Chapter 93: Drinking Tea, Invitation from the God of Fire
A comfortable, breezy atmosphere settled over the group as they made their way back. Before long, the towering, magnificent gates of the Stadium of the Sacred Flame loomed into view, casting long, imposing shadows over the sunbaked earth.
Unexpectedly, Mavuika herself stood waiting at the grand entrance.
Her sharp, fiery gaze swept over the returning squad. The moment she registered that every single person was safe and sound, the faint, tightly coiled tension hidden deep within her eyes melted away.
"Well done, warriors!" Mavuika's voice rang out, loud, direct, and brimming with raw, unfiltered approval.
She did not even wait for Iansan, Chasca, and Mualani to offer the traditional Natlan bows. Instead, she stepped forward, a rare, brilliant smile breaking across her face. She was clearly in soaring spirits.
The blunt, enthusiastic praise caught the group slightly off guard, but warm smiles quickly followed.
Paimon immediately planted her tiny hands on her hips. She tilted her chin up, her small face radiating absolute triumph. "Hehe, it was alright! Just a walk in the park for us!"
Stelle, whose chaotic energy was always bubbling just beneath the surface, eagerly leaned forward. She mirrored Paimon's exact posture, planting her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest. "Of course! With us on the job, perfection is the only outcome!" She looked incredibly pleased with herself, practically radiating an aura of absolute supreme confidence.
"Hey, Stelle, dial it back!" March 7th hissed. Quick on her feet, the pink-haired archer grabbed the overly familiar Trailblazer by the collar and yanked her back into line. At the same time, she shot a desperate, pleading look at Dan Heng.
Dan Heng understood the assignment perfectly. He stepped forward, offering Mavuika a slight, respectful nod. His tone was measured, steady, and impeccably polite. "Thank you for the praise, Lord of Fire. We did not fail our mission. We have successfully brought Kachina back safely."
His posture was neither overly humble nor arrogant. He expressed gratitude while perfectly maintaining the calm, detached demeanor that everyone had come to accept as the standard for a 'Liyue Adeptus disciple'.
Mavuika nodded. Her gaze lingered on Dan Heng and March 7th for a brief second, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes at their frantic attempts to restrain their chaotic companion.
She offered no further teasing, simply turning sideways and extending a welcoming hand. "You have all worked incredibly hard. Please, follow me."
She guided the large group through the stadium corridors, leading them into a reception hall significantly more spacious than their previous meeting room. It had clearly been prepared to accommodate the sudden influx of multiversal reinforcements.
The moment they crossed the threshold, a rich, refreshing aroma of roasted tea leaves washed over them.
Over in the dedicated tea ceremony alcove on the far side of the hall, Zhongli sat in quiet repose. He was gracefully pouring hot water from a clay pot, his movements fluid, precise, and steeped in a timeless, ancient elegance.
Hearing the footsteps, he paused and looked up, a gentle, welcoming smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"Mr. Zhongli!" The chat group members called out, their voices overlapping in a chorus of genuine warmth.
Wise and Belle spotted the retired Archon and immediately recalled the harrowing moments within the Night Kingdom. A deep sense of gratitude swelled in their chests. They stepped forward, opening their mouths to formally thank him for his silent protection, but Zhongli's gentle gaze caught theirs.
"There is no need for words," Zhongli said softly, his voice a soothing rumble. "It is simply good that you have all returned safely."
His tone was perfectly calm, yet it carried a heavy, comforting weight that instantly put them at ease. The siblings swallowed their prepared speeches, exchanging a quiet look as a warm feeling settled in their hearts.
"The journey has been taxing on you all. Please, sit and have some tea." Zhongli gestured toward the arranged seating. With smooth, practiced motions, he pushed several porcelain cups across the low table. The hot tea inside was a bright, clear amber, curling with fragrant steam.
"This is the new harvest from Qiaoying Village," Zhongli explained, his eyes reflecting the soft light of the room. "While it may not be of the absolute highest grade, it possesses a crisp, refreshing profile and a lingering sweet aftertaste. It should serve well to wash away your fatigue."
The group took their respective seats, wrapping their hands around the warm porcelain.
As they took their first sips, they found Zhongli's assessment to be perfectly accurate. The liquid was incredibly smooth, carrying an elegant, earthy aroma. As it slid down their throats, a gentle warmth bloomed in their chests, followed by a faint, pleasant sweetness. It felt as though the lingering, biting chill of the Night Kingdom and the heavy exhaustion of battle were actively melting away.
Even the perpetually energetic Stelle and March 7th fell silent, closing their eyes to savor this rare, peaceful tranquility.
The quiet moment was gently broken by Mavuika. She turned to a woman standing respectfully near the wall. "Chuychu, please examine everyone. We must ensure there is no residual Abyssal corruption clinging to them."
"Right away, Lord of Fire," Chuychu replied, bowing her head before stepping forward to begin her assessments.
Her movements were clinical, professional, and highly careful as she moved from person to person with a specialized diagnostic instrument. However, as the examinations progressed, the Natlan doctor's delicate brows knitted closer and closer together. Her face became a canvas of pure bewilderment.
When she scanned Iansan, Chasca, and Mualani, the instrument reacted exactly as expected, detecting faint but definite traces of residual Abyssal energy clinging to their forms.
But when she moved to the others... nothing.
