Atop Mt. Mingyuan.
Beside the Sword Pool.
A large blue lion beast lay resting there.
Sensing the surge of power from the Sword Pool,
she suddenly opened her eyes and saw the familiar young man.
"Morning, Lingyuan."
Mu Yang greeted the large blue lion beast.
"It's not morning. You're ten days later than last time."
"Oh, is that so..."
It seemed that with Lumine's awakening,
the timeline of Teyvat was accelerating.
'Clarisse' seemed to be growing stronger.
It actually took ten extra days this time.
Still, it wasn't enough to break the seal.
Mu Yang glanced at the Sword Pool—not a single ripple disturbed its surface.
At most, it would stir a bit during the Lantern Rite. Nothing to worry about.
"Let's head back."
"Mm."
Lingyuan transformed into her blue-haired lady form and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Mu Yang.
The two followed the mountain path back to Yilong Wharf.
Lingyuan didn't quite understand the significance of Mu Yang's habit.
Every time he awoke from slumber here and returned to Yilong Wharf,
he always took this slow, meandering path.
With his lightfoot technique, he could cover the distance in just two breaths...
As they strolled through the wilderness, neither initiated conversation.
Mu Yang wasn't much of a talker to begin with,
and Lingyuan, after all the upheavals she'd experienced, wasn't as lively as she used to be.
But that was the nature of close friends.
Even in silence, there was no awkwardness.
"I saw Yaojun earlier," Mu Yang suddenly said.
"Huh?"
Lingyuan looked genuinely surprised.
Seeing her reaction, Mu Yang assumed she hadn't known.
"She's currently at—"
"Liyue Harbor. Bubu Pharmacy," Lingyuan finished.
Mu Yang was stumped.
"So you already knew? Then why the surprise?"
"Because it seems your memories have recovered a lot," Lingyuan explained.
"A few years ago, when that human named Baizhu came to Qiaoying Village for a consultation, you passed right by her but didn't recognize her."
"She didn't recognize you either. I know—she only has one-fifth of her power left and needs humans to survive."
"For beings like us, losing so much power means losing most of our memories..."
Lingyuan tried to keep her tone neutral,
but Mu Yang could still hear the frustration beneath it.
To have an old friend right before your eyes, yet unable to reunite...
And to have no way to help her...
That suffocating sense of helplessness was unbearable.
Mu Yang's voice was firm. "I'll find a way to restore her."
Lingyuan nodded. "I believe you."
Of course she did. Mu Yang always kept his promises.
Silence settled between them once more.
Upon returning to Yilong Wharf,
the owners of the morning tea shops eagerly rushed out, vying to invite Mu Yang for breakfast.
Most of Yilong Wharf's residents knew Mu Yang was an Adeptus and held him in high regard.
After all, legends of him saving Chenyu Vale dated back centuries.
And after all these years,
the young girls who once admired him had likely grown old, with families of their own.
Yet he remained exactly the same—unchanged. Only an Adeptus could achieve that.
This Adeptus was approachable, no different from an ordinary person.
He just had a poor memory, often forgetting people's names.
The people of Yilong Wharf were used to it by now.
Chenyu Vale had enjoyed peace and prosperity for many years, with few monster attacks.
Everyone credited Mu Yang for it.
After all, many had witnessed him hunting monsters in the wild.
(Actually, he was just earning Mora.)
As the stories spread, the tales about him grew more and more legendary...
The people of Yilong Wharf also knew Mu Yang would disappear during the Lantern Rite.
But they never pried into Adepti matters.
They simply assumed he was off subduing demons.
So whenever Mu Yang awoke and returned to Yilong Wharf,
the locals greeted him with extra enthusiasm—celebrating the Adeptus' triumphant return.
Mu Yang let Lingyuan pick a teahouse, and the two went in for breakfast.
The shop owner's wife was beaming with joy.
This was prestige!
And her gossip-loving soul was already ablaze.
The woman beside Mu Yang, aside from her somewhat wild demeanor,
had a beauty that seemed divine—rarely seen in the mortal world.
Everyone around was already staring, spellbound.
