"Is there no other way?" Kaguya asked, not quite ready to give up.
"It's not that there's no way. If I forged a Curio using 100 Crystals, it might be possible to counteract this one's effect," Chen Li said.
A conflict between Curios was, to put it bluntly, a conflict between rules.
Whichever Curio's rule had a higher priority would be the one to suppress the other.
It was very similar to a fundamental concept in the Nasuverse: a lower form of mystery is nullified in the presence of a higher one.
In practical terms, it really just came down to the brightness of the Curio's Entries.
"Then what are you waiting for? Forge it."
"Are you going to give me the Miracle Power?" Chen Li shot Kaguya a look.
"Miracle Power?" Kaguya suddenly noticed a blind spot in her understanding.
"Mhm, you guessed it. Some things are just that much of a coincidence," Chen Li nodded frankly.
"That ball of light... it ended up in your hands?" Kaguya's eyes widened.
"To be precise, the ball of light ran out of Miracle Power, so it merged with me. In other words, the ball of light went bankrupt, and I acquired it during liquidation," Chen Li explained.
"Emmm... when did this happen?"
"Just yesterday."
"Then is it possible that it was looking for me, but you intercepted it? After all, for me to have safely transmigrated between worlds, I must be the chosen one," Kaguya proposed.
"Give up on that fantasy. The Miracle System went bankrupt, it didn't get dementia," Chen Li said, patting her on the shoulder.
"Damn it, at least let me have my fantasies. Forget it. Since you got the ball of light, you should be able to help me get back to Gensokyo now, right?" Kaguya asked expectantly.
"Uh, well... that depends on luck. If we're lucky, you might be able to go home in a few days. If we're not, you might have to wait a few more years," Chen Li said.
"What do you mean?"
"It means... if I want to go to Gensokyo, I first have to receive a forging commission from someone in Gensokyo. Only after establishing a connection can I cross over," Chen Li explained.
The Miracle System had a record of its experiences in that world, but it didn't have the world's coordinates.
It was because of Yakumo Yukari's words—get out of this world and never come back. And so the Miracle System had actually deleted the world's coordinates.
But Chen Li didn't dare say this out loud, afraid Kaguya would rage so hard she'd pop a vessel.
"Like her?" Kaguya asked, pointing at Jingliu.
"More or less," Chen Li nodded.
Even though they were talking about her, Jingliu remained silent off to the side.
This was because Kaguya, with Chen Li's permission, had shown Jingliu the online information about her.
Chen Li had allowed it because he knew Jingliu would never refuse the Curio he would make for her, the one that could potentially summon Baiheng.
"Then start refreshing the commissions."
"Refreshing commissions costs Miracle Power."
"How do you earn Miracle Power? I'll go earn it for you."
"You don't need to worry about that. Just stay home and be a good shut-in. I'll let you know if I have any news," Chen Li said.
"You're leaving already?"
"Mhm, my time is very precious," Chen Li nodded.
He had accomplished his goal for this trip, so he intended to take his leave.
"Fine. Wait for me a second. I'll pack my things and go home with you," Kaguya said, standing up.
"Huh? Go home with me?"
"Of course. I've already pledged myself to you. You're not going to let me move in?"
"...Tell me the real reason."
"I'm so poor I'm about to start gnawing on bamboo shoots. If you don't take me in, I'll be eating dirt. I won't die, but starving to death is really unpleasant," Kaguya said, laying her cards on the table.
She hadn't expected Chen Li and Jingliu to visit, much less during lunchtime.
This had put an even greater strain on her already dire food budget.
"How did you get so poor? What about the money I gave you?"
A portion of Chen Li's fixed monthly expenses went to purchasing Kaguya's Immortal Slough, which was a considerable sum.
And Chen Li had earned all that money himself.
A Forger above Tier 1 would never be short on cash.
"I spent it on gacha," Kaguya stated bluntly.
"..."
"I'll pay rent. With my body... I mean, with Immortal Slough."
"That won't be necessary. Just use your power of eternity to help me make some of that fake medicine."
"Fake medicine? Fine," Kaguya nodded.
"Then let's go. I'm used to having people I've picked up living in my house from time to time anyway."
"Okay." Although Chen Li's words sounded a bit strange, Kaguya was in a hurry to pack and didn't ask any further questions.
Chen Li, Jingliu, and Kaguya walked to the apartment door. Kaguya then reached her delicate white hand towards the bamboo forest in the living room.
With a twist of space-time and a flip of heaven and earth, the massive bamboo forest transformed into a single crystal ball, which Kaguya took in her hand and pressed into her body.
This was the power of [Inner World].
"Then, Teacher Jingliu, you..." Chen Li began tentatively, looking at Jingliu, who had been silent for a long time after reading the basic information about Honkai: Star Rail.
"Do something for me," Jingliu said, raising her head.
"What is it?"
"I will choose not to save the memories of this projection. I want you to store them for me. Only when you have forged the exclusive Curio that suppresses my Mara-Struck state should you give these memories to the real me," Jingliu said.
Projections summoned by Pale Justice had the option of not saving their memories.
"Teacher Jingliu, are you afraid your real self won't be able to handle such a shock?" Chen Li asked.
"No. I have confidence in myself. I believe I am not some character in a game. I am simply afraid that my real self, who is already on the brink of succumbing to the Mara, will do something even more insane after learning this information," Jingliu said.
At the very least, the current Jingliu felt that the plans revealed in the game's current story progression were fine and didn't need to be changed.
But she also knew that her current self was her normal self, not the one constantly teetering on the edge of the Mara.
She simply didn't want any additional stimulus.
"See, even a mental patient knows not to mess with another mental patient," Kaguya whispered.
"Alright, I promise. Take care, Teacher Jingliu."
"Mhm. Farewell." Jingliu glanced at Kaguya, and then her body slowly dissipated, leaving behind a [Trial of the Knight] certificate and a sphere of light containing the "experiences" of this session.
"Hey, Li-bao," Kaguya suddenly called out to Chen Li.
"Can you please stop calling me that? What is it? Is something wrong?"
"You called Jingliu 'Teacher' just now?"
"Yeah, I'm learning swordplay from her."
"Swordplay? Teacher? So... are you interested in becoming the kind of disciple who... disrespects his master? I can help," Kaguya said, her eyes lighting up.
"Huh?" Chen Li was stunned by how quickly she changed the subject.
"But let's be clear," Kaguya said carefully. "If you get off on her, you can't get off on me, okay?"
"???"