"This fruit wine is excellent," Chen Li praised.
"Ahaha… I'm glad you're enjoying it." Baiheng gave an awkward laugh.
It was the first time Baiheng had ever witnessed such a literal and clear depiction of "drinking wine."
After becoming a Heroic Spirit, Baiheng gained an inherent skill that allowed her to create fine wine. Although a pilot who could conjure alcohol gave off a distinct sense of drunk driving, Baiheng was no stranger to reckless piloting, so it didn't matter.
The wine cup Baiheng had given to Jingliu, intended for Chen Li, had been shattered. However, the wine itself had transformed into the ice sword in Jingliu's hand, which she had then used to attack Kitsune Saiguu.
Now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, Jingliu had simply given the ice sword to Chen Li.
And Chen Li was enjoying it very much.
"Since the misunderstanding has been resolved, can you let me down now?" asked Kitsune Saiguu, swinging back and forth as she hung upside down from the ceiling.
Chen Li glanced at Jingliu, who remained silent, then casually flicked a burst of sword qi, severing the rope binding Kitsune Saiguu.
Kitsune Saiguu's entire body instantly turned ethereal, and when she reappeared, she was already standing beside Chen Li.
The rope was just an ordinary rope, and she could have easily dematerialized to escape it, but she hadn't dared.
"Master, do you have any plans next?" Chen Li asked.
"I might accompany Baiheng for a walk around the Xianzhou, revisit some old sights," Jingliu said.
"But what about your Mara-Struck state?"
"I'll endure it."
"…It doesn't have to be like that. The Curio I plan to forge for the Xianzhou to suppress the Mara-Struck is only missing its final piece, and that piece is on its way. Once the Curio takes effect on you, I have something else I need to give you," Chen Li said.
The "something" Chen Li was referring to was the memory Jingliu had asked him to store for her after she saw the Honkai: Star Rail story during the second time Pale Justice had summoned her.
"Mhm. Also, you don't need to call me Master anymore. Just call me by my name."
"Eh, why?"
"The title 'Master'… makes me sound old. At the same time, calling me Master on the Xianzhou could easily expose my identity. Besides, I haven't really taught you anything. I'm not worthy of the title."
"Huh?"
At your age, you're worried about a title making you sound old? Are you okay?
Although he really wanted to say that, Chen Li relented.
"Alright, then… how about Teacher? The learned one is the teacher, right?"
Jingliu didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Baiheng. After seeing Baiheng nod, Jingliu nodded as well.
Jingliu remembered Baiheng saying that her relationship with Chen Li was less like a master and disciple and more like friends who had gradually opened up to each other from a relationship built on mutual benefit.
The title "Master" (师傅 - Shīfu) created a sense of distance and taboo between them.
Temporarily abandoning the title would make their interactions more harmonious.
Jingliu felt that everything Baiheng said was right.
"Jingliu, Jingliu, let's go see Jing Yuan. What do you think? I feel like he's had it really tough all these years. Let's go give him a big surprise," Baiheng said, tugging on Jingliu's hand.
"…As you wish." Jingliu nodded.
Theoretically, if Jingliu appeared directly in front of Jing Yuan, it might make him connect her to many unnecessary things, which would hinder the plan she wanted to carry out.
But now, she had Baiheng by her side.
Jingliu coming to the Xianzhou to seek out the Curio Forger Chen Li to create a Curio that could resurrect Baiheng fit Jingliu's character perfectly.
As for why Jingliu hadn't mentioned her desire to subjugate the Aeon of Abundance and ask Chen Li to forge a god-slaying Curio for her, there were three reasons. First, Chen Li had already helped her too much, and she had yet to repay her original debt, so she didn't want to owe him more.
Second, Jingliu now had a solid plan of her own.
Third, Jingliu knew that for Chen Li, Yaoshi, who had bestowed upon him a divine gift of Abundance, might not necessarily be a villain.
To avoid putting Chen Li in a difficult position, Jingliu avoided the topic.
However, Jingliu wasn't a fool. She would make good use of Chen Li's Revival Card advertisements. That, in itself, was a form of support for her.
Having the Revival Card ads meant that Jingliu could fail countless times, but the Aeon of Abundance could only fail once!
This reminded Jingliu of the first lesson she had ever given Chen Li… where he had used 998 lives to wear her down and defeat her.
But thinking of that brought back the memory of the peculiar sensation of Chen Li's longsword cutting into her body, severing her meridians…
The feeling of death… how interesting.
"Teacher, why is your face so red?"
"It's nothing." Jingliu shook her head, clearing away those stray thoughts.
"Hello? What? You sense that a follower of Pure Beauty has arrived on the Xianzhou? Excellent! My good brother has finally arrived!" When Chen Li saw the message from Elysia, he was instantly overjoyed.
Chen Li had thought Argenti might arrive a day or two later and was planning to use Pale Justice to summon him tonight to confirm the secret code. He hadn't expected him to be this fast.
---o---
"This is a radiance that should not belong to the mortal realm! See how the Rosethorn Nebula curls shyly beneath Her hem, how the rainbow retreats humbly to the edge of the firmament like the ribbon of an attendant."
"O, supreme Idrila, this must be Your masterpiece, crafted by crushing the sea of stars into rouge and brandishing the galaxy as Your sleeve!"
"What mercy! That You would permit mortal eyes to hold this transcendent vista that surpasses all Paths!"
