An Ancient Sacrifice of Sacred Brocade

An Ancient Sacrifice of Sacred Brocade is the third quest in the .
==Steps==
# Go to Fogbank River
# Follow Little Mao
# Take care of the nearby miasma
#* 
# Enter the cavern
# Check the cavern
# Follow the golden carp
#* 
# Talk to Fujin
# Prepare for the Rainjade Rite (0/2)
# Talk to Fujin
# Go to Adeptus's Repose
# Take care of the nearby miasma
#* 
# Check the clues nearby
# Examine the mural
# Go to Mt. Xuanlian
# Explore Mt. Xuanlian
# Collect the Spirit Orb (0/3)
# Use your adeptal energy to activate the Spirit Orb (0/3)
# Go to the mountaintop pavilion
# Go back to look for Fujin
# Talk to Fujin
# Climb the sacred mountain
# Accompany Fujin
# Take care of the nearby miasma
#* 
# Accompany Fujin
# Defeat the Xuanwen Beast 
# Accompany Fujin
# Take care of the nearby miasma
#* Wave 1: 
#* Wave 2: 
#* Wave 3: 
#* Wave 4: 
#* Wave 5: 
# Enter Chiwang Terrace
#* The player will be teleported into the Quest Domain Chiwang Terrace
# Calm Lingyuan down
#* 
# Talk to Fujin
# Escort Little Mao back to Qiaoying Village
==Gameplay Notes==
* Steps 14-17 will be skipped if the player has already activated all three Spirit Orbs.
* During step 27, Waves 1, 3, and 5 can be instantly defeated by using Golden Carp's Leap on nearby adeptal droplets.
* Completing step 20 grants the .
* Completing step 28 grants the .
* Completing the quest grants the .
==Dialogue==
;(Approach Fogbank River)
:Paimon: Huh? Why did Little Mao disappear while we weren't looking?
:Paimon: Did he run up ahead of us? There's lots of monsters around here. Let's go up ahead and look.
;(Approach the marked area)
:Little Mao: , Paimon!
:Paimon: Eek! Mao, look out behind you!
: Whoa, that's a huge monster!
::Little Mao: Huh? Oh, no, no, she's my friend! Didn't I tell you before that I had a lot of friends? I just happened to meet her, so I "got a hold of her" to introduce to you!
: Get behind me. I'll settle this.
::Little Mao: Huh? Oh, no, no, she's my friend! Didn't I tell you before that I had a lot of friends? I just happened to meet her, so I "got a hold of her" to introduce to you!
: Wait, your friend, you say?
::Little Mao: That's right! I told you before that I had a lot of friends, didn't I? Well, I just happened to meet her, so I "got a hold of her" to introduce to you!
:Paimon: Um, well, hello?
:???: ...
: I'm , and this is Paimon.
: I'm , and this is Mini Pie.
::Paimon: What kinda name is that!? Paimon's Paimon!
: We're friends of Little Mao's.
::Paimon: 's , and Paimon's name's Paimon!
:???: ...
:Little Mao: Um... She's... afraid of strangers. I usually call her Bluey, because I don't really know her name.
:Little Mao: Oh, don't you worry about that. and Paimon are great people. They've been accompanying me on my adventures! They're real experts in mountains and forests, too!
:"Bluey": I know. I've seen. Answer me this one thing. Where did you gain the power to suppress nature?
:Paimon: Suppress nature... What do you mean?
:"Bluey": Plants pursue the sunlight and fertile soil, creating fruit fit for the birds and beasts to consume. The digested seeds are scattered, and those which consume seed and fruit become bait for predators. Thus does everything return to the land.
:"Bluey": The snake hidden in the branches, the fish in the mountains, and the beasts of the forest. Traveling in the realm of nature is wonderful, so why have you come?
:Little Mao: Oh, come on, Bluey, you don't have to be so fierce...
: ...You raised two questions.
:: My "adeptal energy" comes from Adeptus Fujin.
::: And we need to help her rejuvenate the water and soil of Chenyu Vale.
:: Our goal is to nurse the soil and water in Chenyu Vale.
::: And the "adeptal energy" we use comes from Adeptus Fujin.
:Paimon: Exactly. Something's off about Chenyu Vale's natural conditions, so Adeptus Fujin's enlisted our help! If we don't... Well, the tea leaves in Qiaoying Village are gonna turn out worse and worse, and the village itself might decline!
:Paimon: That's why she wanted us to perform the Rainjade Rite, which will restore the area!
:"Bluey": The Rainjade Rite. I see. You have answered two of my questions. You may ask me two also.
:Paimon: Huh? Why do we have to do that?
:"Bluey": Give and take. It is only natural. You have one more question.
:Paimon: Wait! That one counted? Ugh, whatever. You ask, !
: Little Mao said that you want to "restore nature"...
:: Is that the same as "nursing the water and soil"?
::"Bluey": ...
::"Bluey": ...Not the same.
::Paimon: Eh? It isn't? , what were you talking about?
::Little Mao: That's right, what do you mean "not the same"?
: Do you know Adeptus Fujin?
::"Bluey": Yes, I do know Fujin.
::Paimon: Basically, Adeptus Fujin has asked us to help nurse the soil and water in Chenyu Vale, so that the tea leaves in Qiaoying Village will recover their original flavor!
:"Bluey": ...The new tea leaves taste better. More like before.
:Paimon: Eh? More like... Whoa, and just like that, she's gone!
:Little Mao: Don't worry about it, Paimon, she's like that! Sometimes, when I'm not looking, she'll just vanish into the shadow of the trees. Then at others, the sun might dazzle me, or the birds might call overhead... and there she is.
:Little Mao: In any case, guess we're all friends now!
: Nice.
: Let's hope so.
::Little Mao: Um, just don't worry about it, . Bluey's not big on politeness, but she's always been like that!
:Paimon: Yeah, your friend's pretty strange, Little Mao.
:Little Mao: Is she? Well, for all you know, you're the one who might seem strange to others.
:Little Mao: I mean, not only can you use adeptal energy to make the moss disappear, but you can make the golden stone things appear and vanish, and even turn into a Carp and fly around, like in the stories!
: After all, I'm none other than the of the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
::Paimon: Wha...?
::Little Mao: ...Huh?
: You've got a point.
:Paimon: That said, Paimon couldn't have imagined that the "friend" you always spoke about was ... Well, "monster" seems a bit rude, and "thing" might be pretty offensive... That's right, your friend's so blue! No wonder you call her Bluey!
:Little Mao: Hehe. That's why I've never told anyone. If the adults knew that we were friends, they might lock me up!
: Wait, really!? You'd go to actual prison?
:Little Mao: No, no, not like that! They just wouldn't let me go out, make me wash my face, and force me to read my books... I wouldn't get to play in the mountains anymore.
:Little Mao: Hehe. And that's why I've never told anyone. But you're my friends, so it's fine! Anyway, come with me!
:Little Mao: There's an awesome place I'd love to show you!
;(Clear the miasma, then approach the mural)
:Little Mao: Look at this! Hehe, this is what I wanted to show you by going this way.
