Gradually, dawn arrived.
Light seeped through the white paper sliding doors.
Qiuqian opened his eyes and slowly sat up.
"That was a really comfortable sleep."
After throwing off the blanket, Qiuqian stood up, washed up, put on his shoes, and walked outside.
The weather was bright and sunny.
The moment he stepped out, he could feel a cool breeze.
Yet it wasn't cold at all—it simply felt refreshing and comfortable.
After all, the Grand Narukami Shrine was built atop Mt. Yougou.
So the wind up here was naturally much stronger.
Not far away, many shrine maidens were busy with their own work.
"Mr. Qiuqian, Lady Guuji is waiting for you in the back."
"She said that once you woke up, you could head over directly."
One shrine maiden smiled as she spoke to Qiuqian after seeing him leave the room.
"Thank you for passing along the message."
"I understand."
Qiuqian politely nodded toward the shrine maiden.
Then he walked outside.
Just as he arrived near the Sacred Sakura Tree, he saw Yae Miko standing there with her arms crossed, watching him.
"Not bad. You didn't wake up too late."
"We'll just wait here. They should be arriving at the Grand Narukami Shrine soon enough."
Yae Miko looked at Qiuqian in the distance and spoke calmly.
Qiuqian nodded, then casually walked over to the wooden table nearby, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
Seeing this, Miko sat down across from him.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled out a light novel and began reading while sipping tea.
"Thinking about everything this ancient god told me yesterday…"
"An ancient god who existed since the Archon War, possessing the ability to erase Abyssal power."
"If this kind of setting were written into a light novel, it would definitely become wildly popular."
At that thought, Yae Miko smiled slightly.
The tea leaves Sister Ganyu gave her were almost gone.
Once she got the chance, she'd have to visit Liyue again and ask for more.
Meanwhile, Qiuqian drank tea while curiously glancing at the light novel in Miko's hands.
"Reincarnated as a Slime, growing stronger by devouring monsters…"
Looking at the cover, Qiuqian muttered with a strange expression.
"How is it? Pretty interesting, right? Want to read it?"
Yae Miko looked at Qiuqian's odd expression and smiled.
Then she pulled out another identical copy and handed it to him.
Qiuqian accepted the novel and began reading it with interest.
After reading for a while, he noticed there were even many beautiful illustrations inside.
That was quite different from Liyue novels, making him find it rather novel.
As time slowly passed—
A shrine maiden arrived with Lumine and Paimon, along with Domon and his two disciples, bringing them before Qiuqian and Yae Miko.
By now, Miko had already put away both the light novel and the wooden table.
Meanwhile, Qiuqian stood with his hands behind his back, looking toward Lumine and Paimon as they approached.
"So that's Yae Miko? The pink-haired fox from the PV!"
"And son-in-law—son-in-law is actually here too!"
"I knew it! You definitely have some kind of relationship with this pink-haired fox!"
The moment Xuehua saw Qiuqian standing beside Yae Miko, she was utterly shocked.
[So Qiuqian really has been staying with this pink-haired fox the whole time huh (covering face)]
[Case closed. Qiuqian spent all this time with the pink-haired fox]
[Why does this Lady Yae have fox ears? Is she like the adepti from Liyue?]
[Qiuqian, explain your relationship with this pink-haired fox! (teary-eyed)]
[My son-in-law, my son-in-law! Finally seeing you again, hsssss~ (heart eyes)]
"Q-Qiuqian!"
"How are you here?!"
Both Lumine and Paimon looked completely shocked upon seeing him.
"Haha…"
"Why wouldn't I be here?"
Qiuqian smiled and asked in return.
"We kept wondering where you went."
"Who knew you'd already wandered all the way here."
Paimon spread her tiny hands and looked toward Qiuqian beside Yae Miko.
"Mr. Qiuqian is my honored guest, of course I was the one who invited him here."
Yae Miko crossed her arms and smiled at Lumine and Paimon.
"You… are you Lady Yae?"
Lumine placed one hand against her chest and asked.
"As genuine as they come~"
Yae Miko nodded lightly.
"Mr. Qiuqian is my honored guest~"
Seeing this scene, Xuehua repeated Yae Miko's words in an exaggeratedly sarcastic tone.
[I'm dying from laughter (cry-laughing)]
[Xuehua's jealousy is about to explode]
[But this Lady Yae is seriously gorgeous (starry eyes)]
[For real, those legs are incredible (drooling)]
[And why does the way she talks feel so smug? (covering face)]
"Uh…"
"I really didn't expect you to know Lady Yae."
Paimon held her forehead, finding it difficult to imagine.
"Let's not focus on that right now."
"The three people you brought here probably came to ask her for help, right?"
After speaking, Qiuqian looked toward the white-haired elderly man crouched on the ground nearby.
"I-I'm not practicing swordsmanship anymore… please let me go…"
Domon clutched his head with trembling hands.
It was as though he feared something nonexistent.
"Master…"
His two disciples looked at him worriedly.
"As you can see, Lady Yae."
"Mr. Domon has remained in this state."
"He seems to see the people he once defeated surrounding him and hurling abuse at him, causing him tremendous pain."
Inagi Hotomi looked toward Yae Miko and explained Domon's condition.
"Lady Yae…"
"My master… has been possessed by some evil spirit, hasn't he?"
Domon's female disciple asked anxiously.
"My master was never like this before…"
"He used to smile no matter what happened…"
She continued sadly.
"Unfortunately…"
"There is no evil spirit possessing your master."
After a brief silence, Yae Miko shook her head.
"He became like this himself."
"Unable to withstand immense pressure, his heart eventually collapsed."
"His mind became damaged, and he descended into madness."
"Like a drowning person desperately struggling in panic…"
"Only to sink deeper into the freezing abyss."
Yae Miko looked at the crouching Domon and calmly explained.
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