A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

Xia Xun's hands are so big and so warm.

The thought quietly crossed her mind, making her cheeks flush slightly again.

Alice shook her head slightly, shaking off her shyness, and turned to walk towards the outside of the Human Realm.

As dusk approached, it was time for her to pick up the three little fairies who had gone wild with their play, and then they would head together to the Hakurei Shrine to attend the second half of the festival—a nighttime banquet for the residents of Gensokyo.

On the other side, Xia Xun quickened her pace, hurrying towards the direction of the lost bamboo forest.

Chapter 84 Kaguya, Special Ones!

Lost Bamboo Forest

Located in the southern part of the Human Village, bordering the Magic Forest.

The lush bamboo swayed gently in the evening breeze, making a rustling sound, like a green ocean.

At this moment, Xia Xun was walking along a rugged path, heading towards this place that was famous even in Gensokyo.

The soil beneath our feet was soft and damp, and the air was filled with the unique fragrance of bamboo leaves. The deeper we went, the dimmer the light became, and the dense bamboo leaves cut the afterglow of the setting sun into tiny spots of light.

"Ok?"

As Xia Xun was walking, she suddenly felt something faintly glowing in her field of vision.

He stopped and squinted to examine the surrounding soil. At the base of several thick bamboo stalks on the left, a silvery-white glimmer of light shone through the soil, contrasting sharply with the dark brown earth around it.

The blessings of the plants and trees have taken effect.

"Oh ho, there's an unexpected surprise."

Xia Xun said happily, and quickly walked to the spot where the light was shining.

He crouched down and gently brushed away the fallen leaves and loose soil with his fingers, revealing a plump bamboo shoot with half of its body exposed.

Reaching out of his backpack, Xia Xun took a hoe, aimed it at the base of the bamboo shoots, and with a flick of his wrist—

Click!

The hoe easily cut into the soft soil, and with a pry, the entire bamboo shoot was dug out intact.

[Silver Star Bamboo Shoots +1]

The moment the system notification appeared before her eyes, Xia Xun's eyes widened in surprise.

"Silver Star quality".

He held the bamboo shoot, which still carried the fresh scent of earth, and examined it carefully.

After so many days of cultivating and harvesting, he has a clear understanding of how precious high-quality crops are in reality.

Unexpectedly, this bamboo shoot, which I just randomly dug up on the outskirts of the Lost Bamboo Forest, turned out to be of Silver Star quality.

Then, in a more central location, wouldn't there be Venus, or even bamboo shoots that rely on the stars?

Xia Xun's thoughts drifted away involuntarily, her eyes began to shine as she looked at the bamboo forest in front of her, which resembled a green ocean, and felt a stirring within her.

"Hiss, calm down, calm down."

He shook his head vigorously, forcing himself to return from his fantasy to reality.

Xia Xun was well aware of the dangers of the Bamboo Forest. As the hiding place of the Eternal Pavilion, this bamboo forest was not only protected by an array set up by Yagokoro Eirin, but also imbued with the eternal power of Kaguya of Mount Hourai.

Once lost, ordinary people have no chance of getting out and will simply perish in the endless bamboo forest.

Unless one is extremely fortunate enough to encounter Fujiwara no Mokou.

As for why Xia Xun remembered it so clearly, it was naturally because the person she met in Gensokyo was Kaguya Houraisan.

“Great, I have another reason to become friends with Fujiwara no Mokou.”

Heh heh heh, as long as he gets on good terms with Fujiwara no Mokou, all the bamboo shoots in the Lost Bamboo Forest will be his for the taking.

Xia Xun couldn't help but chuckle softly, raising her hand to wipe the corner of her mouth.

After regaining her composure, Xia Xun took out the hand-drawn map given to her by Shang Baizawa Keine from her backpack. After checking her location against the map and the surrounding environment, she quickened her pace.

By this time, the sun had already set, leaving only a last ray of light. The sky in the bamboo forest quickly darkened, and each bamboo stalk began to emit a faint fluorescence.

As Xia Xun ventured deeper into the forest, the surroundings were now filled with dense bamboo groves, and no other trees could be seen.

Whoosh!

A faint sound, different from the sound of wind rustling through bamboo leaves, came from the right.

Xia Xun paused slightly, glancing in that direction. Several bamboo stalks swayed gently in the still air, and a flash of white could be seen swiftly passing through the bamboo leaves.

He showed no surprise, simply confirmed the situation, and then calmly continued forward.

Unfortunately, these subtle noises continued unabated from the moment he officially entered the outer perimeter of the Lost Bamboo Forest.

Clearly, his arrival as an outsider alarmed the local indigenous people.

The little ones are following in his footsteps, monitoring his movements.

Knowing that these beings are protected by the Eternal Pavilion, Xia Xun would never be foolish enough to harm the other party's people on the owner's territory.

All he could do was let the group of rabbits follow him openly, trying to ignore their clumsy ability to hide.

After traveling a distance further, the surrounding bamboo suddenly became thinner.

A small clearing appeared ahead, and in the center of the clearing, a simple but tidy wooden hut stood quietly.

At this moment, wisps of smoke are rising gently from the chimney, and the aroma of food wafts through the air.

The door to the cabin creaked open.

Fujiwara no Mokou, carrying a rice bowl, walked out of the house. She was still wearing her signature outfit, and her long white hair was a little messy.

"Ok?"