:Paimon: Ooh, didn't think there'd be one here! You're amazing, Little Mao.
:Paimon: ...Huh, looks like there's green moss all over this place too. C'mon, , it's time to use "that" again!
;(Clean the mural)
:Little Mao: You're awesome, ! You pushed the moss back just like that — like you did with that smoky cloud!
:Little Mao: Still, that wasn't there yesterday. Is this what they call "nature"...
:Paimon: Don't worry about it. Moss or hilichurls, just leave 'em all to ! Little Mao, what's this picture about?
:Little Mao: Hehehe! Originally, I didn't know either, but I figured it out today after hearing Big Sis Fujin's story! This must be the stuff that happened before the mural on Mt. Lingmeng was made!
:Little Mao: See this? Long, long ago, people were able to talk to the gods and adepti in the skies by talking to that big piece of jade in the middle.
:Little Mao: The emissary of the gods would lead them and protect them. See, that's gotta be this shiny golden person standing in the middle — I bet that was a super amazing person.
:Little Mao: But later, just like Big Sis Fujin said, something changed, and the people of Chenyu Vale lost their guiding emissary, and they couldn't talk to the heavens any longer — that's how the Rainjade Rite came about.
:Paimon: Huh. Your story does make sense!
:Little Mao: Hehe, thanks! What do you think, ?
: You're a pretty bright spark, Little Mao.
::Little Mao: Hehe...
: That's a distinct possibility.
: I'm not sure.
:Little Mao: Come to think of it, our ancestors were pretty amazing themselves, huh? The jades they left to us still have the power to restore nature! For something this old to still be so strong, the past must've been a sweller time than the present, huh?
: That's not true. The world marches onward.
:: ...Leaving the accumulated detritus of the past in its wake.
: That's right. The world's been constantly in decline.
:: ...But even so, we shouldn't give up on the future.
:Little Mao: Huh... That's a really cool thought. I never thought about it that way.
:Paimon: Hehe, Paimon thinks that you're the amazing one, Little Mao. We've seen lots of ancient objects, puzzles, mysterious powers, and monsters in our time, but Paimon's never considered this stuff before...
:Little Mao: Hehe. Oh, you know what? Not thinking about this stuff at all is pretty awesome too, really! I bet you'll be just like my big sister when you grow up, just having fun adventuring everywhere!
:Paimon: Ooh, you have a big sister, then?
:Little Mao: Well, we're not blood-related, but she worked here in Chenyu Vale for a while. She'd go up mountains and run around the rivers, and I'd follow her! We discovered this little cave together!
:Little Mao: She said that this cave is my "Rubicon"... Not that I know what that means...
;(If the player has completed Valor's Afterglow)
::Little Mao: However, she hasn't written to me in a long time. If I were to guess, she's off adventuring in some faraway place. Maybe in the "Ancient City of Ys," or something like that.
:: Yeah, that sounds about right.
:: ...
::Paimon: Heh, this Big Sis of yours sure seems like an interesting person!
;(If the player has not completed Valor's Afterglow)
::Little Mao: I wonder where she's off adventuring nowadays. I can't wait to receive my next letter from her!
::Paimon: Yeah, this Big Sis of yours sure seems like an interesting person!
:Little Mao: I know, right? Still, Big Sis Fujin needs our help, so let's continue on!
:Fujin's Voice: Oh, there you all were. Ah, I was so worried...
:Paimon: Wow, a Golden Carp!
:Fujin's Voice: ... *cough* One was quite concerned that the swirling miasmas and fierce beasts that roam might have caused you ill. But one sees that it is not so, and that is good.
:Fujin's Voice: Thanks to the adeptal energy you possess, , one has been connected to the Golden Carp here, thus gaining the means to speak with you directly.
:Fujin's Voice: , Paimon, Little Mao, please come with me.
;(Follow the golden carp to the water)
:Paimon: Nothing but water ahead. Is there a boat nearby? Hmm... The fog's so thick, Paimon can't see a thing.
:Fujin's Voice: This is a depression where adeptal energy gathers. But do not panic, for the Golden Carp Fish will get you through safely.
;(Follow the golden carp further)
:Paimon: Whoa! You're super amazing, Fujin!
:Fujin's Voice: Hmph, of course, I... *ahem* Before one, such trivial matters are as nothing.
;(The water in the area is treated as solid ground, but applies Hydro)
;(Approach the teleport waypoint)
:Fujin's Voice: Mm, it is just up ahead.
;(Talk to Fujin)
:Fujin: Much time has passed since I last emerged here.
:Fujin: This was once a lively place, filled with the aroma of incense... Then, the three of us could travel freely across the mountains and rivers.
:Fujin: Yes... Those days were like flowing water 'neath the moon, dark, yet sparkling oh so brightly...
:Fujin: Ah, but enough reminiscing.
:Fujin: Thanks to you all, I am now able to return here and host the Rainjade Rite.
:Paimon: Eh? So... you're that person in the mural?
:Little Mao: Oh, I get it now! That person... standing on the mountain, hugging that egg, that was you, wasn't it?
:Fujin: Ah— An egg? Come now, Little Mao, that was precious jade!
:Fujin: "Casting Rainjade" is a ritual of great power. The Votive Rainjade can calm rivers, improve the weather... But it can also be a thing of death and slaughter. Only the thinnest line separates curses and the adeptal energies that have aided you up till now.
:Fujin: That is why I must make sure that the Rite does not fall into the hands of those who would do ill. That's why... Ahem, yes, that is correct, one was indeed the figure who "hugged that egg" in that mural.
:Little Mao: Huh... Big Sis Fujin, doesn't this make you pretty, uh, ancient?
:Fujin: Yes, it does. Still, I do like the name "Big Sis." It does quite make me feel young!
: Well, being called "adeptus" is pretty alright too.
: Well, being called "adeptus" is pretty alright too... right?
:Fujin: Well, certainly! Though even if others title me as such, I am aware, that I am hardly the equal of true adepti like Mountain Shaper and the rest.
:Fujin: I am, in truth, the weakest of my band of friends. I cannot make medicines to save others, nor can I bound across the mountains and plains. Even so, I could not simply lay the title down.
:Fujin: It would have done the people of Chenyu Vale a disservice, I fear.
:Fujin: Still, you may call me whatever you wish. After all, we... have become friends, or so I would say.
:Fujin: In any case, my days of being called an adeptus are now consigned to history, just like this place has been.
:Fujin: Once, the Rainjade Rite was a day of great celebration, where we would commemorate the year of abundance, using laughter, firecracker battles, and beast dances to frighten the ill omens away. This must appear like naught but forgotten ruins to the modern mind.
: Well, not completely forgotten...
:Paimon: That's right. People in Qiaoying Village told us that it was the mighty Adeptus Fujin who defeated the demons and planted the first tea tree. Back on the bamboo raft, Grandpa Lu also mentioned that the offerings of tea were to a certain Carp adeptus.
:Little Mao: And wasn't there that opera sung at Yilong Wharf about the Carp going around killing stuff? Hehe, you were so awesome in those stories, Big Sis Fujin! Also, people still do the Wushou dance, you know!
