Mu Yang leaned back in his chair.
Joining version events in a way that felt natural required careful thought.
Not every event suited his identity.
Version 3.5's main event was the Windblume Festival, which Mu Yang could attend.
He was considered a hero in Mondstadt,
with close ties to the Mondstadt wine industry, having even invited Jean to his tavern's opening.
So, with the invitation in hand, he could head over to have some fun.
But, being familiar with the plot, Mu Yang knew this event wasn't just about Windblume.
There was also the drama of "I was here first"… (just kidding).
In the end, Lumine would find the Witches' Tea Party in midair and speak with Klee's mother.
Mu Yang couldn't predict what Alice might say,
so he didn't plan to enter the city with Lumine, only meeting her by chance.
Showing his face briefly would suffice.
When solving puzzles, he could step in to offer guidance, which would fit his character.
That was the plan for version 3.5's Windblume Festival.
Version 3.6 was Sumeru's Akademiya event.
This one, Mu Yang really couldn't join.
He had many identities—mercenary, Adeptus, merchant, even Swordsman Slayer…
Unfortunately, none of them meshed with academia.
As for his novelist persona, Lingyuan Xianyu, which was somewhat relevant,
he was saving that for Fontaine.
So, during version 3.6's downtime, Mu Yang decided to visit Fontaine.
Plans had to be made step by step. Moving too fast could lead to trouble.
Like with Sumeru's main storyline, unexpected events had wasted his efforts.
Lumine's situation was more complicated.
He didn't even know where she was, so sending a letter was out of the question.
He'd have to explain things to her in Mondstadt.
With most matters sorted,
Mu Yang opened the system panel.
Finally, he had some free time to check his popularity points.
To his surprise, despite being absent for multiple versions,
his popularity remained sky-high.
This was inseparable from his groundwork in the Chasm.
First, he used the House of Fear to introduce Clarisse's image,
subtly hinting at their relationships.
Then came the dramatic flair—reviving via fragments, debuting a new look, and more—all a combo punch.
Even with Mu Yang absent for several versions,
Silver Wolf and the "Mu Yang scholars" had plenty to work with.
Guinaifen, however, was bored.
She waited and waited for Mu Yang to drop by and gift her spoilers,
but version after version passed with nothing…
Version 3.4's Lantern Rite caused the biggest stir.
Everyone thought they'd at least see him before the festival, but he was completely absent.
The officials, as always, played dumb.
Guinaifen could only console herself,
thinking Mu Yang was recuperating, and Sumeru's plot didn't suit his appearance.
As for Lantern Rite, well, three years in, he still couldn't join.
Maybe he'd only get a chance once Chenyu Vale opened…
Though this was all part of Mu Yang's scheme,
he was still surprised by the sheer volume of popularity points.
He quickly asked the system what was going on.
The system pulled up a video made by Silver Wolf.
It was a deep dive into Mu Yang's backstory,
a collaborative effort by several familiar faces.
Besides Silver Wolf, who wrote the script, there was Takanotsume, a master artist, Kama for editing, Sparkle for voice acting…
and Guinaifen for promotion, since she had the most followers.
Little Gui's energy was fierce—she started the video by biting a lighter…
Mu Yang watched the video, which had racked up over a billion views online.
The more he watched, the deeper his frown.
"Did I reveal too much?"
This video practically stripped his backstory bare.
It was terrifying.
When players finally reached Chenyu Vale, how much suspense would be left?
But, oh well.
It was just a matter of collecting popularity points sooner or later.
They'd helped him through such a long absence.
He really owed them thanks.
So, Mu Yang bought another round of promotion for the video…
Win-win, that's a win-win!
Silver Wolf's analysis, though missing some details, was scarily close.
Her script's main points were as follows:
Originally, Chenyu Vale had five guardians.
During the Archon War, Chenyu Vale wasn't part of modern Liyue,
operating independently.
As for Chenyu Vale's God, it was clearly the noblewoman seen in the cabin.
That raven, which even Raiden's strike couldn't destroy,
single-handedly defeated Chenyu Vale's three Adepti and challenged Mu Yang. This all pointed to her God status.
During the Archon War, the five were likely still friends.
The opening scene in the cabin, with everyone drinking tea under a tree, felt genuinely harmonious.
But something happened later, causing the god to turn against Mu Yang and the others.
Silver Wolf's theory was:
The god didn't want to join the war, but the rules left no choice.
Like Inazuma's Orobashi, she had to face Morax head-on.
They were on different sides, after all.
You couldn't expect her to give up her power and seal herself like Guoba.
But everyone knows how ferocious Morax was back then.
Other gods weren't even in his league.
So, Chenyu Vale's god might have resorted to a ruthless tactic,
which sparked opposition from Mu Yang and the others,
leading to the internal conflict.
This tactic likely involved water.
From Fujin's exit, it seemed she didn't die in battle
but exhausted her power controlling a vortex, leading to her fall.
As for the others, the line "You're late again" suggests
Mu Yang, their strongest fighter, was held back,
resulting in Changsheng being severed by a single strike.
Thankfully, a contract with Baizhu's lineage preserved her life,
though her power and memories were mostly lost.
Mu Yang and the blue-haired lady joined forces, using a sealing technique
to trap the god in the Sword Pool.
As for how Mu Yang sealed her, it likely involved the Nail's power.
Since it was a seal, not destruction, every Lantern Rite, when demons and evils stir,
Mu Yang must return to guard the Sword Pool—a vow to protect Chenyu Vale.
Thus, unless Chenyu Vale opens and the seal is resolved,
Mu Yang can't participate in Lantern Rite…
[OneWillowTree]: Thinking about him guarding the Sword Pool alone during the lively Lantern Rite for 500 years makes my nose sting…
[WaterOverflowing]: The video's logical and convincing, but why not undo the seal and let the almighty Rex Lapis handle it?
[LucyToTheMoon]: You fool! It's obviously not something that can be solved. Haven't you finished Sumeru's story? Can just anyone handle the Abyss and forbidden knowledge?
[HeadingToNumbani]: The guy above nailed it. Mu Yang's old look had an Abyss vibe, though I can't confirm.
[HeardMyStory?]: To fight the Abyss, it's gotta be us Travelers. Mu Yang, wait for me!
[SecondaryBladeSmith]: Mu Yang, I'm coming! Once I reach the Sword Pool, I'll clear the Abyss for you and make things lively!
…
Mu Yang finished watching the video and skimmed the comments.
He couldn't help but admire everyone's analytical skills and imagination.
From just these fragments, they'd pieced together most of his backstory.
But these analyses alone wouldn't spark massive resonance.
Mu Yang needed to keep being kind to Lumine
and continue building his image.
When they explored Chenyu Vale and found traces of Mu Yang's life,
that's when things would get exciting!
For now…
"System! Add points!"