98: Successfully lured a Shenhe crane

"The two of you should take Shenhe with you to gain some experience in the mortal world." After Skirk and Qiqi had stepped outside the Immortal's abode, Cloud Retainer said this to Huo Xi and the others.

Shenhe wore a look of shock, but Cloud Retainer said to her, "I saw the punch you threw at this young man just now. You should also be able to sense that no matter what you do, she has the ability to stop you. Miss Skirk here is the same way."

"Follow them and experience the human world's atmosphere, which is different from that of the Immortals. This will also benefit your cultivation."

Hearing the True Monarch's words, a phrase suddenly popped into Huo Xi's mind: "Mundane World Trial of the Heart?"

"Oh? What you said makes sense. That's right, Shenhe, this time you are indeed going to Temper your Heart in the Mortal Coil." The True Monarch immediately accepted the phrase.

But her true thought was that it was unhealthy for Shenhe to stay only on the mountain; she should interact with others a bit. Furthermore, Huo Xi was, after all, a safe individual endorsed by the Geo Archon.

Since the Geo Archon would vouch for his safety, he would surely be secretly keeping an eye on this person normally. Rounding up, that meant the Geo Archon himself was personally looking after Shenhe.

Perfect!

Huo Xi had no objections to this, and Skirk was not particularly bothered either.

Anyway, he already had more women around him than he could count on one hand, so one more didn't matter.

Therefore, the True Monarch walked up to Huo Xi and placed one of her bird legs heavily on his shoulder: "Shenhe is entrusted to you from now on."

Huo Xi looked speechlessly at the bird leg on his shoulder. What kind of strange gesture was this? Why was a bird leg resting on his shoulder?

If she transformed into her human form, was that supposed to be a hand on his shoulder, or a foot?

Also, True Monarch, when you say things like that, it gives me the illusion that you are entrusting your daughter to me. Do you even know what usually happens to unrelated mother-daughter pairs in our line of work as Transmigrators?

Just kidding, sometimes even blood relations can't escape it.

However, Huo Xi certainly wouldn't say that in front of her. He looked in Shenhe's direction and found that she was just staring blankly at him.

He then looked toward Skirk, who had her eyes closed and wasn't looking at him. Finally, he looked at Qiqi... Wait, why are they all Cryo women?

"Huh? Wait, what about Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?" Huo Xi asked the True Monarch.

The True Monarch tilted her bird head: "What Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?"

..."You're saying this is Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?!" Placing the tree branch on the table, the True Monarch's bird eyes widened.

Compared to the bewildered Shenhe and Qiqi, Skirk also showed shock on her face. Having traveled Teyvat for many years, she was naturally familiar with the names of the Seven Archons.

But the True Monarch's expression was unnatural: "Wait a moment, allow this Immortal to think... Wasn't Greater Lord Rukkhadevata the previous God of Grass? Shouldn't she have passed away after The Cataclysm five hundred years ago, and hasn't the position of the Dendro Archon been handed over to the second generation, the Mahakusaladhamma Prajnaparamita?"

"Yes." Huo Xi paused to organize his words: "Uh, but Greater Lord Rukkhadevata didn't completely die. I used some highly advanced magical techniques to bring her back."

Although it was hard to believe, the True Monarch still nodded: "In other words, the transformation method you mentioned is actually a way to restore Greater Lord Rukkhadevata to her human form?"

"Exactly."

"Then why didn't you say so sooner?!" The True Monarch, the entire crane, bristled. "Does an existence like the former God of Wisdom need fifteen days? Come back in three to five days. This Immortal guarantees you a completely whole Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."

Finally, the True Monarch looked at Shenhe: "As for the matter of Tempering your Heart in the Mortal Coil that your master spoke of..."

Shenhe glanced toward Huo Xi. She had genuinely felt cared for by someone today, a rare experience, and her Master seemed to trust this person implicitly.

She then looked toward Skirk. This woman was as cold as herself, and both gave off a feeling of detachment from the world.

Perhaps, staying by their side... Thinking this, Shenhe nodded to the True Monarch: "I respectfully obey Master's decree."

...Watching the group walk down the mountain step by step, Cloud Retainer, who was carrying Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, muttered to herself: "God of Wisdom, tell me, if I were to ask the young man to resurrect Guizhong and the others..."

The words remained unfinished, merely dissipating into the air like the wind.

Looking back up the mountain, the original crane was gone. Instead, standing high up was a tall, attractive woman wearing red glasses and a high ponytail. She held the silver-white branch in both hands and sighed heavily.

"Forget it, forget it. It's all just fleeting smoke and clouds."

...Skirk and Shenhe walked on the left and right, following half a step behind Huo Xi. Qiqi was carried on Huo Xi's back, and the medicine basket was carried on Qiqi's back, like a human pyramid.

Qiqi now looked like the tall command bridge of a battleship, making it obvious where one should aim if they looked.

Shenhe observed Huo Xi and Skirk the entire way down the mountain. As a result, Skirk's movements were exceedingly superb; every step she took felt incredibly light, and her control over her limbs was flawless, giving the impression that she didn't actually have limbs but was using Puppetry to manipulate four precise machines that utterly obeyed her.

As for Huo Xi, there wasn't a shred of genuine martial skill on him. His entire being radiated four words: "Brute Force Wins."

Shenhe considered herself one of the strongest people, capable of lifting tens of tons of boulders barehanded, yet the man before her possessed strength far surpassing her own.

Her Master told her to follow him to learn how to integrate into human society. Didn't this mean that while possessing such terrifying power, he could still live skillfully within human society, just like an ordinary person?

Could such a formidable person truly exist?

Shenhe secretly made a note that she must observe this man's every move carefully, day and night, in order to quickly find some sense of being a living person for herself!

This time, the group did not need to pass through Jueyun Karst, as going to Liyue Harbor that way was too much of a detour, so they chose a different path.

They descended from Mt. Aocang to the foot of the mountain, passed through Guanghua Forest and Nantianmen, went through Tianqiu Valley to Dunyu Ruins, and then followed the official road eastward from Dunyu Ruins to arrive directly at Qiqi's pharmacy, Bubu Pharmacy.

During the journey, Shenhe rarely felt a sense of leisure.

Huo Xi always brought up topics at the right time, never sounding noisy. Instead, he constantly helped people discover the unusual aspects of familiar scenery along the way, and he even managed to find some treasure chests.

It was as if he truly held a love for every corner of this land, excited as if a child's building toy had suddenly transformed into a real, existing mechanical contraption.

What might be buried beneath the ground here? Could that large tree be the Tail of a giant dragon? Skirk rarely answered him, but she always followed the direction of his pointing finger to look.

Shenhe herself gradually felt like she was sightseeing and enjoying the scenery.

Walking with Huo Xi and the others, watching the dazed Qiqi shake her head, it truly felt like a few adults taking a child out for a spring excursion.

Shenhe had never experienced this feeling as a child, but she wondered if she had had a gentle father like Huo Xi... would she have lived a completely different life?

Finally, the group arrived near Dunyu Ruins. From here, Liyue Harbor was not far away.

However, at a three-way intersection, Huo Xi and the others saw a blue-haired boy in white robes chasing several Abyss Mages.

Two of the Abyss Mages had already been dealt with by him with some difficulty, but the last remaining Hydro Mage fled quickly, running toward Qingxu Pool. The boy didn't stop for a moment, dragging his exhausted body to pursue him.

Looking at that figure, Huo Xi found it increasingly familiar.

"That looks like... Chongyun?"

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