After getting the answer,
everything that had been unclear to Ningguang finally made sense.
But that didn't make her feel any better—her headache only grew worse.
The conclusions she'd drawn before were overturned.
Although she had managed to reconstruct a new framework,
the new "blueprint" was still incomplete.
Once she filled in Liyue's current situation, even more problems appeared.
All of it needed to be reorganized, piece by piece.
She wouldn't have to start from zero, but the workload was enormous.
Looked like she'd be staying up late again for the next few nights.
"…"
Thinking that, Ningguang turned to glance at Keqing—
already fast asleep in her chair—and rolled her eyes.
Her long-held impression of Keqing was completely shattered.
She felt both exasperated and impressed.
While the rest of them had been circling around outdated intel,
Keqing had long since mapped out her next moves.
No wonder she'd been one step ahead in every recent decision.
Ningguang didn't blame her for keeping secrets.
If Keqing had that information, that was her capability.
If the others didn't, it meant they weren't capable enough or weren't prepared.
Clearly, even Morax had concealed his identity from them.
For Keqing to drop even a hint was already a great favor.
So… was Mr. Taro really that extraordinary?
In just a few days, he'd helped Keqing grow this much.
Had the Geo Archon created this opportunity for her?
No—this was something Keqing had earned herself.
They'd all received the same intelligence;
they had simply responded differently.
All because those damned Fatui had drained her time and energy.
The more Ningguang thought about it, the more annoyed she became.
She needed to find an outlet to vent all this frustration.
Inazuma.
Beneath the Grand Narukami Shrine, in Yae Miko's Inner Hall,
Raiden Ei sat still—but her aura was unstable.
"Ei, are you sure about this~~?"
"Don't push yourself. If this path doesn't work, I'll go to Liyue myself and pay whatever price it takes to find help."
Yae Miko's voice was lined with worry as she watched Ei's internal struggle.
Ei's body trembled slightly.
Her inner and outer selves were in conflict,
fighting over control of the same vessel.
The result was extreme instability.
Miko could do nothing.
Neither could Ei.
When she'd forged the puppet Shogun, she had cut off all hesitation in pursuit of Eternity.
She had never considered what would happen if she changed her mind.
Now that hesitation had returned—
and the puppet saw it as corruption.
Ei wanted to revive her sister, Makoto.
But the puppet Shogun, bound to enforce unchanging Eternity,
considered such desire heresy.
They could no longer communicate.
To save her sister, Ei had to seize back control—
even if it meant using divine power to suppress her own creation.
Eternity could wait.
Her sister came first.
If she still had her full divine body, the conflict would be over in a flash.
But now that her essence resided within the sword Musou Isshin,
even a moment's hesitation meant danger.
Had the puppet blocked her revival ritual one second longer,
Ei might have drawn her blade to destroy it outright.
"No problem."
"I know what I'm doing."
She shook her head slightly, pressing down the raging will within.
Drawing her sword, Ei looked toward the chamber that held her sister's essence.
She wasn't sure whether placing Makoto's consciousness here might cause interference—
but even the smallest risk was unacceptable.
She would move it herself.
"Cut."
The instant she invoked her authority—
Meanwhile, back in Liyue, half an hour remained before the Qixing council.
Ningguang sighed, slumping back into her chair.
"Forget it. I'll rest my mind a bit."
Her thoughts faded into silence.
Within Ei's inner realm—
The puppet Shogun stood, polearm in hand, face blank.
"You have wavered from Eternity."
"Enough talk. Fight me."
Ei's expression hardened. She lifted Musou Isshin.
For a warrior, words meant nothing compared to battle.
No need to argue—defeat would settle everything.
And since the puppet blocked her from saving her sister,
she would cut it down, god or not.
Slash—
The Shogun advanced, equally fearless.
To her, anything that disrupted Eternity was an enemy—
even her own creator.
Two powers, equal in strength, authority, and skill,
clashed in blinding light.
Even their faces were identical.
Boom!
The inner realm quaked violently.
Outside, Yae Miko was hurled from the collapsing space,
crashing into the sea.
She shot back up instantly, drenched but alert.
She turned toward the mountain,
only to see the rift sealing itself shut.
She couldn't go back.
Her face tightened. She bit her lip and manifested her true form,
the pink-furred White Kitsune King, and turned toward Liyue.
Whatever was happening between Ei and the puppet
wouldn't resolve quickly.
Worrying here was useless.
At least Inazuma was stable for now.
The shrine's yokai were under control,
and Kujou Sara could maintain order.
"Honestly… I told you to leave yourself a backup plan."
"Now look what's happened!"
"So stubborn—it's maddening."
"Don't you dare die on me, Ei!"
"Wait for me!"
A streak of pink light shot across the sea,
racing toward Liyue with all her speed.
But flight wasn't her strength.
Her talents lay in spells, not raw speed.
In Inazuma, the tengu were unmatched in that regard.
"Faster, faster—ah, still too slow!"
Inside the collapsing realm—
"Raiden Shogun!"
"Stop right there!"
Yae Miko's spiritual form forced its way in for a split second, eyes blazing.
The Kagura Bell materialized in her hands, blocking the descending blade.
Before it even touched the bell,
Ei's right hand faltered—
control already seized by the puppet.
"…!"
Ei's brows knit tightly.
Her left hand turned into a claw,
and without hesitation—she tore her own right arm apart.
"If I can't take it back, then you can't use it either."
Grabbing the falling Musou Isshin with her remaining hand,
she slashed down hard.
Space ripped open.
Then she kicked Yae Miko through the rift.
"Go to Liyue! Find Morax!"
"He knows where the one I seek resides!"
(End of Chapter)
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