Everyone arrived at a stone table. Shenhe gracefully picked up the teapot placed there, found the water source in the cave with practiced ease, filled the pot with clear water, and placed it on the stove beside the stone table to boil—her movements calm and natural, like a hostess welcoming guests into her own home.
While the water began to heat, Yuto finally had the chance to ask again, "So then, why are you looking for me? And how did Shenhe end up with you two?"
"It's like this: Ningguang has decided to rebuild the Jade Chamber. Among the three missing items, one of them is the treasure called the mingxia floating stone. We heard you had one."
"Oh, I see. You must mean the mingxia floating stone I deposited with the Feiyun Commerce Guild, right?"
"Not exactly, Yuto. Xingqiu of the Feiyun Commerce Guild said the auction price for that stone might reach more than one billion Mora. We don't have the nerve to ask you for something so valuable.
What we wanted to tell you is—if you give the stone directly to Ningguang, she'll buy it from you at a high price anyway, and in addition, you'll get to ask her one question. That alone is a huge advantage."
"Heh… Paimon, how much Mora do you think Ningguang's 'high price' actually is?"
"Uh… maybe not as much as at an auction, but still… seven or eight hundred million Mora, right? Plus, the chance to ask any question—it should definitely be worth it."
Yuto chuckled, raised two fingers, and shook them slowly. "It's only two hundred million Mora."
"What?! Why so little?" Paimon's big round eyes widened in disbelief—the gap was just too much.
"Actually, on the day the Jade Chamber was destroyed, Ningguang personally came to me to discuss that mingxia floating stone. To her, the Jade Chamber itself might rank second, but Mora is always first. How could she ever do a losing deal?
The truth is, every merchant at the auction knows: even if they spend one billion Mora to buy the stone and hand it to Ningguang, she'll only give them two hundred million Mora in return. The rest—the eight hundred million Mora they lose—it depends on whether the question they ask Ningguang is worth that much."
"Wow… so it's two hundred million Mora and a question, versus one billion Mora. That's a cruel choice… If it were us, what question could be worth eight hundred million Mora? I can't even imagine one."
"That's Ningguang's brilliance. With the least Mora, she draws out the greatest results. The real value of the mingxia floating stone is two hundred million Mora—she wouldn't add a single coin more.
But by reframing the deal, she raised its value to one billion Mora. She profits, I profit. As for whether the merchant profits—that depends on the question they ask."
"I see now… So we really can't do anything about the mingxia floating stone. In that case, our only option is to focus on the perilous conch and the Adeptus Sigils."
"Perilous conch? Adeptus Sigils? You should have mentioned those earlier."
"Eh? You know something about them?"
"For the perilous conch, go to Master Zhang at [Cold Steel Blacksmith] in Liyue Harbor. It's said that back when Ningguang built the first Jade Chamber, he played a crucial role in forging it.
As for Adeptus Sigils…" Yuto's eyes turned toward Shenhe.
Receiving his silent cue, Shenhe spoke without hesitation. "I'll prepare the Adeptus Sigils."
"Eh?! Shenhe, you can make Adeptus Sigils?"
"Yes. I've been cultivating with the Adepti all these years and learned a little about preparing sigils. Master heard that Ningguang was rebuilding the Jade Chamber, so she asked me to deliver the sigils to her. She also considers it a trial for me… a step toward returning to the human world."
"Your Master really hasn't changed. Even after thousands of years, that tsundere temperament of hers is still intact. It's… almost strange."
"Huh? Tsundere… Adeptus… Shenhe, don't tell me—your Master is that one? Cloud Retainer?"
"It is her."
"Heh, Paimon, you can't call someone's Master names in front of their disciple. If Cloud Retainer overheard, with her personality she'd definitely scold you: 'How presumptuous! What woman?'"
Yuto even deliberately mimicked Cloud Retainer's voice, and Lumine and Paimon, who were both familiar with her, instantly felt déjà vu. They nodded along in agreement. Shenhe, however, didn't catch the joke at all and only looked puzzled.
"So that's the case! Then we should hurry and find Master Zhang before anyone else does."
Originally, Yuto had planned to decline joining them. But beneath the stone table, Shenhe lightly tugged at his sleeve where no one else could see. Her eyes shone with expectation. In the end, Yuto had no choice but to follow.
[Cold Steel Blacksmith]—Liyue Harbor's most renowned blacksmith shop, boasting a history of hundreds of years. The legendary Prototype weapons—Prototype Starglitter Claymore, Prototype Archaic Claymore, Prototype Rancour Sword, Prototype Crescent Bow, and Prototype Amber Catalyst—all came from the skilled hands of master smiths Hanwu and Yunhui.
In addition, Hanwu and his son Hance were the ones who forged and refined the famed Blackcliff series of weapons. In a land like Liyue, where blacksmithing flourished, the Han family alone had passed down two complete sets of weapon blueprints—enough proof of their unmatched reputation.
The current head of the shop was Master Zhang, son of Hanwu. Hanwu himself, now advanced in years, had retired to Qingce Village. (Wait, if his son's surname is Zhang, not Han… is he adopted? Or maybe a son-in-law? But then again, in the game, Hanwu said his son wasn't even married yet and even suggested matchmaking with the Traveler…)
At that moment, the shop wasn't empty. Someone had beaten them there already. Before they could even step inside properly, Paimon, as impulsive as ever, blurted out, "Master Zhang, do you know about the perilous conch?"
At those words, Master Zhang and the two guests beside him immediately turned to look. Yuto soon realized—the two weren't strangers at all. They were none other than Yun Jin, the celebrated lead of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, and Beidou, Captain of the Alcor.
Master Zhang scratched his head awkwardly. "So… you're also here for the perilous conch? This is… troublesome."
Beidou crossed her arms, her imposing presence filling the shop, yet she smiled warmly. "Oh! I know you lot. You're Lumine and Paimon, the ones who fought against the Fatui and Osial. And… Uchiha Mikage, right?"
"Huh?! We're that famous already? Um, may I ask who you are…"
"I'm Beidou, Captain of the Crux Fleet. I first heard about you from Ningguang herself. She's a woman with sharp eyes, never one to praise lightly. The first time I heard her speak so highly of anyone, I wondered—what kind of talents could they be? I wanted to meet you myself."
"Whoa! So you're Captain Beidou! That means… we can finally get to Inazuma!"
"Oh? You want to go to Inazuma? That won't be difficult to arrange. But first, let's settle this matter at hand. Allow me to introduce—this is Mr. Yun, Yun Jin, Liyue's most famous opera performer."
"Greetings, everyone. It's an honor to finally meet you. I too have heard much of your deeds." The graceful young woman, dressed in magnificent opera attire, offered a refined bow.
"Hello, Mr. Yun! I've long admired your name. My friend Zhongli often speaks of your performances with endless praise."
"Oh! So you know Mr. Zhongli as well."
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