Arriving at the entrance to Cloud Retainer's cave dwelling on Mt. Aocang, Ganyu called out, and the cave door swung open. Cloud Retainer emerged with measured steps.
"Hmm, it's you three. What brings you here this time?"
Ganyu smiled gently. "It's been a while, Retainer. This is a Lantern Rite gift for you."
She presented an exquisitely decorated gift box. Cloud Retainer accepted it with Adeptus Power, opened it, and found it filled with pastries.
Cloud Retainer nodded and ushered the box into her cave dwelling.
"The Lantern Rite... it is approaching, indeed. But I suspect your joint visit here suggests there's more to this than just a gift?"
Cloud Retainer continued, "Normally, Shenhe and Qin Yu would arrive first, while you, Ganyu, would be busy with worldly affairs and join later."
That does sound about right.
"We have some questions we want to ask," Shenhe stated bluntly.
"Questions? I see. Though this immortal rarely leaves her cave dwelling, my knowledge rivals that of any other elder. Ask away."
Cloud Retainer raised her head proudly, brimming with confidence.
Qin Yu then gave a rough explanation.
After listening, Cloud Retainer fell into thoughtful silence.
"I do have some ideas," she said, "though I'm not sure if they're correct."
She actually knows something? Qin Yu thought in surprise.
Ganyu pleaded, "Retainer, please share your thoughts with us. Any clue is better than none."
"Of course. However, let's move to a different location first."
We can't talk here? Qin Yu was puzzled, but Cloud Retainer flapped her wings and vanished, leaving the three of them staring at each other.
Shenhe looked up at the sky and asked, "Where are we going?"
"Who the hell knows..."
She didn't even tell us.
Moments later, Cloud Retainer returned, her voice tinged with displeasure. "Why are you all still standing here?"
"Well... because you didn't tell us where to go?" Ganyu replied, a hint of exasperation in her voice.
Cloud Retainer fell silent for a moment, then averted her gaze.
"Guili Plains," she finally muttered before vanishing again.
Seeing Cloud Retainer's awkward reaction, Qin Yu couldn't help but chuckle, once again realizing how amusing Shenhe's Master truly was.
"Retainer is a bit like Qin Yu in this regard," Ganyu suddenly remarked.
"What nonsense!"
"Absolutely not!" Cloud Retainer's voice boomed from the sky.
Just as expected, the same answer, Shenhe and Ganyu thought in unison.
Upon arriving at Guili Plains, they met Cloud Retainer by the water's edge. The Adeptus immediately posed a question:
"Do you know the name 'Guizhong'?"
Qin Yu had previously researched historical records and surviving accounts of gods. She had encountered the name Guizhong in her studies.
"Yes, I do. Isn't that the name of the God of Dust, Haagentus?" Qin Yu replied, rummaging through her memories.
"Indeed. She was lively, loved inventing, and thrived in bustling environments."
Everything except the second point seems the opposite of Cloud Retainer's personality, Qin Yu couldn't help but think. But voicing such thoughts would undoubtedly provoke the Adeptus' displeasure.
"This Guili Plains was once far from desolate; it was a bustling market town. Back then, Guizhong would often invite her friends and family to gather around the largest stone table for lively gatherings."
"Sea Gazer, though gentle-natured, always flaunted his latest treasures, eagerly showing off his newly acquired artifacts and inviting everyone's critiques. Guizhong and I, never wanting to be outdone, would proudly unveil our own ingenious clockwork creations, leading to many spirited debates with Sea Gazer."
"He's only good at finding treasures. Unlike me, I create everything myself!"
Shenhe nodded. "Master's mechanisms are truly remarkable."
Hearing her disciple's praise, Cloud Retainer proudly lifted her chin, as if saying, As expected of my disciple, she has impeccable taste.
"Guizhong would always join the commotion at this point, sometimes adding to the chaos with her own nonsense, sometimes pulling everyone into her wild stories."
"But she always wanted to make everyone happy. She had a knack for it; no matter what nonsense she spouted, I never found it annoying."
"At that point, the God of the Stove would bring out the dishes. His cooking was impeccable, and with everyone's mouths full, the arguments would naturally fade away."
Quite lively, then.
Qin Yu glanced around at the desolate landscape.
Yet Guili Plains had ultimately ended up like this. Among the surviving gods, there was no trace of Guizhong.
That must be... Just as a wave of melancholy washed over Qin Yu, Cloud Retainer spoke:
"Indeed, as you suspect, Guizhong... And that, perhaps, is the most important reason why the Streetward Rambler ventured into the mortal realm."
"Madame Ping?" The unexpected name startled Qin Yu.
"Ah, I met Guizhong a few times," Ganyu said. "I remember she and Ping were very close."
Cloud Retainer nodded.
"Guizhong believed that while mechanical devices couldn't compose music with the same artistry as humans, their creations could still rival simple compositions. Streetward Rambler, however, insisted that music stemmed from genuine emotion and could never be produced spontaneously by machines.
"Their debate raged on endlessly, leaving me no choice but to ask the Geo Archon to mediate.
"After the Geo Archon took Guizhong's bells to use in various ceremonies, Guizhong and Streetward Rambler began meeting frequently, their friendship deepening into a profound bond. They became inseparable."
"But the Archon War engulfed Guili Plains in flames. By the time we arrived, all that remained of our dear friend was her divine remains."
Cloud Retainer's voice carried a mix of nostalgia and melancholy.
