Inazuma.
Narukami Island, Konda Village.
Beneath a fox statue stood a shrine maiden, clad in traditional robes and wearing a fox mask that never left her face.
Many villagers thought of her as an oddity — she spoke little, rarely interacted with others, and carried an inexplicable air of strangeness wherever she went.
Some of them had seen fleeting glimpses of her story in a video — just a brief flash, but enough to leave an impression.
Her name was Hanachirusato, and some whispered that she was the embodiment of filth.
Yet the villagers of Konda Village did not hate her. On the contrary, they warmly brought her food and offerings.
They didn't know — Hanachirusato didn't really need to eat.
But their kindness reached her nonetheless, and it left her flustered and uneasy.
She was, after all, one of the extraordinary, though an exceedingly weak one — a being of corruption, yes, but still something beyond human.
She didn't quite know how to describe her feelings.
She was not a human, nor a yokai — merely a creature born from corrupted residue fused with a fragment of someone's lingering memory deep within the ley lines.
Her essence was pollution. She was something meant to be purified.
Hanachirusato had long since accepted this fate. Though there was sadness in her heart, she never forgot her mission.
"What are you thinking about?"
The soft, syrupy voice came as light footsteps approached.
Hanachirusato turned around and saw Paimon fluttering toward her, curiosity written all over her face.
"Hanachirusato! I knew you'd be waiting for us here!" Paimon chirped happily, kicking her little feet and handing over a small dessert.
Hanachirusato instinctively accepted it and quickly bowed in thanks. "Th–Thank you... Thank you very much!"
"Hanachirusato, this time, we're not letting you disappear!"
Lumine's lips curved into a smile.
With the memories of her past life, she knew Hanachirusato well.
The main storyline played in the videos, but sometimes — just sometimes — fleeting side stories appeared as well.
The Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual had been one of them.
And so, Lumine felt a strange fondness for Hanachirusato — this embodiment of filth who somehow remained pure.
Just as Gu Chen once said, "Untainted though born from the mire."
Truly — a being born from corruption, yet able to keep a spotless heart.
Perhaps that purity came from the fragment of Kitsune Saiguu's memories that lingered within her?
No one could say for sure. But what was certain was that Hanachirusato devoted herself wholly to completing the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual — to keep Inazuma safe from the pollution festering beneath its land.
Hanachirusato blinked, confused, when Yae Miko narrowed her eyes at her.
When Yae learned that Hanachirusato carried a fragment of Kitsune Saiguu's memories, she had briefly considered teasing this timid shrine maiden — it was in her nature, after all.
But remembering Hanachirusato's pitiful origins, she let it go.
The High Priestess may love to tease others, but she wasn't heartless. She chose her targets carefully.
At least… she'd wait until they were closer first.
With a sly glint in her eyes, Yae Miko watched Hanachirusato — and the poor girl trembled.
In her faint inherited memories, she recalled how Kitsune Saiguu used to bully this very same "Miko-sama."
Was she… about to be punished for that?
Hanachirusato shivered.
"Enough catching up — come on, we've got work to do!" Lumine tugged her by the hand.
"O–Okay!" Hanachirusato nodded frantically.
The Sacred Sakura Cleansing went much smoother this time. With Yae Miko assisting, it became effortless.
At least Lumine didn't have to think too hard about all the puzzles — she had "family" connections, after all.
Gu Chen was Yae Miko's brother-in-law.
Which meant Lumine was, technically, Yae's "elder sister."
And what do elder sisters do? They give their little sisters orders, of course!
After the ritual ended and the malignant roots were purified, Lumine used one of Gu Chen's creations to preserve Hanachirusato's existence.
Paimon tilted her head curiously. "So, what's that ring supposed to do?"
Yae Miko glanced over and replied, "Essentially, it purifies the corruption in her body, leaving only the purest part of her consciousness… It's like letting her soul reside within the ring."
"How convenient." Lumine smiled and handed the ring to Yae. "You keep it. Hanachirusato can help you from now on."
Yae didn't refuse. After all, they were all family now.
With that ring, Hanachirusato could maintain her presence freely.
A simple, kindhearted little shrine maiden to assist the Shogun — surely Ei would be moved to tears.
That very afternoon, the Shogunate issued a Call for Talent.
Gu Chen and Raiden Makoto couldn't keep assisting Raiden Ei forever.
Gu Chen preferred a laid-back life.
Makoto, on the other hand, just wanted to cling to her husband.
Now that Ei had inherited the position of Shogun, the burden fell entirely on her shoulders — and she was utterly miserable.
