They entered Cloud Retainer's Serenitea Pot.
Cloud Retainer went off to fuss over the cooking.
Mu Yang chatted idly with little Ganyu.
Until Cloud Retainer brought the dishes to the table.
The steaming food filled the air with an enticing aroma.
Little Ganyu was already drooling.
No wonder the little one had put on weight.
Being fed like this by an adeptus every day, how could she not?
Mu Yang sampled one of Cloud Retainer's so-called new dishes.
Then praised her.
"It truly is delicious. Your skill remains as superb as ever, Cloud Retainer."
"Of course. If only those other old fogeys were as good with words as you and Fujin."
Cloud Retainer began grumbling about Mountain Shaper and the others.
The meal ended amid such cheerful laughter.
(Mountain Shaper and the others: Was it really cheerful? I don't believe it.)
Afterward.
Little Ganyu took the initiative to clear the dishes.
Only then did Cloud Retainer ask.
"How come you came alone? The other three should be all right, shouldn't they?"
Mu Yang told her not to worry.
Then explained the purpose of this journey to Cloud Retainer.
First, he wanted to test his sword and see where his skill stood.
Second, he wanted to prepare gifts for the three of them.
Cloud Retainer nodded.
"So that is how it is. I understand. Do you have any ideas?"
After thinking it over for an entire night.
Mu Yang had already decided on the gifts.
Medicine Master's gift would be relatively simple.
She was a practical person.
Mu Yang wanted to bring back some medical texts from Guili Plains for her.
Lingyuan, on the other hand, was rather afraid of loneliness.
So he wanted to ask Cloud Retainer to make a small mechanism.
Something that could keep her company when she was bored.
As for Fujin's gift.
Mu Yang had put a great deal of thought into it.
And it might require the help of Grand Narukami Shrine's authority—
In other words, A Ping's authority.
Mu Yang laid all these ideas out before Cloud Retainer.
After listening, Cloud Retainer assumed her human form—
A tall, mature beauty wearing red-rimmed glasses.
Whenever she made small mechanisms.
She used this form.
"Perfect. When I passed through the market earlier."
"I saw that Ganyu seemed quite fond of those little pinwheels."
"I was just planning to make her a toy mechanism as well."
She thought for a moment.
"As for Lingyuan, let me think..."
"It may be better to use a different design."
Mu Yang hurriedly stopped Cloud Retainer before she became absorbed in her work.
Otherwise, she would not hear anyone speaking before long.
He handed over some of the precious adeptal tea and medicinal herbs he had gathered.
As payment for making the gift.
Cloud Retainer frowned.
"You and Lingyuan are both friends of mine. Why bother with such needless formalities?"
Seeing Mu Yang insist.
She accepted them with some reluctance.
"Fine, fine. I shall accept them this time, considering that you are doing this for Lingyuan."
"But there must not be a next time."
Mu Yang smiled faintly. "Understood."
"Then I'll brew some tea for you, Cloud Retainer."
Cloud Retainer had already become immersed in designing the mechanism.
Not long afterward.
She suddenly caught a rich fragrance of tea.
Merely smelling it made her mind feel calm and clear.
"Hm?"
Cloud Retainer looked up from her work.
"Mu Yang seemed to say he was going to brew tea earlier. Could it be...?"
Cloud Retainer rose and followed the scent of tea.
Mu Yang was currently teaching the curious little Ganyu how to brew tea.
When he saw Cloud Retainer approach.
"I was just about to call for you, Cloud Retainer."
He then placed a cup of tea at the seat opposite him.
Cloud Retainer sat down and first inhaled the tea's fragrance.
Then she asked Mu Yang.
"How can it possess such an aroma?"
Mu Yang said that this tea tree had been pampered since childhood.
After growing for so long, it could only be harvested once.
This was also his first time drinking it.
"Cloud Retainer, hurry and taste it."
Cloud Retainer savored the tea carefully.
As the tea fragrance entered her mouth, it spread in every direction.
It actually had the effect of calming the heart and focusing the mind.
After a whole pot of tea had been finished.
She seemed to have gained a new understanding of mechanism-craft as well.
"This is excellent. I already have an idea for Lingyuan's gift."
"Go to Guili Plains first. Come collect it when you return."
Mu Yang bid farewell to little Ganyu and Cloud Retainer.
Then left Cloud Retainer's Serenitea Pot.
He truly had not expected.
That the tea leaves possessed such an effect.
After drinking it.
He, too, felt that he had gained new insight into the Sword Dao.
"This is good stuff. Morax and A Ping should like it as well."
After leaving Mount Aocang, Mu Yang arrived at Guili Plains.
This place was flourishing tremendously.
Its scale was even greater than Chenyu Vale's.
After all, two gods of demon-god rank were guiding the people forward.
Mu Yang first strolled around the market.
It broadened his horizons somewhat.
If he brought these sights and experiences back to tell Fujin about.
Perhaps they might help with Chenyu Vale's development...
Mu Yang suddenly laughed at himself.
"You seem to be getting a little too immersed in this, Mu Yang."
"This is a simulation. The world's overall course has already been decided..."
Mu Yang suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder several times.
He turned around, but saw no one.
The one most likely to pull this sort of prank was Guizhong.
The girl appeared before Mu Yang, waving her wide sleeves.
"Tch, no fun at all."
Mu Yang told her.
"Fujin got tired of that trick ages ago."
"Why did you come alone? Where are Fujin and the others?"
Guizhong sensed the surroundings.
And discovered that Mu Yang was alone.
"Didn't you say you would come to Guili Plains when we were at Mount Aocang last time?"
Mentioning that made Mu Yang feel somewhat troubled.
Fujin had paid an enormous price.
In order to preside over the Dragon Casting Ceremony.
The time she could spend moving about on land.
Was simply not enough to support a trip to Guili Plains.
However, after Mu Yang's long and hard contemplation.
He had already thought of a solution.
It was connected to the gift he intended to give her.
Mu Yang did not explain it here.
Instead, he asked where Morax and A Ping were.
Mu Yang followed Guizhong to the place where they often gathered.
Morax was discussing musical theory with A Ping.
When Mu Yang arrived.
Both of them were delighted.
After exchanging brief greetings.
Mu Yang explained why he had come.
The first reason was to spar.
Morax knew of Mu Yang's obsession with the Sword Dao.
So he did not refuse.
He directly took up a sword and practiced with Mu Yang.
Facing such a powerful opponent.
Mu Yang gave it everything he had.
After the fierce battle.
Even Morax had to admit.
That if they spoke only of swordsmanship.
No one could surpass him.
Mu Yang thanked him for the practice.
He needed to return and properly digest what he had gained this time.
The two returned to where they had been drinking tea.
Mu Yang took out his precious adeptal tea and medicinal herbs.
And brewed a pot of fine tea for the three people present.
Morax nodded in praise.
"This is truly remarkable."
A Ping took a light sip.
"Strange. We were just discussing musical theory, and I suddenly gained some insight."
"Could it be this tea..."
"Is it really that miraculous?"
Guizhong sampled it as well.
At the table, everyone sang the praises of the new tea.
Morax suddenly asked,
"You didn't come all this way just to spar and deliver tea leaves, did you?"
Mu Yang revealed his other purpose.
He wanted to learn more about medicine.
Hearing that it was a gift for the Medicine Master,
Morax did not hesitate.
He sealed his recent thoughts within a small stone.
As long as the Medicine Master used Mortal Power, he could read them.
Morax had also held many discussions with the Medicine Master before.
Both sides had benefited from those exchanges.
Mu Yang then turned to A Ping.
"Regarding Fujin, I hope you can use your authority to help."
Before you continue