"The Vision Hunt Decree is meaningless. Visions themselves are nothing. What you should truly resist—
is the Sakoku Decree!"
Kazuha's words struck the ground like thunder.
"Liyue has already begun the full-scale promotion of martial cultivation. Mondstadt is following closely behind, arming its armies with martial techniques.
As of now, Liyue has tens of thousands of Postnatal-stage martial practitioners, thousands of Innate-stage martial practitioners, and more than a dozen Martial Grandmasters.
Add to this the fact that Liyue has the largest number of cultivators in all of Teyvat—this is why they welcome the spiritual revival with open arms, even encouraging it."
"A Martial Grandmaster can already defeat top-level archons. To become Postnatal is to step firmly onto the transcendent path.
If one reaches Great Grandmaster, or even the level of a 'Mortal Immortal Martialist,' their strength is comparable to the followers of gods themselves.
Ordinary vicious beasts cannot threaten Liyue. And should something stronger appear, they have their cultivators to call upon.
From the earliest stages of Refining Essence into Qi, up to the late stages of Spirit Transformation, with Zhongli himself at the head—Liyue's cultivation foundation is unmatched.
The spiritual revival does not weaken them. On the contrary, it strengthens them."
"Yes, the revival is dangerous. But it also brings opportunity.
Beasts devour men—but men may also devour beasts.
The flesh and blood of these creatures are brimming with vital energy, the perfect medicine for martial practitioners."
"It is precisely because Liyue has hunters scouring Mount Shu's world for beasts, and armies of martialists sweeping through the resources of Jueyun Karst, that their martial path has spread so swiftly."
"Mondstadt, as always, maintains good ties with Liyue. Barbatos and Zhongli are old friends who advance and retreat together.
Now that they too have obtained martial techniques, Mondstadt sends men into Jueyun Karst to hunt beasts.
Their number of cultivators is second only to Liyue."
Kazuha paused. His gaze swept over Kokomi and the others, who looked dazed by this revelation. Then he continued:
"Beyond Liyue and Mondstadt—one week ago, Mount Shu held its Great Sect-Opening Ceremony, prepared for a full month.
Of the 1.3 million applicants, only one thousand were accepted.
But among these thousand, disciples came from every nation of Teyvat—except Inazuma. Even war-torn Natlan managed to send disciples to Mount Shu."
"Every other nation now has cultivators. Only Inazuma remains stagnant.
Even the Fatui Harbinger, Tartaglia, is now an inner-sect disciple of Mount Shu, hunting beasts to prepare Snezhnaya for martial cultivation.
Now that Mount Shu has lifted its travel restrictions, all disciples are allowed to return home.
Soon, martial cultivation will spread across all Teyvat.
Every nation will embrace the revival.
To them, beasts are resources.
But to Inazuma… beasts are calamity."
"That is why I came back to tell you this truth.
The Vision Hunt Decree is not the enemy. Compared to martial cultivation, Visions are nothing.
The true threat—the one decree that must be abolished—is the Sakoku Decree!"
Kokomi's face drained of all color. Her lips trembled, her mind in chaos.
This was like knives falling from the sky.
While Inazuma tore itself apart in civil war, they missed Mount Shu's great opening.
They missed the wave of martial cultivation.
And now, they would still have to face the flood of vicious beasts?
What sort of fate was this?
Did the heavens truly leave no road for Inazuma?
But to blame Mount Shu for sparking the revival…
None of them dared utter such a thing.
According to Kazuha, Mount Shu's sect master Jiang Yan could crush Teyvat into a ball with his bare hand.
If Inazuma spoke ill of Mount Shu, they needn't even lift a finger—Liyue or Mondstadt would be eager to erase them on Mount Shu's behalf.
After all, for those nations, the spiritual revival was an opportunity, a blessing. Refusing it was unthinkable.
A calamity not of their making…
Kokomi closed her eyes in despair.
Then suddenly, she looked to Kazuha, as if clinging to a last hope.
But he only shook his head.
"Do not pin your hopes on me.
I am but a disciple of Mount Shu now—and a crewmember of the Alcor.
It was Captain Beidou who took me to Mount Shu. This debt, I must repay.
What I can do for Inazuma… is already done."
"Mount Shu's rules are strict. Disciples may aid their homelands—but we are forbidden from intervening in political struggles.
Cultivators must not meddle in the workings of the mortal world.
Right now, Inazuma is split between the Resistance and the Shogunate. If I openly aided the Resistance, the Hall of Discipline would punish me."
"I already carry one punishment upon my back, yet to be served. To take on another…"
Kazuha shook his head and left the thought unsaid.
Kokomi bit her lip, whispering:
"…Kazuha, you had no choice. This punishment…"
"There is nothing to explain."
Kazuha raised a hand to stop her, his tone calm.
"I used the power of cultivation to slaughter hundreds. Cause or no cause, the penalty cannot be light.
This is Mount Shu's first such case. A warning must be set—kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.
The Sect Master despises cultivators who use their strength to interfere in worldly affairs.
But worry not. At worst, I'll be confined for a time."
