"I row, I row, I row..."
As an adeptal automaton, the dialogue device didn't need rest as long as its adeptal power wasn't exhausted, so it began rowing day and night.
After experiencing the sea breeze for a while, Yun Xu found the bamboo raft too wobbly. He simply took out his sun and moon cup, placed it on the raft, and then took Lime back into his qiankun bag to rest.
Lime's small nest, or the grassy island, was very comfortable.
"I row, I row, I... I won't row, I'll slack off for a bit."
Seeing Yun Xu and Lime disappear, the dialogue device immediately slowed its movements, sitting on the bamboo raft and rowing leisurely, imitating Paimon's idle animation, its little feet gently swaying in the water.
However, just then, a large mouth emerged from the water and suddenly engulfed its legs.
"..."
The dialogue device lowered its head and glanced, seemingly puzzled.
Then, it was dragged into the sea from the bamboo raft by an immense force.
It was a large fish dwelling in the ocean, and after dragging it into the sea, it furiously bit at its legs.
"Gagaga, under attack, activating disciple protection module."
As an adeptal automaton, the dialogue device was naturally not afraid of water, but the attack from the large fish triggered its alarm.
Being torn and thrashed around by the large fish, the dialogue device slowly raised its arm.
Its entire arm immediately began to reconfigure and transform, forming a ballista similar in style to the Guizhong Ballista.
Boom—!
The next moment, the adeptal power ballista pierced through the entire body of the large fish...
"...?"
When Yun Xu had rested enough in the outer realm space and decided to come out to see where they were, he emerged from the sun and moon cup and found himself face-to-face with the head of a large fish, even seeing rows of sharp teeth inside its mouth.
"Master, please enjoy the fish."
Discovering Yun Xu had emerged, the dialogue device, which was rowing the bamboo raft ahead, turned its head and said.
"...Wait, won't such a large fish sink the bamboo raft?"
Yun Xu paused for a moment, examining the large fish before him for a while, only then realizing a problem.
"Oh, it just sank, but I fished it out of the sea."
The dialogue device replied, continuing to be a ruthless bamboo raft-rowing machine.
"I see..."
"Then I'll go back and eat the fish; you keep rowing."
Yun Xu then nodded in understanding, subsequently putting the large fish into the sun and moon cup and following it inside.
"?"
"How can there be such a scoundrel of a master? Doesn't even know it's time for a shift! I'm throwing it away!"
The dialogue device immediately turned around, dropped the oars, ran over, grabbed the sun and moon cup, and threw it into the sea.
"...It really sank!"
Seeing the sun and moon cup plop and sink below the surface of the sea, the dialogue device hurriedly flew up and dove into the sea. After a while, it retrieved the sun and moon cup and returned to the bamboo raft.
Then it continued rowing the bamboo raft towards Inazuma.
And just as Yun Xu's bamboo raft drifted on the sea for two or three days, Lumine and Paimon in Liyue Harbor finally boarded a ship of The Crux Fleet, setting sail for Inazuma...
After drifting at sea for about seven days, Yun Xu finally arrived in the outer sea area of Inazuma.
This area was very easy to recognize because the entire Inazuma outer sea was covered by what seemed like an unending thunderstorm, whether it was in the direction of Narukami Island or the outer sea of Watatsumi Island, which was far from Narukami Island.
"Master, did you secretly hear me call you a sly dog?"
On the bamboo raft, the dialogue device, which Yun Xu was holding up, seemingly intending to use it to block the thunderstorm, couldn't help but ask.
"I can't help it, Lime can't wake up again, so I can only let you bear it."
"Don't worry, as long as we're a little lucky, theoretically, we won't be struck, after all, this isn't a Thunder Tribulation."
Yun Xu shrugged, saying helplessly.
"Then, Master, you should put a lightning rod on your own head; theoretically, you wouldn't die either."
The dialogue device had already given up struggling, lying quietly in Yun Xu's raised hands, but still retorted.
"Eh~ that's a good idea! It's too low to attract lightning effectively. How about you take a lightning rod and fly beside me to help attract the lightning?"
Hearing this, Yun Xu's eyes lit up, and he suggested to the dialogue device lying flat in his hands.
"Gagaga, I am an automaton, gagaga, I'm sorry, I didn't understand your request, please re-enter, gagaga."
In response, the dialogue device chose to pretend not to understand.
And so, Yun Xu, holding the dialogue device, steered the bamboo raft into the thunderstorm zone of the Inazuma outer sea.
The characteristic of this place was the incessant thunder, with countless heavenly bolts striking the sea, obstructing all ships attempting to pass through.
Ever since Inazuma closed its borders, this thunderstorm had blocked countless merchant ships, and some unfortunate souls attempting to smuggle were also sunk and buried at the bottom of the sea.
However, even so, some ships, relying on ample armament or extreme luck, managed to force their way through the thunderstorm.
"Huh?"
"Our luck seems really good, doesn't it?"
After rowing a long distance into the thunderstorm zone, no lightning struck near them, which surprised Yun Xu.
Having been constantly struck by heavenly tribulations, he had mistakenly thought he was some kind of innate lightning-attracting saint.
This is good too, saves him from being charred all over; washing his fur is so tiring...
Thinking this, Yun Xu sat down on the bamboo raft, holding the dialogue device in his arms.
The main reason he wanted to brave the thunderstorm with it was that he was afraid if the bamboo raft broke, he would come out of the outer realm space to find the sun and moon cup had sunk into the sea.
"Master is holding me; does he like me?"
The dialogue device, held in his arms, looked up and asked.
"No, it's because if I get struck by lightning, I'm taking you with me."
Yun Xu shook his head, raising a hand to gently stroke its head.
This little fellow was made to resemble Paimon's appearance, so it still looked quite cute.
"..."
"So, a sly fox is indeed a dog, Master, can you try barking like a dog?"
The dialogue device paused, then asked Yun Xu.
"No, and a fox is not a dog."
Yun Xu playfully slapped its head.
"You mimic it so well."
"?"
"Head, head, I'm going to be torn in half!"
With Yun Xu pressing its head, the dialogue device could only wave its arms and struggle in his embrace.
And so, Yun Xu, riding the bamboo raft, passed through the thunderstorm zone of the Inazuma outer sea without incident.
At this point, Yun Xu could already see land in the distance... though it was actually just a larger island...
In the outer sea of Yunlai, on the armed ship named Alcor.
Lumine and Paimon began several days of life at sea.
At sea, the fleet's supplies had to be consumed at a controlled rate to avoid accidents, and most food couldn't be kept fresh. So, when sailing, the crew usually reached a point where they were sick of eating seafood.
After all, seafood was the only stable source of food available on the sea.
However, for Lumine and Paimon, who had just begun their sea voyage, delicious seafood was simply too tempting.
At mealtime, the two grilled large squids they had caught with tools on the deck. Paimon, on a whim, began singing an Inazuman song that had been adapted by the people of Liyue.
"That day's squid, the squid rises~"