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

The head of the Hiiragi family smiled broadly and ordered his servants to serve tea. "Why don't you rest at my humble abode for a few days? That way, I can show you some hospitality."

Xu Chuan did not refuse and readily agreed.

"Then thank you very much for your hospitality, Lord Hiiragi." He picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and then changed the subject.

"However, there is one more thing I would like to ask Lord Hiiragi for help with."

"Oh? Please speak freely."

“I’ve heard that Inazuma has a specialty called Crystallized Bone Marrow,” Xu Chuan said casually, his gaze fixed on the other person’s face.

“I’m very interested in this.”

The moment he finished speaking, the smile on the face of the head of the Hiiragi family remained unchanged, but the fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly.

This subtle movement did not escape Xu Chuan's notice.

There was definitely something fishy going on.

In his speculation, crystallized bone marrow is very likely one of the raw materials for creating the Evil Eye.

Of course, this is just speculation until we actually get our hands on the Evil Eye and the Crystallized Bone Marrow.

"What do you need this crystallized bone marrow for?" The head of the Hiiragi family asked, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.

He was quickly calculating in his mind.

Crystallized bone marrow was unaffected by the lockdown order and was considered "hard currency" forcibly collected through administrative means.

The Hiiragi family relied on this method to forcibly seize goods from merchants at low prices and then resell them for huge profits.

This Liyue envoy's sudden interest in crystallized bone marrow—could it be that he wants to stand up for the Liyue Merchant Guild?

Xu Chuan chuckled and said frankly, "To be honest, Lord Hiiragi, I am an alchemist and I would like to request some crystallized bone marrow for alchemical experiments."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand and casually flicked his fingers.

A ball of dark blue light shone in his palm, quickly condensing and outlining a fine and exquisite alchemical pattern in the air before dissipating into specks of fluorescence.

A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of the head of the Hiiragi family, then he laughed heartily: "So that's how it is. I didn't expect that Lord Xu Chuan, at such a young age, would be an alchemist. My apologies for my disrespect."

Upon learning that Xu Chuan's purpose was merely alchemy, he visibly breathed a sigh of relief and generously had a batch of crystallized bone marrow brought out on the spot, which he then sent out directly.

Hiiragi's guest room.

Xu Chuan sat at the table, holding a dark purple crystal in his hand, turning it over and examining it closely.

Under the light, the crystallized bone marrow refracted a bewitching luster.

Without hesitation, he activated the power that made the knight immortal with bare hands.

A faint fluorescent light suddenly shone on the surface of the dark purple crystal, and a surge of power flowed into his body through his fingertips.

That power was cold and stagnant, carrying a familiar feeling that was not unfamiliar to him—the remnants of a demon god.

Xu Chuan placed the crystallized bone marrow back on the table, and the fluorescence at his fingertips immediately went out.

"It's similar to the remnants of a demon god, but it's more stable and purer."

His gaze fell on the dark purple crystal. "It is indeed the perfect material to create the Evil Eye."

"It seems that the Hiiragi family, the magistrate of the Kanjo clan, does indeed have a close relationship with the Gujin clan."

Given his current status, it's not appropriate for him to interfere openly.

Even if he exposes this, it will have almost no impact on the Fools and the Commissioner of the Imperial Censorate.

After staying at the Hiiragi family's residence for several days, the three set off for Narukami Island.

"It feels so good to be treated so warmly, don't you think, Ying?"

Paimon floated in mid-air, patting his belly contentedly, clearly having eaten quite a bit these past few days.

“Indeed.” Ying nodded in deep agreement.

Her experience in Zhuzi made her have an extremely bad first impression of Inazuma.

But this time, Inazuma's start was the smoothest of all their journeys.

Looking back, she still finds it a bit unbelievable.

Xu Chuan's lips curled up as he turned to look at Paimon, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Paimon arranged Inazuma's itinerary this time, so I can only give it a 60. Try harder next time."

"What?!" Paimon immediately protested. "This is clearly an act of God, isn't it?!"

Ying chuckled lightly, adding a rare touch of teasing: "Little Paimon has already tried his best; I think he deserves an 80."

"Then let's average it out, seventy points." Xu Chuan waved his hand.

"That's more like it." Paimon crossed his arms, finally somewhat satisfied, and then waved his little fist with renewed energy.

"Next time I'll definitely make you give me a perfect score!"

"Okay, okay, then the next trip will be entirely yours."

The group chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at Narukami Island.

After setting foot on Narukami Island, Xu Chuan did not head straight for Inazuma Castle. Instead, he changed direction and headed towards Kageshiro Mountain.

He didn't want to provoke General Thunder again anytime soon.

Let's postpone system rewards and such.

Let's talk about it after we get our hands on Thor's Heart.

With the Heart of Wind and the Heart of Thunder in hand, one can confidently venture into another Pure Land.

He gazed at the distant mountain peak that soared into the clouds, without calling Dulin out to take his ride.

With Ying and Paimon by their side, it wouldn't be a joke if they were struck by that lightning general again.

"This path to Yingxiang Mountain is too difficult to walk on!"

Paimengfei led the way, but seeing the uneven stone steps under his feet, he couldn't help but turn back and complain.

"Even the mountain path is dilapidated. Don't the Inatsume people usually come to worship?"

