Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

Before the ferocious hunting dog could even utter a mournful cry, its head flew into the air, and black blood gushed out.

One.

【Qingnuo Rock】

[Level: 10]

He was in good condition. He still remembered Fushe's swordsmanship.

The monsters were several times the level of Qingnuoyan, yet Qingnuoyan could kill them easily.

I also found the technique of using the divine cutter very easy.

Death did not frighten the hounds; on the contrary, the sight of blood drove the monsters even more mad. The crimson color filled their eyes as they lunged at Qingnuoyan one after another.

Qingnuoyan lowered his body, and spikes made of rock element rose from the ground, piercing the monster's abdomen, causing its bloody internal organs to flow out.

The divine blade reflected the sunlight on the mountainside. He took another step forward, and then another. With a swift movement, his blade fell, accompanied by a cascade of thunder and wind. He strolled leisurely through the horde of beasts.

[You have defeated the Beast Hound, level 23]

You have already defeated....

[Level: 12]

You have gradually mastered the Floating Sword Technique.

With each step he took, a head shot into the sky, and by the time he finished taking his steps, the heads of all the monsters he passed along the way had turned to dust.

The angle of the weapon's entry, how to borrow force, how to mobilize elemental power, how to distribute force... In one battle after another, he gained new insights each time. He is now like a sponge, digesting and absorbing the legacy of Fushe, slowly transforming this gift from the top demon god into his own power.

With no limiting barriers, this body progressed very quickly—more quickly than imagined.

When he beheaded the last hound, it was not yet dusk.

It's still early.

Go deeper into Shadow Mountain. The closer you get to the summit and the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree, the stronger the monsters you will encounter.

He had been at the foot of the mountain for almost half a month, and now the monsters here could no longer help him improve.

And that's how it was decided.

He then climbed up the mountain along the mountain path. The path was quiet the whole time. Above him, the pure white cherry blossoms reflected the blue sky and rustled in the wind. On both sides of the mountain path, there were some wild roses and cherry trees.

【You have defeated the Beast Hound, level 41】

...

Current level: 13

He suddenly had a strange, almost delusional feeling, as if he had killed these hunting dogs in the same way before, also in Inazuma... He gently shook his head, trying to banish the strange sense of déjà vu from his mind.

He walked further and further away, and the sky gradually darkened, as if it was about to rain.

Huff...huff.

He was a little tired and was breathing slowly.

The sun shines brightly over the forests ablaze with color, and the summer sunset is magnificent and serene. The misty, yellowish-brown sky is like a thin veil, and the drizzling rain of the setting sun intertwines with the shadows of the mountains at dusk.

Qingnuoyan lowered his head and climbed the steps one by one.

"Young man, stop."

A clear, cold, and sharp voice.

The first thing that appeared before him was a pair of straw sandals held together, with pure white socks sandwiched between the sandals. The socks were slightly damp from the evening dew in the mountains, and they clung to the round, fair skin of his feet, revealing faint blue veins.

"Don't go any further."

Qing Nuoyan raised her eyes.

She was a very spirited woman.

Wearing traditional Inazuma samurai attire, the hem of her kimono cascades down to an elegant corner, revealing her bare thighs. Her back is ramrod straight, and she carries a slender naginata on her back. Her bright golden eyes are clean and cold, devoid of any superfluous color.

She gazed at Qing Nuoyan, especially noting the monster blood stained his body. Her gaze lingered briefly on Shenqie before she said, "Thank you for your hard work. You are a very good warrior—by the way, haven't I seen you before?"

Qing Nuoyan shook his head.

He did not know the female general.

It's strange, isn't it? "Have I seen you before?"—is this some new popular kidnapping phrase...? Why does Inazuma Hana like to say things like that?

Kiyono Sara was somewhat surprised.

The boy in front of them was so young, at most sixteen or seventeen years old, yet he had managed to slaughter so many beast-like hunting dogs—the boy was covered in such a strong smell of blood that it was almost solidified.

Inatsuma needs a samurai like that.

Logically speaking, she should have at least heard of a warrior with such skills. In fact, she did feel that she had vaguely seen this young man before, but she didn't know exactly when. Her memory was hazy, and when she tried to find out more, she felt that she had never seen him before.

"Go back. Don't disturb His Majesty." Unable to recall anything, she gave up and said to Qing Nuoyan, "If you don't want to die, don't go forward."

"Why?" Qing Nuoyan asked, somewhat curious.

"No comment," Kiyono Sara said.

There's really no need to tell you.

Qingnuoyan could sense the ancient aura emanating from ahead, as profound and majestic as thunder from all directions. Before he could react, he saw the mountain wind swirling back, stirring up countless layers of forest. Amidst the rising and falling of thunder, only a blade of light was deeply etched into his vision.

