After Kaedehara Kazuha finished assigning his people, Furina suggested:
"Next, let's take a look around Liyue. We can check how far martial arts have spread there.
If time allows, I'd also like to discuss collaboration with Senior Sister Ningguang. Since you're here representing Inazuma as well, would you like to join us?"
Hearing this, Kujou Sara's eyes lit up.
Her trip wasn't just about the Immortal Dao — martial arts in Liyue were just as important for Inazuma to investigate.
With Furina and her group accompanying them, things would indeed be much easier.
She immediately turned to Kazuha expectantly, and without much thought, he nodded:
"It would be best if we could act together."
"Then let's go. Oh, if we have time later, we should stop by Wanmin Hall or some other restaurants in Liyue.
I overheard at the gate earlier — some of them are selling small amounts of exotic beast meat dishes every day now.
If we're lucky, we might get to taste some."
Kazuha was surprised.
"Liyue has that much beast meat already?"
"You don't know?" Furina gave him a puzzled glance, then, recalling his background, realized:
"Ah, perhaps you haven't paid much attention to such matters.
Liyue was the first to establish contact with Mount Shu, and their ties are the closest.
Back when the Sect Master created the Mount Shu World, it lacked living creatures. Liyue provided many animals.
They've contributed much in terms of biological resources, medicinal herbs, and mineral resources.
In short, Liyue's goodwill toward Shu made the Sect Master very pleased. Not only did he grant them the Nation-Sealing Xuanyuan Mirror, containing the strike of a Spirit Transformation expert,
he also set aside a region within Mount Shu World filled with exotic beasts, for Senior Sister Ningguang's people to breed, hunt, and transport.
Besides that, the entire Jueyun Karst is Liyue's territory. Liyue cultivators are numerous, and martial arts were first invented by none other than Elder Zhongli himself.
With their martial army, beast hunts in Jueyun Karst proceed smoothly.
Back and forth like that, Liyue has stockpiled a vast amount of beast meat resources.
That's why their martial arts have advanced so quickly."
Kokomi and the others were dumbfounded at her words.
"You can even do that?"
"Of course! Liyue has both luck and cleverness. They seized the opportunity." Furina sighed softly, though inwardly she thought —
If Fontaine had been given that chance, she would have seized it as well.
By now, Liyue's national fortune had probably multiplied many times.
Even the Celestial Investiture of the Gods might now be enough to easily resolve the crisis of prophecy.
Still, Liyue's ability to seize the opportunity ultimately came from their strength and their greater familiarity with cultivation.
That innate advantage could only be envied.
"So Mount Shu World can actually spare land for Liyue to raise exotic beasts?" Ayaka murmured, sighing.
"It's no problem." Furina shook her head.
"After all, Liyue has done much for Shu. The Mount Shu World is ten times Teyvat's size, but in the Sect Master's eyes, the seven peaks are what matter most.
Outside of them lies wilderness meant for disciples' trials. Liyue may use it, but they must be strong enough.
Otherwise, if they can't handle the beasts, they'd just be laughed at.
Fortunately, Liyue's seniors are formidable. They even have two at the peak of Refining Essence into Qi."
Hearing that, Ayaka and the others recalled how, just days ago, Xiao had flown over and shattered Ei's myth of invincibility.
That thought alone made Liyue's current might much easier to grasp.
"Let's talk as we walk." Furina waved, motioning everyone to follow.
Since cultivating the Celestial Investiture of the Gods, her aura as a leader had grown stronger.
She now naturally inspired a sense of trust and steadiness.
Kokomi, curious, sidled up to Kazuha and whispered:
"Why does this Hydro Archon give off a feeling of… I can't put it into words, but it makes you want to trust and even submit?"
Kazuha chuckled casually:
"Don't underestimate her. At the Sect's founding ceremony, she was hailed as the brightest genius. Even the Sect Master called her a peerless prodigy.
With a Heavenly Spiritual Root and Ninefold Heart Inquiry, if she walks step by step, becoming immortal won't be hard.
What's more, she cultivates a supreme immortal art from the Immortal Realm itself — the Celestial Investiture of the Gods, said to confer authority over mountains and rivers.
The Sect Master himself has said her talent is unmatched, and her fortune borders on terrifying.
Furina is the most dazzling inner disciple of Shu right now."
Hearing this, Kokomi carefully studied Furina again.
She hadn't expected that the seemingly youthful and lively Archon would possess such ability.
It meant she should adopt an even friendlier attitude toward her.
No one else said much as they followed Furina and her three companions deeper into Liyue Harbor.
