"There's even a combination technique? As expected of the Martial Arts Legend, this time, they should finally be able to break through the Threefold Origin Energy, right?"
"I think so too! That villain Xiongba has committed countless evils. He's schemed against everyone, people and gods alike despise him!"
"Kill that old bastard already!"
The fans, fired up by the climax, couldn't help but shout curses together.
Indeed, with the Boundless Mahā Power, Wind and Cloud faced Xiongba again without fear. Their combined strength soared, and their overwhelming might utterly crushed him.
This perfectly fulfilled the comic's foreshadowing.
"Truly," an old man murmured as he read, "it is both his rise and his fall that came from Wind and Cloud."
Although Xiongba was defeated, he didn't die immediately. By a twist of fate, or perhaps sheer coincidence, he fled right into the place where Nameless had secluded himself: the Zhonghua Pavilion.
But just as he stopped to rest, the Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake arrived in pursuit.
Facing such murderous enemies, Xiongba fell into despair, believing death inevitable. Yet at that moment, Nameless advised him to let go of his obsessions. Although Xiongba didn't know who this man was, he could sense he was no ordinary person.
Having nowhere left to run, Xiongba chose to give up his martial arts entirely.
Even so, the Twelve Fiends pressed on relentlessly, refusing to spare him. Just then, the sound of an erhu drifted out from the room, and the immense power carried by its melody forced the villains to retreat instantly.
(TL/N: Erhu is a traditional Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument. Basically a Chinese Violin)
Even Xiongba himself was stunned by Nameless's strength.
The readers watching the scene cried out in astonishment.
"What?! He scared them off with an erhu?!"
"Holy, he's that strong?!"
"That's insane!"
In a teahouse, customers erupted in excited chatter over Nameless's grand entrance.
But in one corner, a certain woman frowned slightly.
"What uncouth noise. So typical of mortals, so easily excited. This immortal came to Liyue Harbor merely to observe the world, not expecting to gain anything worthwhile."
She wanted to scold them, but after some thought, decided there was no point in lecturing mortals. She stood up, ready to return home to her mechanical studies.
Until she noticed that every mortal there was holding a picture book.
The illustrations were intricate and vivid, far more refined than any she'd ever seen.
She stopped, intrigued. "What is that?"
The patron, irritated by the interruption, frowned, until he looked up and froze.
Before him stood a tall, graceful woman with blue-black hair streaked with silver, elegant red glasses resting on her nose, and an aura of calm intellect that could only belong to a sage.
Seeing his dazed look, Cloud Retainer's brows furrowed. "I asked you a question."
The customer quickly stammered an answer, embarrassed. "O-oh, you mean this? It's called a comic. It's a new kind of illustrated story, very exciting! The shop only opened this morning, and by this afternoon it already released four volumes. Everyone in the city's trying to get one!"
"Such an interesting creation?"
Cloud Retainer's brows arched, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
A comic…
She had never heard of such a thing, but it seemed to be a kind of illustrated narrative, perhaps akin to old scroll paintings. Not bad.
With a simple flick of her wrist, she quietly acquired four volumes. But as night had already fallen, Cloud Retainer decided not to stay in Liyue Harbor. Instead, she rose upon the wind and returned to her mountain abode.
Under the moonlit sky, a silver-haired woman had just finished her meditation. Seeing the familiar figure descend, she greeted softly, "Master, you're back."
Cloud Retainer looked her disciple over from head to toe and nodded approvingly. "Mm. I took a brief walk in the mortal realm. But you, Shenhe, you look weary. You forgot your red cord again, didn't you?"
Shenhe lowered her gaze slightly. "I stayed up too late cultivating last night… I forgot."
A sleepless night haunted by nightmares had left her exhausted.
Cloud Retainer sighed softly and paced a few steps. "Alas… when will this end?"
Her disciple's mental barriers were one thing, but the greater problem lay in her unique constitution. The red cord could only suppress it temporarily, it was no permanent cure. Unless this was resolved, the nightmares would follow her forever.
Seeing her master's troubled look, Shenhe spoke gently, "Don't worry, Master. I've gotten used to it. I'll go rest now." She turned and left, calm as ever.
Watching her disciple's retreating back, Cloud Retainer's heart filled with sorrow. To her, Shenhe was like her own daughter.
"One or two of them… always worrying me," she muttered. "Forget it. I'll relax for a bit."
Back in her chamber, bored, Cloud Retainer picked up the comics she had bought and began to read.
