"Good morning, Qin Yu."
Keqing stood blocking Qin Yu in the small grove, a gentle smile on her face, arms crossed.
"What were you doing just now?"
The scoundrel who was stealing food had finally been caught by her!
This time, let's see what Qin Yu could say.
"Good morning, Keqing."
Qin Yu coughed lightly and raised his hands.
Caught red-handed, he had nothing to say.
"I'm not feeling well."
Keqing turned her face away, her tone gruff.
She looked like someone who couldn't be appeased no matter what.
"Cough, this is for you."
Qin, a certain person, snapped off a flower and presented it to Keqing.
Trying to soothe the cat's emotions.
But clearly, the puffed-up cat was in a state where she could bite at any moment.
Keqing dodged Qin Yu's outstretched hand and pouted, "The weather is so nice, it's the perfect time to go out and exercise, but you still…!"
She stopped mid-sentence, then remembered what she had just seen and her pretty face flushed.
She quickly shook her head, maintaining a serious expression.
What Qin Yu did had nothing to do with her, did it?
Her usual tsundere nature resurfaced.
But the glances that occasionally flickered towards Qin Yu's cheeks betrayed her true feelings.
"Keqing, could it be that you're..."
Qin Yu hesitated for a moment and asked softly.
Before he could finish speaking.
"I'm not jealous at all!"
Keqing turned her face away and snorted proudly.
Qin Yu: …
As expected of you, you've already blown your cover.
"..."
For a moment, the air fell silent.
Facing the gazes of several people, Keqing's face grew increasingly unnatural.
It was only then that she realized that in her haste, she had blurted out what was on her mind.
Being jealous of Qin Yu…
And Sangoneria heard it too!
Just as Keqing was feeling both angry and flustered.
"Alright, I understand."
"Actually, I was also exercising just now."
Qin Yu stroked Nahida's head beside him and smiled.
Exercise, meaning beating up Fatui debt collectors.
"Here, you really don't want it?"
He pushed the snapped flower into Keqing's small hand again.
Be good, my cute Keqing.
"Hmph, Nahida, let's go."
Keqing accepted the flower, her mood improving slightly.
But she still gave Qin Yu a dismissive look, pretending not to care.
She pulled the white-haired loli and walked out of the Komore Teahouse.
"Where are you two going?"
Qin Yu asked, looking outside in confusion.
Such a cute cat and a little angel, unfamiliar with the area.
What if they got lost in Inazuma City?
"Brother Qin Yu, we're going for morning practice."
Nahida's gentle voice rang out as she clenched her little fists and waved at Qin Yu.
So cute.
"So Nahida is also going to work hard."
Qin Yu was amused by the white-haired loli's fierce but adorable demeanor and reached out, preparing to pinch her cheek.
Where did such a cute little angel come from?
What? She's his own? Then it's nothing.
The little Dendro Archon also needed to exercise and grow up quickly.
Of course, this was Grandmother Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's intention.
The Archon's divine power, the authority over dreams, and so on…
Nahida, as the second generation Archon, was still very young.
But now it was different, Nahida had the company of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Qin Yu.
No one could make her feel wronged anymore.
"I'll feel more at ease if I stay by Nahida's side."
"Besides, I have a few letters to send to Liyue."
Keqing explained casually and left with Nahida.
"Remember to come back early."
Qin Yu called out to the two women as they walked away, shaking his head helplessly.
He'd been disliked again.
"As the Jade-Light, Keqing still needs to maintain contact with Liyue."
He wondered what the reaction from Liyue would be.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Liyue.
In the early morning mountains, a misty drizzle blurred the landscape.
This place was remote and sparsely populated, and not within the protection of the Millelith of Liyue Harbor.
This meant that it was teeming with wild beasts and monsters that people spoke of with dread.
Yet, in this dangerous place that even Treasure Hoarders wouldn't dare to venture into, stood a dilapidated thatched hut.
In the cold wind and fine rain, it looked as if it could collapse at any moment.
"Drip."
The sound of footsteps approached.
"Tch… what a bother."
Inside, a lazy female voice sounded, tsking.
The owner of the thatched hut had long since sensed the uninvited guest's sudden arrival.
"You haven't returned to Liyue Harbor for so long, what happened?"
A mature and noble voice asked from outside, showing concern.
Just by hearing it, one knew a mature woman had arrived.
"..."
There was no response.
With a creak, the thatched hut was pushed open.
The next moment, a graceful and luxurious woman walked in.
She wore a qipao, the expensive fabric accentuating her perfect, mature figure, exuding an air of nobility.
Her white-gold hair was tied up with a golden hairpin.
A raindrop trickled down, tracing its way across her flawless cheek.
"You don't welcome me?"
The woman smiled, as if in a casual chat between old friends.
"Ningguang, the Tianquan of Liyue, to think you'd come here."
The owner of the hut finally responded, slowly rising.
In the dim light, she stretched, her voluptuous curves revealing a hint of laziness.
Whoosh!
A die flew towards the doorway and was caught by Ningguang.
"Fancy a game?"
Ningguang smiled, trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Forget it, I'm not in the mood."
As she spoke, a tall woman walked slowly to Ningguang's side, waving her hand dismissively.
She had short blue hair, and a hint of playful amusement in her eyes, as if she could see through everything.
Beneath her open collar, a mole on her chest was particularly striking.
"Yelan, look at yourself now."
Ningguang frowned as she examined Yelan.
Living in seclusion in the thatched hut, she looked particularly disheveled.
Like a wild beast licking its wounds in silence.
"It doesn't matter," Yelan said casually.
"Our elusive master of information, are you planning to retire?"
Ningguang leaned against the doorframe and said softly.
She needed an answer.
"..."
Yelan slowly narrowed her emerald eyes, falling silent for a long time.
"Yes, I want to put it aside for now."
Finally, she sighed and raised her hands.
Her bandaged fingers were stained with a glaring crimson.
As an archer, Yelan was training herself intensely here, even if her fingers bled.
She looked at the silent Ningguang and murmured,
"You and I made a mistake."
Ningguang's eyes flickered, signaling Yelan to continue.
"...What we did should not have involved ordinary people."
Yelan said, her hands falling dejectedly.
These hands had personally buried her last colleague.
She had failed, she was lost.
So, she stopped, and examined herself.
Where exactly did she go wrong?
"But you are also an ordinary person," Ningguang said.
Yelan smiled, "Of course."
"So I want to seek greater power, greater risks."
"...Risks that torment me, hurt me, and could kill me."
A joyful smile played on Yelan's lips.
It was a pathological psychology addicted to pain.
Simply put, a sad…
"Yelan, what you are now is just a beast drawn to danger, instinctively stepping into darkness."
Ningguang's expression was solemn.
"No."
Yelan shook her head, pointing to her own fair and delicate neck.
Her joyful smile held a provocative air of nonchalance.
"It's a beast that yearns to be conquered, trampled, and ravaged."
Ningguang chuckled, "Don't end up losing yourself."
"Like a certain Jade-Light?"
Yelan's lips curved slightly, the answer was obvious.
There was no one who could conquer her.
"So, you want to obtain a Vision?"
Ningguang smiled.
The gaze of the gods.
This was why Yelan was honing her martial skills here.
"But I've given up."
Yelan changed the subject and smiled.
Although she had a premonition that she would obtain a Vision very soon.
"Why."
"I'm very interested in someone on the list."
"Qin Yu?"
Yelan nodded and pushed open the door of the thatched hut, walking out.
"Where are you going?" Ningguang asked.
"To catch a ship to Inazuma."
"...To meet that young man named Qin Yu."