"The scenery of this place is truly beautiful."
Qiu Bai looked at the surroundings, then glanced at the Sacred Sakura Tree, exclaiming in admiration.
Afterward, Qiu Bai turned his gaze toward the position of Lumine and Paimon. Standing before them was Yae Miko.
"Indeed... it wasn't my imagination."
"The wind from foreign lands will bring new vitality to these waters."
Yae Miko, with her arms crossed over her chest, looked at Lumine and Paimon before her and slowly said.
"Our meeting is somewhat premature."
"But your timing in setting foot on this island is just right."
Yae Miko lowered her arms, walked past Lumine to the Sacred Sakura Tree, and slowly said.
"Work hard not to disappoint my expectations, little one."
Yae Miko turned her head slightly, saying with a light laugh, then turned and walked forward.
"Hmm?"
"Isn't this Mr. Qiu Bai?"
As Yae Miko walked along, she spotted Qiu Bai in front of her and said with a smile.
"Just enjoying the scenery here."
"The views at Grand Narukami Shrine have truly surprised me."
Qiu Bai looked at Yae Miko before him and said with a light smile.
"Hehe, I presume when Mr. Qiu Bai came up earlier."
"You saw that group of people going down the mountain?"
Yae Miko looked at Qiu Bai before her and asked with a smile.
"Indeed, those people seemed to say something like..."
"Let the disciples inherit the wishes that were taken away."
Qiu Bai looked at Yae Miko before him, not quite understanding why she was asking him this.
"Sigh, even mortals know that wishes can be inherited."
"Why can't that friend of mine understand this?"
Yae Miko seemed to recall something and sighed helplessly.
"Striving to live through a short life, leaving achievements for later generations to inherit."
"Forever heading toward the direction of ideals, maintaining steady steps on the long journey."
Qiu Bai looked at Yae Miko before him, chuckled lightly, then turned with his hands behind his back to look at the sunset below the mountain.
"Old warriors never die, the torch is passed on."
"Isn't this the meaning of a mortal's life?"
Qiu Bai said with a light smile, his back to Yae Miko.
"To be able to speak such words."
"Mr. Qiu Bai, you truly have exceptional literary talent."
Yae Miko, hearing Qiu Bai words, was stunned for a moment, then said with a smile.
"Old warriors never die, the torch is passed on..."
Yae Miko walked to Qiu Bai side, looking at the sunset before them, murmuring.
"Hehe~ Mr. Qiu Bai words today have truly benefited me greatly."
"I'll be going now, remember to come collect your Mora every Sunday~"
Yae Miko gave a light laugh to Qiu Bai beside her, then strode away on her snow-white legs toward the foot of the mountain.
"Hehe, this fox."
Qiu Bai watched Yae Miko'retreating figure and chuckled lightly.
Then Qiu Bai walked toward Lumine and Paimon's position.
"Ah! It's Qiu Bai."
Paimon waved her hand toward Qiu Bai position with a smile.
"Qiu Bai, how did you come to be here?"
Lumine looked at Qiu Bai before her, spreading her small hands, asking somewhat puzzled.
"Of course, it was Miss Ayaka."
"Who asked me to find you."
Qiu Bai looked at Paimon before him and said with a smile.
"Miss Ayaka?"
"Qiu Bai, have you agreed to help her fight against the Vision Hunt Decree?"
Lumine looked at Qiu Bai before her and asked curiously.
"Yes, I saw those people who had their Visions taken away."
"I couldn't bear it."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, sighed, and slowly said.
"Indeed."
"We met three people who had their ambitions taken away, their condition..."
Paimon rubbed her head, speaking somewhat sympathetically.
"But Qiu Bai, since you've agreed to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree."
"Why not just go and fight the Raiden Shogun directly?"
Paimon seemed to recall something and asked Qiu Bai curiously.
After all, she had witnessed how powerful Qiu Bai's divine power was.
"Qiu Bai probably has his difficulties."
"Does Miss Ayaka know your identity?"
Lumine looked at Qiu Bai before her and asked with some curiosity.
"Let's go first."
"Whatever we need to discuss, we can talk on the way."
Qiu Bai looked at the curious Lumine before him and explained with a smile.
Then he turned and walked down the steps leading from Grand Narukami Shrine.
Seeing this, Lumine and Paimon followed behind Qiu Bai.
"Paimon still doesn't understand, Qiu Bai, why don't you fight the Raiden Shogun?"
"If you win that duel before the throne, couldn't you change the Raiden Shogun mind?"
Paimon flew to Qiu Bai side and asked, perplexed.
"Hehe, little Paimon."
"You're thinking too simply."
Qiu Bai looked at the small Paimon floating beside him and said with a light smile.
"Is that not possible?"
Paimon scratched her head, asking somewhat confused.
"As a deity of Liyue, meddling in the affairs of another nation."
"This itself is not appropriate."
Qiu Bai stopped his steps, looking toward the direction of the sea below and the sunset reflecting on the water's surface, and slowly said.
"The so-called duel before the throne, for the Raiden Shogun, is a solemn yet cruel battle."
"And there must be a winner; only by winning can the one who initiated the duel before the throne gain a turning point."
"And the loser will die under the Raiden Shogun blade."
Qiu Bai turned around, looking at Lumine and Paimon before him, and slowly spoke.
"With her attitude toward eternity, she would undoubtedly fight with all her might."
"The battle between gods is terrifying. If we truly clash head-on in the dueling ground."
"Inazuma City would be affected, even if the Electro Archon intends to protect her people."
"But on the field of the duel before the throne, stepping down would mean defeat."
Qiu Bai walked down with his hands behind his back, slowly speaking.
Paimon nodded. She had witnessed battles between gods. Thinking of the scene of the battle with Azhdaha. The broken landscape, the pitted earth, and the apocalyptic scenery made her quickly shake her head.
"Moreover, even if I won the duel before the throne."
"But at the moment of her defeat, seeing her people all perishing from the aftershocks of the battle."
"What expression do you think she would have, little Paimon?"
Qiu Bai turned around, looking at Lumine and Paimon before him, and asked with a smile.
"That, that doesn't sound like a good thing..."
"How terrible."
Paimon two small hands clutched together, her little feet trembling.
Just imagining Inazuma City being destroyed and people dying tragically made her feel afraid.
"Right?"
"And I'm not that cruel of a person."
Qiu Bai looked at Paimon before him and said with a smile.
"There must be another way..."
Lumine covered her chest with one hand, looking at Qiu Bai before her, and asked with furrowed brows.
"Another way?"
"Not that there isn't one..."
Qiu Bai looked at Lumine before him, pondered for a moment, and murmured.
There was another method, which was to enter the Plane of Euthymia.
The Raiden Shogun was a puppet, while the true Electro Archon was meditating within the Plane of Euthymia.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)