Today's breakfast chatter would undoubtedly revolve around Mu Yang and Lingyuan.
Given Mu Yang's status, no one dared to gossip loudly.
But whispered discussions were fair game.
The two sat down in the shop.
"Seems like you've been away too long. No one recognizes you anymore."
"I don't care."
The table was soon laden with a lavish spread of tea snacks—all ordered by Mu Yang.
Sure, he'd only been asleep.
But missing so many meals meant making up for them was only fair.
This aligned perfectly with Mu Yang's life philosophy:
Eating and sleeping were life's greatest joys. Neither could be neglected.
...
After the meal, Mu Yang called the owner's wife over to settle the bill.
She didn't offer empty pleasantries.
Not charging him would only make Mu Yang angry,
and he wouldn't return next time.
This was an unspoken 'rule' passed down among the locals.
She glanced at the tableware and couldn't help but marvel at the Adeptus' appetite.
This was enough for ten people...
The owner's wife frowned slightly when she noticed one particular dish.
Why were all the other plates cleaned spotless, except for this one—with two pieces left?
This was their signature dish!
"Adeptus, was the 'Fine Tea, Full Moon' not to your liking?"
She couldn't resist asking.
Her shop prided itself on authentic 'Fine Tea, Full Moon,'
famous even beyond Chenyu Vale, throughout Liyue.
Legend had it the recipe was discovered by her ancestors in an Adeptus' abode.
How could it not suit an Adeptus' taste?
Mu Yang froze for a moment, staring at the two remaining 'Fine Tea, Full Moon' on the plate.
Ah, old habits die hard.
"It was delicious. We'll take these to go."
Only then did the owner's wife relax, happily packing them up.
After leaving Yilong Wharf, Mu Yang and Lingyuan arrived at Ancient Tea Tree Slope.
The tea tree there was now lush and thriving—inevitable, given that someone had been nourishing it with Adeptal energy.
Mu Yang smirked, glancing at Lingyuan.
The tsundere turned her face away, ignoring him.
Mu Yang plucked some tea leaves and brewed a pot.
Perhaps because they'd eaten too much in the morning,
neither touched the packed 'Fine Tea, Full Moon.'
Even as the tea in the pot grew cold, they didn't drink it.
They simply sat in silence, gazing at the lake near Jademouth...
——————
In the days that followed,
Mu Yang accompanied Lingyuan as she wandered around, indulging her whims until the silly beast was satisfied.
Only then did Mu Yang say, "I need to go to Inazuma."
"Be careful on the road."
Lingyuan asked no questions, simply reminding him to stay safe before returning to the mountains.
Mu Yang went back to his cottage in Yilong Wharf.
Now, he needed to organize his plans.
He pulled up the system interface.
Though he hadn't appeared during the Lantern Rite,
his prior popularity, the release of his character model,
and the final stage of the Yujing Terrace Sword Challenge had provided plenty of material.
Some content creators had already started crafting backstories for him through fan animations.
Thus, Mu Yang had shined brightly during the New Year's festivities, gaining a surge in popularity.
Instead of immediately using the popularity points to boost his strength,
he called out to the system and asked:
"Can popularity points be used to restore Yaojun's power and memories?"
System: "Yes."
Mu Yang's heart raced. Though his current strength couldn't match the Electro Archon's,
it was enough to handle minor threats. Maybe...
System: "She and Baizhu would instantly turn to dust."
Mu Yang was furious. "You're gonna leave me hanging like that?!"
System: "Do you really think you're a native of Teyvat?"
"Boosting strength is completely different from 'transferring' or 'protecting.'"
"Besides, this system is exclusive. Of course, only you can use it."
Mu Yang's expression dimmed.
If he couldn't use cheats directly, he'd have to keep searching for another way.
System: "Don't rush. While popularity points can't forcibly enhance her power,"
"they can enhance yours. Once your strength breaks through the heavens, won't that solve everything?"
"When you're strong enough to rewrite the rules, just assign her a quest. Everything will fall into place..."
Mu Yang: "Will it work?"
System: "It will."