Both souls were greedily absorbing the power of the Soul Crystal. It was clear that this concentrated energy had a profound effect on them.
Hearing their sighs of comfort, Su Han smiled. "Who else could it be but me? Go ahead and absorb it. I suppressed a powerful monster today, and this soul power is your reward."
"I see... truly, thank you, little brother," Bosacius said with a hearty, honest laugh. "Once I recover, I will find a way to repay this debt!"
Bosacius was a man of his word. Su Han had done so much for him; he couldn't simply accept it without giving back.
Hanachirusato, on the other hand, giggled playfully. "I'm not as capable as Bosacius. I'm not much of a fighter... maybe I'll just have to be your 'little wife.' I just wonder if Ei would be angry enough to slash me..."
Su Han sighed. If you weren't so sly, she probably wouldn't.
He wasn't sure who Hanachirusato had been spending time with lately, but she was becoming increasingly mischievous—even surpassing Yae Miko in her "sly fox" antics. He could only imagine the chaos once she finally got a body back.
Ignoring her teasing, Su Han said seriously, "Cultivate well. Keep practicing the Soul Runes I taught you. If everything goes well, I'll have your physical bodies ready in a week."
"Really?!"
"Su Han... you aren't joking, are you?"
Both the Yaksha and the Fox were stunned. When they were alive, they took their bodies for granted. Now that they were mere spirits, they realized the true value of flesh and blood. Bosacius's voice even trembled with hope.
"A treasure called the Five-Colored Divine Clay refreshed in the shop. It's an artifact of a supreme deity. Using it to sculpt your bodies won't be a problem."
"What about Makoto? Her body..." Hanachirusato asked, thinking of her old friend.
"Don't worry," Su Han assured her. "The clay is enough for three people. All of you are accounted for."
"Phew... that's good. I'm going into deep cultivation then. Go and be busy... when I get my body back, I'll dance for you."
Under normal circumstances, Hanachirusato would have teased him more, but the prospect of resurrection made her nervous. Even with a body, the strength of the soul determined the potential of the host. She didn't want to wake up only to spend her days bedridden.
Next to her, Bosacius had already fallen silent, entering a deep meditative state.
Su Han nodded and began his own cultivation. Even with his current strength, he knew he was still a long way from reaching the true peak of divinity.
The next morning.
Su Han emerged from Tenshukaku, one hand supportively placed on his lower back, his legs feeling a bit shaky.
Yae Miko, who happened to be passing by, couldn't help but snicker. "Oh my... you look like you've been wrung dry. Hahaha! Let me guess... was it Ei?"
"No..."
"Could it be that 'Little Cocogoat' you talk about?"
Su Han remained silent, which was an admission in itself. He didn't know what Cloud Retainer had said to Ganyu yesterday, but the usually gentle and shy Qilin had transformed into a different person entirely. Wild, passionate, and relentless.
My poor back...
Yae Miko's mocking expression softened into something more tender. "Follow me."
"Where?"
"You'll see. If your subordinates see you in this state, they'll start imagining all sorts of things. Let me help you recover."
She led him straight up Mt. Yougou. They didn't go to the Grand Narukami Shrine, but rather to a hidden chamber.
Inside, Su Han discovered a cozy, secret sanctuary—complete with a bed, bookshelves, and a private hot spring.
"I didn't know you had a place like this," Su Han remarked.
"Of course. Back when I was constantly worrying about Inazuma's affairs and Ei was ignoring everyone, I was so frustrated I had nowhere to vent. I built this secret room to hide away. I couldn't let my cute shrine maidens see me losing my cool, could I? Now, lie down. I'll give you a massage."
Miko took some medicinal oils from her shelf and began mixing them. Su Han lay face down, laughing. "You aren't going to drug me, are you?"
"Hmph... give me some credit. I'm doing this because I feel sorry for your pathetic state. But I can only do this for a bit. The mission refresh is coming up soon, and the Points Mall updates today too. Close your eyes and enjoy, 'My Lord'."
The cool yet tingly medicinal oil was applied to his skin. Yae Miko had hand-picked these herbs herself. Combined with her specialized Kitsune techniques, the relief was so sudden that Su Han actually fell into a deep sleep.
She massaged him gently, melting away his physical fatigue and mental exhaustion. In reality, with his dragon-blood physique, he wasn't physically tired; it was the mental drain of constant cultivation and leadership that was taking its toll.
Su Han woke up at exactly 10:50 AM. Yae Miko handed him a cup of fresh tea.
"Thank you, Miko. That helped a lot."
"Tch... it's nothing. Just something I'll be doing for the rest of my life anyway. Don't put too much pressure on yourself; we all see how hard you work. Take a rest for a few days."
Whether due to their contract or their shared history with Inazuma, the two were now inseparable.
Su Han smiled. "I will... once the festival is over. But we still have three days of activities left."
"True. But you should know, your prestige in the city has officially surpassed Ei's."
"What? How?" Su Han was genuinely surprised.
"It's the truth," Miko laughed. "Before you came, Inazuma was so poor people were afraid to walk the streets for fear of being seized by the Commissions. Since you arrived, it's like a different country. Do you know how many people have struck it rich because of this festival? Even Yoimiya's family has made a fortune."
Thanks to the fireworks festival, Yoimiya's name was famous across three nations. Nobility from Liyue and Mondstadt were already placing orders for weddings three months in advance. Every clothing store, accessory shop, and snack vendor was booming.
With Watatsumi Island reconciled and Seirai Island returned to safety, Su Han's reputation had skyrocketed. His public date with the Shogun had also been noted by everyone. He was seen as the benefactor of Inazuma.
"I see. Well, fame doesn't mean much to me. Let's head back—the mission is about to refresh. Let's see what's in store this time. I hope it's a high-difficulty one."
On the way back, Su Han opened the Multiverse Mission Group.
Mona:If it's another high-difficulty mission like the last one, we might be able to afford the Five-Colored Divine Clay in one go!
Eula:Let's just see what happens. We just need to give it our all.
Ningguang:This is the 25th mission. Many of us are close to becoming Level 3 members. I doubt the difficulty will drop. In fact, after the last team battle, I expect things to get even more intense.
Hu Tao:I don't care! If it's a good match, I'm going! I need to show everyone what the 77th Director can really do!
Hu Tao was restless. She hadn't been on a mission since the Lanruo Temple, and watching Eula and Diluc take the spotlight had her itching for a fight.
Kamisato Ayaka:Has anyone seen Lord Su Han? The refresh is almost here.
Shenhe:I saw him leave with Yae Miko. I'm not sure where they went.
Mona:Hehe... maybe he's out doing 'bad things'?
Lisa:He looked like his legs were made of jelly when he left. I doubt he's in any condition for 'bad things'.
As they chatted, the notification for the 25th Multiverse Mission finally appeared.
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