While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

As soon as she finished speaking, Ying stepped over the threshold and went into the backyard.

Xu Chuan's gaze was immediately drawn to it.

Ying changed out of her signature white short dress and replaced it with a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

The skirt was well-tailored, with a light apricot-colored silk sash tied at the waist, the flowing ribbons swaying gently with each step.

The cuffs are narrowed, which does not restrict movement, but the overall lines are much softer, transforming the sharp and heroic spirit she has honed through years of battles into a touch of gentleness.

The girl seemed a little unaccustomed to it, her right hand unconsciously twisting the edge of her sleeve, her fingertips exerting a slight force.

The morning light shone on her profile, gilding the fine downy hairs on her earlobes with a pale gold hue.

Xu Chuan examined it closely for a few seconds, his expression serious, as if he were appraising a precious treasure.

That travel outfit she wore from Mondstadt to Liyue was beautiful, but it wasn't good to wear the same thing all the time.

"Ying looks beautiful in this outfit, even more so than I imagined."

"Paimon looks adorable in this outfit too, like a little flying glutinous rice ball."

"Hehe, of course! I look cute in anything!"

Paimon cupped his face in his hands and spun around in the air, clearly enjoying the description of "glutinous rice ball".

"Whoa—!"

A crisp shout rang out from behind, followed by a pair of small hands slapping Xu Chuan on the back.

I took a solid picture.

Hu Tao poked her head out from behind him, her plum-blossom eyes gleaming with a mischievous light.

He was clearly very pleased with his sneak attack.

Unfortunately, Xu Chuan didn't even flinch.

"Master, you still need to practice your sneak attack skills more." He turned his head, his tone slightly teasing.

"Tch, you already figured it out, but you didn't even give me a reaction. How boring."

Hu Tao came out from behind him, crossed her arms, raised her chin slightly, and made a sulky expression.

She also changed into a new outfit, a dark brown short jacket with a red blouse underneath, the blouse embroidered with the unique plum blossom pattern of the Hall of Rebirth, neat yet playful.

Xu Chuan changed the subject, looked Hu Tao up and down, and laughed, "The hall master looks quite cute in this outfit too."

"What?!"

Hu Tao pouted somewhat discontentedly, glaring at Xu Chuan with her beautiful plum blossom eyes.

"I agree with Paimon's assessment; your evaluation is far too perfunctory!"

Paimon called out "Hey!" in protest, but was completely ignored.

Xu Chuan smiled without saying a word.

Ying, watching from the side, could clearly see that the half-smile on Xu Chuan's lips was clearly a deliberate attempt to tease Hu Tao.

He praised Paimon and Walnut for being cute, but changed his words only when praising himself.

Immediately afterwards, Ying noticed something different in Xu Chuan's words.

When he said he was beautiful, it seemed like...

This little discovery caused the temperature on the tip of her ear to rise subtly.

After the brief incident, everyone sat down at the stone table in the courtyard.

Xu Chuan also inquired about the serious matter.

"Oh right, I left in a hurry yesterday and forgot to ask about your preparations for the Inazuma trip."

Paimon immediately perked up, propped himself up on the table with both hands, and puffed out his little chest.

"Hmph! Of course, everything will be perfectly arranged!"

"We went through a lot of trouble, searching for a very long time in Liyue Harbor, before we finally found the most reliable way!"

She tilted her head back, her round eyes sparkling as she looked at Xu Chuan, her face practically screaming "Praise me!"

Xu Chuan praised her in a very cooperative manner:

"As expected of the best guide in Teyvat, it seems that this trip to Inazuma will definitely go smoothly."

"Of course!"

Paimon, clearly pleased with the gesture, continued, "The Southern Cross fleet is one of the best in the entire Liyue Harbor!"

"That Captain Beidou is amazing. Her ship is big and stable. When you go out to sea with them, you don't have to worry about anything."

Ying picked up the conversation and added, "After the Lantern Festival, Hokuto and the others are going to make a trip on the Inazuma route. They are currently replenishing their supplies and will depart in seven days."

“Sister Beidou said that the investigation by Inazuma has become increasingly strict recently, but she has a way to get us sent up there.”

While rubbing Paimon's soft little head, Xu Chuan was making plans in his mind.

Seven days, which is much earlier than the original storyline.

I remember that Ying and Paimon originally boarded the Hokuto ship during the martial arts tournament, but this time the Southern Cross fleet was just doing normal resupply and there was no sign of holding a tournament.

But it doesn't matter. Going early has its advantages.

He recalled the scene from the original story where Ying and Paimon fled in a sorry state after being wanted by the authorities upon arriving in Inazuma.

That kind of start is better left unexpected.

Now that he's going along, he'll break the curse himself.

Furthermore, given his current abilities, even the entire Inazuma Sanbugyo corps combined might not be able to stop him.

Except for that one thoughtless slash.

The image of the bottomless chasm between the blades of the Unthinkable Blade flashed through his mind.

That was a wound on the earth inflicted by General Thunder's blade, with lightning element remaining on the rock wall for years.

Those who get close will be paralyzed at best, and at worst, corroded by the still incredibly dense lightning elemental power.