: You said it yourself. The definition of an "adeptus" is...
:Fujin: ...
:Paimon: Also, putting definitions aside, you're our friend, Fujin! You shouldn't be constantly fretting about the rite and stuff. You should live happily — like we're companions on an adventure!
:Little Mao: That's right, we're on an adventure together!
:Fujin: Right... Yes, you're right! Thank you — that was well said! Indeed. I was the one who asked you all for help. It wouldn't do at all if I just continued wallowing in the past, now would it?
:Fujin: In any case, I'll need your help to prepare for the Rite itself.
:Fujin: In any case, have you encountered any Sacred Simulacra in your adventures? Those were ritual spirits often used by people in ancient times to protect their homes. There should be some nearby.
:Fujin: , Paimon, Little Mao, please help me put the Simulacra in their proper places. That way, we can restore the spirit veins using the Rainjade Rite.
: Leave it to us.
:Fujin: I will. I have faith in you.
;(Talk to Fujin before placing the Sacred Simulacra)
:Fujin: The Sacred Simulacra... During the earliest festivals, people didn't know how they should carve the statues, and the products turned out a real mess. Even that friend of mine couldn't help but burst into laughter upon seeing it...
:Fujin: Ah... Sorry about that, , I got lost in the past again...
;(Talk to the Sacred Simulacrum directly south of the teleport waypoint, optional)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Amidst the fog gathered on the river, shrines subdue the scarlet. The river islets their halls, they number ...
:Sacred Simulacrum: ... grant order, the nine enclosures opportune. When the Sacred Simulacra are secured, the jade may then be offered...
----
;(Pick up the south Sacred Simulacrum)
:Sacred Simulacrum: The Rainjade Rite... I understand. If so, then please restore me to my rightful position...
;(Place down the south Sacred Simulacrum incorrectly)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...This is not the proper placement for the Votive Rainjade...
;(Place down the south Sacred Simulacrum correctly)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...When the Sacred Simulacra are secured, the jade may then be offered...
;(Talk to the south Sacred Simulacrum again after placing it down correctly, optional)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Long has been my slumber. To think that the water and soil would undergo such drastic changes...
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Just what changes hath been wrought in the waters and soil of this land...
----
;(Pick up the north Sacred Simulacrum)
:Sacred Simulacrum: Hehe, if it's for the Rite, then allow me to help too. It'll be enough to just place me back on my pedestal, thanks.
;(Place down the north Sacred Simulacrum incorrectly)
:Sacred Simulacrum: Yes... This does not appear to be my pedestal.
;(Place down the north Sacred Simulacrum correctly, or talk to it again)
:Sacred Simulacrum: Yes, yes, no mistake, that's it! "When the Sacred Simulacra are secured, the jade may then be offered" — leave the preparation of the Votive Rainjade to me!
----
;(After placing both simulacra)
:Paimon: This should do it. Let's head back and report to Adeptus Fujin, shall we?
;(Talk to Fujin after placing the simulacra)
:Paimon: The Sacred Simulacra are all ready!
:Fujin: Thank you both. The Votive Rainjade has been returned to its priests, and the statues have come back to their rightful places. The Rainjade Rite is now ready to be performed.
:Little Mao: ...But will Chenyu Vale really recover once you cast the Rainjade in?
:Fujin: That's right. Things will get better for us, Little Mao. Nature, jade, humans... All is divinely dictated. The changes in the land and water in Chenyu Vale, the malicious fog in the spirit veins... They are all essentially a sign of the earth moving against the flow of time.
:Paimon: Yeah. Huh, so that miasma-like thing is a manifestation of environmental disorder...?
:Fujin: Hehe, that's right. You can think of it like Chenyu Vale's attempt to... How to put it? Return to nature? And what we intend to do here is to treat the land and soil, and rid it of this sickness.
: "Return to nature"?
:Fujin: After all, before humans left their caves and mountains to dominate the world and regulate nature, and before Chenyu Vale or Bishui River got those names, the land, mountains, and rivers had their own order.
:Fujin: Hehe, even I sometimes miss the cool mountain streams, and the great rivers that would ebb and flow with the seasons. I mean, I was once a mere fish that swam...
:Fujin: But if we let nature seize control of its order once more, the people of Chenyu Vale will suffer and languish. I hope you can understand.
:Little Mao: Yeah...
:Fujin: In that case...
:Fujin: ...
:Paimon: Huh? Did it work?
: That thing in the fog just now...
: Nothing seems to have changed...
:Fujin: It seems I am too feeble in my current state.
:Paimon: Eh? We got the Votive Rainjade, and we placed the Simulacra, but it still wasn't enough?
:Fujin: I'm very sorry — it is not your fault. I need more power to overcome this trial. Just as the adeptal energy in the Votive Rainjade has dissipated into the spirit veins, so has my power also left me across the long years.
:Little Mao: Huh? Will you grow really big just like the jade?
:Fujin: P—Probably not...?
:Paimon: Hehe, just think about it, though — Super Adeptus Fujin, now three times the size! Well, is there any way we can restore your power?
: The Golden Carp.
:Fujin: Ah, , you are wise indeed. Before you found a few Golden Carp, I could not even muster the strength to appear. Initially, I thought that we just needed to gather all the ritual implements, and that would make up for the deficiency in my power...
:Fujin: ...I was not entirely open with you before, but neither the present nor past me was anywhere near a match for the adepti of the south. I... feared you would consider me weak and unworthy of your help...
:Paimon: Gee, is that it? Paimon thought you'd have something more important to say!
:Fujin: Eh?
:Paimon: There's no way we'd abandon or not make friends with you just because of that!
: That I, the , consider you a friend is not conditional on your status as an adeptus.
::Paimon: Other than that whole "" bit, Paimon wanted to say the same thing!
: That you are my friend has nothing to do with your status as an adeptus.
:Little Mao: My friend told me lots of stories about you. In my mind, even though we've just met, we're already friends, and I also want you to be happy, Big Sis!
:Fujin: Alright, alright... Thank you, all of you.
:Paimon: Well, that's more like it! So, where should we start looking for these Golden Carp?
:Fujin: I believe that you will have to go to Yaodie Valley. There will be a cavern there with a Golden Carp hidden within.
----
;(After clearing the miasma and entering Adeptus's Repose)
:Fujin: Please, everyone, do enter.
:Paimon: Eh? It's Fujin! Wait... is this your, uh, what's this called again? Your abode?
:Fujin: Well... I suppose you could consider this a place that the Herblord and I made?
:Fujin: *cough* Either way, I hope the Sacred Simulacra here will cause you little trouble.
;(Interact with the Sacred Simulacrum)
:Sacred Simulacrum: Um... I'm no good at small talk, do you, uh.... Have anything you want to talk about?
;(Place the Sacred Simulacrum incorrectly)
:Sacred Simulacrum: Huh? I—I thought you were gonna place me back on my pedestal...
