That night, Mona gained much. At the very least, she had found her true path forward. Though she had yet to condense a Stellar Core, for her, the realization alone was enough.
The following morning, the people of Liyue woke to a transformed city. After a night of tireless effort by the workers, the streets were draped in festive decorations. From the wharf to Yujing Terrace, colorful lanterns and silk ribbons fluttered in the breeze, marking the start of the ten-day Moonchase Festival.
Hu Tao strolled through the Chihu Rock district, her hands overflowing with snacks—grilled fish skewers and crispy shrimp-flavored crackers.
"Mm... this is delicious! No wonder Su Han said today would be fun. I don't even feel like doing missions!" She spoke with her mouth full, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, looking utterly content.
Following behind her was a young girl in white—Qiqi, who had recovered nearly seventy percent of her memories. Although Hu Tao used to constantly try to "bury" her—leaving quite a shadow on the poor girl—the two had spent so much time together that a genuine bond had formed. Now, whenever Hu Tao had a treat, she shared half with Qiqi. They were practically sisters.
Soon, they reached a Wanmin Restaurant franchise. A large sign stood out front:
[Moonchase Special—Perfect for Gifts!]
[For your future father-in-law~~~]
[For your fiancé~~~]
[What are you waiting for? Sea Beast Jerky Gift Boxes are here!]
The staff quickly greeted them. "Milady, would you like to come in for a tasting?"
"No, no, you guys are busy with the gift orders! Qiqi and I are just looking around!" Hu Tao waved them off. She knew they were making a killing today. Besides, the Jade Chamber was already stocked with these boxes; Chef Mao had sent a massive delivery earlier that morning.
The sea beast meat came in every flavor imaginable: BBQ, cumin, spicy, and even a "roasted chicken" flavor. It was strange—the texture was exactly like chicken, yet it was undeniably sea beast.
Leaving the shop, they stopped at a small stall. "Eh? What's this? It's on a stick but it's not grilled?"
"This is Chuan Chuan Xiang (Skewered Malatane), a technique taught to us by the Ministry of Civil Affairs!" the vendor chirped. "The first five sticks are free—want a try?"
Hu Tao picked up a skewer drenched in red chili oil. It was a cold skewer—boiled, chilled in ice water, and then soaked in a spicy broth. It was numbingly spicy and incredibly fresh.
"Delicious! How much?"
"Ten Mora for twenty sticks! How many can I get you?"
"That's cheap! Give me twenty. Qiqi, what flavor do you want?"
"Mushroom... soup..." Qiqi couldn't handle spicy food, so she opted for the savory chicken and mushroom broth.
These stalls were part of a government initiative to let commoners open small businesses for the festival. The Ministry provided the techniques and the space for free, taking only a ten percent tax on profits. Su Han's prestige among the people had long since surpassed even Ningguang's. He understood that giving the people the "fishing pole" was better than giving them the "fish."
The Busy Streets
As they walked, Hu Tao ran into Shenhe and Ganyu.
"Look at you, buying so much," Shenhe laughed, reaching out to wipe a smudge of oil from the corner of Hu Tao's mouth. "Is Su Han coming down today?"
"Not yet," Ganyu replied, her eyes curving into a smile. "He's researching the chat group. The missions refresh in two hours, so he's likely deciding who to send."
"Fair enough. I wanted to drag him out to play, but I guess it'll have to wait until evening."
On another corner, Keqing was showing Kikyo and Kagome around. The two priestesses were stunned by the sheer prosperity.
"It feels so much more crowded than Inazuma," Kagome noted. "How much does a house cost here? I want to buy one for my mom."
"For about a hundred square meters? Around five million Mora," Keqing replied.
Kagome froze. "Five million?!"
Kikyo looked at the bustling crowds. "The economy is booming here; it's natural for land to be expensive. Kagome, you should just have your mother stay in the Jade Chamber's guest wing. This city is too chaotic."
"I just want her to have something to do," Kagome explained. "She doesn't like just sitting and cultivating all day. I was thinking of opening a small bakery or a ramen shop for her."
Keqing thought for a moment. "You can use your group points to exchange for a commercial license. In Liyue, if family members don't want to fight, they can open a shop. Even Katakuri's sister has a shop now, and business is incredible."
The Silent Awakening
Meanwhile, Su Han wasn't actually discussing missions. He was in his laboratory, refining medicine.
Having stabilized Raiden Makoto's soul, he was now researching materials for her physical body. He had Five-Colored Soil, the Biluo Lotus, and the Divine Dragon's core—all top-tier, but still insufficient.
He was also worrying about Havria, the Goddess of Salt. She was still in a deep slumber despite three infusions of Soul Crystals. The effect was minimal, and her awakening seemed distant. He refused to waste the Biluo Lotus leaves on her, as each leaf plucked weakened the plant's overall power.
"The Divine Dragon essence is running low, and the Black Dragon King's core is a bit too violent... the materials are still lacking," Su Han muttered, tossing herbs into the Shennong Ding.
Sitting beside him was Emma, the physician from Ashina, faithfully recording every step. She was a natural talent; under Su Han's guidance, she had mastered basic alchemy in just two days. He was now teaching her the advanced techniques of the Emei Sect, hoping she could eventually lead the apothecary team.
Ten minutes later, a pill solidified, radiating a thick life force. "It's not an Immortal Pill, but it's the peak of mortal medicine," Su Han noted.
He took Emma to a hidden chamber where Havria lay.
"Is she injured?" Emma asked, looking at the pale, beautiful woman.
"No... she just lost too much power. She's been 'empty' for a long time."
He placed the pill in Havria's mouth and helped her absorb the energy. A faint glow pulsed within her body, but there was no outward reaction.
"Still nothing?" Emma frowned. "Did I make a mistake in the records?"
"No," Su Han shook his head. "The medicine is fine. It's just that her constitution is too high. Havria... is a true God, after all."
They waited a few more minutes, and seeing no change, they turned to leave.
The moment Su Han's footsteps faded away, the "sleeping" Goddess's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly. Her consciousness had already begun to flicker awake, but for reasons of her own, she was choosing to stay still.
The Mission Refresh
At 10:50 AM, the mission countdown reached its final minutes. Su Han washed his hands and opened the All-Heavens Mission Group.
Su Han: "@Everyone, get ready. Missions refresh in ten minutes. If you're out in the city, keep an ear out. If you're not interested, feel free to keep playing."
Hu Tao: "Hehe, count me out! The streets are too much fun right now!"
Yae Miko: "Greedy girl. Don't come crying to us if a special mission appears and you missed your chance."
Qiqi: "Her mouth... is as hard as a duck's."
Paimon: "Pwahaha! Qiqi, that's spot on!"
Lumine: "I'll be on standby. If it's a Four-Star Hard or a Team Mission, we'll need the numbers."
Kujou Sara: "I'm hoping for a lower-level one so I can actually participate this time..."
100+ chapters are available now and daily updates! @patreon.com/Zefyrus