Every single otherworldly guest, and even Kachina, who had literally just been pulled from the deepest, most heavily corrupted core of the Night Kingdom, registered as completely, impossibly clean. There was not a single speck of dark energy on them.
This completely shattered her medical understanding of the Abyss. Kachina, by all logical metrics, should have been saturated in corruption!
Chuychu lowered her instrument, staring at Mavuika, and then slowly panning her wide, disbelieving eyes across the group. She looked completely lost.
Shaking her head to clear her confusion, Chuychu composed herself. She reached for her medical kit, preparing to initiate the standard, grueling purification treatments for Iansan, Chasca, and Mualani.
Before she could even open the latch, a tiny white blur shot across the room.
"Wait, wait! Let me do it! I am the absolute best at this!" Paimon declared, floating directly in front of the three Natlan warriors. She puffed out her chest, her small face the picture of supreme confidence.
With a dramatic wave of her tiny hands, a flash of soft silver light illuminated the hall. Three exquisite, palm-sized silver wrenches materialized in her grasp, shimmering with a strange, metallic energy.
Before Chuychu could even process what was happening, Paimon moved like a lightning bolt.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
With three rapid, incredibly precise strikes, Paimon bonked the small silver wrenches directly onto the foreheads of Iansan, Chasca, and Mualani. Her technique was terrifyingly practiced.
Instantly, familiar golden magic circles flared to life beneath the trio's feet. The phantom image of a silver wrench materialized above each of their heads, spinning rapidly in the air and throwing off a shower of tiny, harmless sparks. The entire bizarre ritual was over in a matter of seconds.
As the golden light faded into the air, the three warriors gasped. They felt an immediate, deep lightness wash over their bodies. The subtle, muddy sluggishness that had clung to their limbs, the lingering, icy dread of the Abyss... it all vanished completely, wiped clean from their systems.
"Huh?" Iansan blinked, rolling her shoulder and clenching her fist. A sharp glint of absolute shock flashed in her eyes.
It was not just the Abyssal taint that was gone. The subtle, nagging aches from old micro-tears and injuries, accumulated over years of brutal, high-intensity training, had been completely erased by that tiny wrench. Her body felt pristine, operating with an unmatched, flawless coordination.
Mualani gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as she felt that same weightless clarity. She locked eyes with Iansan, both of them mirroring the exact same expression of utter disbelief.
During the chaotic battle in the Night Kingdom, they had been entirely focused on fighting off the shadowy hordes. They had not actually witnessed Paimon performing this absurd miracle on Kachina.
But the person whose worldview was currently shattering the most was undoubtedly Chuychu.
The diagnostic instrument still clutched in the doctor's trembling hand was displaying a flat zero. The stubborn, highly dangerous Abyssal corruption that had been clinging to the three warriors just seconds ago had evaporated like morning mist under a blazing sun.
This was a complete and total subversion of all established medical science.
Chuychu's eyes bulged. She stared at the floating, smug little fairy, then down at her expensive instrument, her mouth hanging slightly agape. She tried to form words, but her voice completely failed her.
As one of Natlan's premier healers, she knew better than anyone just how deeply the Abyss dug its claws into a person. Yet this tiny, floating creature... just what kind of terrifying, miraculous power was she wielding?
"Ahem."
Mavuika cleared her throat, the polite sound slicing through the stunned silence that had fallen over the hall following Paimon's medical masterpiece.
The Pyro Archon looked across the room, a wide, genuine smile returning to her face as she effortlessly reclaimed her commanding presence.
"You have all done exceptional work today. And it seems our little Paimon has delivered another massive contribution." Mavuika clapped her hands together, the sharp sound echoing off the stone walls. "Now that the medical checkups are out of the way..."
On cue, the heavy wooden doors of the hall swung open. A line of attendants streamed inside, carrying massive, steaming platters of Natlan's most iconic delicacies. Within seconds, the rich, mouth-watering aroma of roasted meats and heavy spices completely overpowered the delicate scent of the tea.
Plates piled high with sizzling, golden-brown giant beast legs and bowls of thick, uniquely spiced meat stews were set down on the long tables, causing more than a few stomachs in the room to rumble loudly.
"Let us eat while we talk!" Mavuika declared, her voice booming with infectious energy. "This feast serves three purposes! First, to celebrate the triumphant return of our heroes. Second, to celebrate the safe recovery of Kachina. And third, to celebrate the temporary suppression of the threat from the Night Kingdom!"
She paused, her expression sobering just a fraction as she looked at the assembled group. "But this is also a war council. We must discuss Natlan's future, and our strategy against the Abyssal corruption. My friends from afar, your unique experiences and overwhelming strength may be exactly the insight we need to break this deadlock."
Her fiery gaze swept slowly across the faces of the multiversal travelers, before finally coming to rest on Zhongli.
The former Geo Archon was still seated quietly at the tea table. He took a slow, leisurely sip from his porcelain cup, his handsome features perfectly placid, looking for all the world like a man simply enjoying a quiet afternoon tea party.
Mavuika did not call attention to his true identity, nor did she ask him to join the main table. She simply offered him a silent, tacit acknowledgment of his presence.
After all, for a god who had willingly stepped down from his divine throne, observing the struggles of human nations and watching over the Traveler's journey was merely another part of his leisurely stroll through the mortal realm.
And since the Traveler was now standing at the very center of Natlan's greatest crisis, it was only natural that her old friend would be sitting quietly in the corner, watching over the board.
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