;(Place the Sacred Simulacrum on the pedestal on the ground floor)
:Sacred Simulacrum: I... I am the butler of this place, and am responsible for the management of the Master's abode...
;(Place the Sacred Simulacrum on the pedestal on the 2nd floor next to the stone slate)
:Sacred Simulacrum: I—I've got it..! I can talk about things with you!
:Sacred Simulacrum: I—If you are going to enter Master's study, remember not to touch the ?... It is something very important to Master...
;(Approach the stone slate after the Sacred Simulacrum has been placed next to it)
:Paimon: Little Mao, can you see the Golden Carp Fish?
:Little Mao: Hmm... Does the one drawn on the stone slate count?
;(Check the stone slate)
:Paimon: Huh!? Drawings count!?
:;(The player is teleported to Mt. Xuanlian)
;(Approach the mural)
:Little Mao: We're here, Big Sis Fujin! Have you been waiting for us here all this time?
:Fujin: Hehe, no, no. After leaving Carp's Rest, I can only appear in places in which my power remains, and only by the grace of your adeptal energy, .
:Paimon: Wait a minute... Didn't the gap in the middle of that mural originally have something that went with the Golden Carp mural in it?
:Fujin: ...I'm not sure. In truth, this is my first time seeing this mural as well.
:Paimon: Huh?
:Fujin: I'm sure you've all heard of the battles that took place in the past.
: Khaenri'ah...
::Fujin: Hmm?
::Fujin: Sorry, I am merely a minor adeptus of Chenyu Vale. I fear I know little about any wars concerning this "Khaenri'ah."
::Paimon: The Archon War?
: The Archon War...
:Fujin: Yes. This cave was one of the shelters we built for the inhabitants of Chenyu Vale, such that the innocents caught in the crossfire when the floods overturned the heavens and the earth split open could have a place of safety.
:Fujin: I didn't expect that they'd draw a mural here, though. I believe the ones depicted to be me... *cough* I mean, the "big, slippery Carp" Little Mao mentioned, and a friend.
:Little Mao: Huh... If that's the case, why did the most important part get taken somewhere else?
:Fujin: That's true. Why is that?
:Fujin: ...Perhaps dissatisfaction. The three of us were once great friends, with two of us becoming worshipped as adepti, and one of us was always the mountain's master.
:Fujin: Later, Herblord and I defected together, and she most likely died too. Or perhaps, the one amongst us who fought to the last never submitted, and only heard news of us afterward.
:Fujin: Perhaps, to her, we were all traitors, with the depictions of myself and Herblord becoming an object for her to vent her fury against.
:Little Mao: Huh... Is that really the case? The painting outside looks like...
:Fujin: Who knows? In any case, that's all in the past.
:Fujin: So please, lend me your strength in nursing Chenyu Vale back to health. I can feel that there's another Golden Carp lingering where I used to... Near Mt. Xuanlian, I believe.
: Oh, so there's another?
:Fujin: If we get that one, I should have enough strength to perform the ritual.
:Fujin: Speaking of that, I must apologize for being unable to control the Golden Carp even with you nearby. I know they might have given you some trouble, swimming through the air like that.
: That was somewhat troublesome, yes.
: It's fine, I just think of them like Seelies.
:Paimon: But really, where is the Golden Carp that should be here?
:Fujin: Hehe, well, inside the painting. Just use your adeptal energy to awaken it, .
;(After the player is automatically teleported back to Adeptus's Repose)
:Paimon: According to what Fujin said, we should use adeptal energy on the drawing of the Carp...
;(Examine the stone slate)
:Fujin's Voice: You needn't worry about the whereabouts of the Golden Carp Fish. I will bring it to where I need it to be.
:Fujin's Voice: Well then, my three friends, let us meet again at Mt. Xuanlian...
----
;(Approach the marked area)
:Little Mao: Well, that's Mt. Xuanlian right up ahead!
:Paimon: Nice. Let's see what clues we can find.
;(Approach the pavilion)
:Paimon: Huh, there's a pavilion here on this mountain!
: It's rather adepti-style.
:Paimon: Huh... Paimon wonders where we'll find that Golden Carp. This place is kinda huge!
:Little Mao: Maybe we can do what we did last time? You know, , the bit where you used adeptal energy on the mural, and the Carp turned out to be hiding inside?
:Little Mao: Look, ! There's four stone Carp statues here! Do you think there might be four giant Carps hiding inside?
:Paimon: Huh. That does make sense. You're pretty smart, Little Mao! , is the adeptal energy reacting in any way?
: Not at all.
:: ...But there seems to be something missing inside.
:Paimon: Huh... That might be where the critical clue lies.
:Little Mao: Ah, , over here! It looks like there's an orb inside some of these Carp statues!
:Little Mao: Didn't we find some statues of Carps and large pearl on our way down the mountain? Maybe those are actually used for something!
: A real pearl of wisdom.
: That's worth a try. Good job, Little Mao.
::Little Mao: Hehe...
:Paimon: Well, let's give it a go, then!
----
;(Interact with the Jade Cascade below Mt. Xuanlian)
:Paimon: Wow! The Plaustrite's position changed after we got the hairpin with our adeptal energy! Paimon wonders if we can adjust the rest of the Plaustrite the same way?
;(Interact with the Sacred Simulacrum)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Please move the waterfall above me away, so that I may be returned to my ...
;(Place the Sacred Simulacrum on the ground)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Please return me to my , so that I may maintain the perfection of order and balance...
;(Place the Sacred Simulacrum back on the floating stone platform)
:Sacred Simulacrum: ...Good, good! Now, balance has been restored to both sides of the stone platform...
;(Place and activate the Spirit Orb on the correct stone Carp statue)
:Paimon: Woohoo! The statue's Spirit Orb should've been activated now, right? C'mon, let's try collecting it with our adeptal energy!
;(Obtain three )
:Paimon: Since we have all three orbs, let's put them in the Carp at the pavilion and see what happens!
----
;(Activate the spirit orbs)
:Fujin: My apologies for the poor hospitality. It has been a long time since I last enjoyed tea with others. Hopefully, my brewing skills have not deteriorated too much over time.
:Fujin: One d— *ahem* I mean, I have some experience in appreciating tea. It was also thanks to this that I was able to tell that this year's tea offering smelled off. That was how I discovered the trouble with the soil and water quality.
: Huh. Didn't think the offering rites would be so useful.
: Looks like it wasn't some sort of meaningless tradition after all.
:Fujin: Hehe, I suppose now I can tell those who fail to appreciate the value of tea about its value with confidence. Come, , have some tea!
: Is this your teapot, Fujin?
: Not sure why, but it reminds me of Madame Ping's...
:Paimon: Yeah, there was that time in Liyue Harbor when we fixed Madame Ping's teapot for her! Hehe, if you think about it, we seem to have quite a connection with tea!
:Fujin: Madame Ping? ...Ah, I think I know of whom you speak. We were acquainted back in the day, along with her friends.
:Fujin: As Little Mao said, I was once just a "giant Carp," unable to leave fresh water for too long, nor live in salty waters. As such, they sent me one of these "teapots."
