When stepping into Mount Shu for the first time, most people were very nervous. They didn't dare look around openly and could only glance with the corners of their eyes to secretly observe their surroundings.
After all, this was the legendary immortal sect, whose sect master stood just one step away from the pinnacle of humanity.
Every move they made might already be under Mount Shu disciples' observation.
For all they knew, the trial had already begun.
If they did anything out of line and ruined their chance at the examination, after having endured all the way till now, none of them would be willing to stop here.
And besides…
Not only did they have to guard against sudden tests, but also the people around them.
These were all competitors.
Thinking like this, many people's gazes toward those beside them carried a trace of wariness.
Of course, all of this was just their inner drama—too much imagination.
Jiang Yan had no time to be staring at them. Since these people weren't yet disciples of Mount Shu, he held little interest in them.
Furina, however, seemed to have realized this point, for she was much more relaxed and carefree.
On tiptoe, holding onto Clorinde's arm, she excitedly looked around:
"Clorinde! Look! It's so big here, so mysterious! The scenery is gorgeous!"
Clorinde looked a little awkward and lowered her voice:
"Lady Furina, this is Mount Shu. Better to be steady."
"What's there to be afraid of? We aren't disciples yet—those bigshots of Mount Shu surely don't have time to watch us."
Furina took a deep breath, smiling brightly:
"Quick, Clorinde, breathe more! The spiritual energy here is so dense—just breathing feels like getting stronger!"
Looking at Furina's liveliness, Clorinde felt a bit embarrassed but subconsciously quickened her breathing too.
She couldn't help it—the aura here was simply too alluring.
Ningguang and the others also noticed Furina. After all, while everyone else whispered softly, she was the only one openly chattering away.
But when Ningguang got a good look at her, she was a little startled.
"The Hydro Archon?"
"She's the Hydro Archon? She personally came?"
Keqing cast a sidelong glance at Furina, puzzled.
Ningguang gave a small nod, sending her a voice transmission:
"During the previous trial, Yelan passed me word that the Hydro Archon was joining the assessment—not directly seeking us out to enter Mount Shu."
"At the time, I found it strange, but…"
She scrutinized Furina again.
The Hydro Archon… looked like an ordinary human?
No—perhaps just a mortal with a Vision?
What was this?
Could it be that the Hydro Archon of Fontaine had scattered her power, like the Tsaritsa?
But even if so, surely she shouldn't be this powerless, right?
Strange…
"You see it too?" Keqing asked via transmission.
"Mm… at most she's on the level of an early Foundation-Building adept."
Ganyu frowned slightly as she studied Furina.
"Forget it, maybe she has her secrets. We don't need to pry. For now, what matters is the Opening Ceremony."
Ningguang stopped paying attention to Furina, turning back to nod at Ganyu.
Ganyu didn't delay. She called out to Qingluan, and soon a streak of azure light tore across the sky.
It landed, transforming into a twin-ponytailed little girl carved of jade, adorable and doll-like.
Yet a casual wisp of her aura made many hearts pound in terror.
Compared to this, even those fearsome beasts felt harmless.
In Childe's eyes, this little girl surpassed even the Cryo Archon.
Not far away, Furina, who had been curious just a moment ago, also fell silent.
This little girl's presence felt even stronger than Neuvillette's.
She racked her brain but couldn't recall such an existence on Teyvat.
Qingluan looked at the million-plus people, then happily threw herself into Ganyu's arms.
"Big Sis Ganyu, you called Qingluan?"
Ganyu dotingly pinched her cheeks.
"I need you to carry these people to the Seven Peaks."
Qingluan pouted.
"I don't wanna carry them!"
"Be good. Just use your innate divine art to take them. The Sect Master and the First Seat are waiting."
Hearing even Jiang Yan's name mentioned, Qingluan relented, puffing her cheeks. With a leap, her body swelled.
Moments later, azure light burst apart—and a majestic azure bird with wings spanning a thousand meters filled the sky.
"That's… the legendary form of a spirit beast!"
Tighnari stepped forward, astonished. As a scholar of the Dendro Academia, he had read much about spirit beasts and demons transforming.
He never expected to see it alive, here on his first day at Mount Shu.
Nearby, Furina furrowed her brow, muttering:
"Spirit beasts and demons can only transform after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, right? So…"
Clorinde nodded.
