Mualani was all too familiar with this line.
When she first met Kachina, every time she saw Kachina crying, she couldn't help but hand over a handkerchief.
Kachina's response was almost always the same.
She would always smile and say, "It's okay, I'll wipe my own tears."
Even after knowing each other for so long, Mualani still couldn't break this habit.
But now, it seemed she was the one who needed to change first.
Kachina was not as sad as usual this time.
After all, this could be said to be the closest she had ever gotten to the Night Warden War.
And those few losses of hers really couldn't be blamed on her.
Her opponents' combat experience had simply overwhelmed her. There was nothing she could do.
Mualani leaned to the side. "It looks like Mu Yang understands Kachina even better than I do. I clearly met her first…"
Mu Yang only felt the strongest resonance with Zhongli at times like this.
When the people around you were too energetic, it was really hard to keep up with the conversation.
Especially when you were supposed to have a cool and aloof persona.
Kachina took out some homemade juice from her "all-purpose backpack."
"Mualani didn't get to participate in this Night Warden War either, right? There's no need to keep comforting me every time, it's fine…"
She poured the juice and pushed a cup toward Mualani.
"Here, Mualani, you've worked hard too."
The other cup was for Mu Yang. "And thank you for your guidance, Mr. Mu Yang."
Mualani drank the sweet fruit juice, feeling a complicated mix of emotions in her heart.
How did the little kid from her family suddenly seem to have grown up?
Could it be because of Mu Yang's teaching?
Did Mu Yang really have such great influence?
Mualani thought about how she and Kachina had just experienced a failure together.
So she changed the subject to Mu Yang and asked if he had ever experienced failure before.
After all, Mu Yang looked elegant and easygoing, giving off the feeling that he could handle anything calmly.
Would someone like him have experienced failure just like them?
Mu Yang thought for a moment. "Failure, huh… let me think…"
Although Kachina had never truly seen Mu Yang fight.
Just the fact that he could use a long wooden stick to perform the spear techniques of all the experts in Liyue was already impressive.
The spear intent carried on that stick was still something Kachina could not understand to this day.
Just that alone made him a master among masters.
Moreover, Mu Yang said that what he was actually best at was the sword…
What kind of existence could defeat Mu Yang?
The only person Kachina could think of was the strongest person in her knowledge — the Pyro Archon, Mavuika.
"Lost in a spar with a friend."
Mualani was speechless. This was the most perfunctory answer she had ever heard.
But that made sense too. Failure was still a somewhat embarrassing and private matter.
She had overstepped a bit.
Seeing Mualani's reaction, Mu Yang prepared to add more.
The fact that he was willing to answer meant he didn't mind.
He was just trying to maintain his persona a little.
"At the time, in the Tenshukaku in Inazuma, I tried to block the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi. I was a bit too overconfident."
"I see, so you got careless, haha…"
Only after saying it did Mualani react. "Who?!"
"…The Raiden Shogun?!"
Kachina was sure she hadn't misheard.
Mu Yang had indeed said the Raiden Shogun.
Was it that Raiden Shogun, the one equal in fame to the Pyro Archon and one of the Seven Sovereigns of the mortal world?
She didn't know much about the gods of other nations, but she knew a bit about the Seven Archons.
Those ancient gods from the past could split an entire island with a single slash.
They were somewhat different from their Pyro Archon.
When the two looked at Mu Yang again, their eyes were filled with disbelief.
If it had been anyone else, Mualani or Kachina would have thought it was just another exaggerated story.
Stories could be twisted however one liked.
Especially a self-told story like Mu Yang's.
But for some reason, when Mu Yang casually said it like this, they both had a strong feeling that "this really happened."
To Mu Yang, this was simply part of the world's correction.
Although he himself had not experienced it, it was recorded in the Irminsul.
Therefore, it was true!
"Hahaha, I didn't expect to hear such an interesting story. I really didn't misjudge you."
A hearty voice came from behind the group. "You really are a powerful warrior."
The Pyro Archon Mavuika appeared in the restaurant of the Stadium of the Sacred Flame and took the initiative to greet Mu Yang and the others.
"P-Pyro Archon?!"
"Ah, it's the Pyro Archon!"
"No need to be so formal. Actually, I'm the one who interrupted you. You don't mind that I was 'eavesdropping,' do you?"
Mu Yang shook his head.
Talking about failure was so simple.
Why did you think I mentioned the Raiden Shogun?
Wasn't it precisely to lure you out…
During the competition, Mu Yang had already noticed Mavuika's occasional glances.
He just wasn't entirely sure.
After all, he had never been to Natlan before. What was there to pay attention to?
Mu Yang had hidden himself very well.
The System's functions were beyond doubt.
Mavuika had no way to see through the concealment and detect Mu Yang's true strength.
But there was one thing you had to respect.
The sixth sense of fellow strong warriors.
In this grand Natlan event, a place full of experts, there was an unusual aura of a powerful person coming from the spectator seats.
This forced Mavuika to take this person seriously.
If it was a friend, that would be great. If it was an enemy, that would be troublesome.
Natlan's crisis was only one or two years away.
Mavuika really had little time to spare on other matters.
After sending the five contestants to the Night Kingdom, she began searching for Mu Yang's figure.
From Mu Yang's behavior so far, he seemed harmless to Natlan.
Just as the investigation results said, he really had come to Natlan for a vacation.
Mualani and Kachina were even more shocked.
They knew Mu Yang might be very strong, but what was this about the Pyro Archon personally coming out to vouch for him?
And hadn't they just been about to talk about the secrets of the Seven Archons?
Was that something they were allowed to listen to?
Mu Yang hadn't really responded yet.
The Pyro Archon began speaking on her own.
She said that she actually hadn't met many other Archons.
The only one she had a deep impression of was the Anemo Archon.
So Mu Yang shared some interesting stories about Venti.
Of course, he used the name Barbatos.
Who knew when that guy might suddenly come to Natlan for a free meal?
If Mualani and the others ran into him, it would be so awkward.
The Pyro Archon really was a warm and hospitable person.
Before leaving, she even paid the bill for Mu Yang and the others.
She still had to go supervise the Night Warden War and couldn't stay long.
She had only come to test Mu Yang and see if he harbored any malice toward Natlan.
Now that she had her answer, she naturally left.
Mu Yang actually still had many things he wanted to ask.
But there were quite a few people around, so he let it go.
During this conversation, Mualani occasionally managed to chime in.
Kachina stayed well-behaved like a child the entire time.
She could only sigh in her heart: Mu Yang really is Mu Yang. Even facing the Pyro Archon for the first time, he could still chat and laugh freely.
It looked like she still needed a lot more practice…