"Divine General, do you truly have a method to cleanse the karmic debt?" Xiao's voice trembled slightly. It had been thousands of years since the Archon War, and during that time, he had suffered endlessly from the torment of karmic debt, never finding peace.
Xiao was not afraid of death. However, by now, he was the only remaining Yaksha general from the past. If he were to perish, who would fulfill the contract he had made with the Geo Archon to protect the people of Liyue?
"I can't guarantee it, but I'd say there's a seventy to eighty percent chance," Yun Fan shook his head, speaking honestly. While he had great confidence in the power of the Fenghuang Down, theory was still just theory. In practice, there were always uncontrollable variables.
"Thank you, my lord."
A seventy to eighty percent chance far exceeded Xiao's expectations. For him, even a ten percent or five percent chance would be worth risking his life for.
"In that case, let's head to Wuwang Hill tonight to attempt the cleansing," Yun Fan said. Dealing with karmic debt in a densely populated area like Wangshu Inn was clearly inappropriate. If something went wrong, ordinary people wouldn't be able to withstand the erosion of karmic debt.
"Understood."
"Hu Tao, thank you for your hospitality."
After lunch, Lumine and Paimon bid farewell to Xiangling and followed Hu Tao out of Wanmin Restaurant, heading toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
They were quite curious—what would a funeral parlor specializing in burial services look like? Would it be dark, gloomy, and filled with floating spirit money? The thought alone was thrilling.
The two of them kept imagining what the parlor might look like, and within moments, several vivid images had already formed in their minds.
"We're here. Welcome to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor," Hu Tao said. The distance between Wanmin Restaurant and the funeral parlor wasn't far, and after about fifteen minutes of walking, they arrived at the main entrance.
Hearing Hu Tao's words, Lumine and Paimon snapped out of their thoughts and looked in the direction she was pointing.
"Huh? This is the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?!" The two of them were visibly shocked, with Paimon's eyes nearly popping out of her head.
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor before them was a magnificent three-story building, maintaining the traditional Liyue architectural style of green tiles and white walls.
But why were the supporting pillars painted a festive red, adorned with large red lanterns? There was no sign of the usual funeral paraphernalia like spirit money or wreaths. This didn't look like a large funeral parlor at all—well, except for its size.
After the "End-of-Life Experience" service became a huge success, Director Hu, now flush with cash, spent millions of Mora to renovate and expand the funeral parlor. Now, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor not only had a grand headquarters but also dozens of branches across Liyue.
Hu Tao's reputation as a young heiress was well-deserved.
"Oh, you two seem quite surprised. Care to share your thoughts?" Hu Tao, having noticed their reactions, flashed a sly smile. This mischievous girl was clearly up to something.
"Uh, Traveler, you explain," Paimon stammered, unable to come up with the right words.
"Well... it's just that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a bit different from what we imagined. It lacks a certain solemnity," Lumine said after some thought, offering the most tactful response she could think of.
"That's because you don't understand," Hu Tao spun around, her tone tinged with seriousness. "In traditional Liyue culture, people often avoid talking about death because they see it as something painful, sorrowful, and final."
Lumine and Paimon nodded in agreement. Indeed, that was how they viewed death.
"But my grandfather told me that death isn't something to fear. It also signifies rebirth, reincarnation, and a new beginning. So, there's no need to be afraid of death," Hu Tao said, her smile returning.
"Everyone dies eventually. Since death represents a new beginning and is inevitable, why not send off the departed with joy? Leave the sorrow in the past and embrace hope for the future. That's why I decorated the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor this way."
Lumine and Paimon looked enlightened. This approach wasn't something just anyone could come up with, and even if they did, it would be hard to gain public acceptance. Hu Tao's grandfather was truly remarkable.
After instructing the staff to prepare a guest room, the hospitable Hu Tao took the two on a tour of Liyue Harbor. During this time, Lumine and Paimon not only sampled Liyue's specialty dishes but also picked out some beautiful Liyue-style clothing with Hu Tao's help. Of course, Lumine paid for it herself—before setting off for Liyue, Yun Fan had given her a million Mora.
The three of them had a delightful time exploring Liyue Harbor, and it wasn't until late at night that they returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. During this time, Hu Tao and the two quickly grew closer, becoming fast friends. Hu Tao was impressed by Yun Fan's judgment—this girl Lumine was indeed someone worth befriending. Similarly, Lumine found herself fond of this quirky girl, as if she saw a bit of her past self in Hu Tao.
"By the way, Lumine, did Yun Fan tell you where to meet him?" Hu Tao asked casually. Surely, they must have agreed on a meeting place. Otherwise, how would Yun Fan find Lumine?
"Huh? Actually, he didn't," Lumine was taken aback, suddenly realizing that Yun Fan had only mentioned meeting in Liyue but hadn't specified a time or place.
Hu Tao: ???
Our dear Director Hu was wide-eyed. How could something so basic be overlooked?
"Haha..." Lumine laughed awkwardly. How could she have forgotten to ask? This was really embarrassing.
However, Lumine soon realized something. Yun Fan, who always seemed to have everything planned out, wouldn't have forgotten such an important detail. There was only one explanation—he had done it on purpose. But why?
After some thought, Lumine came up with a possibility. Yun Fan likely did this to train her. After all, compared to his ability to effortlessly handle Stormterror, she was still far too weak.
If Yun Fan were always by her side, she and Paimon would inevitably become dependent on him, which wouldn't be good for her growth.
Besides, she still had the Fenghuang Down Yun Fan had given her in her consciousness. With that, he would definitely be able to find her.
What Lumine didn't know was that her guess was quite different from Yun Fan's actual intentions. While he had deliberately omitted the meeting time and place, his main goal was simply to have some fun. Training Lumine was just a side benefit.
He didn't expect Lumine to be of much help when he eventually stormed Celestia. If things got too tough, he could always activate the Authority of Finality and obliterate the floating island.
Of course, that was just a thought. He had already asked the Void Archives, and once he unlocked the third seal of his character card, he would have the power to easily defeat the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.