The trio turned toward the source of the voice.
Paimon exclaimed excitedly,
"Wow, it actually worked!"
"Mhm."
Lumine glanced at Mu Yang with concern.
"Would it be better to wait outside?"
She was worried that Mu Yang might feel unwell after entering.
Mu Yang waved his hand,
indicating that he was fine now.
There were no more sudden surges of memories flooding his mind.
"I'll go in with you. I'd like to meet this 'Cloud Retainer' as well."
Seeing Mu Yang's insistence,
Lumine didn't try to dissuade him further.
She only reminded him to tell her immediately if he felt uncomfortable.
Mu Yang was almost embarrassed by her attentiveness.
Lumine was quite gentle and kind around him,
without any of that mischievous, "scummy" vibe.
He couldn't even remember when "Scummy Lumine" had become a thing.
The three stepped into Cloud Retainer's abode.
As soon as they set foot on the first small platform,
they heard the woman's voice echoing from deep within the domain.
"Hmm... The scent of the 'Sigil of Permission.' Though I know not your purpose in coming here..."
"Yet, in light of your sincere offerings, this Adeptus shall grant you an opportunity."
"If you wish to stand before me, you must first overcome the trials of this domain, laid out by my own hand."
Cloud Retainer paused for a moment.
"...Wait, you are— Hmph!"
——————
Guinaifen's Livestream
"Seems like she really does know our Mu Yang."
"But that last line—are they on good terms or not?"
[Oh-ho, this is bad.]
[Gives off tsundere vibes.]
[I think so too, definitely tsundere.]
[Are tsunderes still in fashion?]
[Wonder if she'll share some stories about Mu Yang.]
——————
After that, she fell silent, as if sulking.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged glances,
both finding the last remark rather baffling.
Then, they simultaneously turned to look at Mu Yang.
Paimon laughed awkwardly, "Ahaha, so... you two don't get along?"
Mu Yang, of course, put on an innocent expression,
claiming he had no idea what was going on.
"But since she didn't kick us out, it probably can't be that bad, right?"
Paimon: "True. Let's hurry in and find her then."
Mu Yang knew—
this was just the tsundere bird throwing a tantrum.
He could only sigh helplessly.
This whole situation was the result of the setting and its adjustments.
He couldn't change the past.
Still, Cloud Retainer probably wasn't genuinely angry.
Given his current circumstances,
she must have some understanding of them, right?
Mu Yang thought that perhaps he could fish for some information from her,
to learn what had happened during those centuries of missing memories.
Following behind Lumine,
he watched as she effortlessly cleared the trials Cloud Retainer had set up.
Lumine moved with practiced ease,
not needing Mu Yang's help at all.
Soon, the three arrived at the heart of the domain.
Looking up, they saw a large bird perched atop a high wall, gazing down at them.
Though it was more accurate to say she was staring at Mu Yang.
Yet, she seemed unwilling to speak first.
Paimon, ever the mediator, stepped forward.
"Are you the 'Cloud Retainer'?"
Cloud Retainer flew down from the wall.
"Little one, hold your tongue. This Adeptus has questions for him first."
Mu Yang's expression remained neutral.
"Adeptus, please ask."
Cloud Retainer: "Why did you break your promise?"
Mu Yang frowned—he had no memory of this at all.
What promise had the two of them made?
[Here we go, here we go.]
[Is this a showdown?]
[Bro, you're into adeptus birds now? You must be really down bad.]
[Turn off the lights and they're all the same.]
[Certified unhinged behavior.]
[I recommend India—they'll cater to your tastes.]
Seeing Mu Yang's confusion,
Lumine quickly stepped in.
"Adeptus, let me explain."
She first introduced herself,
then recounted Mu Yang's current situation to Cloud Retainer.
Of course, it was the version Mu Yang had just told her.
After listening, Cloud Retainer fell into thought.
"So that's how it is. It seems this Adeptus misjudged you."
She turned her head away.
"Still, you cannot place all the blame on me. Why did you never mention this to me in all these years?"
——————
Guinaifen: "Definitely some tsundere energy here."
[This adeptus is still quite charming, huh.]
[Adepti can take human form, right? With a voice like that, she's gotta be pretty.]
[I love big birds.]
[I'll ship it first.]
[Stop shipping everything, damn it!]
[Still no info on Mu Yang though. Mihoyo, just keep hiding things, huh.]
——————
Cloud Retainer sighed.
"Forget it. Since you chose to conceal it, this Adeptus will not press further."
"Just remember—from now on, you must come to Mt. Aocang for the Mid-Autumn Festival every year."
"That child Shenhe, in years past, would tug at my sleeve and ask, 'Why hasn't Master Mu Yang come?'"
"Only as she grew older did she stop asking."
[New character tease?]
[I sense a new waifu.]
[Why can't it be a husbando?]
Mu Yang distilled the key points from Cloud Retainer's words.
He was one of Shenhe's masters.
Meaning that, at least a decade ago,
he had still been active normally.
And he had made a promise with them—
to come to Mt. Aocang every Mid-Autumn Festival to celebrate together.
But Mu Yang had broken that promise for many years,
which was why Cloud Retainer was acting so prickly.
Having pieced this together,
Mu Yang naturally agreed without hesitation,
promising that he would never forget the festival again.
Only then did Cloud Retainer's oppressive aura ease slightly.
By now, Lumine was certain that Cloud Retainer was an old acquaintance of Mu Yang's.
So she asked her about Mu Yang's identity—
his origins,
and whether he was truly an adeptus.
Cloud Retainer finally arrived at her greatest strength—conversation.
"This Adeptus is not entirely certain of Mu Yang's origins."
"Even his closest friends may not know the full truth."
"Since he never spoke of it, everyone tacitly avoided asking."
Paimon chimed in.
"Then, have you known each other for long?"
Cloud Retainer looked up at the sky.
"Over a thousand years."
Lumine and Paimon gasped in shock.
"A thousand years?!"
——————
Silver Wolf's Livestream
Silver Wolf analyzed:
"Seems Mu Yang's background isn't simple."
"But then again, judging age purely by appearance—"
"His strength and age don't quite match up."
[Couldn't he just be a prodigy?]
[The biggest tell is his eyes—they don't look like a teenager's.]
[Streamer, drop an analysis post later. Just followed—you seem more reliable than the 'Honest Truthseeker.']
Silver Wolf replied to the comment:
"Sure. After I finish the story, I'll go debunk him."
[Fight! Fight!]
[Hell yeah, love some drama.]
——————
Lumine looked at Mu Yang.
"He doesn't seem like it at all."
Paimon teased her.
"What's so strange? You slept for centuries in one go."
Lumine scratched her head.
"Ah, right..."
Cloud Retainer seized the moment,
officially unlocking her chatty mode.
"Speaking of which, this Adeptus first met Mu Yang right here on Mt. Aocang."
"Since his memories are in disarray, perhaps this Adeptus should recount the past."
"It may help him remember something."