"Ah, my friend, I feel as if Pure Beauty is calling to me!"
"…" by Chen Li.
Chen Li shuffled to the side, trying to put some distance between himself and the Knight of Beauty who was lavishing praise upon the pink sun in the sky.
Elysia would probably be happy to hear such compliments. And if the Knight of Beauty, Argenti, were a beautiful young lady, Elysia would surely be even happier.
"My friend, why are you so quiet?" Argenti finally managed to tear his gaze away from the pink sun with great effort. He wanted to check if something had happened to his friend, wondering why he hadn't responded for so long.
However, when Argenti looked down, he saw Chen Li stroking the welcoming gift he had just been given—a rose wreath woven by children from an orphanage that Argenti had helped rebuild after a disaster.
Although it was simple and held no magical power, and the flowers on it were beginning to wilt from dehydration, Argenti believed that his friend possessed a vision far beyond the mundane and could surely appreciate the beauty within this rose wreath.
And just as Argenti thought, Chen Li was staring at the wreath, captivated.
"Though the wreath's shape is irregular, it possesses the beauty of innocence. I hope that you alone can appreciate this gift I have brought for you," Argenti said softly.
"This is a huge help." Looking at the brightly glowing [Innocence] Entry on the wreath, Chen Li couldn't put it down.
The final piece of the puzzle for forging the Mara-suppressing Curio was finally in place.
Chen Li knew from experience that it was often the most mundane Entries that were the hardest to come by.
"I am glad to be of help." Although Argenti didn't know what Chen Li planned to do with the wreath, he saw the sincere smile on Chen Li's face.
Excellent. As expected of a promising seedling of a Knight of Beauty that I have taught!
"I hope you have a pleasant time on the Xianzhou, Argenti. Here's a Friends Circle terminal, an Eternal Rose, and some Strale. Alright, go have fun. I have to go save the world." Chen Li tossed the three items to Argenti one by one, conveniently establishing a Friend connection as Argenti caught the Eternal Rose. Then, Chen Li clasped his hands in a farewell gesture and made a swift exit.
"Though I know not why my friend is in such a hurry, he must have urgent business. Well then, beautiful lady, are you my guide?" Argenti turned his head to look at the dumbfounded Kitsune Saiguu standing beside him.
"He didn't take me with him!" Kitsune Saiguu was stunned, seeing Chen Li teleport away without her.
"Alright, it seems not." Seeing that Kitsune Saiguu seemed troubled by her own predicament, and realizing he was unable to help, Argenti silently walked away to avoid adding to her worries. He then tilted his head back, looked at the pink sun in the sky, and continued to offer his most extravagant praise.
"Herta! Herta! Herta! Herta! Herta!" Chen Li used the Friends Circle to teleport directly to the Big Herta who had a terminal.
Chen Li had located Big Herta and found that she had, for some reason, appeared in the Herta Space Station. This was perfect, as Chen Li needed to use the space station anyway.
He was about to forge an incredibly powerful Curio, but because this Curio would inevitably have a massive impact on the world, Chen Li was worried that HooH the Equilibrium might personally intervene. Thus, he planned to borrow the Herta Space Station as his workshop.
Chen Li wasn't afraid of HooH showing up, but he was worried that if HooH appeared on the Xianzhou, Phantylia wouldn't dare to come.
"Oh, I just spent a full three hours in a trash can. Is it time to start the experiment already? I can't stand how impatient you are." Big Herta shook her head, looking as if she was helpless against him.
"Hmm?" Chen Li paused.
What kind of weird nonsense are you spouting?
Then, Chen Li watched as the Great Herta elegantly… took off her long boots, and then extended her black silk-clad jade foot towards him.
"What are you doing?" Chen Li tilted his head.
"Isn't this what we agreed on? To test the definition of 'god' in the [God of Cookery] Miracle Card, after I spent three hours in a trash can, you were supposed to bite my nail to determine if I count as a god," the Great Herta said without batting an eye.
"That did happen, but why are you sticking your foot out?"
The Great Herta said nothing, merely holding her foot up pointedly.
After a moment of silence, understanding dawned on Chen Li.
As the Great Herta watched Chen Li reach for her small, black-silk-clad leg, a triumphant smile spread across her face.
Go on, touch it. I specially coated the black silk with the Curio, Laughing Powder! This time, I'll ensure your utter defeat!
Eh, and why didn't I put it on my hands, you ask? Because my legs have black silk, which can block the Laughing Powder. If I put it on my hands, I'd end up laughing too.
The main point is the element of surprise! Chen Li would never imagine that I'd apply a Curio to myself! The experiment on the definition of a god can wait. For now, let's watch Chen Li make a fool of himself!
Chen Li's hand reached for the Great Herta's jade foot. Chen Li grasped the Great Herta's ankle. The Miracle Fire ignited in Chen Li's hand.
"Eh?"
And then, the Great Herta… went flying!
"Ah! My leg! My back! Chen Li, let go of me! And get off me! My back is going to break!"
"I don't know what crazy stunt you're pulling, but this is a perfect chance for you to experience the shoulder throw and grappling holds I just learned!" Chen Li sat on the back of the Great Herta, who was now趴 on the carpet, pulling her legs backward.
[I'm not a professional walkthrough system, but I think…]
Get lost!
[Alrighty then!]
You think I'd fall for that? I just learned grappling!