Even gods aren't spared from death? Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
"Later, Streetward Rambler petitioned the Geo Archon to safeguard Guizhong's Cleansing Bell. This Adeptus also made some improvements to the Guizhong Ballista in remembrance of her."
"Compared to this Adeptus, the Streetward Rambler's friendship with Guizhong only deepened over time."
"Though rivals, they were also friends. After Guizhong's passing, she often sat alone on the mountaintop, playing her qin in deep contemplation. Through countless years of practice, she finally composed a melody she found satisfactory. Tragically, she only performed it once."
"The person you seek—the one who rescued the ancestor of the Fontainian—might have accidentally fallen into the water during this period and been saved by the Streetward Rambler."
That would explain everything.
Qin Yu asked, puzzled, "Why only perform it once?"
"Because the person she wanted to play it for was no longer there," Shenhe suddenly interjected.
Cloud Retainer glanced at her, deeply surprised.
After so many days apart, Shenhe's emotions seemed to have returned considerably, making her more like an ordinary person—despite the Red String still binding her.
But since Shenhe had already resolved to return to the mortal realm with Qin Yu, this development was actually quite welcome.
Cloud Retainer nodded, putting away her thoughts.
"'The strings remain unbroken, but the kindred spirit is gone. Cloud Retainer, tell me, for whom shall this melody now be played?'" she quoted Guizhong.
Ganyu's chest tightened. Though she had met Guizhong a few times, she had never known about this shared history.
"So, now that you know this, what do you plan to do next?" Qin Yu asked thoughtfully.
Dvorak only wanted to know who had saved his ancestor. Once he understood the truth, he was unlikely to seek out Madame Ping to discuss it further.
"I don't think we need to tell Madame Ping about this," Qin Yu said.
Cloud Retainer agreed. "This is a sorrowful matter for both me and Streetward Rambler."
"Forgive my boldness, but... perhaps it's not as simple as that."
Ganyu's voice drew everyone's attention.
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"Like Ping, I've lived in the mortal realm for a long time and witnessed the passing of many dear to me. I understand this grief and pain well. But eventually, these feelings gradually transform into cherished memories."
Qin Yu nodded in deep agreement.
"While the loss of a kindred spirit is undoubtedly heartbreaking, there are still many tasks awaiting her in the future, and many more people she will meet."
"If Ping hadn't moved past this grief, I doubt she would have accepted Yaoyao as her disciple," Ganyu said softly.
For some reason, Shenhe felt as though Ganyu's words were meant for her as well.
Cloud Retainer countered, "But that's just your subjective opinion."
"Yes, but... how else would we know? Cloud Retainer, you're clearly concerned about Ping's current state too, aren't you? Why don't we go see her together?"
Cloud Retainer wavered slightly, then turned away, saying, "What's new about the Lantern Rite? If this immortal wishes to see her, I can do so anytime."
Qin Yu chuckled. "Then let's go see her!"
"Did you not understand this immortal's meaning?"
"Even Gods aren't spared from separation, and the Adeptus are no different, are they? If that's the case, we should cherish the time we have together," Qin Yu said earnestly.
Cloud Retainer pondered. "Hmm... not entirely without merit. But are you lecturing this immortal?"
"I want to celebrate the Lantern Rite with Cloud Retainer!" Qin Yu declared.
"I want to celebrate it with Master too," Shenhe added.
"Me too," Ganyu chimed in. "It's been so long since I last celebrated the Lantern Rite with Retainer."
Cloud Retainer fell silent for a moment before turning away.
"Hmph, very well. Once in a while won't hurt. Besides, it's a good opportunity to check if those old geezers have sneaked into the city for some holiday fun."
With that, Cloud Retainer soared toward Liyue Harbor.
This tsundere Adeptus Crane is nothing like me, Qin Yu thought to herself, letting out a sigh.
"I wanted to celebrate a lively, joyful Lantern Rite, but now I've heard these old stories," Qin Yu lamented.
"The Lantern Rite... is ultimately a festival for commemorating the past and looking toward the future," Ganyu replied. "Alright, let's hurry back to Liyue Harbor. We shouldn't keep Cloud Retainer waiting."
Shenhe watched her, her lips parting as if to speak, but she hesitated. Perhaps what I felt earlier was just my imagination, she thought, nodding in agreement.
Qin Yu, however, grinned. "There's no harm in taking our time getting back."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because this way, Cloud Retainer will have more time to spend with Madame Ping, right?"
Cloud Retainer and Shenhe are complete opposites, Qin Yu mused. She's utterly hopeless at expressing her feelings.
It would be quite interesting to see them stay like this for a while.
Ganyu misunderstood, "Ah, you're right. They must have so much to say. Let's take our time getting back."
"Mm, Master needs to express her feelings too," Shenhe added.
"Exactly! That's the idea."
Looking at Qin Yu's smiling face, Ganyu wondered, Is she teasing me again?
But what Qin Yu said made sense. The Retainer really did need to spend some quality time with Ping.
Guizhong and Ping... Ganyu sighed inwardly.
Even gods and Adepti must eventually part ways, let alone humans. She knew this better than anyone and had long since adapted to and accepted this fundamental law of the universe.
Ganyu tightened her grip on Qin Yu's hand.
I understand this so clearly...
"Um, Qin Yu..."
"What is it?" Qin Yu asked, turning to Ganyu.
Ganyu hesitated, then shook her head. "Never mind."
I'll think about it later.
Meanwhile...
Cloud Retainer and Madame Ping stood facing each other, a long silence stretching between them.
Why are they taking so long? Cloud Retainer thought awkwardly.