were few exceptions.
At this moment, the Elemental Force Ye Xi was gathering was the Pyro Element among the seven!
The scorching flames instantly engulfed his hand, wrapping around it.
Then, as if under control, the flames began to condense and compress.
Finally, they formed a red orb.
Nestled in Ye Xi's palm, it looked just like a pill.
Yae Miko's heart trembled slightly, for she could sense the vast Elemental Force surging through Ye Xi's body.
It was constantly flowing from his limbs toward his hand!
"Xi, your Elemental Force reserves are astonishing."
Hearing Miko's exclamation, Ye Xi replied calmly, "I can gather even more."
With that, he focused harder.
The red orb suddenly turned crimson, then began to shift toward purple.
At this point, Yae Miko already sensed intense danger.
Even she felt a twinge of fear at the sight of flames that color.
But it wasn't over yet.
As Ye Xi continued pouring in more Elemental Force, the purple flames turned black.
Yae Miko's expression shifted to one of shock and dread.
To ordinary eyes, all they could see was the small orb in Ye Xi's hand.
But to those with a Vision, they would see massive Elemental Force swirling around him. When it reached a critical threshold, Ye Xi casually tossed the orb into the sky.
The black orb melted into the night and vanished.
The next second, a faint shadow appeared against the moon in the sky.
In an instant, a massive fireball erupted in the air!
The explosion's light illuminated all of Inazuma!
Yae Miko instinctively took a step back, her nine tails unfurling all at once.
The sound followed, then the fierce shockwave!
The howling wind scattered a huge swath of sakura petals.