[I can understand it as: if it weren't for Liyue sending grain, Inazuma would have already fallen because of the eternity the Electro Archon is practicing?]
[Yes, just like how the productivity of a country that lives quite well isn't actually enough to meet the residents' needs nowadays. It relies heavily on imports.]
(I don't know if it's like that where we are, but anyway, I set it up that way there)
[Inazuma is modeled after Japan. I didn't expect this part to be restored as well.]
[I knew Yunshang wouldn't explain things honestly. She already arranged everything but kept going in circles with us...]
[No, what are Second Brother, Storm, and Wanderer doing here? Are they also going to Inazuma? Couldn't they just tell Jun Bai directly if they wanted to go?]
"Fellow villagers and elders, the Crux Clash, after round after round of fierce competition, has finally reached the finals!"
At Guyun Stone Forest, on the competition ground set up by the Crux Fleet, the first mate Chongzuo, acting as the host, held an amplification device with an excited expression:
"After breaking through multiple rounds of intense battles, there are a total of three people who have made it to the finals. They are——"
"The ronin who has been traveling all over Liyue, the contestant Jun Wan, who keeps knocking down opponents with agile movements!"
Jun Ke — the "Jun" from Jun Bai, the "Wan" from Wanderer.
Wanderer half-squatted his body and assumed the stance most suited for his explosive power. "There's only one ticket to Inazuma."
"I have a reason why I absolutely must go to Inazuma. So, two seniors, this junior can only offer my apologies."
Cheers erupted from the audience.
Chongzuo began introducing the second person at the top of his lungs:
"The Millelith soldier who rapidly knocked down opponents with an airtight sword technique, the contestant Feng Yu!"
Storm Yu — the "Storm" from Storm, the "Yu" from Qingyu.
Storm, who looked young, drew the straight blade at his waist that had yet to be unsealed and smiled. "Apologies don't apply. If I really lose, then it can only be said that my skills are inferior."
"In the previous fight, you lost to me because of insufficient skill with your hands. Let me see whether you've made any progress."
The audience erupted into even more enthusiastic cheers.
Storm, who looked more mature, seemed to be more popular.
Chongzuo took a deep breath and shouted with his loudest voice: "Finally, let us welcome with the warmest applause the biggest dark horse of this martial tournament——"
"The swordsman who used only a wooden sword to forcefully repel all the powerful contenders, the contestant Jun Li!"
Jun Li — Jun Mo Li missing one "Mo."
Jun Mo Li held the wooden sword horizontally in front of his chest and chuckled lightly. "I'm not interested in the Vision or the ticket to Inazuma. I just wanted to test the strength of Liyue's younger generation nowadays."
"From the looks of it now, you haven't disappointed me."
"No need to call me senior. In terms of age, you two are a bit older."
The entire audience instantly boiled over. Lumine and the others who had just arrived were almost startled by the noise.
[These three, even without Visions, aren't people ordinary folks can handle. Especially the one without a Vision.]
[Second Brother wielding a wooden sword — this is both the weakest and strongest stance of the Qingce Sword Immortal.]
[When Second Brother said "haven't disappointed me," he meant that in the entire arena, aside from the two standing opposite him, no one could take his second sword.]
"It's Mo Li and Grandpa Storm."
Paimon looked at the three people fiercely fighting on the field and recognized the two most familiar ones at a glance.
"And Wanderer, who fought the Doctor together with us."
Lumine added.
Paimon crossed her arms, puzzled. "They actually came to participate in this martial tournament too?"
"Whether it's a Vision or a ticket to Inazuma, none of those three things seem particularly rare to them."
Lumine said, "Let's go over and ask later."
"Yiya! Yiya!" (Go, Second Brother!)
Yiya spread her little flame wings and flew up, cheering and encouraging Jun Mo Li from mid-air.
[Yiya! Who has that "I support you" emoji pack!]
[Is it the one with two little kids cheering each other on? I don't have it, but I also think it fits the scene really well!]
"Friend, looking at you, I feel like you're also a practitioner. Did you come to participate in the Crux Clash too?"
A hearty laugh rang out. A black-haired, red-eyed woman wearing a qipao and high-heeled knee-high boots walked up to Lumine.
Her bangs covered her left eye, and she also wore an eyepatch over her left eye.
"Eh? Wait a second. A blonde traveler in foreign-style clothing, and a flying white mascot..."
"I recognize you two. The outlander traveler who defeated Osial and saved Liyue!" Beidou said with wide eyes.
Paimon stomped her feet in the air. "Paimon is not a mascot."
Lumine nodded seriously. "That's right. Paimon is not a mascot. She's emergency food."
The mascot is Yiya.
"Right, I am emergency... No I'm not!"
Beidou looked at the two bickering people and laughed heartily. "You two really have a good relationship."
"I'm Beidou, captain of the Crux Fleet, and also the organizer of this Crux Clash."
"I didn't expect my martial tournament would actually attract a great hero to participate. Hmm... Looks like it's very necessary to hold a second Crux Clash."
Beidou pretended to think. The white-haired youth beside her helplessly spoke up. "Big Sister, the traveler doesn't seem to have come to participate in the martial tournament."
"I remember Deputy Yunshang mentioned that there would be three skilled and extraordinary people boarding the Alcor to escort the grain being sent to Inazuma."
"These three are probably referring to the traveler and the others."
[Ah! It's my Ye Bao.]
[Kaedehara Kazuha — a Japanese name, yet a character who appears in Liyue.]
[The person in front, can you really confirm that Kazuha is from Inazuma?]
[Then he can't possibly be from Liyue either. From the name and the clothing style, it's obvious he's not Liyue-style.]
"Oh? Is that so?"
Beidou looked toward Lumine.
Lumine and Paimon nodded. Then Paimon took out the documents Yunshang had given them and handed them to Beidou.
Beidou took them and read through them word by word.
"So it really is like that. Looks like I was mistaken." Beidou returned the documents to Paimon.
"We originally planned to say it directly. We didn't expect this little brother to guess it before we even said anything." Paimon put the documents away, then smiled at Kaedehara Kazuha.
"You flatter me. I am Kaedehara Kazuha, a ronin traveling the world. Currently, I am a sailor on the Alcor."
Kaedehara Kazuha spoke very politely.
Lumine sized up the clothing on Kaedehara Kazuha, silently repeating the name in her heart, then tentatively asked, "Are you from Inazuma?"
"Correct. I come from Inazuma."
Kaedehara Kazuha nodded.
"Eh? Inazuma? But doesn't Inazuma have the Sakoku Decree? Isn't it very difficult to enter and leave?" Paimon asked in confusion.
"It is very difficult, but that doesn't mean it's impossible." Beidou said. "Back then, when our Crux Fleet was transporting grain to Inazuma, on the way back we found this kid lying in the cargo hold where the grain used to be, covered in injuries."
Kaedehara Kazuha smiled. "I still have to thank Big Sister for taking me in."
"You really want to thank me? Then next time there's a gathering on the ship, come drink a couple with me?" Beidou smiled with ill intentions.
Kaedehara Kazuha's expression stiffened. Then he seemingly casually turned toward the competition ground. "Ah, Big Sister, it looks like the winner is about to be decided."