Luya stepped swiftly out of the shop, his gaze drifting around him. Everywhere was filled with the glow of lanterns and decorations—an air of celebration and harmony. In the night sky, countless Xiao Lanterns shimmered softly like a field of stars, adding a touch of mystery and romance to Liyue Harbor.
The Lantern Rite—to the people of Liyue Harbor, this day carried extraordinary meaning. Smiles adorned every face; laughter and joy filled every street and alley. Luya's shop stood on Feiyun Slope, not far from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
As he walked the road leading there, he watched families holding hands and friends chatting and laughing together—warmth and happiness all around. He deeply felt the festive energy, so much like the New Year celebrations of his home on Blue Star. Nostalgia welled in his chest.
...
Knock...
Luya rapped on the funeral parlor's door. He had only knocked once—before the second tap could land, the door opened. Standing there was a girl with plum-blossom eyes, dressed in a long Chinese-style robe patterned with red spider lilies. Her face lit up with delight.
"Shopkeeper, you finally came!"
"I thought… maybe you weren't coming…"
Hu Tao, who had been a little anxious, broke into a wide smile when she saw him. With the Lantern Rite, even the employees of Wangsheng had gone to reunite with their families. However, as the Hall Master, Hu Tao stayed behind alone in the parlor.
Albeit with Luya's arrival, the loneliness in her gaze faded, replaced with joy.
In her hands were two Xiao Lanterns. She beamed at Luya and said, "Let's go to the shore and release them together!"
Luya nodded, taking one of the lanterns from her. Every year, during the Lantern Rite, the sky above Liyue Harbor shimmered with lights—thousands of Xiao Lanterns illuminating the heavens and the sea, carrying people's wishes into the distance.
For the people of Liyue, crafting and releasing lanterns into the night sky was a cherished tradition.
...
Walking side by side through the crowds, Luya and Hu Tao made their way to the waterfront. Liyue Harbor overflowed with festival spirit. The sound of the waves was drowned by laughter and chatter, while the sky gleamed with countless lanterns.
Many were still crafting their own Xiao Lanterns, while others watched them rise, glowing softly in the night. Tens of thousands of lights twinkled above, like a sky full of stars.
Luya looked up and murmured in awe, "Beautiful…" If only he had a phone, he thought—he would have taken a photo and posted it to his friend circle. Seeing his dazed expression, Hu Tao laughed heartily and said, "This is Liyue Harbor's grandest night of the year! You'd better enjoy it, Shopkeeper!"
Luya smiled, nodding. "I will!" As they chatted along the way, they reached the seashore. Watching the lanterns rise, Luya felt joy swelling in his chest. For a brief moment, he forgot all his worries—simply savoring this peaceful night.
Then Hu Tao lifted the lantern she had prepared and conjured a small flame at her fingertip. She gestured toward the lantern in Luya's hand and said excitedly, "Let's light them together!"
Using Hu Tao's tiny flame, they lit their lanterns.
"Hahaha, on such a fine night…"
"Hall Master Hu, what's your wish?"
At his question, Hu Tao fell into thought. "My wish…" She closed her eyes, gently tapping her foot. "Hmm…" Then she laughed. "I wish the Shopkeeper good health, a long life… and booming business!" With a grin, she released her lantern into the sky. A sea breeze caught it, carrying her wish upward into the stars.
Then she turned to Luya. "What about you, Shopkeeper? What's your wish?"
Without hesitation, Luya smiled and said, "Then I'll wish… that Hall Master Hu is happy every day~ And that she gets fewer clients! May everyone in Liyue live long lives, hahaha!"
Hearing his words, Hu Tao laughed and cried at once. Though fewer clients meant less profit, it also meant fewer grieving hearts. After all, Wangsheng's work was tied to death. The fewer their services needed, the longer Liyue's people lived—and the happier they'd be.
"Hahaha, alright, alright~ If this Hall Master earns a little less, so be it! Having fewer sorrowful souls is a blessing too."
Looking at Hu Tao—so young, yet having endured so many partings—Luya felt a pang of tenderness.
"Hall Master Hu… Is there anyone you wish you could see again?"
At his question, Hu Tao shook her head gently. "The dead can't return… The one I want to see has long since passed. Hahaha, still, life and death are natural. The departed wouldn't want the living to grieve."
As she spoke, her fingers brushed the Vision at her waist. At thirteen, Hu Tao had once journeyed to the border between life and death, searching for her grandfather.
He never appeared. She believed he had already crossed over—to the place all must one day go. Her grandfather had lived a righteous life, leaving behind no regrets—so why should she see his passing as one?
She smiled and returned home under the breaking dawn. On that journey, she recalled his favorite saying: To live when it is time to live, to die when it is time to die. Follow your heart and fulfill your duty.
When she arrived home at noon, she climbed the wall into the backyard and entered her room to unpack.
Her empty pack now held a shining Vision—an otherworldly gift. As one of the few living souls daring to wander the border, Hu Tao's will must have moved a certain god. She was granted a Vision—proof of divine recognition.
Though human life is finite, and all must part someday, Hu Tao still regretted that, back then, while playing hide-and-seek with her grandfather inside a coffin, she had fallen asleep—and missed their final farewell.
Years had passed, and she had long come to terms with his death. Even so, whenever she remembered that she never got to say goodbye, she felt a pang of sadness.