To keep her from sinking into more strange, self-isolating thoughts, Gu Chen insisted they recruit more capable people.
Hanamizaka.
"Arataki Itto! Let's go sign up!"
"With my strength and genius, I'll be Shogun's top commander in no time!"
Arataki Itto puffed out his chest with boundless confidence.
Beside him, Kuki Shinobu sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Become the Tenryou Commission's General? Yeah, right.
Forget being a general — they might not even let him be a foot soldier.
Military life demanded obedience and discipline — two things her boss utterly lacked.
And sure enough—
"What?!"
"You're saying I'm not smart enough?!"
"Shinobu! They called me dumb!"
Fuming, Itto stomped his feet.
Too much. Simply too much.
Didn't they know he was Arataki the One and Oni?
Being rejected like this… what a blow to an oni's pride!
"I'll report this! I'm going to complain to the top!"
[Arataki Itto:] @[Gu Chen] General! Those Shogunate officers in charge of recruitment refused to take me! They said I have no brains! This is an insult! To oni-kind! (angry)
[Gu Chen:] Hard to argue. (shrug)
[Raiden Makoto:] Oh my, something like that actually happened?
[Yoimiya:] Hahaha, I heard about that! Itto, you'd better give it up. You wouldn't help — you'd just get in the way. You're better suited for… tougher missions. (serious face)
[Arataki Itto:] Tougher missions?! You mean I'm the only one who can handle it?! (excited)
[Kamisato Ayato:] (sipping tea, enjoying the show)
[Yoimiya:] Yes. Go play with the kids in the city. (Hu Tao: mischievous smile)
[Arataki Itto:] Huh?! That's the tough mission?! (scratches head)
[Gu Chen:] To give them a happy childhood — one free from the oppression of the Vision Hunt and isolationism. (solemn)
[Kaeya:] That's… surprisingly high emotional intelligence. (smirk)
[Itto:] ???
[Kuki Shinobu:] Boss, he's right. That's important. (nods)
[Itto:] Hahahaha! Then leave it to me! (laughs boldly)
Shinobu just sighed.
Her boss was way too easy to manipulate. Two or three sentences and he'd believe anything.
No wonder the Shogunate rejected him — if someone flattered him mid-battle, he'd lose focus and ruin everything.
Still… at least he wasn't joining the army. That alone saved the Shogunate a lot of trouble.
Days passed quickly.
Gu Chen and his group had helped resolve many issues, but most of their time was spent simply enjoying themselves — taking Makoto to revisit old places, and showing Zhongli and Lumine the beauty of Inazuma.
They admired the cherry blossoms at the solemn yet romantic Grand Narukami Shrine.
Collected seashells on the dreamlike Watatsumi Island.
And even made a brief stop on Yashiori Island to deal with the remnants of Orobashi's death.
After several days of travel, Guizhong could only sigh — Inazuma truly was a land of beauty.
Yet beneath all that beauty lay stories of sorrow.
Thankfully, none of it dampened their mood.
Today, Gu Chen was taking his wife and their little companion back to Liyue.
A new video was about to release — and of course, they had to go home to watch it.
"Brother-in-law! Stay a few more days!"
Raiden Ei clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture.
She'd never done such things before — but ever since she'd joined the chat group, even the stoic Shogun had begun to change.
Her violet eyes shimmered with reluctance; the dignified beauty of her face now softened into something almost domestic — endearingly so.
Unfortunately… she was still, at her core, a bit of a dope.
Gu Chen only waved. "You have to face it, Ei. Remember — you are Raiden Ei, the dream your people entrust their faith to. You are this nation's ruler. Don't run away, and don't fantasize about simply abdicating. Bear this responsibility. Atone for the mistakes of the last five hundred years. That is the duty of a true ruler."
Ei nodded. She understood, truly — her mind just didn't turn as quickly as others'.
Seeing her like that, Yae Miko chuckled. "Alright, alright. You still have me, don't you?"
Ei looked at her and smiled faintly. "True. As long as this smelly fox helps, then she's forgiven… She does smell nice, though."
"Time to go," Makoto said with a smile, looping her arm around Gu Chen's.
"Take care of yourself, Ei. Remember to rest now and then — you can't always stay wound up so tightly. Miko, I'm leaving her in your hands."
"Don't worry, sister," Yae replied with a playful salute.
"See you next time~" Guizhong waved.
For ordinary travelers, the sea between Liyue and Inazuma stretched across thousands of miles.
For them, it was only a blink.
The sadness was mostly on the Inazuma side — the ones who had to stay behind.
Like the dread of returning to work on a Monday after a perfect weekend — even the barking of dogs on the street felt unbearable.