:Fujin: That was how my friends would have been able to take me — inside my teapot, of course — to Guili Plains and Liyue Harbor, to meet those lovely people they spoke of. Unfortunately, such a time never quite came.
:Fujin: , Paimon, you've been to Liyue Harbor. Could you tell me more about the city?
:Little Mao: I'd like to hear about it too! I've never been!
:Paimon: Well, Paimon would like to start from Wanmin Restaurant...
: How about I handle the explanations this time?
:Paimon: Sure, but don't you dare skip over any of the eating bits!
:
:
:
:: (Along this journey...)
: (We met many friends.)
:: (We met many friends.)
: (And experienced so many things)
:: (And experienced so many things)
: (It was all worth it.)
: (I can only hope that in the end, it will all be worth it.)
:Little Mao: Wow! A sea monster, huh? Amazing!
:Fujin: Liyue Harbor is... not what I imagined.
: Do you find it disappointing?
:Fujin: Well, no, just different, being different doesn't make it bad. I like the Liyue Harbor you described.
:Fujin: ...It's good to hear that after all this time, our dear Herblord was able to find a home there. I think that's simply wonderful.
:Fujin: ...
:Fujin: What about you, Little Mao? Could you tell me about you and your friend? I'm curious to know what she's like.
:Little Mao: Um, sure. I mean, Paimon and have met her already, so it wouldn't be fair if I didn't tell you.
:Little Mao: So, this is how we met...
:
:
:
:
:
:Little Mao: But later, the snake was cut into pieces, and the fish sank into the sea... and then, only Bluey was left.
:Fujin: Thank you, Little Mao.
:Little Mao: Also, um... Don't tell anyone about my friend, alright?
:Paimon: Of course we won't!
: You seem quite familiar with this friend of Little Mao's, Fujin.
:Fujin: Indeed. But that was all in my past life. Many, many years have passed since I could no longer move freely. I suspect that I might not recognize her any longer, though from Little Mao's words, she might not have changed too much.
:Paimon: P—Past life?
:Fujin: Hehe, perhaps that is not the most accurate way to phrase it. I did not utterly perish, but I did lose my original form, and my strength and wisdom dissipated along the spirit veins.
:Fujin: This is also why I invited you and to Carp's Rest. If we were not there, I would not even have a form to show you or a voice with which to speak to you.
:Fujin: It is thanks to you that I've been able to slowly regain my previous strength. Coming here and once more seeing these scenes with my own eyes, meeting old friends from the past... and more importantly, making new friends.
:Fujin: I'm very glad.
: How did you die?
:Fujin: ...My memories of that have grown foggy. The Herblord and I were both servants of another god, and it was I that organized the Rainjade Rite, administering the rivers and mountains for our lord. As for the other... She was as she is — a beast, wild and free.
:Fujin: In those peaceful days, I also climbed waterfalls to Mt. Aocang and Mt. Hulao, and there I met with the adepti, whose powers and wisdom far eclipse mine. Of course, that was all before the war.
:Fujin: Our lord was not a heinous being by any means. Once upon a time, she made many dreams come true — if there was any evil, it was the Archon War itself. What happened next needs no further explanation on my part, I'm sure.
: You talked about how you and Herblord defected...
:Fujin: Hehe, that's right. That might've been the bravest thing we've ever done!
:Fujin: Our lord had all but gone mad seeking the position of a god who may rule this world... or perhaps seeking survival. Either way, she lacked the power to overcome Morax.
:Fujin: So, in a final, desperate gamble, she caused the Bishui River to flood, hoping to destroy everything downstream. Of course, she knew what that would mean for Chenyu Vale and its people.
:Paimon: Whoa... But, uh, Paimon thinks that that's something you should never ever do, period...
:Fujin: Perhaps that's just what war does to people. Either way, that was our final adventure as a trio of friends.
:Fujin: Lingyuan attacked people with her familiars, herding them to the shelter we had prepared. Herblord fought against our mistress, while I climbed Mt. Lingmeng, and hurled the Votive Rainjade into the rising waters.
:Fujin: Of course, that wasn't a proper Rainjade Rite. It was simply the release of the adeptal energies stored within the jade pendant to have the earth open its maw and swallow the rivers, and allow the Jademouth to grow and stabilize the flow.
:Paimon: Whoa, what happened next?
:Fujin: Hehe, didn't Little Mao tell you how it all ended?
:Little Mao: Yeah...
:Paimon: That's right... Wait. Really? When?
:Fujin: Alright, that's enough about the past. We should get back to performing the Rite itself.
:Paimon: True... But what about the Golden Carp? Isn't that what we're looking for?
:Fujin: In truth, you've already found it, as with the previous one. That's how I was able to appear before you.
:Fujin: It's just that I missed the scenery here a bit too much, so I couldn't help but have a long chat with you all. After all, your sense of time and mine are not the same. You won't tarry long once your objectives are complete, will you?
:Fujin: As such, I apologize. Please forgive my capriciousness.
;(After the cutscene)
:Fujin: In that case, we shall meet again shortly, everyone.
:Paimon: Ooh, so you were inside the teapot!
----
;(Talk to Fujin)
:Fujin: Though my power is still a far cry from how it was in the past, thanks to your aid, I have regained much strength. Thank you. Next, we need to perform the ceremony.
: What effects will it have?
:Fujin: It's been thousands of years since we last performed it, and the mountains, rivers, and spirit veins have all changed a great deal. But if all goes well, the Votive Rainjade will resolve the issue.
:Fujin: Well then, let's begin.
:;(Fujin performs the ritual)
:Paimon: The fog's dissipating...
:Paimon: Whoa? What's that!?
:Little Mao: Huh. It's just like in the mural! Do you remember, Paimon? The one with the two golden people, and something in between them!
:Paimon: Wow, you're really impressive, Little Mao. Paimon didn't remember that at all!
:Fujin: Behold, the sacred mountain.
:Fujin: In my era, to merely climb it was already to transgress. But the ancestral inhabitants of this place are gone, and the communing path lies waste and broken. Who shall judge us now?
:Fujin: That is where the spirit veins of Chenyu Vale converge. Through it, I can transmit my adeptal energy throughout the vale, restoring its water and its soil...
:Fujin: We are only one step off from achieving our goal. Are you prepared, ?
: Let's do this.
:Fujin: Indeed.
;(While following Fujin)
:Fujin: Please come with me
:Paimon: Huh? Fujin? Wait, why'd you turn into a Golden Carp again?
:Fujin: Well, this form makes movement easier. Do you not like it, Paimon?
:Paimon: Well, no. Paimon's just not used to talking to a fish.
;(After following Fujin for a bit)
:Fujin: She remains determined to restore nature... How could she...
:Paimon: Eh? Sorry, who now?
:Fujin: Let's get rid of the miasma here and move on first. Explanations can wait!
;(Approach the marked area)
:Fujin: Lingyuan... I perceived it would be you. And I do miss you so, but this really... might be a bad time.
:Little Mao: Eh? So Bluey's name is Lingyuan?
:Lingyuan: ...
:Fujin: Don't be like that. Speak with me.
