Sumeru.
Half a month had passed since Lumine and Paimon first met Rana. When they finally emerged from Vanarana, both were utterly exhausted.
They never imagined that a simple rescue of a Forest Ranger would unravel such a complex chain of events.
Rana had been in danger, and they couldn't abandon her. Lumine and Paimon didn't even have time to search for Chu Xi.
While the Aranara were undeniably adorable, the sheer amount of work had taken its toll.
Fortunately, the outcome was positive. Thanks to Rukkhadevata's revival, the Aranara had suffered minimal sacrifices.
"Lumine, I'm so tired," Paimon groaned. "Let's go back and find a place to rest properly."
Paimon barely had the energy to fly. To search for Chu Xi, they had been constantly pushing themselves, their bodies holding up, but their spirits utterly drained.
Endless tunnels, endless tasks, endless Aranara to find...
Lumine massaged her temples, agreeing with Paimon.
Right now, all she wanted was to return to Sumeru City and rest properly.
As for Chu Xi, they would have to leave it to fate. Almost no one had seen her, and they didn't even know if she was still in Sumeru. In a place as vast as Teyvat, finding one person was a daunting task.
Lumine also realized that the Aranara here had no memory of Silaya, or rather, their memories of her had been blurred beyond recognition. They had no recollection of her existence.
Irminsul's deletions had profoundly affected the original inhabitants of Teyvat. So far, Lumine was the only person she had encountered who still remembered Silaya.
-
Back in Sumeru City, Lumine and Paimon inquired about Chu Xi with their friends, but still came up empty.
After resting in Sumeru City for a day, they set off for the desert. When their search there also failed, they returned to Liyue.
Bubu Pharmacy.
"What's happened to that girl, Chu Xi?" Changsheng asked anxiously. I told her not to wander off!
She had stubbornly ignored all her warnings, and now even the Traveler couldn't find her...
Lumine: "We were fighting Abyss Monsters, and when we turned around, Chu Xi was gone. Paimon and I searched almost all of Sumeru without finding her. We thought she might have returned here, but..."
Hearing the words "Abyss Monsters," Changsheng grew even more frantic. "This is bad, this is bad! That girl's just an ordinary person—no, she's even less than ordinary! If she encountered Abyss Monsters, she'd be doomed! If you can't find her, could it be...?"
Baizhu gently patted Changsheng's head to comfort her.
Paimon: "Chu Xi has a Vision, okay? And she wasn't even involved in the fight! She'll be fine—we just don't know where she ran off to!"
Paimon stomped her foot in annoyance at Changsheng's speculation.
Changsheng: "That little girl has a Vision?"
Lumine briefly recounted how Chu Xi had obtained her Vision. Chu Xi had told this story to many people, so it wasn't a secret Lumine couldn't share.
"So that's how it happened..." Changsheng mused.
After spending some time at Bubu Pharmacy, Lumine and Paimon left. Before they departed, Changsheng solemnly issued a quest: if Lumine found Chu Xi, she must remember to return and inform her immediately.
Although Chu Xi had only worked at Bubu Pharmacy for a short time, Changsheng had genuinely grown fond of her.
She looks so delicate and frail, yet her spirit is so indomitable!
-
"Lumine, where should we look now?" Paimon asked, frustration evident in her voice. They had searched every place they could think of, but without any luck.
Lumine felt a headache coming on. She was at a loss for what to do next.
With Paimon in tow, Lumine headed to the Adventurer's Guild in Liyue. She had previously asked Katheryne to keep an eye out for Chu Xi's whereabouts, and since they were passing by, it was a good time to check in.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild."
Lumine cut to the chase: "Katheryne, have you heard any news about Chu Xi recently?"
"I'm afraid not. However, there's an invitation here for you from Inazuma."
"An invitation?"
Katheryne nodded and retrieved a letter from behind the counter. "Yes, this is it."
Lumine opened the letter and read aloud:
Traveler, Paimon, greetings!
It's me Yuna! Inazuma is hosting a really fun event called the Test of Courage, organized by the Yashiro Commission. There will be lots of delicious food and exciting activities—are you interested in coming?
I'll let you in on a secret: I'm providing all the food for the event! Paimon, you absolutely have to come, or you'll miss out on all the goodies!
There will be tons of guests, making it a lively gathering. How could such a grand occasion be complete without you two?
Oh, and another thing! You promised you'd visit me often after going to Sumeru. Paimon, didn't you say you loved my cooking? Yet you haven't come even once, making me wait for so long!
You absolutely have to come this time! I'll be waiting for you in Inazuma...
Signed, Yuna. Beside her name was a goofy, grinning face with exaggerated teeth—probably a self-portrait.
"Hehe..."
After reading Yuna's letter, Paimon felt her pent-up emotions instantly lift.
She wanted to rush to Inazuma right away, but Chu Xi was still missing...
Lumine carefully folded the letter and left the Adventurer's Guild with Paimon.
"Paimon, let's check around the Teleport Waypoints in the Sumeru Desert again. If we still can't find Chu Xi today, we'll head to Inazuma. Maybe she's already there."
Having just suffered such a massive loss, the Abyss wouldn't launch another attack so soon.
Chu Xi might already be investigating that Dendro Vision. Lumine could only silently apologize to Silaya in her heart.
Chu Xi's sudden disappearance had been completely unexpected, leaving her powerless to prevent it.
"Okay! Let's go right now!" Paimon's spirits were renewed.
-
Inazuma, Arataki Gang Headquarters
A gust of wind swept through, stirring a tense atmosphere.
Yuna and Arataki Itto stood on opposite sides of the arena, Yuna gripping her Whatever Claymore tightly in both hands, while Itto tightened his grip on his Redhorn.
Yuna moved first, raising her Claymore high above her head and swinging the blade down toward Itto.
Instead of retreating, Itto charged forward, gritting his teeth as he swung his greatsword to meet Yuna's Claymore head-on.
Just as the two blades were about to clash...
"Stop!"
Yuna and Itto froze mid-motion, their attacks slamming into the ground beside them. Despite the force of their swings, the impact left only shallow gouges in the earth.
Kuki Shinobu strode into the arena, her face cold and severe. The other members of the Arataki Gang lowered their heads and retreated to the sidelines.
Yuna scratched her head, offering an awkward smile.
Kuki Shinobu grabbed each of them by the ear—Itto bent over while Yuna stood on tiptoe—as they both begged for mercy.
"Second Sister, it hurts! Boss and I were just sparring, I swear!" Yuna pleaded.
"Shinobu, no! I asked Yuna to spar with me, she didn't force me! I swear!" Itto insisted.
Shinobu had witnessed their attacks landing on the ground earlier. While it was clear they had held back, she remained furious.
"Fighting is strictly forbidden within the Arataki Gang! All sparring and training must be supervised by me!"
Yuna nodded vigorously, like a chicken pecking at grain.
I really was just sparring with Boss! she thought. I've been having too much fun lately and neglecting my training. With the Abyss invasion looming, I finally convinced Boss to spar...
"Sister, I won't do it again! It's gonna fall off! My ear's gonna fall off..."