"What you must focus on—
is how to quell Inazuma's conflict and catch up to Teyvat's tide.
If Inazuma can regain stability, I may yet be able to provide you with some martial manuals."
His suggestion was pragmatic. But the path to stability was easier said than done.
Besides, they had already missed Mount Shu's great opening.
Not one Inazuman had entered its gates.
Kazuha alone had—but he could hardly be called one of them anymore.
After all, Inazuma had cast him out with its own hands.
He could see the worry on their faces.
After a moment's silence, he said softly:
"There is someone else you may turn to.
Someone who could change everything."
At once, Kokomi and the others lit up, clinging to his words as if to a lifeline.
"Lady Yae…"
"Yae… Lady Yae Miko? Guuji Yae of the Grand Narukami Shrine?"
Ayaka's eyes widened in astonishment.
Kazuha nodded.
"Lady Yae traveled with me and Captain Beidou to Liyue.
But unlike us, she had already entered Mount Shu long ago.
Because she had connections within the sect.
On Tongtian Peak, Senior Sister Ganyu—at the pinnacle of Refining Essence into Qi—treats Lady Yae as her own sister.
It was Senior Sister Ganyu herself who brought Lady Yae into the sect."
"Lady Yae possesses a unique constitution. She has already reached the late stage of Refining Essence into Qi, and is one of the disciples most favored by the Sect Master himself.
She is well connected. Klee, the Sect Master's personal disciple, calls her elder sister.
The two divine-bodied cultivators, Lumine and Paimon, also regard her as a sister.
Even Elder Alice, late stage of Spirit Transformation, is close with her."
"Lady Yae is not only powerful, but deeply enmeshed in Mount Shu's inner circles.
And she was once a follower of the Raiden Shogun.
If you can reach her, it will be easy for her to resolve Inazuma's crisis—at least from her personal standpoint."
"However, she rarely leaves Tongtian Peak. Even we seldom see her.
Her attitude toward Inazuma's civil war is unclear.
You must contact her yourselves."
Kazuha did not elaborate further.
This was Inazuma's internal matter. He could not intervene.
But Yae Miko could.
As the Shogun's attendant, helping Ei stabilize Inazuma would not count as a violation.
And even if it skirted Mount Shu's rules, the Hall of Discipline would likely turn a blind eye.
After all, Ganyu was Yae's sister in all but blood, and Ganyu's bond with Sect Master Jiang Yan was no secret.
Lady Yae herself was one of the few who could walk freely into the Sect Master's presence at any time.
Mount Shu's rules were strict, yes—but they were not heartless.
And at the end of the day, the Sect Master's word was law.
Kokomi was shrewd. She understood all the implications without them needing to be spelled out.
It was clear—Yae Miko was their only hope.
But how to reach her?
That would fall to Kazuha.
They could not leave Inazuma easily, not now. Mount Shu's gates had already closed.
Even if they managed to send word, cultivators cared little for mortal strife.
Still, the possibility gave them a glimmer of hope.
But then Kazuha's next words struck urgency into their hearts:
"You must act quickly. In one month, the Sect Master will open the Nine Nether Secret Realm Exploration Assembly. Every disciple will take part.
It is another world entirely, filled with peril. Even Zhongli and Barbatos once returned gravely injured from it.
Three months from now comes the Grand Tournament of the Seven Peaks.
In a few days, the whole sect will be consumed with preparations.
By then, Lady Yae will have no time for Inazuma's troubles.
You must hurry."
Kokomi and the others exchanged looks, then nodded firmly.
"I will write a letter at once. Kazuha, I must trouble you to deliver it to Lady Yae."
Kazuha gave a wry smile, but in the end, he nodded softly.
"No problem."
Though he dreaded it somewhat, this much he could do for Inazuma.
But he could already imagine the teasing smile, the playful eyes, the words that ensnared all who heard them.
Lady Yae delighted in such things. No wonder Elder Alice often called her the reincarnation of Daji.
At least now, there was a path forward.
The rest—they would leave to fate.
Surely Lady Yae would care for Inazuma, no matter what.
Besides, Kazuha had already incurred punishment from the Hall of Discipline.
They could not ask more of him.
Even if he spoke lightly of it, Kokomi could not forget the terrifying might of Xiao moments before.
Such punishments were not borne lightly.
She sighed inwardly.
Beside her, Ayaka too lamented the lost opportunity.
They had missed Mount Shu's great opening. Even if they traveled to Liyue now, what could they gain?
The Sakoku Decree…
It had crippled Inazuma.
Compared to the Vision Hunt Decree, it was the Sakoku Decree that cut far deeper.
For the future, Inazuma would need cultivators. Many of them—like Liyue.
But now, only Lady Yae remained.
And Kazuha… no longer truly belonged to them.
How could they blame him?
It was Inazuma who had cast him away.
Liyue, on the other hand, had offered him respect and aid.
That debt, he was right to repay.
"…Kazuha, could you tell us more about Mount Shu?"
Kokomi's voice was quiet now, her thoughts set aside.
Kazuha nodded without hesitation.
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