:Lingyuan: The opportunity to speak will come, but it is not now. You know this.
:Fujin: I know this, but I cannot allow it.
:Lingyuan: Wait just a while longer. It will end soon.
:Lingyuan: I do not like the things up there. But it does not matter. Just leave it to me, Fujin.
:Lingyuan: Do not come up here.
;(After the cutscene)
:Paimon: Yikes! Where'd these guys come from?
:Fujin: We cannot waste time here, I fear.
;(Talk to Fujin)
:Fujin: I am quite sorry for not being completely frank with you earlier...
:Fujin: Though I became aware of it during our travels, I did not wish to believe that my old friend Lingyuan would be the source of the storm that buffets Chenyu Vale.
: I actually had an inkling already...
::Paimon: Eh? You did? When? How did you figure it out?
: Whoa, so that's what's going on!
:Fujin: She, Herblord, and I once defended Chenyu Vale together. To think that she would do something so wicked... Her disruption of the spirit veins has caused the miasma to propagate, and the one who stopped me from performing the Rite the first time was also her.
:Little Mao: But Big Sis Fujin... Bluey... I mean, Lingyuan, isn't a bad person...
:Fujin: ...I know, Little Mao. She is your friend. But at this time, she is the greatest threat to Chenyu Vale. If she controls this sacred mountain, she will wield the power to completely alter the land of Chenyu Vale in the blink of an eye.
:Fujin: I fear that Lingyuan has already entered Chiwang Terrace before us. She means to rewrite the flow and path of the spirit veins... We have little time left.
:Fujin: . You have mastered the adeptal energy available here in Chenyu Vale. Lingyuan and her familiars will not be your match.
:Fujin: Please accompany me for a time and aid me, for the sake of the people in Chenyu Vale. I will perform a ritual and open up the way to Chiwang Terrace. Please stay by my side and... protect me.
;(After defeating the miasma)
:Lingyuan: Why won't you listen to me? Will you not wait?
:Lingyuan: Your strength is feeble. You cannot match me. But do not worry. You will soon recover.
:Fujin: Lingyuan... Say no more. and I will stop you. We will stop this... plan to destroy Chenyu Vale.
:Fujin: The ritual is complete. The gate to Chiwang Terrace is now open!
:
;(Player is teleported to the Quest Domain Chiwang Terrace)
;(When Miasmic Simulacra starts appearing)
:Fujin: Now's the time! Use our adeptal energy to destroy those Miasmic Simulacra!
:Fujin: As long as we follow their warp and weft, and pour adeptal energy in the opposite direction, we can stabilise the spirit veins again!
;(Each time after destroying a set of four Miasmic Simulacra)
:Fujin: That's enough, Lingyuan, cease this at once! has already achieved resonance with the spirit veins — you are no match for us. Fighting on is futile!
:Fujin: Let's just talk. Please?
:Lingyuan: ...It is happening again. Just like back then. You could have done nothing. You never listen.
;(Each time the player fails to destroy a set of four Miasmic Simulacra before they disappear)
:Lingyuan: Fujin, I've said it before. Your adeptal energy is weak now — you are no match for me. Wait for me a bit longer, and then you will swiftly recover.
:Fujin: And I've said it before as well... I won't let you do this, Lingyuan.
:Fujin: , the next time she changes the spirit veins, pay close attention to those Miasmic Simulacra!
;(After defeating Lingyuan)
:Fujin: Lingyuan...
:Lingyuan: Human. Let me tell you what you shall do. Fire arrows at my heart. If you approach up close, strike me with your sword. I will fight you to the last.
:Lingyuan: You are the only one here who can fight. When I have crushed your neck, I will triumph.
:Little Mao: No!
: I don't intend to kill you.
:Lingyuan: ...Why? I do not understand.
: You've already lost.
: You're Fujin's friend.
:Lingyuan: ...Fine. You may ask me one question.
:Paimon: You still really care about doing things like that, even though you lost, huh...
: Then let us exchange questions.
:: Little Mao, do you have any questions?
:Little Mao: Um... Bluey... Why did you have to fight? Can't we all be friends?
:Lingyuan: You bunch of two-legged... And you, Fujin. You have not the strength to form two legs of your own, yet you wish to walk in their form and speak to me. But how can humans and wild beasts ever be friends?
:Little Mao: That's not true, Bluey, you're lying! If that's the case, why didn't you just let those beasts eat me back then? If humans and beasts can't be friends, and you're a beast, you shouldn't have helped me!
:Lingyuan: ...My actions are sometimes beyond even my own understanding. You were merely fortunate.
:Little Mao: Well, why didn't you just eat Mountain as well? She almost bumped into you while lost in the fog at the foot of the mountain. I saw it!
:Lingyuan: ...
:Lingyuan: You humans possess such wisdom that even nature submits to your will. In that case, you tell me. Why didn't I eat her?
:Paimon: Eh? What kind of question is that...
: Mt. Laixin is dear to Adeptus Fujin.
:Lingyuan: ...Let us just assume you are correct. She has told me much about the Rainjade Rite. Perhaps those memories affected my actions.
:Fujin: You actually remembered everything I told you...
:Lingyuan: Every year before the rite, you would tell me and that white snake how expectant you were, and how nervous. And after the rite, you would tell us how the festivities was so fun and lively. You would always speak, and I could not help but listen.
:Lingyuan: Only humans forget. I forget nothing.
:Lingyuan: You have cleared this doubt of mine. Now, you may ask a question.
: Well, Adeptus Fujin, have you any questions?
:Fujin: Thank you, . Just a while back, Lingyuan, I was telling them stories about our past... Why do you wish to wreck Chenyu Vale, which we once fought so hard to protect?
:Lingyuan: ...You planted tea trees, promising to enjoy tea with us. This too I remember. But that sort of tea no longer exists.
:Lingyuan: I want to change this land. I want to make it like it was all those millennia ago. You have walked with humans for too long. You have forgotten that you, I, and the snake all came from nature.
:Lingyuan: I knew that you never truly perished. And you did not depart this place like the snake. So I wish to change this place to the form it had when you were born. All these years, I have been slowly adjusting the spirit veins.
:Little Mao: Oh, I get it! So that's where the miasma came from...
:Lingyuan: Correct. Side effects. In the end, the process will change the soil, the waters, and the forests to what they should have been.
:Fujin: What the soil, waters, and forest... should have been?
:Lingyuan: You truly have forgotten the past. The rivers rose and fell with the rains, and their path was not fixed. The tea trees and flowers were not trimmed or cultivated, nor did they exist for humanity.
:Lingyuan: In such an environment, you would regain your old form, and frolic once more in the great rivers. You would regain your strength. Spiritual power blanketed the land in those days, the wild shrubs grew thick. Now, the mountains and forests are silent, and the shimmering voice of the spring waters, tinkling like jade, can be heard no longer.
:Lingyuan: But you don't understand. You still think you must stop me.
:Fujin: ...Lingyuan, I count myself more blessed than most to have lived such a happy life, and in the end, my soul returned to my home. You are the one who does not understand.
