The Shogun could feel it in her circuits. This fox was laughing at her.
"My, my, don't be in such a rush to kick me out," Miko purred, waving her hand dismissively. "It's rare for me to enter this space. Can't you let me enjoy myself for a bit?"
"Besides," Miko continued, a sly smile playing on her lips, "that wooden blockhead will return shortly to say her goodbyes. I need to write a letter for her. If she meets Ganyu in Liyue, this letter will ensure she is well taken care of. For my sake, Ganyu will treat her kindly."
"Furthermore, when Sara sends back her reports, you'll need me to help interpret them. I am simply indispensable."
Miko leaned back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, staying here in the Plane of Euthymia is incredibly convenient. Are you sure you want to evict me?"
"Hmph."
Ei's grip on the Engulfing Lightning tightened slightly. The static electricity in the air crackled ominously.
"Now, now, don't get angry from embarrassment," Miko teased, her voice light and airy.
Ei closed her eyes abruptly. Out of sight, out of mind.
"Tsk, tsk."
Seeing Ei shut herself off, Miko raised an eyebrow. With a flicker of movement, she produced a stick of candied hawthorn—dango—seemingly from nowhere.
Lick. Lick.
She began to enjoy the sweet treat right in front of Ei's face, making exaggerated sounds of delight.
Ei's body trembled slightly.
Her patience was reaching critical mass.
Time passed quietly in the strange crimson realm.
Eventually, Sara returned to the Tenshukaku, her preparations complete.
"Here, take this."
Miko, now back in the physical world, handed a sealed envelope to Sara with a grin. "When you arrive in Liyue, scout the area first. If you encounter Ganyu, give her this letter. If you have any questions or run into trouble, ask her. She will guide you."
"Yes, Guuji Yae."
Sara nodded solemnly, tucking the letter into her armor.
She exchanged a few final words with the Shogun—receiving her final directives—and then turned to leave.
Stepping out of the Tenshukaku, Sara paused. A rare look of uncertainty flickered in her golden eyes.
This would be her first time leaving the Inazuma archipelago. Born and raised in the land of Eternity, she had never seen the outside world. Even for a General who had led armies and slain monsters without fear, the unknown was... daunting.
She took several deep breaths, steadying her resolve.
Then, with her head high, she walked out of Inazuma City, leaving Narukami Island behind.
Time flowed on. The night passed.
Dawn broke over the eastern horizon, its pale light waking the sleeping earth.
Liyue Harbor.
Chongyun stood on a quiet pier, far from the main docks. In his hand was a long blade that radiated a biting chill. He gazed out at the vast, calm sea.
"Hurry up, show me this 'Six Arts of the Cold Arrogance,'" Xingqiu urged from nearby. The young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild was leaning against a crate, a book in one hand, watching his friend with keen interest. "I have to say, that blade suits you perfectly."
Xingqiu had originally planned to supervise Chongyun's sleep the night before to ensure his Pure Yang Spirit didn't flare up. But, predictably, Xingqiu had gotten lost in a novel.
The result? Chongyun had spent the entire night practicing the techniques from the skill book he pulled from the Jar Shop.
Feeling guilty, Xingqiu had raided the Guild's armory early this morning and found a decent Cryo-infused blade for Chongyun to use. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it would suffice until they could commission something better.
Yujing Terrace, Yuehai Pavilion.
High above the harbor, Ganyu stood on a balcony, sipping her morning tea. Her blue hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, her signature ahoge swaying slightly in the breeze.
She looked down toward the secluded pier.
"Those two are up early," she mused.
She recognized them immediately. The second son of the Feiyun Guild, known for his love of books and chivalry, and the young exorcist with the congenital condition.
She watched curiously. Why were they at the docks before sunrise with a weapon?
"Hm?"
Ganyu's eyes widened slightly.
Down at the pier, an explosion of Cryo energy erupted from Chongyun. It was sudden and violent, a shockwave of visible frost expanding outward.
