"So, Adeptus, what do you plan to do now?" Nolan asked, noticing a certain tone in Cloud Retainer's voice. Perhaps it was because the letter came from Ningguang.
Unlike in the game, Cloud Retainer didn't suspect that the Liyue Qixing had assassinated the Geo Archon. But what exactly had Ningguang written in that letter? Nolan and Lumine hadn't peeked at its contents after receiving it, so they had no idea.
"To determine the situation with the Geo Archon, we must see his Adeptus body in person," Cloud Retainer pondered for a few seconds before responding.
"Shenhe, you and the two outlanders go to Liyue Harbor and deliver a message to the Qixing. Tell them that several of us Adepti will be visiting to inspect the Geo Archon's body. Once you learn its location, wait for us in Liyue Harbor. We will come to find you," she instructed her disciple.
"Understood, Master." Shenhe nodded slightly, acknowledging the command.
"Ah, and you two," Cloud Retainer turned her gaze back to Nolan and Lumine, "Shenhe tends to be direct in her actions and isn't yet skilled in social interactions. Be careful not to let others provoke her."
She was concerned that Shenhe might unintentionally hurt someone if things escalated.
"Of course, no problem at all," Nolan nodded in agreement. Since he planned to learn some mental training techniques from Shenhe, accepting this responsibility was only natural.
"As for you two, stay here and cultivate for a few days. When I have time, I'll teach you some martial arts or Adeptus techniques," Cloud Retainer said to Xingqiu and Chongyun.
Naturally, they had no objections, as neither was involved in investigating the Geo Archon's death.
Afterward, Cloud Retainer cast an Adeptus spell on Nolan and the others, enabling them to fly continuously through the air. Considering the urgency of the situation, she wanted them to return to Liyue Harbor as soon as possible.
Once Nolan and the others had left, Cloud Retainer also departed to notify the other Adepti, leaving Xingqiu and Chongyun to cultivate quietly at the summit of Mt. Aozang.
Nolan couldn't help but feel envious—if he could, he would have loved to stay and study Adeptus arts as well.
"Wow, what incredible speed!" Paimon exclaimed as she clung to two ribbons, lying on Lumine's back as they flew through the sky using Wind Glider wings.
With the Adeptus spell boosting their flight, the wind seemed to push them forward on its own, making them fly incredibly fast! And the winds around them even shielded them, so they didn't feel any turbulence from the high-speed flight.
Even Shenhe's long white hair barely fluttered in the breeze.
"At this speed, we should be able to return to Liyue Harbor before nightfall," Nolan said cheerfully. He wondered when he would be able to control the wind element to this level.
Would maxing out his "Anemo Manipulation" give him even a tenth of this Adeptus spell's effect? Speed wasn't necessarily the most important factor; just being able to fly continuously without needing to land would be good enough.
"Miss Shenhe, it seems you've been studying Adeptus arts with Cloud Retainer on the mountain since childhood. Have you ever been to Liyue Harbor?" Lumine asked, turning her head to look at Shenhe beside her.
"Just call me Shenhe. The True Adeptus took me to Liyue Harbor a few times, but it was too 'noisy' for me. I didn't like it," Shenhe replied, brushing her hair away from her forehead, her silver-gray eyes showing a thoughtful expression.
"I see. It seems you're used to the peace of the wilderness and find it hard to adapt to city life," Lumine nodded in understanding.
Then Lumine recalled what Cloud Retainer had said about Shenhe not being good at interacting with people.
After thinking for a moment, she continued asking, "Would you like us to help you find a quiet place to stay in Liyue Harbor?"
"That would be fine," Shenhe nodded, accepting Lumine's offer. She knew that without assistance, navigating Liyue Harbor on her own might be difficult.
"But there's no need to waste Mora. We can head straight to the Jade Chamber and find Ningguang. I'm sure she'll take care of everything," Nolan suggested, remembering the shocking rental prices they had encountered when they first arrived in Liyue Harbor.
"Hehe, who knew you were so clever, you big radish," Paimon teased, finally dropping the "playboy/flirty" nickname she had been using as per their agreement.
"Either way works. Thank you," Shenhe replied.
She did have some Mora on hand, though she found the idea of using money to manage basic needs like food, lodging, and transportation rather perplexing.
If possible, she preferred a simpler approach.
[Shenhe Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You. Obtained 130 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.2 (30/200)]
"Hmm?" Nolan glanced at his character panel, noting the affection prompt. Shenhe had finally started to warm up to him.
Once he had broken the initial barrier, gaining more affection would become easier and faster.
