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

Fool.

How can a departed soul taste flavor?

For the deceased, those precious memories have long since faded away along with the taste.

When the tofu entered my mouth, all I felt was coldness and a deathly emptiness—at that moment, the fact that I was dying was crystal clear.

Tofu was no longer a part of her life, nor were gatherings. Hanazawa wasn't afraid of death; her only fear was being so close to the human world...

But it can never be touched.

No one else can understand her anymore.

Despite this, Hana Sanri still said "it's delicious" because she didn't want to disappoint Seong-no-am or hurt her friend. She couldn't bear to taste the same memories and flavors with her friend again.

"It really...is delicious." Hana Sanri said with a smile, but there was sadness in her eyes. She didn't want Qing Nuoyan to see this sadness, so she asked him to turn his head away. She smiled earnestly and said, "I am really satisfied."

"I didn't put salt in your portion. I didn't put any seasonings at all," Qing Nuoyan suddenly said.

"...What?" Hana Sanri was stunned.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Qing Nuoyan smiled. "Me, easily fooled? Don't underestimate me... I've dealt with Li Hun before."

"and you...?"

"By the way," Qing Nuoyan interrupted Hua Sanli, raising the food box in his hand, "my own portion also doesn't have any seasoning."

He made several servings of tofu, but only left the regular food for Ying and the others.

He picked up a piece of tofu and put it in his mouth. The bland taste was like chewing on a piece of soft soil. He swallowed it and said, "So this is what you're tasting."

"It doesn't taste good at all," he said softly. "There's no need to lie."

Hana Sanri's eyes flickered slightly.

"Why do this?"

"We should eat bad food together and enjoy good food together—that's what I want to tell you, that's my definition of a friend." Qing Nuoyan said earnestly, "What we lose, we lose together; what we find, we find together. From now on, you will never be alone again."

He wolfed down another bite of tofu, swallowing it whole. "Because I will share those hardships with you. And then we'll curse together: This stuff is fucking awful!"

What a childish guy.

Hana Sanri watched Qing Nuoyan wolf down his food and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Idiot," she scolded with a laugh.

"Now I'm asking you, is this delicious?" Qing Nuoyan said with a smile, "Don't lie anymore."

"..." Hana Sanri hesitated for a moment, then finally shook her head with a smile, "I can't taste it."

She took small bites of the tofu, which still had no taste and she couldn't even feel its temperature. But for some reason, as she chewed it repeatedly, she suddenly felt that it was somewhat sweet.

“But I didn’t lie,” Hana Sanri said earnestly. “I really think it’s delicious—because you made it with care. I think it’s delicious when you make it.”

"I see."

They fell silent.

The moon slowly rose, and the night breeze stirred the shadows of cherry blossoms. After a while, Hana Sanri suddenly said, "Do you really think you can find my old friend?"

“We can find it.” Qing Nuoyan nodded. “I was very worried before, but now I have no doubt—we will definitely find it.”

Because just now.

Just as Qing Nuoyan swallowed the tasteless tofu, the voice of the Human Reason System rang in his mind.

This is the guidance that humanity gives him.

[Agreement Ten]

-

PS1: Whew, the underworld! It's the underworld's Si Gu! It's the underworld's update, I'm so happy! Oh no, oh no...

PS2: The monthly pass lottery results are settled at the end of the month. Anyone who voted this month is eligible to participate. Some readers have reported that private messages are no longer working, but they should be unblocked when the lottery is held in April. If you want to participate in the lottery, please vote.

I've also attached a photo of the prize from last time; it will be visible after refreshing the page.

Chapter 130 A Letter That Could Not Be Delivered

[Agreement Ten]

Please proceed to the Forest of Guardians.

Qingnuoyan is writing a letter.

He wrote while thinking, stopping every now and then to carefully consider his words.

Before the window of his desk, a few rays of moonlight still lingered. The sky was not yet bright, and a light mist shrouded the thin moonlight, spreading a pale silver frost over his letter paper.

He wrote on the paper with a brush, the ink blending with the moonlight on the letter, making it impossible to distinguish where the handwriting ended and the moonlight began.

Whether the letter would reach its destination was unknown to Qingnuoyan.

It is often said that there are no emotions or letters that cannot be delivered, but Qing Nuoyan does not completely agree with this statement.

He was just an ordinary person... an ordinary wanted criminal in Liyue, while the other party was Narukami, who lived high in the castle tower. How could a mortal communicate with a god?

Even if the message reaches them, Naruto won't care; the eyes of a god don't look upon mortals.

Every day, tens of thousands of ordinary people... and even high-ranking officials from various departments write letters to the castle tower, but the castle tower never responds. Kiyono Iwakura knows this.

Qing Nuoyan wrote this letter simply because he felt he had to do it. Whether it succeeded or not, he should try. He could sense Miss Hana Sanri's feelings. Hana Sanri was a good person, and Qing Nuoyan wanted to help a good person. That was all.