The temperature plummeted instantly. Xingqiu hissed, wrapping his arms around himself. "Careless," he muttered, teeth chattering. "I forgot to bring a coat."
"HAAH!"
Chongyun roared, swinging the blade upward.
BOOM!
A blinding pillar of sword-light shot into the sky, tearing through the dawn mist. It was a magnificent arc of energy, over three hundred feet long, composed of pure, condensed frost. It hung in the air for a split second, a crescent moon of destruction, before crashing down.
CRASH!
The blade of energy slammed into the ocean surface.
The calm water was instantly cleaved in two. A massive, bottomless trench opened up in the sea, the water pushed aside by the sheer force of the blow.
Crack... Crack... CRACK!
Then came the freeze.
The displaced water didn't rush back in. Instead, the terrifying cold flash-froze the waves mid-motion. In a heartbeat, a huge section of the harbor was turned into a jagged landscape of ice.
The trench remained, a scar frozen in time.
"Holy Morax! What was that?!"
"What is happening at the docks?"
"Did you see that light? It looked like a giant sword!"
"Whose blade creates a slash that big?!"
The workers and early risers around Liyue Harbor stared in shock. The massive beam of light had illuminated the entire port.
"By the Archons, it's freezing!"
"I'm freezing to death! What's going on with the weather?"
"Ghost! It's a ghost!"
Laborers loading cargo on the far docks began to shiver violently. The ambient temperature had dropped so drastically that their breath was misting in thick clouds. Teeth chattered like castanets.
They couldn't see Chongyun from their angle, but they felt his power.
"It came from over there! That blue-haired kid swung a sword!"
Someone with sharp eyes pointed toward the secluded pier.
A crowd rushed to the edge, peering over the railings. They saw Chongyun, surrounded by a thick, swirling mist of Cryo energy, holding the frosting blade.
"Wait, isn't that Chongyun?"
"The exorcist kid? Since when does exorcism involve splitting the ocean?"
"Is this the new standard for ghost hunting? Ghosts don't stand a chance!"
"My goodness, look at the ice... he froze the sea."
"And Master Xingqiu is there too!"
The crowd was dumbfounded. They knew Chongyun was a skilled exorcist, but this... this was the power of a master martial artist, something out of a legend.
"Is this... the Second Art: Frozen Three Feet?"
Chongyun stared at his own handiwork, stunned.
He had only practiced the Six Arts of the Cold Arrogance for one night, unlocking the second form. The technique description read: "Blade energy condenses into ice, thick beyond three feet. Can trap enemies or entomb oneself in defense."
He just wanted to test the form.
He didn't expect to redraw the coastline.
And he hadn't even used his full power. This was just the amplification from the technique combined with a mediocre Cryo weapon.
The Six Arts book from the Jar Shop was terrifyingly potent.
If I hit a ghost with this... Chongyun swallowed hard. There wouldn't even be ectoplasm left.
Xingqiu was equally shocked. If Chongyun can do this... then my 'Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens' must be just as absurd.
"What are you standing there for? Run!"
Xingqiu snapped out of his trance as he saw the crowd gathering. He grabbed Chongyun's arm.
"We need to go before the Millelith arrive! I don't want to explain why we froze the harbor!"
They had to set up the Horror House today. Getting arrested for illegal terraforming was not on the schedule.
Xingqiu dragged a dazed Chongyun away, his mind racing.
The Jar Shop is unbelievable.
Felix, the shopkeeper, had casually sold them techniques that could rival Adepti arts. The mystery of that man only deepened.
"Damn, it's cold. Someone definitely used a Vision."
"It was Chongyun. I never knew he was that strong."
"I've seen Vision bearers fight before... they don't usually freeze the ocean with one swing."
"Maybe he ascended?"
The crowd lingered, shivering, staring at the unnatural glacier floating in the harbor. The ice refused to melt, standing as a testament to the frightening power of the Six Arts.
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