As a disciple of the Adepti, Shenhe might grant him abilities related to Adeptus arts once her affection reached its maximum level.
In other words, even though he didn't have the talent for immortal cultivation right now, that didn't mean he wouldn't have it in the future. Perhaps this opportunity lay in Shenhe's max-level affection skill.
Of course, he couldn't rush this. Affection couldn't be forced—it had to develop naturally through their interactions, requiring patience.
With all his experience dealing with girls, Nolan knew this process well.
The bright moon hung high in the night sky.
By the time they flew near Mt. Tianheng and spotted the Jade Chamber, it was later than they had expected.
"It's so late. Paimon wonder if Lady Tianquan is already asleep," Paimon yawned as she lay on Lumine's back.
Even though she hadn't been flying herself, she was exhausted from holding onto Lumine's ribbons for so long, concentrating to avoid falling.
"It's only 8 PM. No way she's asleep this early," Nolan said, checking his pocket watch.
"You never know. Miss Lisa said staying up late affects your skin, so maybe Miss Ningguang also has a habit of going to bed early," Paimon reasoned.
"Still, I doubt it's this early," Nolan replied, half amused and half resigned, as they began descending toward the Jade Chamber below.
"After finishing my Adeptus training during the day, I usually retire early in the evening since there's nothing else to do. Then I wake up before dawn to start my morning exercises," Shenhe remarked, joining the conversation—a rare occurrence for her.
Perhaps it was because she had started to view Nolan as a familiar companion due to her growing affection.
"Wow, such a disciplined routine! No wonder you're so beautiful, like an immortal," Paimon complimented Shenhe in an admiring tone as they landed on the platform outside the Jade Chamber.
"Unlike us, who have to take turns resting during outdoor adventures to avoid monster attacks, staying up all night isn't uncommon."
Paimon excitedly brought up something Nolan had mentioned on their way to Mt. Aozang.
"This guy has always wanted to learn a technique called 'Inner Vision.' According to him, this adeptus art can create a pocket dimension. If we mastered it, we'd always have a place to stay!"
But as she recalled that none of them had the talent for immortal cultivation, her excitement faded slightly. It seemed that dream was now out of reach.
"Inner Vision? When a pocket dimension is created within a cave or residence, it can indeed be called an 'Inner Vision,' but my master and others usually refer to it as an 'Outer Realm,'" Shenhe explained as she retracted the Wind Glider her master had made for her.
Lightly touching down on the stone floor, her toes momentarily peeked out from the tightly wrapped black bodysuit.
She thought for a moment before continuing, "The realm where my master and I live was created using this very immortal art. But my master said that without reaching the level of an adeptus, it's impossible to use the power of an Outer Realm. Otherwise, I would have been able to create one for you."
"Ah, so it's called an Outer Realm?" Nolan was a bit surprised. Based on his memory of the game, he had assumed that since the "Serenitea Pot" created a space inside, it would be called an 'Inner Vision or Realm.' But it turned out to be the opposite—an 'Outer Realm.'
After living in this world for so long, it was understandable that some details had become muddled in his memory.
As they landed, Lumine pulled Paimon, who was still trying to lazily cling to her back, down to the ground.
She then pondered aloud, "Since we can't learn Inner—uh, I mean, Outer Realm right now, is there a chance we could ask an adeptus to create a pocket dimension for us?"
While heading toward the entrance of the Jade Chamber, Nolan considered Lumine's suggestion.
He vaguely remembered that in the game, after completing a certain quest, Madam Ping, a retired adeptus living in Liyue Harbor, would give players a 'Serenitea Pot.'
Inside the pot was a vast realm where one could stay, farm, and more. Unfortunately, the details of that quest had long since faded from his memory.
Now, whether or not they had the chance to get one would depend on luck.
After all, he couldn't just walk up to Madam Ping and say, "I know you're an adeptus, and I'd like to ask for your help."
That would be far too forward. Adepti had their own temperaments, and he didn't want to risk getting swatted into the ocean by one of them.
As for the Serenitea Pot, it seemed like something that could only happen naturally—just like in the game's storyline, where Madam Ping offered it voluntarily.
Even if they became familiar with the adepti, asking them to create a pocket dimension would likely require some form of compensation.
And what could they possibly offer that would satisfy beings who lacked for nothing?
In the end, relying on others wasn't a mature approach. They had to depend on themselves.
"Ask an adeptus for help? Do we even have that much Mora?" Paimon voiced the same thought Nolan had, though they both knew that Mora wasn't necessarily what an adeptus would want.
