"Mister Bu'yun?"
Beidou called out several times, but the man didn't react.
It wasn't until she gave him a firm shove that he jolted out of his daze. "Oh... Miss Beidou. This must be the honored guest Lady Ningguang arranged for today?"
"That's right!"
Beidou gave a short grunt of affirmation before muttering under her breath, "That woman knew ahead of time again!"
Bu'yun laughed softly. "Very well. Please, both of you, ascend the pavilion from here!"
The guide for the Jade Chamber had long recognized Beidou, so there was no need for secret codes. He simply led them straight onto the Plaustrite.
As he watched the retreating figures of Beidou and Ye Xi, Bu'yun wiped the sweat from his brow. He was consumed by curiosity why would such a young man receive such personal hospitality from Lady Ningguang? It didn't make any sense!
Meanwhile, in a distant corner, several Fatui were peeking toward them from time to time. They began to whisper once they saw Ye Xi and Beidou ascend.
"Who is that person? On what grounds does he get to enter the Jade Chamber?!"
"It doesn't seem right. At that age, he doesn't look like anyone with a serious background."
"Report this to the superiors immediately!"
The Plaustrite rose straight into the sky, arriving at Liyue's floating city the Jade Chamber.
The moment they stepped onto that suspended land, the gates of the distant pavilion swung open. A woman dressed in a luxurious cheongsam emerged.
She had a stunning, curvaceous figure that perfectly captured the essence of feminine grace. Her gold, yellow, and black cheongsam clung to her elegant frame. Silver hair cascaded down her back,
held partially by a single golden hairpin tucked between the strands. Her expression was leisurely, her beautiful eyes as calm as autumn water. Just a single glance was enough to feel an air of mystical charm radiating from her.
The moment Ye Xi saw Ningguang, his eyes lit up.
[As expected of Liyue's Number One Rich Lady. She looks like she definitely doesn't lack money!]
This sudden inner thought appeared out of nowhere, leaving Ningguang momentarily staggered. However, she recovered quickly. This was likely the "inner voice" Beidou had mentioned.
Beidou was currently looking at her with a playful, mocking smirk, clearly laughing at her over the "Number One Rich Lady" comment.
Ningguang frowned slightly and ignored her, glancing instead at the three secretaries behind her: Baiwen, Baishi, and Baixiao. The three secretaries showed no reaction whatsoever. This confirmed that the inner voice could only be heard by her and Beidou.
Ningguang's interest was piqued instantly.
She took a step forward and said calmly, "I have waited quite some time for you, traveler from Inazuma."
With just those words, an aura of supreme authority radiated from her. It was a domineering pressure familiar to Ye Xi the scent of a superior that only those who had occupied high positions for a long time could possess. Any ordinary person would have been crushed by this aura, unable to even lift their head.
Ye Xi, however, felt nothing at all.
In terms of sheer presence, Raiden Ei and Ningguang were on par. He wasn't even afraid of Raiden Ei, so why would he fear Ningguang?
Seeing Ye Xi remain completely unmoved, Ningguang was taken aback. Very few people could remain so composed when facing her. Even Liyue's wealthiest merchants would instinctively lower their heads when affected by her aura. For someone as young as Ye Xi to be entirely unaffected was truly rare.
Her attempt at an intimidating first impression had failed. Instead, for reasons she couldn't explain, she felt the elemental power throughout her body beginning to boil, as if it were radiating a profound longing for Ye Xi.
She suppressed the restlessness of her elemental energy and composed herself.
Standing beside them, Beidou couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Ningguang, you might as well put that act away. It works on those tacky merchants, but it won't work on my Ye Xi."
"This brother of mine is now the Raiden Shogun's confidant. Even the Raiden Shogun herself dotes on him. Did you really think a mere Liyue Qixing could scare him?"
"What? Doted on by the Raiden Shogun?!"
The three secretaries let out cries of disbelief. They knew of the Raiden Shogun. After all, Inazuma and Liyue faced each other across the sea. Due to the Sakoku Decree, Liyue had kept a close watch on the situation over there.
In their eyes, the Raiden Shogun was an extremely difficult person to get along with. Hearing that Ye Xi was "favored" by the Electro Archon was something they simply couldn't believe.
"Lady Beidou, is that true?"
"I heard that Raiden Shogun is cold and ruthless, and kills people at the drop of a hat!"
"Favored by the Raiden Shogun? That's impossible!"
Hearing the secretaries' exclamations, Ye Xi felt a bit helpless.
[Cold and ruthless?]
[Are you talking about the Raiden Shogun who makes a fuss every day wanting to eat Tricolor Dango, and bursts into tears crying 'waaaah' if she can't have any?]
When Ningguang and Beidou heard this thought, their eyes filled with utter shock.
Tricolor Dango?
Crying "waaaah"?
Who?
The Raiden Shogun?!
Was this a joke?!
She was one of the Seven Archons!
For a split second, an image flashed through their minds of the Raiden Shogun throwing a tantrum and crying for Tricolor Dango. They both shook their heads immediately. That image was way too jarring!
Ye Xi sighed and spoke up. "Miss Ningguang, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have brought a small gift as a token of my respect."
As he spoke, he flipped his hand, and a food box appeared out of thin air.
Seeing this method of retrieving an object from the void, Ningguang and Beidou were both surprised. The three secretaries behind them were even more horrified.
"This is this the technique of an Adeptus?!"
"Is he an Adeptus?!"
"If that's the case, it makes sense why he'd be an acquaintance of the Raiden Shogun."
Ningguang knew the man before her wasn't an Adeptus. An Adeptus wouldn't do something so trivial. Regardless, she didn't dare to slight him further. She suppressed her shock and gestured for a secretary to take the gift. Then, a trace of a smile appeared on her serious face.
"Your methods are truly brilliant, sir. However, you've gone to quite a bit of trouble preparing a gift."
"Just call me Ye Xi."
Hearing this, Ningguang couldn't help but admire his informal nature. She reciprocated the sentiment. "Very well. If you call me Ningguang, then we shall be equals."
"Let us go inside the hall to talk."
Ye Xi nodded and walked past Ningguang toward the interior. As he drew closer, Ningguang felt a strange energy pulling at the elemental power within her. It was as if there were something on Ye Xi that she desperately needed!
She couldn't help but whisper to Beidou, "Why do I feel the elemental power in my body becoming so much more active? Especially when I'm close to Ye Xi!"
Beidou's brow jumped. She reached out and slapped Ningguang's snow-white back a back coveted by countless people and laughed. "That's what it feels like to have your heart skip a beat! You haven't fallen for my Ye Xi, have you?"
"Has that heart of yours, dormant for over twenty years, finally started jumping?"
"If you ask me, this old cow shouldn't be thinking about eating tender grass!"
With that, Beidou laughed and entered the hall, leaving Ningguang standing there questioning her entire life!
Is this... what a fluttering heart feels like?
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