Not long after they left, three figures emerged from the shadows.
The Cryo Archon, remembering that today was the Rite of Descension and that the fabled Sect Master of Shu would appear, had brought Rosalyne and Arlecchino along — ostensibly for a stroll, but with other motives as well.
After all, news of the Sect Master's arrival was no secret. The eyes of all Teyvat were fixed on this day.
But that wasn't what mattered most.
Thousands of outer disciples and menial disciples, plus tens of thousands of promising martial trainees —
all of them would be in Liyue Harbor today to witness the Sect Master.
According to Tartaglia — who, despite his obsession with fighting, had noticed certain details —
nearly three hundred of the thousand or so outer disciples had no factional backing, free wanderers or drifters.
Among the menials, nearly a thousand more were the same, with even more among martial trainees.
These people were all cultivators already — some could later rise into the inner sect.
As for the martial trainees of Shu, they were essentially disciples-in-waiting.
All of them were talent.
In today's surging Teyvat, only by gathering more cultivators could Snezhnaya ensure it would not be cast aside by the new era.
That was why she had come — to draw in some of these unaffiliated souls.
The Fatui could no longer be shaped to her will alone. The Jester and the Doctor controlled most of it, leaving her with little advantage.
So the Cryo Archon had already considered abandoning the Fatui and building anew.
This new force would center on cultivators, with martial practitioners forming the ranks beneath them.
Such people would be the true mainstay in the storm to come.
Unclaimed talents like these were treasures.
In addition, in recent days Lumine had often wandered Liyue Harbor — with Rosalyne and Arlecchino specifically tasked to host her.
This had displeased Ningguang and the others — wasn't Lumine Liyue's honored guest? Why should outsiders play host on their soil?
But Zhongli acquiesced, still owing the Cryo Archon a debt.
Since she wished to court Lumine, and since it did Lumine no harm, Ningguang and her fellows let it be.
After all, Lumine and Paimon were the only two inner disciples of Shu without any clear factional ties.
With Zhongli's tacit approval, Ningguang had no further objections.
In any case, Lumine was already bound to the fates of Liyue and Mondstadt. Even if Snezhnaya won her favor, it would merely draw the three nations closer.
Setting aside her distaste for the Fatui, Ningguang had no issue with Snezhnaya itself.
The Cryo Archon too knew that the Fatui had to be abandoned.
The three of them stood silently, gazing at the departing Furina and her group.
After a moment, the Cryo Archon spoke softly:
"You heard that?"
Rosalyne nodded.
"That Hydro Archon — she's Shu's most valued inner disciple now.
But… she doesn't seem to be the real Archon of Water?"
The Archon shook her head.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is Furina's talent."
She saw it clearly — in the era ahead, what Archons once were meant nothing.
Only cultivators mattered.
Especially top prodigies like her.
"But, Your Majesty, she is Fontaine's Archon. We cannot win her over." Rosalyne looked troubled.
The Archon turned her calm gaze to Arlecchino.
"We may not be able to recruit her — but we can cooperate. Don't you think so, Arlecchino?"
Arlecchino blinked, then quickly understood. She nodded heavily:
"I see. I'll find a chance to approach her. And that Gnosis—"
"The Gnosis can wait. Cultivation comes first." The Cryo Archon cut her off with a wave.
"Enough. How about the information I asked you to gather?"
"All accounted for. We've pinpointed the locations of the unaffiliated Shu disciples." Rosalyne handed her a list.
The Archon nodded with satisfaction.
"Good. Let's pay visits. Others may be thinking the same thing, so we must act first.
The more cultivators we bind to Snezhnaya, the better.
The era to come is no longer one of Archons and demons. The future belongs to cultivation!
We're already a step behind Liyue — we cannot lag further."
With that, she set off toward the first address on the list.
But within Liyue, Ningguang's group was naturally faster. Many unaffiliated cultivators were invited straight into the Ministry of Civil Affairs the moment they arrived.
Whatever conditions Snezhnaya could offer, Liyue could offer more.
So this plan of the Cryo Archon's was already behind. Whether it could succeed at all was doubtful.
But she had expected this.
Even if she couldn't win them all, she had to secure at least some.
Such matters, Snezhnaya and Liyue would concern themselves with.
But not Furina.
With the Celestial Investiture of the Gods in hand, she knew — as long as she grew stronger, Fontaine would grow stronger.
That alone was enough.
Furina was, in essence, someone born with the God-Sealing List and the God-Striking Whip.
Her only task had ever been to raise her strength.
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