"Oh~"
Lora nodded, though the tone of her voice made Ganyu feel slightly awkward.
Her face flushed a little as she lowered her head slightly and said, "I'm serious, Lady Purifying Water!"
"Mhm! I understand."
Seeing Ganyu's slightly bashful expression, Lora dropped her teasing manner and nodded earnestly.
"I won't believe her words, especially about Ganyu's childhood."
Hearing this, Ganyu's face flushed even redder.
Having finished teasing Ganyu, Lora felt quite pleased. Watching Ganyu hastily retreat, she couldn't help but chuckle. Rhodeia glanced at Ganyu, then at Lora, and asked, "My lady, she wants to devour you, yet you're still so kind to her?"
"Ahem…"
Lora choked on her words, staring at Rhodeia in surprise. "You really don't hold back, do you! She's a descendant of the sacred qilin beast. She drinks only Amrita and eats only the finest grains. Pure water holds an even greater allure for her than Qingxin."
"That's precisely why we should keep our distance from her," Rhodeia said earnestly.
Lora shook her head with a smile.
"Rhodeia, I don't need to keep my distance from anyone, you know?"
Rhodeia paused, then understood. She bowed her head slightly.
"Yes."
Great Hydro Archon, Mistress of Amrita!
"Let's go. We'll meet that woman at Mt. Aozang," Lora told Rhodeia before striding ahead.
"My lady! There's something else I need to tell you!" Rhodeia called after her.
"Hm?" Lora paused and turned back to look at her. "What is it?"
Rhodeia hurried forward until she stood before Lora. "What about the reward you promised me?"
Seeing Rhodeia's slightly excited expression, Lora recalled, "Oh, that."
Under Rhodeia's gaze, Lora raised her hand, drawing the flowing water from the distant pond.
She enveloped it with her own pure divine power, purifying the ordinary water into pure water, then condensed it into a pendant shaped like a water droplet.
"It's for you." Lora's face looked slightly pale as she held the droplet pendant before Rhodeia. "I formed this pendant from pure water. For Oceanids, it's a precious treasure. With it, an Oceanid can survive in any water environment."
"My lady, you…" Rhodeia hesitated, not reaching for the gift—a treasure beyond measure for Oceanids. She frowned, noticing Lora's pallid complexion.
Lora caught her gaze and smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry. It just cost me a bit more energy."
After all, it was the essence of pure water. Five hundred years ago, after her death, she had transformed into this very essence.
It could be considered the very source of her power as the Hydro Archon, and precisely because of this, it held even greater value.
If it weren't for the immense energy cost, Lora would have wanted to give one to every Oceanid leaving Fontaine, urging them all to return and purify the water there.
But the waters of Fontaine had changed drastically. Without protection, those Oceanids would die before they could purify anything if they entered Fontaine directly.
Rhodeia accepted the pendant Lora offered with a heart full of excitement and reverence.
She kissed it devoutly and murmured, "Great Lady Egeria, thank you for your grace."
Her voice was soft, barely audible to anyone but Lora and herself.
Lora watched Rhodeia complete the ritual before continuing, "Shall we depart now?"
"Yes!" Rhodeia nodded.
After leaving Liyue Harbor, Lora didn't walk as she had when heading to Qingce Village. Instead, she lifted Rhodeia into the air and flew directly toward Mt. Aozang.
Rhodeia gazed excitedly at the surroundings, prompting Lora to ask, "But you can fly, right? Why are you so thrilled?"
Rhodeia shook her head and replied, "I can fly, but I've never soared this high before. Oceanids ultimately cannot leave hydro behind. We lack the power you possess."
"Then enjoy the scenery along the way," Lora said with a smile.
Rhodeia nodded, gazing excitedly at the Liyue landscape below.
Upon reaching Mt. Aozang, a flash of snow-white light appeared before Lora. Shenhe, her face as frosty as ever, materialized before her.
"It's you?" Shenhe looked at Lora with surprise.
"Oh, Shenhe, what brings you here?" Lora returned the surprised look.
Shenhe replied oddly, "Because this is where my master and I reside…"
"My apologies, I didn't recall…" Lora scratched her head awkwardly.
Shenhe observed her and continued, "So, the Adeptus Master mentioned—it was you!"
"Has Cloud Retainer already sensed my arrival?"
Lora asked.
Shenhe nodded. "Yes. Master sensed your approach and sent me to greet you. Come with me."
Lora led Rhodeia as they followed Shenhe up Mt. Aozang. Along the way, Shenhe spoke again.
"After returning from Tianqiu Valley, I asked Master about you. He knew nothing of your existence, yet now you're friends—it's quite strange. So, could you tell me who exactly you are?"
Lora nodded. "My Adeptus name is Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment. My mortal name is Lora Chaya."
Of course, there was also a divine name, Egeria, but that needn't be mentioned here.
"So you are Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment. My apologies for the oversight," Shenhe clasped her hands and greeted her respectfully.
Ah, Shenhe was good in every way—she simply hadn't had much contact with others and was a bit too shy.
As they spoke, Shenhe had already led them to the summit of Mt. Aozang.
From there, they could see Cloud Retainer's cave abode. However, she was not inside. Instead, she was waiting at the stone table once used for gatherings with Zhongli and Ghizhong.
She no longer appeared as a bird. Instead, she had transformed into a coldly elegant woman wearing frameless spectacles, black silk stockings, and a brocade cloak.
When she saw Lora, she beckoned her over.
"This is where I once gathered with Rex Lapis and Ghizhong. Alas, Rex Lapis is absent now, and Ghizhong has long departed. After much thought, this place seemed the most fitting to host you," Cloud Retainer said with a smile.
In her view, only a stone table and chairs once occupied by two gods were worthy of Lora's status.
In the days since returning, she had given it careful thought.
Lora's various displays left no doubt that she was a god well acquainted with Rex Lapis—perhaps even an Archon from another nation. Hosting her with such ceremony was entirely appropriate.