On Teyvat's side, Yun Jin spoke as they walked.
"When I was little, I came to Mt. Tianheng with my father once. I remember this mountain being so tall, so tall. By the time I reached the summit, my legs were completely sore."
Looking at the rugged peaks and flowing streams around them, it felt like a paradise detached from the world.
Revisiting this place, Yun Jin was filled with emotion.
"No wonder the legend of The Divine Damsel of Devastation took place here. [Mortal bonds faint, immortal fates vast], it truly feels like a place where Adepti thrive."
"Perhaps this is a kind of fate," Mu Yang said, then asked Yun Jin, "What kind of story is The Divine Damsel of Devastation about?"
Yun Jin kept emphasizing Adepti, so if Mu Yang didn't speak up, it would seem odd.
Yun Jin turned around. "It's... the story of a young girl becoming a hero."
"A hero? Paimon loves hero stories!" As expected, Paimon was the ultimate hype master.
Gazing at the surrounding scenery, Yun Jin began to narrate.
This was the earliest legend passed down in Mt. Tianheng.
Long ago, there was a prosperous village here.
In that village lived a couple with an exceptionally close bond.
But one day, a terrifying monster suddenly appeared.
While the wife was out gathering herbs, she was captured by the monster. The husband, heartbroken, soon lost his sanity.
[Look at Shenhe, her expression seems to have changed.]
[Uh, this story isn't related to her, is it?!]
The monster came to the village and arrogantly told the villagers:
If they wanted to survive, they had to offer the village's children as tribute.
The monster was incredibly powerful, and the villagers, terrified, could only comply with its demands.
"Just as they were discussing whose child to sacrifice to the monster, a little girl suddenly stepped forward voluntarily."
Paimon was already immersed in the story. "That's the Divine Damsel in the story, right?"
Yun Jin nodded. "Yes, she carried a hidden demon-slaying sword and approached the monster's lair, pretending to be terrified. Then, she boldly struck. After a fierce battle, she finally defeated the monster."
[Lumine's expression is off too?]
[Because Lumine heard Cloud Retainer's story and connected it to Shenhe.]
[I think so too. Otherwise, why would they put Shenhe and Yun Jin in the same storyline?]
Lumine indeed felt something was wrong the more she listened. Why did this story sound so similar to Shenhe's encounter with Cloud Retainer?
However, Shenhe probably wasn't as proactive in confronting the enemy as the character in the story.
After all, Cloud Retainer had said it was a days-long standoff.
Moreover, in the story, the monster was killed by the Divine Damsel.
Lumine asked, "What's the ending of the story?"
"Because of her exceptional talent, she was taken in by the Adepti, becoming a celebrated tale. Unfortunately, the divide between immortals and mortals meant she could never return to the mortal world."
Yun Jin glanced at Shenhe. "The ties of cause and effect are fleeting, and once they dissipate, that's the ending of The Divine Damsel of Devastation."
Feeling Yun Jin's gaze, Shenhe crossed her arms. "I like this story."
"But to me, perhaps the little girl in the opera... wasn't as brave as everyone says."
She shook her head with a self-deprecating smile. "She probably... doesn't deserve such praise."
Yun Jin pondered. "I hadn't thought of it that way. But operas involve interpretation and performance, so it's inevitable that real events get adapted."
"When my father wrote this opera, he likely wanted to use the Divine Damsel to inspire more people."
Yun Jin had some guesses about Shenhe's identity, especially after noticing her earlier change in expression.
She subtly connected Shenhe to the Divine Damsel.
But since Shenhe didn't openly admit it, Yun Jin tactfully changed the subject.
Shenhe expressed that she liked this idealized story and felt inspired by it.
Mu Yang stepped beside Lumine but didn't speak, only shaking his head slightly.
[Lumine probably figured it out, and Mu Yang's telling her not to say anything.]
[He's probably waiting for Shenhe to say it herself. If someone else says it, it loses meaning, so Mu Yang shook his head.]
[So, is Shenhe the Divine Damsel or not? I can't tell!]
[Chat's too dramatic—how can you not see it?]
Seeing everyone fall silent, Paimon jumped in to lighten the mood.
"Ugh... hearing such a story, Paimon's inspired too! Let's get pumped and find that Starshatter Iron Ore!"
Everyone present could use elemental powers, so finding the Starshatter Iron Ore was quickly done.
"These should be enough. Now we just need the Secret Blossom Stone..."
Yun Jin pointed to a path. "When we were up the mountain earlier, I think I saw a village. Let's check it out."
Lumine agreed, saying she'd seen it too.
Only Shenhe remained silent...
They arrived at the village.
Initially, the group was disappointed because it was a deserted village.
The large village was completely devoid of people.
"Huh, there's someone over there!"
Paimon's sharp eyes spotted a person standing in the distance, motionless, staring at something.
"Hello, sir, we'd like to ask for some information." As they approached, Paimon spoke up.
The villager didn't turn or respond.
Yun Jin thought for a moment. "Hello, sir, we're passing through and would like to ask about clues regarding the Secret Blossom Stone."
The old man still didn't speak.
But he pointed them toward a path.
"Does that mean we should look for clues in the village? No choice then, we'll have to search ourselves."
As Paimon was about to assign tasks, Shenhe interrupted.
"Sorry, you guys go ahead and search. I'd like to speak with him for a bit." Shenhe stepped forward, standing side by side with the old man.
"Is that okay, Uncle Mingjun?"
Hearing this familiar name, Mingjun turned, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"You are?!"
"Shenhe." Shenhe's response carried no emotion.
"Ah-He... you're alive? Those rumors were true? All these years..."
As Mingjun was about to continue, he suddenly realized Shenhe was looking for the Secret Blossom Stone.
So, he shared the clue in more detail.
There were records in the village, and they could search through the houses.
Lumine quickly pulled Paimon away before she could ask anything.
Yun Jin nodded with a smile. "Thank you, sir. We'll start looking."
Mu Yang followed closely behind.
Lumine whispered, "Mu Yang, is it okay for you not to stay by her side?"
"He bears no ill will toward Shenhe. You don't need to worry."
[Mu Yang, oh Mu Yang, is that what we're asking? Even if he had ill intentions toward your disciple, could he win?]
[The one we should be worried about is this old man...]
[Finally, we're digging into little Shenhe's story. I sense pain incoming.]
[There's definitely pain. The real story won't be as sunny as The Divine Damsel of Devastation.]
[From what Cloud Retainer said, Shenhe doesn't seem like someone who'd proactively fight a monster!]
What Lumine wanted to ask was whether Mu Yang knew about Shenhe's story before she was taken in.
"I know. She thought she could sneak down the mountain without Cloud Retainer or me noticing..."
"It's her karma."
Mu Yang hesitated, then brushed it off with a cryptic tone, fully embodying the air of an Adeptus.