[Extraordinary Chat Group]
[Nilou:] The new video's about to start! Yay yay yay! (Candace: praying)
[Collei:] Appear, Mr. Gu Chen!! (Venti: tossing flowers)
[Kaeya:] I declare — it's time for Gu Chen fans to rejoice! (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
[Zhongli:] …Must you always use that emoji? (Zhongli: black lines)
[Kaeya:] It's a screenshot I took personally! I'm obligated to use it! (mischievous)
[Venti:] Oho? Old man, losing your composure? (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
Zhongli's expression turned blank.
In truth, his heart was calm — amused, even.
But to see his own face turned into an emoji… it was surreal.
[Zhongli:] (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
[Ningguang:] So, Mr. Zhongli finally bows to public opinion? (Paimon: shocked)
[Keqing:] The Geo Lord must have his reasons...
[Xiao:] There must be deep meaning behind it. (certain)
[Maintainer of Heavenly Principles:] There must be deep mental illness. (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
Revenge. That had to be revenge.
Still, Zhongli didn't mind. Six thousand years and two lifetimes of memory had tempered his heart.
[Gu Chen:] I call that "strategic surrender." When you can't resist — accept it. (smirk)
[Kaeya:] Ten minutes to go! Ready up!
[Gu Chen:] Sometimes, I truly envy all of you. (Sucrose: sparkling eyes)
[Yelan:] Why?
[Gu Chen:] Because whenever the video drops, you get to look upon my perfect visage. I, on the other hand, only need a mirror. I've grown tired of it. But you all? You still get the thrill of seeing it anew. How can I not be jealous? (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
[Zhongli:] You really are the master of self-praise. (Zhongli: black lines)
[Venti:] 400 Church Founder, you do preach freedom, don't you? (mischievous)
[Gu Chen:] Freedom is the core doctrine, yes. (smirk)
[Ganyu:] The image of our "leader" grows more abstract by the day… (Ganyu: distressed)
[Furina:] Understandable. That's the real Gu Chen — the complete version. (nods)
[Furina:] But please, let the next video be about Fontaine! Please please please! (Klee: begging)
[Kaeya:] Place your bets, folks! One Mora says Mondstadt!
[Cyno:] My wager's on Sumeru. (Cyno: Duel stance)
[Kirara:] Inazuma! Inazuma! Inazuma!! (Klee: begging)
[Paimon:] But we already have two Inazuma videos! Liyue only has one! (Paimon: shocked)
[Gu Chen:] Time's up! The answer is revealed! (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
As always, the new cover appeared before everyone's eyes.
A figure with long blue hair tied into a ponytail, fair skin glowing softly beneath the light — and a pair of crimson-tipped qilin horns atop her head.
Instantly recognizable.
The woman's back filled most of the image.
Her hand stretched outward, as though reaching for something — or someone.
In the far distance stood another figure, white-clad and graceful, holding a long sword gleaming with cold light.
The blade seemed to drip with blood; crimson flecks stained his snowy robes.
[Past Life Series — Episode 4]
"Longing Beyond Reach"
Main Characters:
Gu Chen × Ganyu
Keywords:"Let This Life Be But the Prologue" / "A Bitter Wish to Be Bound in the Next"
[Ganyu:] Eh?! It's… me?!
Back at Mt. Aocang, Ganyu was stunned.
Never would she have imagined — this time, she was the protagonist.
[Nilou:] The theme and keywords… they sound so sad! No way!! (Klee: teary eyes)
[Collei:] Ahhh, I have a bad feeling about this!! (Klee: crying)
[Kaeya:] Knew it. It's official — this whole series might as well be renamed the Gu Chen Chronicles. (Zhongli: Dragonlord smirk)
[Venti:] Agreed. "Past Life Series"? Nah — call it "The Gu Chen Saga." (mischievous)
[Yae Miko:] Oh my~ Ganyu, you're the leading lady this time? (Yae Miko: teasing smile)
[Ganyu:] (Ganyu: don't touch me)
[Cloud Retainer:] Hohoho… how intriguing. (rubbing hands in anticipation)
[Shenhe:] (Shenhe: quietly watching)
[Special Thanks]
Garridan, White-Weaver, Riding the Wind, Heimer Sean, Nine Years, Soul, Qinglan, Martyr of the Divine Wind, Ryuki, PIBC, Tisi Yuan, Qin Yingyu — thank you all for the support! (Hu Tao: cute pose)
Special gratitude to Ying Jiuyè for the 588V reward! (Venti: sparkling eyes) (Nahida: wiki edit) (Hu Tao: thanks, boss!)
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