:Lingyuan: Yes. And I have never understood. After you defeated me, you should have taken my territory. You planted tea on my mountain and gave that land to the humans. I do not understand why you did this.
:Lingyuan: Chenyu Vale was once but a nameless land, and we were nameless insects, beasts, and fish. I was the master of an uncultivated mountain, and today, that place belongs to neither of us.
:Lingyuan: You took a human form and walked among them. You instituted the Rainjade Rite, and helped them change the soil and water. I did not understand then either, but I could see how happy you were.
:Lingyuan: The snake changed into a human form and used her knowledge to create medicines and save the sick. I could understand how the agile human fingers could help her do what she wished, but I do not know why it was done.
:Lingyuan: What happened after caused me still more confusion. You fought alongside humans and their so-called gods, and you perished. Humans fighting each other over territory and survival... Now that, I can understand.
:Lingyuan: You both belong to the great river and the mountainous forests. You could have chosen to leave them and live on with me. Let that which is human belong to them, and nature belong to nature. Even if our territory were to shrink, we could still live freely.
:Lingyuan: But now you wish to stop me and defend this land subdued by humanity. Answer me. Why?
:Fujin: Lingyuan, my friend... It is as you say. I do wish to protect them.
:Lingyuan: ...Do not answer me with my own question! I was asking you why.
:Paimon: (This Lingyuan might be a beast, but she sure cares about the order of things, huh?)
:Little Mao: (I know! That's how I learned so much from her.)
: (...So you guys were just discussing stuff... in the mountains...?)
:Little Mao: (Well, not totally. That said, after hearing everything Bluey said about Big Sis Fujin, I thought they'd be happy to meet each other...)
:Fujin: At first, I was like you. I did not understand humanity, and I did not enjoy their... excessive demands and love of hoarding, or their eternal desire to have more than they need, while caring so little for the needy themselves...
:Fujin: "Trading," "wealth"... Like you, I did not understand these concepts and did not understand why they influence human joy and sorrow.
:Fujin: But across the long years, I have also seen many other things.
:Fujin: The cries of children break my heart, and the sound of an old person's shattered memories saddens me... Just as though it were all a microcosm of these mountains and rivers.
:Fujin: Have you noticed them, seen them? The children who wash their little feet in the streams, fishermen laughing beneath the light of the rainbow's arc, the moonlight trysts of lovebirds, their figures painted silver...
:Fujin: Humans, too, are creatures of this land. Just how different is their innocence from ours?
:Lingyuan: ...You mean to say that you have chosen to take their side due to these emotions. Not through natural principles or logic. And not due to anyone's orders.
:Fujin: I suspect that Herblord had much the same reasons as I. That said, I'm sure she'd put it all very differently, ha!
:Lingyuan: I remain unsatisfied with your answer, Fujin. I do not understand.
:Fujin: Do you not? I think you've understood for a long time. When our lord... When our previous god raised the waters, it was you who brought your familiars around to attack the people and drive them to the shelters we had created.
:Lingyuan: I just...!
:Lingyuan: ...I just wished to help my friends. To make their wishes reality.
:Fujin: Even if doing so means going against nature and the principles you follow?
:Lingyuan: Even if it meant going against nature and the principles I follow, I would do so anyway.
:Fujin: Well, then we aren't all that different now, are we? Didn't you also choose your own position on account of your feelings?
:Lingyuan: ...
:Lingyuan: I am satisfied with your answer, Fujin. Now, you may ask a question.
:Fujin: Very well. May I ask the next question, , Paimon?
: Ask away.
::Paimon: Uh... Paimon can't really think of any good questions at the moment. Since you've got one, you go right ahead!
: Eh? What about my question?
::Paimon: Whoa, why are you acting like a kid all of a sudden?
::Little Mao: Yeah, that's really uncool of you!
::Fujin: Ah, I apologize... But the question I wish to ask is very important, so I hope you can let me ask it. I'll make it up to you later, !
: Eh, wasn't it Paimon's turn?
::Paimon: Paimon can't really think of any good questions at the moment, so, uh... Since you wanna ask a question, Adeptus Fujin, go right ahead!
:Fujin: You acknowledged my answer, acknowledged me, and acknowledged that you made choices based on your own feelings. Now, let me ask you...
:Lingyuan: N—No... Don't ask.
:Fujin: You know what I'm going to ask you, right?
:Lingyuan: "...If I needed your help, would you still make the same choice?"
:Fujin: That's right. And what's your answer?
:Lingyuan: *sigh*...
:Lingyuan: Yes. I would. Even should another thousand years pass, and even if you asked me a thousand more times, my answer would be the same.
:Fujin: In that case, Lingyuan, I do in fact need your help. I truly wish to save the people of Chenyu Vale, so please, don't stop me from nursing the water and soil, alright?
:Lingyuan: ...I promise you, Fujin. You have walked with humans for much time, and have learned their cunning, while I am but a foolish beast. My claws and teeth are sharp, but I am no match for you.
:Fujin: Thank you, Lingyuan.
:Fujin: And thank you, , Paimon, and Little Mao. You've accompanied me for so long, and you've helped me a lot. I wouldn't have made it here without you.
:Little Mao: Hehe... I'm happy to have helped you, Big Sis! I'm so glad that Bluey got to meet you all, too. I was so worried when you fought...
:Lingyuan: You also have my thanks, , Little Mao. It was you who brought Fujin to me. Though the circumstances of the meeting were not what I hoped for.
:Paimon: And what about Paimon?
:Lingyuan: ?
:Fujin: Alright, then. Let us begin.
;(Player is teleported back to Chiwang Terrace)
;(A cinematic plays)
:;(Cinematic ends)
:Little Mao: Big Sis Fujin? Big Sis...
:Paimon: Where did she go?
:Lingyuan: Do you still not understand? She used all the energy she accumulated recently to nurse the land.
:Paimon: Wait, if that's the case... Does that mean...
:Lingyuan: ...Yes. It is as you suspect.
:Paimon: But... She struggled so hard to...
:Fujin: Though we have now finished nursing the soil and water, the miasma that remains will not disappear immediately, so you'll have to be careful out there.
:Paimon: Eh?
:Fujin: Sorry for making you all see me like this. It is just as Lingyuan said. I have completely used up the energy I accumulated recently, and I can no longer maintain my favored form.
:Paimon: Waaaaa... Paimon thought... Paimon thought that...
:Little Mao: What's wrong?
:Paimon: ...*sigh* Nothing, nothing! Paimon's glad you're still here, Adeptus Fujin! Seriously, Lingyuan...
:Lingyuan: What about me?
: She wasn't entirely wrong, Paimon...
: As long as you're still here, Adeptus Fujin.
:Fujin: Though my form is as it has become, I am far more comfortable than before. At first, I was trapped at Carp's Rest, and could only reminisce about the outside world through the scent of the tea offerings.
:Fujin: If I had not met you and Paimon, people of such compatibility with the spirit veins, I would have had none but my shadow to talk to, much less be able to leave Carp's Rest.
