"Wait…"
Just as Baizhu was about to say something, he felt everything go dark—Yu Jin's large, dark hand had already covered his face.
"This Liyue has quite a lot of miscellaneous things," Yu Jin took a deep breath. First, he encountered Xiao, who was burdened with karma, and now there was Baizhu, plagued by illness.
Liyue had far more strange things than Mondstadt.
He activated the power within his body, and a warm yet ethereal stream of fire surged from Yu Jin and then entered Baizhu's body.
The flames were naturally not ordinary fire; they flowed ethereally, burning unseen things.
In Changsheng's perception, Baizhu's vitality, which had been as fleeting as a flickering firefly, gradually began to rise.
Before, Baizhu was like someone smothered in thick mud; his internal vitality seemed to have been completely absorbed by that layer of "mud," revealing only a sliver of life.
But now, the mud covering him had been burned away by something, and Baizhu's own vitality was now fully revealed.
And Baizhu himself experienced all of this even more profoundly than Changsheng.
In the darkness, Baizhu could feel Warmth radiating from Yu Jin's hand. That warm current broke through the obstruction and surged directly into his body.
Wherever the warm current flowed, Baizhu immediately felt much lighter. It seemed as if the illnesses clinging tightly within his body had been burned away.
After the illnesses that did not belong to him were burned away, Baizhu's vitality, which had long been suppressed and devoured, erupted fiercely.
That immense life force made even Dain and Changsheng, who were standing nearby, turn their heads in surprise.
But soon, this vibrant vitality, like an epiphyllum blooming in the deep night, faded away.
Judging by that momentum, it wouldn't be long before he reverted to his previous state.
The'Serpent-Dragging Dragon Method' consumed the vitality of the contractor. Baizhu's illnesses were all transferred from his own vitality.
Since his contract with Changsheng, Baizhu couldn't count how many people he had healed with the'Serpent-Dragging Dragon Method'.
Even without the illnesses entwined around him, with Baizhu's current over-expended vitality, his time was short.
However, the gradually weakening vitality in Baizhu's body eventually stopped its decline. Something transformed into his new vitality, continuously replenishing his life.
In the end, Baizhu's aura was no different from an ordinary person's. Not much stronger than others, and certainly not much weaker.
Seeing this, Yu Jin released his hand. He clapped his hands and asked Baizhu, "How is it? Isn't this New Year's gift pretty good?"
Baizhu didn't reply, as he was still savoring the changes within his body.
Seeing Baizhu like this, Yu Jin stopped bothering him. So, he turned his head and started bothering Dain.
"Dain, do you want a New Year's gift?" Yu Jin looked eager to try something.
"No, thank you," Dain refused Yu Jin's so-called "New Year's gift" without a second thought.
"Besides, this isn't a New Year's gift," Dain recalled today's date in his mind, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Who said so? This gift of mine perfectly fits all the characteristics of a 'New Year's gift' as Baizhu described it!" Yu Jin implied that Dain was joking.
Dain shook his head, then offered decisive evidence.
"As far as I know, the Lantern Rite is the first full moon of Liyue's New Year. And today is still the end of this year."
"In other words, the Lantern Rite hasn't even been held yet, so at most, this counts as... a birthday gift?"
Dain raised an eyebrow, feeling immensely pleased. Having traveled with Yu Jin for so long, he had always been on the losing end, and now he finally got to see Yu Jin frustrated.
"It doesn't even count as a birthday gift. Let alone Baizhu, no one at Bubu Pharmacy has a birthday today."
Changsheng added another jab from the side.
"What?" Yu Jin finally believed it when he heard Changsheng say so.
He pointed at the fiery red Liyue outside the window and asked, still unwilling to give up, "Then why has Liyue become like this now?"
"That's because the Lantern Rite is a grand event, and only by preparing early can you have the most fun on the day of the festival!"
Changsheng was very experienced in this; in a few days, Bubu Pharmacy would also be decorated for the New Year.
At that time, he would definitely make Baizhu create the biggest xiao lanterns!
"Alright," Yu Jin sighed, looking very dejected.
"Yu Jin, you don't need to be so dejected."
Baizhu awoke from his peculiar sensation. He took a few deep breaths, and the warm, herb-scented air flowed unimpeded into his lungs, then was exhaled even warmer and more moist.
The entire process was incredibly smooth, leaving Baizhu momentarily stunned. How long had it been since he experienced such fresh and clear breathing?
Before, when Baizhu breathed, he always felt his throat was constricted and his lungs were heavy. Inhaling, his lungs felt as if they were tightly wrapped by something, making it so difficult to expand them.
And when exhaling, it was the opposite. His lungs felt as if they were stuffed with many things that didn't belong to him, making it impossible to exhale air.
But now, all of that was in the past. Baizhu clenched his fists, and his body, strengthened by his Vision, displayed its full power for the first time.
"Phew… Actually, the half-month before the Lantern Rite can all be considered part of the festival. Everyone is already on holiday, and Liyue Harbor right now is the most lively time of the year."
Baizhu exhaled a turbid breath and walked over to Yu Jin's side.
Aside from ordinary patients, Bubu Pharmacy was mostly frequented by Adventurers who ventured everywhere.
They always liked to explore uninhabited Domains, and naturally, they sustained more injuries.
Therefore, during the healing process, Baizhu had also heard some information about Yu Jin.
For example, Yu Jin liked to join in the fun.
And speaking of fun, no place in Teyvat was livelier than Liyue during the Lantern Rite.
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
Baizhu saw the dejection on Yu Jin's face disappear in an instant, and could only secretly marvel at the accuracy of the Adventurers' information.
Seeing Yu Jin's interest, Baizhu pointed towards Liyue outside the window. Looking in that direction, which was the coastal area of Liyue, the light was brighter than other places, and the crowds were denser.
"That is the Night Market. This is a rare, annual bustling market where Liyue merchants, for once, don't seek profit, but only to raise funds for the construction materials of the xiao lanterns."
"It encompasses everything, with good quality and low prices. It only happens once a year, Yu Jin, so don't miss it."
"xiao lanterns? What are those?" Yu Jin keenly noticed the important information.
"The Lantern Rite, the Lantern Rite, the most important thing is to release xiao lanterns."
Baizhu smiled, then continued, "They are a small novelty that can fly into the sky with light."
"Every Liyue citizen will weave their own xiao lanterns during the Lantern Rite. The most eye-catching ones, however, are definitely the officially made xiao lanterns."
"I heard that this year's commemorates Skybracer. Its size is the largest in recent years."
After Baizhu finished speaking, he also looked expectant. In his leisure time, he had gone to see this xiao lantern. Although it was only a skeleton now, just from that, he knew that this year's xiao lantern would definitely be the biggest.
"I see," Yu Jin nodded. After a slight sigh of emotion, he no longer cared about the xiao lanterns.
Because Yu Jin felt there were many things worth seeing at the Lantern Rite, and the importance of xiao lanterns could be put aside.
Anyway, from what Baizhu said, many people would release xiao lanterns during the Lantern Rite, so he didn't have to worry about not seeing them.
"The novelties of Liyue during the Lantern Rite are too many to describe in three days and three nights. It would be best for you two to experience it yourselves."
"If you're not busy on the night of the Lantern Rite, you can come to Bubu Pharmacy for a visit. I'm quite skilled at making nourishing medicinal dinner for New Year's Eve,"
Baizhu said at the end.
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