After Qiu Bai and the other two had eaten and drunk their fill, they returned to Liyue Harbor using his magic.
"My tummy's so full. That was delicious."
"Especially the Almond Tofu! It was so silky and tender. No wonder the Adepti like it."
Paimon rubbed her little belly and spoke happily.
"Qiu Bai, thank you."
Beside him, Lumine also rubbed her belly, smiling and nodding as she thanked him.
"No need to be so polite. We're friends."
"By the way, what are you going to do next?"
Qiu Bai looked at Lumine and Paimon, feigning curiosity.
"Next, we're going to find Childe, the Fatui Harbinger who gave us that task."
"Since we've finished what he asked us to do."
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance. They already considered Qiu Bai a true friend, so there was no harm in telling him.
"The Fatui Harbinger, Childe?"
"I'll excuse myself, then. I hope you clear your names soon. I'm staying at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, so come find me if you need anything."
"If I'm not there, just tell the young lady at the reception desk."
Qiu Bai spoke to Lumine and Paimon with a smile.
"Sorry for the trouble, Qiu Bai."
Lumine thanked him softly.
Qiu Bai turned and walked away.
"Bye, Qiu Bai!"
Paimon waved at Qiu Bai as he receded into the distance.
Qiu Bai raised a hand in reply.
Just then, Paimon suddenly slapped her forehead, as though something had dawned on her, and looked at Lumine.
"Traveler, didn't we forget to ask Qiu Bai..."
"What exactly the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor... does?"
Lumine covered her forehead too. Right, they had forgotten to ask Qiu Bai what the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor did.
"It's all right, Paimon. We'll have plenty of chances later."
"Let's go find Childe first. We've finished the task he gave us."
Lumine smiled at Paimon beside her.
Then Lumine and Paimon headed toward the Northland Bank.
Qiu Bai, meanwhile, headed toward Bubu Pharmacy.
As soon as he reached Bubu Pharmacy's entrance, Qiu Bai sensed a familiar presence.
Is that... Qiqi?
Qiu Bai was surprised. Five hundred years ago, he and the other Adepti had sealed Qiqi in amber.
Once the energy within her had settled, she would break free of the seal on her own.
Pushing open Bubu Pharmacy's door, Qiu Bai saw Baizhu and Qiqi standing behind the counter.
Qiqi's eyes widened as she gazed curiously at Qiu Bai.
Qiu Bai swept his divine sense over Qiqi. In this state, she was already far better off than the Qiqi from the story.
Qiqi now had the body of an Adeptus, while her soul's age had remained frozen at that moment, as had her mental faculties.
In a very real sense, the Qiqi before him was already an Adeptus.
"Mr. Qiu Bai, consultant to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Forgive me for not coming out to greet you. Welcome to Bubu Pharmacy."
Baizhu smiled at Qiu Bai.
"I hadn't expected you to recognize me, Mr. Baizhu. I'm truly honored."
"I've come to sell a few particularly valuable medicinal herbs."
As he spoke, he conjured a large pile of medicinal herbs in front of the counter.
These herbs grew year-round on the sheer cliffs of Jueyun Karst, making them exceptionally precious and difficult to gather.
Having absorbed the faint adeptal energy of Jueyun Karst for years, they had potent medicinal effects and were known to the people of Liyue as adeptal herbs.
"Excellent. These are several varieties of rare medicinal herbs from the peaks of Jueyun Karst."
"Are you looking to sell these herbs to me, Qiu Bai?"
Baizhu was briefly taken aback, surprised by Qiu Bai's ability to conjure things.
Then he looked at the pile of medicinal herbs before the counter, and his astonishment only deepened.
Everyone in Liyue knew not to venture too far into Jueyun Karst, for legend held that Adepti lived there.
Yet the vast majority of the herbs before him grew deep within Jueyun Karst, on steep cliffs.
How had this Mr. Qiu Bai, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant, gathered so many adeptal herbs?
"I'm just a little short on funds, so I came to sell them."
Qiu Bai spoke with slight embarrassment. He really was out of Mora.
"Then please wait here, Qiu Bai. I'll buy them from you at a very fair price!"
Baizhu spoke hurriedly. After all, these medicinal herbs were extremely important to him.
He promptly instructed the assistant behind him to carry the adeptal herbs into the next room.
"Thank you, Baizhu."
Qiu Bai thanked him softly.
Then he sat down on one of the chairs lining the sides of the room and waited patiently.
Qiqi cautiously walked out from behind the counter and approached Qiu Bai, pressing a finger to her lips as though pondering something.
Qiu Bai smiled at Qiqi before him.
"What is it, Qiqi? What are you thinking about?"
Looking at the adorable Qiqi, Qiu Bai could not help asking gently.
"Big brother... knows Qiqi's name?"
Qiqi tilted her head, looking at the big brother before her with some confusion.
"And big brother smells nice. Qiqi... likes it very much."
Qiqi spoke softly to Qiu Bai in her clear little voice.
Qiu Bai felt a pang of sympathy as he looked at her, then held out his left hand.
"Qiqi, hold out your left hand. Big brother will play a game with you."
Seeing the gentleness in Qiu Bai's eyes, Qiqi held out her tiny left hand and clasped his.
Qiu Bai stirred the divine power within him, sending Yang Qi imbued with purifying power through Qiqi's hand and throughout her body.
"Warm. Qiqi feels so warm. All toasty."
"How strange! Qiqi clearly hates warm things!"
Qiqi's voice gradually filled with emotion. A spark seemed to flash in her eyes, and they grew clear.
Qiu Bai's divine power also made Qiqi remember something.
It was the scene from five hundred years ago, when the Adepti and demons, together with the Adeptus of Yin-Yang and the Two Principles, had treated her. Tears spilled from Qiqi's eyes.
Qiqi raised her tiny left hand and touched the warm things on her cheeks. They were tears, and they would not stop falling.
Memories kept flashing through her mind.
"Mommy and Daddy, Jueyun Karst, the handsome big brother, not wanting to die, hard Cor Lapis, Mr. Baizhu, warm Hu Tao, coconut milk..."
Memories surged into Qiqi's mind like an ocean.
Qiu Bai lowered his left hand. Qiqi's mental faculties had now returned to normal, and her soul had become as resilient as an Adeptus's.
The Vision on Qiqi's little hat shone brightly! At that moment, Qiqi became a Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortal.
Qiqi gave Qiu Bai a sweet smile, her tears still falling uncontrollably.
She remembered. This familiar big brother was Liyue's god, the Adeptus of Yin-Yang and the Two Principles.
She also remembered her parents saying that this god was kind and powerful, and full of wisdom.
"Big brother really is an amazing god."
Qiqi spoke to Qiu Bai with a sweet smile.
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