:Fujin: Thank you for your concern. Please forgive me, but I must depart now. I'll need a bit of rest.
:Fujin: And another thing, Lingyuan.
:Lingyuan: Speak. What else would you have me do? Or not do.
:Fujin: Nothing. I just didn't get to say this due to the circumstances that prevailed before, but...
:Fujin: ...But it's so good to see you again.
:Lingyuan: I know.
;(Fujin leaves and the scene changes)
:Lingyuan: ...
:Lingyuan: Thank you all.
:Paimon: Eh? Where did that one come from...
:Lingyuan: I should thank you for bringing her back. Safe, smooth, and slippery. Even the way in which her fins move is the same as I remember.
:Paimon: You sure have a, uh, strange way of remembering people... or fish, whichever.
:Lingyuan: I do not know how you did it, nor why you were able to obtain her adeptal energy. All these thousands of years, and I never once heard her voice.
:Paimon: It might be due to 's, uh, unique constitution?
:Lingyuan: I see. However, I am but a foolish beast. Even if I wanted to see her again, I would not know of a better way.
:Lingyuan: I could only spend thousands of years clumsily imitating her methods, regulating the spirit veins in this land.
:Lingyuan: I am quite stupid, and I only knew this method, and so I did it — it was akin to scooping every droplet from a rushing river, or every grain of sand from the vast desert.
:Lingyuan: I knew as well that she would not smile as she once did, even if these mountains returned to how they once were.
:Lingyuan: She, I, and the snake once laughed and swam happily here. Those days will never come again.
:Lingyuan: She loves humanity too much, even more than she loves herself. Had I succeeded, she would only hate me.
:Lingyuan: But that would have not mattered to me, so long as she could regain her form and swim free once more.
:Paimon: *sigh* And Paimon thought you were more concerned about nature...
:Lingyuan: Of course I care. A land untamed by humans, a land of wild beasts. But that is a different subject from the matter of Fujin.
:Lingyuan: If she thinks that a land tamed by humans is better, and that the strange tea leaves grown on such land taste superior, then I shall do what pleases her.
:Lingyuan: So, thank you.
: Um, you're welcome?
:Paimon: Well, speaking of that, Paimon's curious. What did the tea leaves taste like in the past?
:Lingyuan: When the land changed before, the tea leaves' flavor was much closer to what it was in the past, apart from some differences due to human influence.
:Paimon: Wait, so you mean that the weirdly flavored teacakes we had were...
: In that case, I prefer the current flavor profile...
:Lingyuan: Tea leaves cultivated by humanity will be more to their liking, of course. What I do not understand is Fujin's tastes.
:Lingyuan: If the snake was here, we could ask for her opinion. But perhaps her tastes have also become strange from spending so much time with humans.
:Lingyuan: Before you go, , I have one final question for you.
:Lingyuan: Those that come from nature will, for some reason, go against nature — against the laws nature originally followed.
:Lingyuan: Will humans also go against humanity, against the principles they initially followed, for certain reasons?
: Yes.
: No.
: That depends on the circumstances.
::Lingyuan: You may as well have said just "yes."
:Lingyuan: Thank you. I have received the answer I desired.
:Lingyuan: Well then, Little Mao, , and Paimon. We shall meet again.
:Little Mao: Alright then. See you later, Bluey!
:Little Mao: Also, remember to take care of Big Sis Fujin! She seems kinda weak right now, so she could use some extra care!
:Lingyuan: I will. Farewell.
: Please wait, Lingyuan.
:: I have a question for you as well.
:Lingyuan: Ask, then. I do owe you that.
: If human activities are part of the laws of nature...
:: How would you view humanity?
:Lingyuan: A strange question. In the distant past, they were indeed part of nature. But they are so no longer. That is because...
:Lingyuan: ...
:Lingyuan: No, I need to give this question more thought. Next time we meet, I will give you my answer.
----
;(Approach the marked spot in Qiaoying Village)
:Uncle Luo: You're back! We were just saying that good rainfall's bound to bring good tidings! And what do you know, dear guests? You've arrived, right on time!
:Grandpa Lu: How did it go? Well, I trust? Tell us all about it!
: It was thanks to Adeptus Fujin...
: We were able to clear the source of the anomalies...
:
:Uncle Luo: So you met the legendary Carp Adeptus!? Oh my, as one would expect of the of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. You really do have friends in high places!
: Hehe, it was a piece of cake for me!
::Paimon: Uh... Anyway, your soil and water problems should be solved now!
: Now, your water and soil problems should be no more.
;()
::Grandpa Lu: Well, Old Luo, what did I say? I told you it was a soil problem, but you wouldn't listen. If it wasn't for them, who knows when our tea leaf problem would be solved!
;()
::Grandpa Lu: Haha, Old Luo, just what did I say? I told you it was a problem with the soil, but you wouldn't listen! If it wasn't for their help, we'd still be tealess come next year's Lantern Rite!
:Uncle Luo: *cough* That, uh... Regardless, thank you both for your help, honored guests!
:Uncle Luo: With your help, and the protection of the Carp Adeptus, I'm sure our village will surely see a great harvest of tea leaves this coming year.
:Uncle Luo: Ah, yes, please take these. Take it as a token of our thanks!
:Paimon: ...Right, Paimon almost forgot! We came across this kid during our adventures. Is he from the village, too?
:Little Mao: Hehe, Uncle Luo, I'm back!
:Uncle Luo: Well, if it isn't you, Little Mao? Finally of a mind to come back, huh?
:Paimon: Eh? You don't seem worried at all...
:Uncle Luo: And what is there to fret about? This kid runs around in the mountains all the time, and he always comes back safe after getting tired. If you ask me, there's been an adeptus looking after him in secret all along! You know, maybe that might even have been said Carp Adeptus...
:Little Mao: I've said it before — that wasn't an adeptus. It was Bluey—
:Grandpa Lu: Alright, alright, Little Mao, don't argue with Luo here. He's just pretending to know what he's talking about. Come by my place later — I'll make you some egg custard!
:Little Mao: Woohoo! Egg custard!
:Uncle Luo: Hmph, and now you pretend to be a good person... Wait, what do you mean, "pretending to know"?
:Uncle Luo: ...In any case, I don't really know how to repay you, dear guests.
:Uncle Luo: If you should need any help in the future, Qiaoying Village will be there to lend you a hand!
==Soundtracks==
== Trivia ==
*The "big sister" Little Mao mentions is most likely Zhiqiong. While "Rubicon" is a term that Alice originally used, Zhiqiong has also taken to using the term in reverence, although Zhiqiong uses it somewhat incorrectly, in the same manner Little Mao uses the term here.The Heavenly Stone's Debris While Alice is a more prolific adventurer, Zhiqiong is known to have already adventured heavily in Qiaoying Village, and she was also the cartographer who mapped out Qiaoying Village and possibly the entirety of Chenyu Vale.Wherefore Did the Spiritstone Descend?Complex Cartography This explains the traveler's melancholic reaction when Little Mao mentions that his big sister hasn't written to him in a long time.
== Other Languages==
==Change History==
==References==