Liyue — the plains of Guili.
After eating their fill, Lumine and Paimon were making their way toward Liyue Harbor when they were stopped by a graceful, elegant woman approaching them from the road.
Silver hair, crimson eyes, a composed and refined beauty. She wore elegant makeup and held a poised, enigmatic smile—yet beneath that smile, Lumine sensed something dangerous and unreadable.
Comparable to Yelan.
Though this was the main road between Liyue and Mondstadt, monsters and Treasure Hoarders still occasionally appeared. For such a woman to walk alone without concern… clearly, she wasn't simple.
Lumine's gaze drifted to the orange Vision at the woman's waist, and she nodded slightly.
"Correct. And you are?"
There was no doubt. Since the woman already knew who they were, she must also be a holder of the diary copy.
After all, Su Xuan had once photographed Lumine and Paimon and posted it inside the diary.
"I am Ningguang." The woman smiled.
"Ningguang?" Paimon scratched her head, then blinked. "You're the Tianquan Ningguang that Su Boss mentioned yesterday—the one connected to Yelan?"
"Yes. I am Ningguang of the Liyue Qixing." She spoke with quiet confidence.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a quick look.
"So, you're here to find Su Xuan and… take Yelan back?" Lumine asked directly.
"Of course not." Ningguang shook her head. "I only knew from the diary that you two would be entering Liyue Harbor via this road—so I came to greet you."
She glanced around… yet found no trace of Su Xuan and Yelan.
Her brows lowered slightly.
By her calculation, since Su Xuan had been traveling with Lumine and Paimon, even if he brought Yelan along unconscious, he should still be nearby. But clearly… he had taken Yelan somewhere alone last night.
"Oh—Su Xuan took Yelan and left." Lumine said casually. "We don't know where they went."
Paimon nodded hard. "Yep! And it's not like we can ask. Boss doesn't need our protection anyway."
"I see…" Ningguang exhaled softly, looking genuinely disappointed.
She had originally planned to show sincerity before Su Xuan directly—yet it seemed the opportunity had slipped away.
Still—meeting Lumine and Paimon was not a loss. If these two spoke well of her before Su Xuan, it might serve her purpose just as effectively.
Lumine narrowed her eyes, studying Ningguang from head to toe.
Tsk. Another one trying her best to deliver herself to his doorstep.
But… she couldn't deny it—Ningguang's bearing and beauty were impeccable.
Lumine could only sigh inwardly.
As expected of Su Boss. Women of this level are actively chasing him… without hesitation.
And Lumine understood the reason clearly enough.
Even without considering the power Su Xuan could grant others—eternal youth and resurrection alone was enough to make rulers and nobles bow willingly.
People with power and wealth only feared death and time.
"I recall you came to Liyue to attend the Rite of Descension," Ningguang said lightly.
"To speak plainly—I am the one overseeing this year's ceremony."
Lumine blinked—leaning back slightly in surprise.
Paimon, however, nodded as if this were obvious.
"Yeah, the Qixing are the real ruling council of Liyue!"
Lumine: "?"
"Paimon, you knew? Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I thought Boss would explain it, so I didn't want to interrupt…"
Lumine: "…"
…Fair enough. Any holder of the diary copy was unlikely to be ordinary.
Thinking this, Lumine straightened her posture—she also had a diary copy. That meant she, too, was someone important.
Ningguang, hearing Paimon's explanation, simply smiled.
"That's not entirely correct. In Liyue, it is Rex Lapis who always has the final word."
"That is the significance of the Rite of Descension. Each year, the Geo Archon reveals guidance for Liyue's future, and we simply follow His design."
Lumine's lips twitched.
As expected—to speak so elegantly while holding your own plans close… definitely a major political figure.
Don't think I don't see you, woman. You came here with an agenda.
"But since Su Boss isn't here," Ningguang continued, "I will leave the gift I prepared for him with you. When he returns, I'll pay my respects properly."
"Gift?" Paimon's eyes sparkled.
Lumine could only sigh.
Traveling without Su Xuan had been… eventful, to say the least. In Inazuma she had nearly been sliced down by the Raiden Shogun.
Traveling with Su Xuan, on the other hand—
Major figures chased them, offered resources, and even tried to send themselves along.
What a ridiculous contrast.
But she did have a title now—Su Xuan's "First Employee."
That alone was an invisible pass across nations.