When the cherry blossoms have all fallen, and when the sacred cherry blossom purification ritual is complete, they will be dispersed along with the filth.

It would be too cruel if she couldn't even see him one last time before she passed away.

The contents of the letter were nothing particularly novel.

It's simply about telling the truth—expressing the most genuine feelings and thoughts.

He hoped that Narukami could leave the castle tower, even for just half an hour, to step out of that eternal tower... He hoped that Narukami could see her old friend one last time.

Although Qingnuoyan knew that this might just be wishful thinking.

By the time Qingnuoyan finished writing the last word, adding "Respectfully submitted by Qingnuoyan" at the end, the moon had already removed the silver frost from the letter, and dawn was breaking.

As the pale light of dawn peeked through the clouds, a few golden rays began to pierce through the darkness. Light and shadow slowly shifted, and the orange-yellow corona of the sun gradually emerged from the dark sea. The entire village of Konta was gradually bathed in the morning light, and the cherry blossoms planted between the wooden houses rustled softly.

It's a new day again.

"Is it finished?" Lia suddenly said from the salt ruler. "Let me see it, let me see it."

The great Saint Lia said she didn't care about Narukami, but her actions spoke louder than words.

"It's impolite to peek at other people's letters." Qing Nuoyan put the letter into an envelope and sealed it with wax. "Salt God."

That's a really strange nickname.

"...What the hell is this Salt God?" Lia's tone was quite unfriendly. "You're becoming more and more disrespectful to your gods. Don't give them such ridiculous nicknames—you stupid sardine."

No matter how you look at it, the nickname "Sardine" is even stranger than "Salt God"!

“But I think ‘Salt God’ sounds cuter than ‘Salt God’,” Qing Nuoyan said with a smile.

"...Gods don't need to be cute. Your god is very majestic."

"A cute god is easier to gain followers than a majestic god."

"Wow... I told you, I'm very authoritative...!"

“Your Majesty Saint Lia,” Qingnuoyan said earnestly, “please, Your Majesty, do not peek at your believers’ letters—doing so is truly salty.”

This is a matter of principle for Qingnuoyan.

“That Mr. Sardine,” Leah said, her tone rising slightly with a hint of schadenfreude, “how are you going to send the letter to that guy? Don’t forget, you’re just a useless sardine.”

“Miss Fox might be able to help.” Qing Nuoyan looked thoughtful. “She is the priest of Narukami Shrine, so sending a letter to the castle tower shouldn’t be too difficult for her.”

"She'll help you deliver the message?"

"I think... I might be able to help."

“Should…” Miss Lia’s dignified tone rose slightly. “So when do you plan to send it out?”

“Hmm.” Qing Nuoyan thought for a moment, “I’ll send the invitation to Ming Shen after I find all the old friends from the banquet and everyone has arrived—after all, the banquet is still just a formality.”

"So, are you ready to find your first old friend, my Mr. Sardine?"

"Ready, my majestic Salt God."

"Phew, I'm going to take a nap now. Wake me up when we get there," Lia said lazily.

Qing Nuoyan carefully put the letter away, placing it close to his body in his shirt pocket. Facing the rising sun outside the window, he lazily stretched.

He looked at the cluster of cherry blossom branches leaning out of the window, their sparse shadows slanting across the room. The pure white cherry blossoms were like a light drizzle of snow, falling softly. The cherry blossoms of late spring were just like the snow of late winter—slowly melting in the sunlight, slowly withering away.

But today will be a beautiful day, perfect for a reunion.

Qing Nuoyan thought to himself.

He walked briskly downstairs. Miss Fox hadn't opened the door yet; it was barely dawn, and the lazy foxes were still fast asleep.

[Agreement Ten]

Please proceed to the Forest of Guardians.

This is also a strange agreement.

It lacks a predicate and object... making it all seem very mysterious.

You'll only know once you go there.

Miss Ying and Xiao Paimeng had been waiting at the entrance of the tofu shop for a long time. Today, she was wearing a pure white hiking dress, with the hem revealing two sections of her jade-like calves, and she was wearing deerskin boots. She looked very expectant.

Miss Ying was naturally very excited, as this was a long-awaited trip. For the past two months since arriving in Inazuma, she had been staying quietly in the tofu shop to avoid the Fools. After a while, Ying, as a traveler, had long since grown bored.

A long-awaited trip for two... indeed, it was for two people, with Paimon serving as our everyday snack.

The Forest of Guardians is also recommended in the Teyvat Travel Guide as a must-visit destination for Inazuma.

It boasts beautiful scenery and a long history.

This feeling of anticipation and excitement... lasted until Miss Ying saw the salt ruler that Qing Nuoyan was carrying, and then it ended.