It is considered one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in Inazuma.

This is a power truly belonging to the level of gods.

Xu Chuan couldn't help but feel a surge of desire.

The thought of facing that impending blow stirred a surge of emotion within me that was far more tempting than any system reward.

He wanted to see that knife cut with his own eyes.

Once the thought pops into your head, you can't suppress it anymore.

He exhaled softly, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and casually withdrew his hand from ruffling Paimon's hair.

He lived a very regular life in the days that followed.

During the day, Xu Chuan handles miscellaneous tasks in the Hall of Rebirth, and occasionally accompanies Hu Tao to wander around Liyue Harbor, while also teaching Shen He some essential knowledge about living in the city.

Shen He studied very diligently, but occasionally he would still stare at the street vendors with the eyes of someone eyeing prey, startling them so much that they would give the wrong change.

That evening, Xu Chuan went to find Zhong Li as scheduled.

In the main hall of the Rebirth Hall, candlelight flickered.

Zhongli sat in a grand chair, a cup of hot tea spread out in front of him, the aroma of tea slowly spreading in the dim light.

That night, Xu Chuan did not directly ask the three immortal techniques as usual, but instead put forward a new idea.

"Mr. Zhongli was able to master the Golden Light Mantra so quickly because you started from a very high level."

“I’ve tried teaching Ying and Shen He these past few days, but the results haven’t been very good.”

Zhongli picked up the teacup, took a sip, and gestured for him to continue.

"I'm not sure if it's a problem with my teaching, or if the Golden Light Mantra itself has a high barrier to entry?"

Just as in a world of one person, those who do not attain Qi will never be able to embark on the path of cultivation.

Xu Chuan said, "No matter which reason is the main one, the current situation is what it is. I want to modify the Golden Light Mantra and lower its entry threshold."

Zhongli put down his teacup and tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.

“Tell me again the process of how you taught me.”

Xu Chuan nodded and recounted everything from how to guide Ying to sense the energy within her body, to how to operate the basic mantra of the Golden Light Mantra, and then to every detail of Ying's failed attempt.

After hearing this, Zhong Li smiled slightly.

"I have seen many geniuses."

His voice was unhurried, like chatting with an old friend, "In their respective fields of expertise, they can reach a level that ordinary people can hardly achieve even in a lifetime."

"But precisely because of this, what they see is vastly different from what ordinary people see."

“You mean…” Xu Chuan raised one eyebrow.

"The Golden Light Mantra itself may indeed have a threshold."

Zhongli continued, "But young friend, you missed a lot of information in the process of explaining to them."

Xu Chuan was stunned. This is what they mean by "the bystander sees most of the game."

Zhongli continued, her tone gentle yet incisive: "In your opinion, this is the most basic concept, something you can just casually mention."

"But you forgot that not everyone sees this immortal technique from your perspective."

“When you taught Shen He, you explained the energy flow path of the Golden Light Mantra, but she reversed and performed it in her own way, which resulted in two deviations.”

Xu Chuan was silent for a moment, then reached up and pressed his forehead, letting out a bitter laugh.

"I think so too."

“Geniuses are often the worst teachers.” Zhongli picked up his teacup again. “Because they can’t understand ‘why others don’t understand’.”

"I've learned a lot," Xu Chuan said sincerely.

……

The night before his departure, Xu Chuan went to Qunyu Pavilion again.

Above Liyue Harbor, the moonlight bathed the entire floating pavilion in a silvery glow, and the night breeze blew from the sea, making the jade bells hanging from the eaves tinkle.

The Qianyan soldiers guarding the gate were already used to him, so they nodded slightly and let him pass.

He navigated the corridor with practiced ease and entered the Qunyu Pavilion.

Ningguang was sitting behind the table, with three stacks of documents, each about half a person high, piled up in front of her.

Baiwen and Baixiao stood by her side, assisting her with official duties from time to time.

Gan Yu, on the other hand, was busy with other things.

Ningguang turned the page with her left hand and held the pen with her right.

His eyes swept quickly across the documents, and with a flick of his wrist, he had already added annotations at the end of the files.

Hearing the door open, she looked up, her golden eyes reflecting the candlelight.

"Before parting, is Your Excellency Xu Chuan going to finish the story?"

Ningguang put down her pen, a slight smile playing on her lips, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.

Xu Chuan raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Please spare me, those stories would take days and nights to tell."

Gan Yu, who was organizing files nearby, slightly raised her head, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Ning Guang and Xu Chuan, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.

In her memory, Ningguang always maintained a perfect distance from outsiders, neither lacking in politeness nor dignity.

But when facing Xu Chuan, Ning Guang's demeanor was noticeably more relaxed, and even her tone of voice was familiar.

They've barely met each other more than a few times, haven't they?

Gan Yu blinked and quietly swallowed the question back into her mind.

"Let's get down to business." Xu Chuan sat down in the chair opposite Ning Guang. "Besides saying goodbye, I have something I'd like to ask you for help with."

"Oh?" Ningguang rested her chin on her hands, leaned forward slightly, and showed an interested expression. "What kind of difficult matter is it?"