"…Alright," Lumine said. "We'll return to Liyue with you."
Under Ningguang's lead, the three soon arrived at Liyue Harbor.
The city was bustling on a scale Mondstadt simply couldn't compare to.
"This mansion was prepared for Su Boss to stay in," Ningguang said.
It was located near Yujing Terrace, in Liyue's wealthiest district. She placed a property deed into Lumine's hands.
Lumine and Paimon froze.
A mansion.
Not lodging.
A mansion.
"You're giving this to him?" Lumine asked carefully.
"From this moment forward, this estate is Su Boss's personal property." Ningguang smiled.
Lumine and Paimon inhaled sharply.
In Mondstadt, they had barely earned themselves a rented room. Meanwhile Su Xuan had been staying casually at Lisa's home.
But in Liyue?
He immediately had a private estate.
Because someone actively gifted him one.
And naturally—if Su Xuan owned it, they lived in it too.
Then Ningguang placed a check for ten million Mora into Lumine's hands.
"This is for your use while staying in Liyue. If you need more later, simply notify me."
Lumine was stunned.
Paimon stared.
"You… just paid this yourself!?" Paimon blurted. "You're that rich?"
Ningguang only smiled faintly.
"One must have some modest household resources."
Then she led them to the balcony and pointed upward.
"Whoa!? There's a floating building!?" Paimon gasped.
"That is my Jade Chamber," Ningguang replied. "I have already sent people to acquire the floating stones used to construct it. I plan to assist Su Boss in building a new Jade Chamber."
Lumine and Paimon: "???"
This woman has truly gone mad.
"What do you even want from him…" Lumine muttered.
"Actually, Su Xuan could reconstruct one himself," Lumine added. "He holds the Authority of Law. If he simply touches the Jade Chamber, he could reproduce it."
Ningguang shook her head gently.
"That would be his creation. Not mine. If I am to show sincerity, then the foundation must come from my own hands."
Lumine finally nodded.
"…Alright. When Su Xuan contacts us, I'll tell him everything you've done."
Ningguang exhaled in relief.
"Then I shall trouble you two. I must attend to the Rite preparations now. Please enjoy your time in Liyue."
Meanwhile—completely unaware of all this—Su Xuan was still in the middle of interrogating Yelan.
Holding her firmly, his gaze rested on the shimmering screen floating before him.
Without hesitation, he clicked [ALL IN].
"Hm?" Su Xuan frowned slightly.
"Three rewards?"
[Workshop Bureau: Starship Construction]
Constructs a Workshop Bureau in any open space. Over time, it automatically manufactures Starships. Other constructs require corresponding blueprints. (Produces one starship per ten days.)
Su Xuan nodded.
So, essentially, it was a mobile factory. Useful—but not immediately needed.
[King's Sword Technique: The Blade That Goes Unnoticed]
A sword art that allows one to strike in such a way that the target is unable to perceive that they have already been cut.
Su Xuan: "…"
He examined it again carefully.
For example—cutting an apple.
The blade would pass cleanly between cells.
To the outside eye, the apple would appear untouched—yet its interior could be shattered entirely.
A strike that destroys from within while the surface remains perfectly intact.
A blade that never misses its intended target.
Su Xuan closed his eyes briefly.
Not a simple reward.
Finally, his gaze moved to the third reward.
[Illuminating Ten Thousand Rivers]
A cold, moonlit blade—like holding a sliver of night's silver light itself. A sword art from the Mirror-Shadow Flow.
Before Su Xuan could test it, Yelan's body tensed slightly in his arms.
Su Xuan smiled and gently pinched her cheek.
"Good reaction."
Yelan rolled her eyes—but quietly.
After last night, she had already learned how dangerous he truly was.
Even without his overwhelming power, he possessed countless ways to break a person's composure completely.
Once he set his sights on someone, escape was impossible.
Yet… part of her couldn't deny it—
The challenge, the risk, the loss of control—
all of it awakened a kind of thrill she had never experienced.
"Why do you look so… pleased?" Yelan asked, confused.
Su Xuan exhaled softly.
"I feel that I may already be invincible in Teyvat."
Yelan stared at him.
"…Were you not already?"
Su Xuan only laughed.
"Come. Before anything else, I'll show you something interesting."
"What is it?" Yelan asked, curiosity stirring.
"A ship that flies," Su Xuan replied.
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