Jueyun Karst, the summit of Mt. Aocang.
The time had already reached evening. The setting sun cast its final rays across the mountains, bathing everything in a golden glow.
At this moment, Ningguang and the other little ones were under Cloud Retainer's guidance, busily conducting some sort of experiment in the open space atop the mountain.
When Jiang Yan and Ganyu stepped out of the portal—
They saw Ningguang, Shenhe, and Beidou crouched in front of a massive machine, their little backsides sticking up as they tinkered away.
Cloud Retainer herself, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"Ningguang, what are you all doing?"
Jiang Yan walked over with Ganyu and asked curiously.
"Eh? Master!"
Little Ningguang turned around and shouted in surprise.
Beidou and Shenhe also looked back, their faces lighting up with joy.
Looking at the three little ones, now resembling muddy monkeys, Jiang Yan found it hard to imagine what exactly they had gone through here with Cloud Retainer.
"Mhm, how was today's training?"
Jiang Yan smiled.
"Judging by how you look, it seems you gained a lot."
As he spoke, he waved his hand gently.
A soft breeze swept past.
All the dirt and dust covering the three children instantly disappeared.
"Thank you, Master~"
The three little ones said sweetly.
"Master, Master! Today Senior Aunt not only taught us about mechanisms, she also took us down the mountain to fight a bunch of monsters wearing masks!"
Beidou excitedly explained.
Monsters wearing masks?
Jiang Yan froze for a moment before realizing.
Hilichurls...
He had never actually taken Ningguang and the others out to fight Hilichurls before.
Because he felt they were still too young to face monsters.
He worried that the frightening appearance of magical creatures might leave psychological scars on them.
But judging by their excited expressions, he realized he had overthought things.
And indeed, he had.
Before becoming his disciples, these three children had already encountered monsters.
Ningguang frequently wandered around Mt. Tianheng.
Beidou had grown up drifting everywhere.
And Shenhe came from a clan of exorcists.
Which one of them hadn't seen monsters before?
Although the Millelith regularly cleared monsters to ensure the safety of Liyue's people—
These creatures would always return after some time.
Still, they served as excellent live training targets for the Millelith.
Ensuring the soldiers remained battle-tested.
"Ningguang, have you and Beidou and Shenhe finished the task Senior Aunt assigned—"
At that moment, Cloud Retainer descended from the sky.
She immediately noticed Jiang Yan and Ganyu.
"Oh? When did you two arrive?"
she asked curiously.
"Just now."
Jiang Yan chuckled.
"Master, what exactly are you having them do?"
Ganyu frowned slightly, clearly remembering how muddy the children had looked moments earlier.
"Oh, I simply asked them to use today's lessons to inspect this mechanism and identify its problem. Why?"
Cloud Retainer didn't seem to understand the issue.
"Well, just now they…"
Ganyu explained what had happened.
"Oh... I see..."
Cloud Retainer thought for a moment before remembering.
"Earlier today I took them down the mountain for combat practice. While fighting, the three little ones accidentally rolled into a muddy slope."
"I didn't have spare clothes for them here, so I simply let them remain like that for now."
She explained calmly.
"As long as they're fine."
Jiang Yan didn't care much about the dirt.
Instead, he looked concerned.
"Cloud Retainer, isn't it a little too early for them to start fighting monsters?"
"Hmph. Mere monsters."
Cloud Retainer snorted.
"As disciples of an adeptus, they should face such things as early as possible."
She looked at Jiang Yan seriously.
"Jiang Yan, that way of thinking is dangerous."
"You are overprotecting them."
"What happens when you are no longer by their side and they encounter danger?"
"Will they panic? Run helplessly?"
"Or possess the strength to kill monsters, yet die because they lack the courage to act?"
Her words struck Jiang Yan like a hammer.
She was absolutely right.
He had always been completely confident in his own strength.
What he focused on was giving these three children a happy life.
Teaching them knowledge.
Helping them grow up peacefully before inheriting his legacy.
But he had forgotten something.
Ningguang and the others were his disciples.
As disciples of the Wood Spirit Immortal Lord and the Tianquan of Liyue—
They carried great status.
Which meant many eyes would always be watching them.
They had to strive to do their best.
If the disciples of the great Wood Spirit Immortal Lord trembled before a Hilichurl—
What kind of image would that present?
"Thank you for the reminder, Cloud Retainer."
Jiang Yan cupped his hands respectfully.
"I truly overlooked this."
"Well said."
"No wonder you managed to raise such an outstanding disciple like Ganyu."
"What are you saying…"
Ganyu's cheeks reddened slightly as she lightly slapped him.
"Hmph. Naturally!"
Cloud Retainer raised her head proudly.
If she had a tail right now, it would probably be wagging furiously.
Clearly, Jiang Yan's praise had landed perfectly.
"Enough standing around."
Cloud Retainer said.
"Come into the abode. I'll prepare a few of my signature dishes for you today."
Since Jiang Yan and Ganyu had already planned to eat here, they didn't refuse.
Holding the hands of the three little ones, they followed Cloud Retainer into the adeptal abode.
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