Too lazy to walk up the broken steps, Xu Chuan simply grabbed Ying's waist, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and soared into the air, heading straight for the mountain peak.

The wind whistled past my ears, and the mountains and forests beneath my feet rushed past.

Before long, Narukami Taisha came into view.

The red torii gates stretch along the mountain path all the way to the top of the mountain, like a vermilion staircase leading straight to the clouds.

The shrine is surrounded by cherry blossom trees, which are in full bloom at this time of year. Large swaths of pale pink cherry blossoms fall with the wind, carpeting the ground and filling the sky.

Xu Chuan gently placed Ying on the mountain path.

The three of them walked step by step up the stone steps paved with fallen cherry blossoms toward the shrine at the top of the mountain.

"Wow—" Paimon's eyes widened, so stunned by the sight before him that he forgot to fly. "This is so beautiful!"

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of Narukami Shrine, several shrine maidens dressed in red and white shrine maiden robes glanced up at them, assuming they were just ordinary worshippers, and then went back to their own business.

"Let's go in and take a look." Xu Chuan wasn't in a hurry.

Anyway, that pink-haired fox can run away, but it can't hide from the temple.

He then led the two of them on a leisurely stroll around the shrine.

After bypassing the water fountain and passing through the corridor, Paimon's eyes suddenly lit up, and he pulled the two of them away, flying in one direction:

"Hey, there's a fortune-telling area over here, let's give it a try!"

At the fortune-telling area, a fortune-telling container rests quietly on a wooden table.

The fortune teller smiled and handed her the fortune-telling container.

Paimon was the first to reach out, shook out a fortune stick, flipped it over, and beamed: "Great fortune!"

Ying took the divination tube, flicked her wrist, and a divination stick jumped out, which was also very auspicious.

"Xu Chuan, take a look at yours!" Paimon urged him over.

Xu Chuan casually shook the stick, and it landed on the table with a thud.

He turned it over to show the two of them, smiling casually: "I've absorbed all your bad luck, you should thank me properly."

Very bad omen.

Paimon paused for a moment, looked down at the very auspicious fortune slip in his hand, then at Xu Chuan's very inauspicious one, hesitated for a second, and then handed the slip over.

"Then I'll trade with you, and I'll share my good luck with you."

"Little one." A soft laugh sounded behind the three of them. "That's not how you share luck."

Xu Chuan turned around.

The newcomer had long, flowing pinkish-cherry blossom hair that reached her waist, and wore a white, off-the-shoulder shrine maiden outfit.

The fox ear ornaments by her ears swayed gently, her slender fingertips were half-covering her lips, and the corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, carrying a faint smile.

"Swapping the lot that doesn't belong to him might actually deplete his already limited good fortune."

She looked at the three of them with a smile, her bright eyes lingering on Xu Chuan for a moment.

Her eyes were slightly curved at the corners, and a smile played on her lips. Her pinkish-purple eyes held an indescribable cunning and clarity.

Paimon was stunned, his little face full of confusion:

"Then...what should we do?"

"Omens of good or bad fortune are simply reflections of the human heart."

"The words on this fortune slip are just to show you what you've been hiding in your heart."

She looked at Xu Chuan, her pinkish-purple eyes curving slightly.

"You agree, don't you, guests who have come from afar?"

Chapter 186 The Promise with Paimon

Xu Chuan tightened his grip on the ominous fortune stick in his hand.

"What the Chief Clerk says makes sense. Ultimately, what the fortune or misfortune on the lot represents depends on how the person who drew the lot interprets it."

"As far as I'm concerned, whether it's a great misfortune or a great fortune, it won't shake my will."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his other hand and rubbed Paimon's little head beside him.

The white-haired little guy's body tilted to one side as he was being rubbed, and the tuft of hair on his head stood up even higher.

Xu Chuan smiled slightly, feeling that all the delicious food he had made for the little guy had been worthwhile.

"As far as I can remember, I have never met you."

Yae no Miko's tone tightened slightly, and the usual laziness and teasing in her fox-like eyes subsided somewhat.

The wind from the shrine brushed past her ears, and the pink strands of hair that fell over her shoulders swayed gently.

She has not been out in the outside world for many years.

After her own deity closed herself off, she stayed at Narukami Shrine and rarely stepped outside Kagemiya Mountain.

But the unfamiliar young man recognized her from the moment he stepped into the shrine.

Xu Chuan noticed her confusion.

That vigilance hidden beneath the scrutiny, though well concealed, did not escape his notice.

He chuckled and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"My name is Xu Chuan, a diplomatic envoy from Liyue. These two are my partners, Ying and Paimon."

He turned slightly to the side and showed the Yae no Kamiko the envoy's token at his waist, the Liyue emblem on it gleaming with a warm, jade-like luster under the light.

He then took out a letter sealed with wax from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands.

"I am here on behalf of Lady Ganyu to visit Lady Miyaji at Narukami Shrine. This is a letter she asked me to deliver."

Upon hearing the name Gan Yu, Yae no Miko's guard slightly relaxed.

She took the letter, flicked off the sealing wax with her fingertips, and unfolded the paper. Her gaze wandered between the lines.

Those familiar, delicate handwriting lines, along with those amusing anecdotes about the two of them, were undoubtedly written by Gan Yu.