"True," Lumine sighed, massaging her temples as she temporarily gave up on the idea.
"The door's closed," Shenhe said, stopping in front of the beautifully ornate entrance.
Her hands hung at her sides, her wrists resting against the curves of her hips, tightly wrapped in her black bodysuit.
As Shenhe moved, her delicate skin occasionally peeked through the diamond-shaped openings on the sides of her hips.
Bathed in the moonlight, her ethereal elegance was enhanced by the soft, dreamlike glow of the night.
"You're right. The guard, Zhenhai, who was on duty during the day, must have finished his shift. Should we try knocking on the door?" Paimon suggested, thoughtfully stroking her chin.
"We might as well. Let me handle it." Nolan nodded and stepped forward, gently knocking on the door with his hand.
Knock, knock!
The sound echoed through the quiet night sky, like a pebble dropping into a calm lake, slightly abrupt against the stillness.
Not long after, hurried footsteps approached from inside. After a brief pause, the sound of the door unlocking followed.
Clang!
The grand doors of the Jade Chamber swung open, revealing a young woman dressed in a Liyue-style gown.
It was one of Ningguang's secretaries, Bai Xiao, who looked at them with a hint of displeasure.
"Who would disturb Lady Ningguang so late at night?" Bai Xiao glared at them suspiciously.
The Jade Chamber was so high up, and with Lady Ningguang's protective barrier in place, how had these people managed to get here?
A look of doubt crossed her face.
"Uh, really? She's already gone to bed this early?" Nolan was surprised.
"Of course, Lady Ningguang has been tirelessly working these past few days, investigating the matter of Lord Rex Lapis. She's currently bathing, so if you have business, please come back tomorrow," Bai Xiao explained, nodding her head.
"Oh, she's just taking a bath? Can't we wait inside for a bit?" Paimon asked, spreading her hands in confusion.
"That's out of the question," Bai Xiao replied, shaking her head firmly.
"But we really have something important to tell Lady Ningguang. In fact, it's related to a task she assigned us just a few days ago, and she instructed us to report to her as soon as it was completed," Nolan tried to apply a bit of pressure by invoking Ningguang's name.
After all, informing her about the adepti wanting to see Rex Lapis' body was urgent, and she needed as much time as possible to make arrangements.
"This..." Bai Xiao hesitated.
She wasn't aware of Ningguang's instructions about delivering a message to the adepti, so she wasn't sure if she should believe them.
At that moment, another secretary, Bai Shi, who had a similar appearance, walked out of the Jade Chamber. Nolan recognized her as the one they had met during their first visit.
"Bai Xiao, Lady Ningguang is already waiting for them in her office. Let them in," Bai Shi said, nodding politely to Nolan and his group before addressing Bai Xiao.
"Oh, alright then. Please, come in," Bai Xiao finally relented after hearing Bai Shi's words, confirming that these seemingly suspicious individuals were indeed carrying out an assignment from Lady Ningguang.
Bai Shi led the way, with Nolan and the others following behind.
As they passed Bai Xiao, Paimon stuck out her tongue at the secretary who had been giving them a hard time, causing Bai Xiao's mouth to twitch slightly.
Who would've thought such a small creature could hold such a grudge! This was the thought running through Bai Xiao's mind as she closed the door behind them.
Descending the spiral staircase, Nolan and the others found themselves once again in Ningguang's office.
But this time, she was dressed quite differently from the last time they had met her.
Perhaps she had just finished bathing.
Ningguang's platinum-blonde hair wasn't pinned up with hairpins but flowed like a waterfall down her back, cascading in waves that reached her fair calves.
She was wearing a sleeveless, light purple qipao with a golden phoenix embroidered from her waist up to her chest.
A soft smile graced her pale face, and her crimson eyes swept over Nolan and the others as she took a seat behind the large desk in her office.
With a light laugh, she said, "Hehe, as expected of the Honorary Knights. You've truly proven reliable, completing the task I entrusted to you in just a few days."
[Ningguang Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You. Obtained 130 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.3 (280/300)]
Nolan hadn't even begun to explain the details of their mission, yet Ningguang already seemed pleased with them.
This suggested that she believed they had indeed met with the adepti and delivered the message.
There was no way she could have received word beforehand, as there was no such thing as a telephone here.
It was likely that Ningguang's confidence came from her keen judgment as the Tianquan, trusting that Nolan and his group were reliable.
After all, completing a round trip from Liyue to Mt. Aozang in just a week without extraordinary abilities wasn't possible.
Liyue certainly didn't have transportation that fast.
---
(End of Chapter)
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