Fujiwara no Mokou spotted Natsumi, the uninvited guest, standing at the edge of the open space. Her brows furrowed immediately, and her eyes turned fierce.

"You idiot!" Her voice was clearly impatient. "Is he really an idiot? Why is he showing up in the Lost Bamboo Forest at this hour?"

She pointed to the darkening sky: "It's almost dark. Don't you know how dangerous it is here at night?!"

(oへo╬)

Several veins bulged on Xia Xun's head.

Even though he knew in his heart that Fujiwara no Mokou was just like that, and that the real subtext of those words was that she was worried about him encountering danger in the bamboo forest at night, Natsumi was still very angry.

Because he could tell from Fujiwara no Mokou's tone and eyes that she genuinely believed he was a complete idiot!

"You're the idiot!" Xia Xun retorted directly.

"Huh?!" Fujiwara no Mokou exclaimed in surprise.

His crimson eyes fixed on Xia Xun like a ferocious beast in an instant. In the gradually darkening sky, combined with his white hair and fierce expression, he looked like a vampire, exuding a terrifying aura.

Gudong!

Xia Xun felt a chill run down her spine under that fierce gaze.

However, the imperial edict from Shirasawa Keine in his backpack filled him with renewed courage.

"Wait! Don't make a move!"

Xia Xun quickly raised his hand, making a stopping motion, and blocked Fujiwara no Mokou, who looked like she was about to rush up and beat him up.

At the same time, he quickly took out the simple cloth bag given to him by Kazue Shirosawa from his backpack and held it protectively in front of him with both hands.

"Teacher Huiyin asked me to say something to you," Xia Xun said loudly. "This is her request!"

"She told you to change into this outfit and then come with me to the festival."

To convey Shirasawa Keine's meaning, Natsumi made a slight modification.

"Huh?!" Fujiwara no Mokou's face twisted in disgust.

She lowered her clenched fist and stared intently at the cloth bag in Xia Xun's hand.

Fujiwara no Mokou had already recognized it as the new yukata that Kamishirasawa Keine had bought for her at the yukata shop that day.

Her facial expression changed rapidly: frowning, gritting her teeth, pouting, rolling her eyes—a series of expressions played out in just a few seconds.

She didn't want to wear this dress, nor did she want to go to a crowded and lively festival, and she didn't want to have too much unnecessary interaction with others.

But this was Huiyin's request.

"..."

Fujiwara no Mokou remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh.

"Give it to me."

She took a few steps forward and somewhat roughly snatched the cloth bag from Xia Xun's hand.

After receiving the clothes, Fujiwara no Mokou glared fiercely at Natsumi again: "I'll change my clothes, and I'll go to the festival too."

She deliberately emphasized each word, stressing, "But! Absolutely! Will! Never! Be! With! You!!"

After saying that, Fujiwara no Mokou seemed to think it wasn't enough, and added, "You bastard, I only saved you once, why are you being so persistent?"

"None of your business!" Xia Xun glared back defiantly.

Click!

A crisp sound of bones grinding together rang out.

Fujiwara no Mokou raised her seemingly delicate fist, which actually contained terrifying power. Crimson flames faintly appeared in her palm, and the temperature of the surrounding air rose a few degrees.

Looking at the ball of flame, Xia Xun wisely decided to let it go for the time being.

A good man doesn't fight with a woman.

“You don’t have to come to the festival with me if you don’t want to,” Xia Xun said, her tone softening slightly. “But don’t go to the wrong place.”

"Huh?" Fujiwara no Mokou, who was walking towards the house, turned around and glared at Natsumi. "What do you mean?"

“The festival is held at night,” Natsumi explained, “and the location is Hakurei Shrine, not the Human Village.”

After saying that, he waved and turned to leave.

Men these days are too hot-tempered; we need to take our time making friends.

Anyway, we got to know each other today, and I even found out their home address.

Fujiwara no Mokou stood at the door of the hut, watching Natsumi's figure gradually disappear, her brows furrowed.

"Hakurei Shrine..."

She repeated Xia Xun's words in a low voice, a complex emotion flashing in her crimson eyes.

Huiyin, is that what it means?

Since you're afraid of getting entangled with ordinary humans only to face separation, then go and get to know monsters, fairies, or other non-human beings who also live long lives.

Among those outcasts, she, the immortal, was no longer an oddball.

“Hehe…” Fujiwara no Mokou let out a soft, ambiguous laugh. “That’s true.”

After all, she is now indeed an outcast living in seclusion.

Although Fujiwara no Mokou, as a human, instinctively hates yokai, Kamishirasawa Keine also has yokai blood, so she can accept yokai that she can coexist peacefully with.

So, shall we go take a look?

Looking down at the clothes in her hand, Fujiwara no Mokou suddenly raised her hand and scratched her hair.

"Since Huiyin has put it this way, how can I not go!"

"Turkey, are you scratching your burrow head again?"

A voice, tinged with mockery and teasing, rang out, but the tone of the words was as beautiful as a piece of music.

The moment Fujiwara no Mokou heard that voice, she went into a state of stress.

"Kaguya—!!!"

A burst of crimson flames erupted from her body with a loud bang, but she forcibly restrained it with astonishing control, transforming it into a pillar of fire that slammed fiercely toward the direction from which the sound came!

Boom! ...

The deafening explosion echoed through the bamboo forest.