Hu Tao gazed upward at the drifting lanterns, silent and thoughtful.
At that moment, Luya held the [75th Master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor] card between the fingers of his left hand.
Activating his Level 7 [Divine Hand], a burst of golden light radiated from his palm!
The sky was already filled with Xiao Lanterns, their glow masking the brilliance from Luya's hand. Thus, under the cover of countless lights, his power went unnoticed.
From within the fading card, an elderly man with graying hair, wearing a Taoist-style hexagram hat and a dignified robe, emerged beside Luya. Even Hu Tao, standing next to him, hadn't realized that Luya had just used his ability to summon the former Hall Master of Wangsheng—the grandfather she missed so dearly.
The old master quietly approached from behind and wrapped Hu Tao in a firm embrace. Startled, Hu Tao thought it was Luya. Her face flushed red. "Ah! Shopkeeper, you—hahaha~ are you… confessing to me?!"
Abruptly, soon, she noticed something felt off—the height wasn't right, and the scent was different. It was a familiar fragrance, one she couldn't quite place… yet it carried a deep warmth.
She glanced down at the arms holding her. The robe's fabric and color matched her own. The hands were large and aged. "This is…" A thought too impossible to believe flashed in her mind. "Grandpa?!" But she immediately dismissed it as fantasy and tried to pull away—
"My little Hu Tao… cough, cough… you've grown so tall!"
Hu Tao froze. That voice—it was exactly the same as the one in her memories! "Grandpa!!!" She gently pulled his arms aside and turned around. The old master, hair ashen and back slightly hunched, stood behind her, wearing a hat even larger than hers.
"My little Hu Tao… cough, cough… did you miss your grandpa~~?"
Though she had long accepted his passing, seeing him again—alive before her—made her tears spill uncontrollably. "What's going on…?" Then she remembered Luya mentioning he'd prepared a gift for her this Lantern Rite. Could this reunion… be that gift? She stood frozen in disbelief—how could such a thing, reviving the dead, even be possible?
The old master smiled, pointing toward Luya. "You can thank this young man for that."
Luya nodded. "Think nothing of it. Hu Tao has helped me plenty. However… Elder Hu's time is limited. Spend it well."
Hu Tao's smile faltered. "Limited? What do you mean?"
Luya explained softly, "Elder Hu passed naturally of old age. The card I obtained captured him in his final days. Thus, even now, his lifespan is nearly at its end."
Both Hu Tao and her grandfather listened calmly. As past and present masters of the Funeral Parlor, they had long accepted the cycle of life and death. There was no sorrow in their eyes—only understanding.
The old master turned to Luya, bowing slightly. "Young man, thank you… for letting me see my little Hu Tao once more."
Hu Tao also bowed deeply in gratitude, then eagerly began telling her grandfather everything—about the past three years, her duties, her friends, and how she met Luya.
"Hahaha, my little Hu Tao has grown capable of standing on her own. Wonderful! I can rest easy now."
"To live when it is time to live, to die when it is time to die. Follow your heart, and do what must be done."
Feeling his strength fading, Elder Hu turned to Luya and grasped his hand with a smile. "Young man, please… take care of my granddaughter for me. I'll leave her in your hands, hahaha!"
Hu Tao's face turned crimson. "Grandpa! What are you saying?! I— I'm only sixteen!! That's too soon!"
The old man chuckled. "Almost grown, aren't you? Still, my dear Hu Tao… when Grandpa's gone again, remember to take care of yourself."
Hu Tao nodded firmly. With a content smile, the old master's form began to fade, his spirit returning peacefully to the beyond. To share a Lantern Rite with Hu Tao and see her smiling once more—he left with no regrets.
As his time ended, the [75th Master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor] card in Luya's hand also vanished. Such was the price of his summoning: once the manifested being perished, the card ceased to exist.
...
After Elder Hu's passing, Hu Tao did not weep. Instead, she smiled. At last, she had no regrets. Being able to bid farewell properly made her heart light again. She then remembered her grandfather's teasing words to Luya.
"Shopkeeper… you don't have to listen to him, you know~ All that 'take care of my granddaughter' talk…" Her face reddened again.
Luya only chuckled. To him, looking after Hu Tao wasn't a burden—it was natural. Smiling, he replied, "Then I'll follow Elder Hu's wishes. I'll look after you as best I can, Hall Master Hu. After all, we live nearby—and we're business partners, too."
Hu Tao laughed. "Hahaha, then I'll be in your care, Shopkeeper!"
...
After helping Hu Tao reunite with her grandfather, Luya joined her in the rest of the Lantern Rite festivities—riddles, performances, and more.
Along the way, they met Chongyun, Xingqiu, and Xiangling, enjoying lanterns and laughter together. It was, without doubt, Hu Tao's most unforgettable Lantern Rite ever.
When the festival finally ended, Luya said goodbye to everyone and returned to his shop to rest—ready for tomorrow's work. Tomorrow was an important day. The day he would meet Xianyun and Guizhong to build the [Portable Game Console]. Once it was complete, he would head to Sumeru, crush the Akademiya, and rescue Nahida!
With Nahida's help, he could finally establish a network connection—and launch his grand Yu-Gi-Oh! Online Mora Explosion Plan!
...
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