God is watching over this land.

The salt ruler vibrated slightly, and Lia became quite alert, like a cat whose fur had suddenly stood on end.

The afterimage of that thunderous blade light was etched into the mountains and forests, slowly dissipating over time. Countless filth and monsters vanished in the boundless radiance, disappearing into the world.

Once you step into that blade of light, you're definitely doomed...

Seeing that slash and Liya's reaction, the identity of the being in front was easy to deduce—it was none other than the god of Inazuma, His Holiness Narukami Omikami.

The thunder came swiftly, carrying boundless majesty, and departed just as quickly. With a thunderous roar, the light dissipated, and the gaze of the gods also departed, without lingering for even a moment.

The salt ruler stopped vibrating, which meant that Lord Narukami had left.

Her gaze never lingered.

For Her Majesty Narukami, the real concern was to wield her sword and cleanse the filth deep within the Shadow Mountain. The weak mortals who suddenly appeared on the outskirts were not worth her attention, and she wouldn't give them a second glance. She had many things to do; she needed to return to the castle tower and continue that endless 'duel'.

On the fourteenth day after arriving at the rice paddy, Qingnuoyan brushed past that beam of light.

As the oppressive pressure dissipated, Qing Nuoyan let out a soft breath.

"Is this the General?" he asked Kiyono Sara tentatively.

Kiyono Sara nodded noncommittally.

Qingnuoyan was very surprised, quite surprised. He thought Narukami stayed in the castle tower all day long, but he didn't expect him to come to Narukami Island.

"So you are...?"

"My attendant," Kiyono Sara said briefly. "I am the General's attendant, my name is Sara, and 'Kiyono' is my surname."

Kiyono Sara.

Although she was expressionless and spoke calmly, it was clear that she had a strong sense of identification with the surname 'Qingye', and she unconsciously emphasized the words when she pronounced them.

Kiyono... Kiyono Iwa remembered that tofu shop, also called 'Kiyono Tofu Shop'.

"What's your name, young man? What do you do?"

Miss Fox had told him that he must not reveal his identity as a Liyue person.

"Ah..." Kiyono Iwatsu said half the truth and half the lie, "I am a villager from Konta Village at the foot of the mountain, and my name is Kiyono Iwatsu."

Shimizu Noi-yan is a fake identity created by Miss Fox.

"Which school trains you as a samurai?"

"I'm not from any particular organization..." Qing Nuoyan scratched his head and tentatively asked, "I'm temporarily helping out at 'Qingye Tofu Shop,' making fox udon. Have you heard of Qingye Tofu Shop...?"

It was obvious that he observed that Ms. Kiyono Sara was stunned.

"Qingye Tofu Shop...?"

"Yes." Qing Nuoyan nodded. "I work as a cook at that restaurant—"

He stopped before he could finish speaking.

Bluish-white lightning flowed across the naginata, hovering near his shoulder, very close to his skin. The moving elements stung Qing Nuoyan's neck slightly.

high speed.

The female warrior named Kiyono Sara placed her naginata on his shoulder. The chilling wind tossed her long, violet-like hair, and her deep golden eyes gleamed with a cold, indifferent light in the night sky—a majesty and killing intent unique to tengu.

What are you doing?

Qingnuoyan remained calm, simply meeting Qingye Shaluo's gaze and speaking in a calm manner.

Kiyono Sara stared at him for a long while before putting down her naginata and saying softly, "...I'm sorry. I was rude."

"Explain?" Qing Nuoyan pressed down on Shen Qie and stared at Qingye Sara.

There's nothing to explain.

Kiyono Sara said indifferently, looking at Kiyono Iwa, "Don't be the chef at that restaurant."

Kiyono Tofu Shop holds a rather special and sacred meaning for all Inatsume people.

And for Kiyono Raimei's adopted daughter, Kiyono Sara, and for this tengu... this was even more true.

She believed in the pure white world of the Pillar of State.

That old shop is the only thing left in Kiyono.

That was a symbol.

Yae no Miko has reopened the shop, and Kiyono Sara doesn't object—because the priestess grew up alongside the pillar of the state, Yae no Miko is qualified to reopen that shop, qualified to step into that kitchen to take charge, and qualified to bring back the taste of the past in Kiyono's name.

But not others.

'I work as a cook at that restaurant'—what truly angered Kiyono Sara... was Kiyono Iwa's casual remark.

If it were just ordinary odd jobs, that would be fine, but it's a 'cook' position.

A boy who is only sixteen or seventeen years old is not qualified.