"Indeed. At the very least, she must be at the Nascent Soul realm. I've heard that Secretary Ganyu bonded with a spirit beast here in Mount Shu—this must be the one."
Furina stayed quiet, calculating silently. Could Qingluan's power solve Fontaine's great problem?
After some thought… it seemed possible.
At least, in terms of aura, Qingluan felt even stronger than Neuvillette.
This realization filled her with new confidence.
"What a giant… Fighting this big one should be…"
Childe's eyes lit up with excitement, but halfway through his words he sighed:
"Forget it. She looks stronger than even Keqing. I'd probably collapse under just her aura."
Qingluan ignored their thoughts. Once Ganyu and the others stood on her back, she activated her divine art.
A gale swept up everyone else, carrying them swiftly toward Mount Shu.
They soared past the mountain gates, through seas of clouds.
The sight of Mount Shu's inner world unfolded before their eyes—words could not capture it.
Waterfalls surged upward into the clouds. Floating islands, lush and green, hung in the sky.
Mountains stood bare except for a single flower; neighboring peaks were iced over, yet their feet brimmed with springtime life.
Gigantic mirror-like lakes birthed endless rivers, tranquil or raging.
Five-colored radiance shimmered everywhere.
And the creatures…
Flowers towering hundreds of meters bloomed. Ancient trees stretched thousands of meters, one even pulling itself up to stride away with booming steps.
Compared to this, even Jueyun Karst seemed tame.
Beasts below, all at peak Foundation stage, thundered across the land—horned bulls the size of mountains, their weakest members late-stage Foundation, their leaders beyond peak, close to Core Formation.
In vast lakes, black and white serpents fought, their strikes sending waves hundreds of meters high. These were no beasts, but true demons.
Everyone was overwhelmed.
Tighnari's scholar's heart burned with desire to study them—but he restrained himself. His first task was still to get Collei into Mount Shu.
"What a place! Incredible!"
Childe clenched his fists in glee, eyes blazing.
"These guys are all so strong—any one of them is beyond me now!"
"Perfect! I'll never run out of battles here!"
"Once I become a cultivator, I'll explore every corner of this world!"
The wonders of Mount Shu far exceeded everyone's expectations.
It was the perfect embodiment of their dreams of a cultivation realm.
As they neared the Seven Peaks, all sights paled in comparison to the seven heaven-piercing pillars before them.
Lifting their heads, they couldn't even see the tops.
Magnificent, resplendent—everyone longed to join Mount Shu instantly, to belong here.
"Clorinde… do you think we can truly enter Mount Shu?"
Even Furina, who had been so cocky, felt doubt gnawing at her.
Compared to this world, Teyvat seemed insignificant.
Her self-confidence faltered.
Clorinde, too, had no answer.
At last, Qingluan descended, setting them down outside the Heart-Testing Array.
It was a colossal plaza, dwarfing the previous cliffside platform. Over a million people landed, yet they filled less than a third of the space.
All around stood towering jade pillars, shrouded in Unity Divine Light.
Here, the spiritual energy was so thick it condensed into mist, drifting like immortal clouds.
Ningguang, Ganyu, and Keqing descended gracefully, Qingluan shrinking back into her doll-like form to stand obediently by Ganyu's side.
Ningguang looked at the still-dazed crowd, smiling faintly.
Once, she too had been just like them—awestruck by Mount Shu's grandeur.
But now…
She was part of this greatness.
Pride swelled in her chest.
Turning, she bowed solemnly:
"Reporting to First Seat Zhongli, the candidates for the Opening Ceremony number 1,347,860 in total. All have been brought."
The moment her words fell, Hu Tao, still in a daze, snapped to attention, staring blankly at Ningguang.
Who?
Zhongli?
First Seat?
Zhongli is the First Seat?!
Wasn't the First Seat supposed to be the Geo Archon?
What nonsense!
Before Hu Tao could make sense of it, a vast aura descended.
On the empty high platform, three figures appeared at once. Around the plaza, countless streaks of light arrived—disciples standing proudly in midair with their flying swords.
Hu Tao looked up, and instantly fumed.
"Zhongli?! You thick-browed, big-eyed guy—you're actually the Geo Archon? And you became the First Seat of Mount Shu?!"
"No wonder you've been vanishing on me lately!"
"Such a great thing, and you didn't even call your Hall Master along?!"
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