But when she reached the scene of the Lingyun Cavern, and saw that the calamity there was said to be caused by a qilin, her expression instantly turned icy.
"Outrageous! The qilin is a sacred beast that guards Liyue, and this author dares to slander it so brazenly? How dare he!"
In her fury, Cloud Retainer immediately set the comic aside and sent a message to her other disciple, Ganyu.
She would find out who dared defame the qilin and what sinister intent lay behind it.
A jade-green paper crane transformed into a bird and shot through the clouds, heading straight toward Liyue Harbor.
Meanwhile, in a distant cave in Jueyun Karst, two other adepti were chatting idly about Shenhe.
"Though Cloud Retainer always acts proud, having someone to talk to must be nice."
"Indeed. Sometimes I think we should've taken disciples too."
Hearing this, Mountain Shaper gave her companion a deadpan look. "We can't even cook. What would we feed a disciple? You've seen how Cloud Retainer's girl lives... Always eating herbs. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
Moon Carver froze for a moment before whispering, "Ahem… you'd best not let Cloud Retainer hear you say that. You'll never live it down."
"Of course I know that," Mountain Shaper said quickly, nodding.
The two adepti exchanged amused smiles. The idea of taking a disciple was fleeting, they both knew they lacked the gentle patience such a task required.
After all, besides cultivation, they hardly knew how to do anything else.
"Ah-choo!"
"Who's talking about me now?"
Down in Liyue Harbor, in a dimly lit corner of the street, Ganyu was dozing off at her desk, still working overtime late into the night.
Her adorable sleepy eyes blinked in confusion as she rubbed her nose.
Looking up at the bright moon, she sighed. "Another hour to go… still not done."
"More overtime, huh? Well, I'm used to it."
She shook her head, trying to stay awake. There were still reports waiting for her review, urgent messages that couldn't wait until tomorrow.
Just as she was about to continue, a sharp bird's cry echoed through the night sky.
Startled, Ganyu looked up and saw a familiar green paper bird descending toward her.
"The master's message?" she murmured. Her drowsiness vanished instantly.
Cloud Retainer rarely used that artifact unless something important had happened.
Could something be wrong? Ganyu's face grew serious. She lightly tapped the ground with her foot, soaring into the air to meet the bird, which transformed into a folded letter.
Opening it, she read carefully, then blinked in surprise.
"Hmm? It's not about monsters… but a comic? A slander of the qilin? That must be that new bookstore everyone's talking about."
Of course she knew about the phenomenon sweeping through Liyue today, but with her workload, she hadn't had time to see it herself.
Any free moment she had lately was spent napping, not reading.
Ganyu looked up at the sky and sighed softly. "It's already so late… I'll go tomorrow."
At this hour, the shop would be closed anyway. And such an accusation required careful judgment, she couldn't just arrest someone based on misunderstanding.
That would damage the public's trust in the Qixing.
Besides, the comic had already taken Liyue by storm. Any changes to it would be complicated.
Before she knew it, dawn had arrived. Watching the sunrise, Ganyu sighed again. "Another sleepless night… I guess I'll nap outside the shop."
She was too tired to make it home, so she decided to rest near the place she'd visit next.
If she arrived early, she'd also be first in line, and maybe she could buy a copy to see for herself.
When she reached the storefront, exhaustion finally won. Standing by the door, Ganyu nodded off on the spot.
Around five thirty in the morning, Su Han awoke inside the shop.
Ever since merging with qilin blood, his need for sleep had decreased. Though it felt strange at first, he was brimming with energy.
After washing up, he opened the front door to start the day's business, and immediately caught a falling figure in his arms.
"Huh?"
Su Han blinked, startled. Someone falling into his embrace first thing in the morning?
What was going on? He didn't even have a girlfriend yet!
He looked down, and froze.
Because the woman sleeping soundly in his arms was none other than Ganyu, the qilin adeptus herself!
"Wait, what? Why is she here? I didn't do anything wrong… did I?"
He gently shook her shoulder, trying to wake her, but she was far too tired.
After three straight days of overtime and barely any rest, she was utterly exhausted. And somehow, the aura emanating from Su Han felt familiar and comforting to her.
As a result, she only snuggled closer, murmuring softly in her sleep.
"Mmm… just a little longer… so sleepy…"
Seeing her adorable, drowsy expression, Su Han couldn't help but smile.
"She must've been working overtime again…" he muttered.
"Forget it, let her rest."
With a tender look in his eyes, Su Han lifted the sleeping Ganyu gently in his arms and carried her upstairs.
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