Sayu looked at Qiu Bai with pleading eyes.
"Hehe, alright."
Qiu Bai said gently, looking at the adorable Sayu.
"Then Sayu can continue sleeping. I'll go find the Shrine Maiden Sister you mentioned by myself."
"That's great~!"
Sayu looked up at Qiu Bai happily.
"Without Shrine Maiden Sister around, Sayu can finally get a good night sleep tonight."
Afterwards, Qiu Bai headed towards the outskirts of Inazuma City.
The moment he walked out, he noticed a graceful shrine maiden standing by the road.
Dressed in red and white attire, her hands were placed neatly on her abdomen as she stood by the roadside.
"Are you the Shrine Maiden Sister that Sayu mentioned?"
Qiu Bai asked curiously, looking at the graceful shrine maiden before him.
"Yes, that's me."
The shrine maiden replied.
"But where is Sayu? Didn't she come with you?" She looked around Qiu Bai and the surroundings with confusion.
"She didn't come along."
Qiu Bai explained with a smile, watching the shrine maiden looking around.
"She said to let me come find you by myself."
"Sigh, that child."
The shrine maiden sighed helplessly upon hearing this.
"She must have hidden somewhere to sleep again."
"By the way, my name is Kano Nana, I'm a shrine maiden from the Grand Narukami Shrine."
The pretty shrine maiden introduced herself with a smile.
"Mr. Qiu Bai, Lady Yae is looking for you."
"She said something about finding an irresponsible man?"
Kano Nana said, looking at Qiu Bai with a somewhat strange expression.
"This fox..."
Qiu Bai covered his face with one hand, sighing helplessly.
"Alright, I understand."
He said, opening his hands in confusion.
"But where is she now?"
"Lady Yae is at the Grand Narukami Shrine."
Kano Nana explained with a smile.
"You'll see her once you get there."
"I see, thank you."
Qiu Bai nodded with a smile, then headed in the direction of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
After reaching a deserted area, Qiu Bai used his divine sense to ensure no one was around, then instantly disappeared from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he was already in front of the Sacred Sakura Tree.
At that moment, Yae Miko had her back to Qiu Bai, gazing at the Sacred Sakura Tree before her.
Qiu Bai deliberately concealed his presence and walked silently to stand behind Miko.
"Hey, Miko."
Qiu Bai smiled slightly, patting Miko shoulder.
"Ah!"
Yae Miko was startled by Qiu Bai, her pink fox ears bristling.
"Tenko Kenshin!"
She turned around holding a staff with white paper strips tied to it, also known as a gohei.
These are typically tied to the top of a staff, usually used for enshrining deities or exorcism.
Now this staff was charged with Electro power.
She swung it forcefully at Qiu Bai, and immediately a heavenly kitsune thunderbolt descended from the sky, striking towards Qiu Bai head!
Qiu Bai calmly stepped back, avoiding the thunderbolt which struck the ground at his feet, immediately turning the earth scorched and black!
"Good grief."
Qiu Bai mouth twitched as he looked at Yae Miko and then at the scorched earth.
"Miko, you should see who it is before attacking."
"Hmph~ Who told you to suddenly pat someone shoulder?"
Yae Miko put away her staff, looking at Qiu Bai with a light snort.
"Besides, even if it had hit you, it wouldn't have killed you."
"Is that the point here?"
Qiu Bai asked, looking at Yae Miko with confusion.
"Anyway, what did you want to see me about?"
"Do you know the purpose of this Sacred Sakura Tree?"
Yae Miko turned around, mumbling as she looked at the Sacred Sakura Tree before her.
"To be honest, I don't know much either."
"I only know that this tree has powerful ley line energy."
Qiu Bai murmured, looking at the Sacred Sakura Tree.
"The Sacred Sakura Tree symbolizes her eternal vigilance."
"It has the power to expel evil and purify the ley lines."
Yae Miko turned around, explaining slowly as she looked at Qiu Bai.
"I didn't know the Sacred Sakura Tree could also purify ley lines."
"That's somewhat similar to my abilities."
Qiu Bai chuckled softly.
"Your abilities?"
"I didn't expect that the Immortal Lord also has the power to purify ley lines~"
Yae Miko covered her mouth upon hearing this, speaking with exaggerated tone.
"When the ley lines in Liyue were previously contaminated."
"I was the one who purified them."
Qiu Bai explained with a light smile.
"My, my, it seems I found the right person~"
Yae Miko said with some delight upon hearing Qiu Bai words.
"I wonder if the Adeptus could help me with something?"
"What help do you need?"
Qiu Bai asked, gesturing with his hand.
"The Sacred Sakura roots responsible for channeling the contamination will be corroded over time."
"The contaminated parts will gradually form tumors."
Yae Miko explained slowly.
"Lady Saiguu.."
Yae Miko looked up at the sky, sighing wistfully.
"Lady Saiguu?"
Qiu Bai murmured, stroking his chin.
"Hehe, are you interested in her?"
Yae Miko put her hands on her hips, smiling at the contemplative Qiu Bai.
"Would you like me to tell you about her?"
"Go ahead, Miko."
Qiu Bai said slowly, looking at Yae Miko.
"Lady Saiguu..."
"Back then I was still young, had just taken human form not long ago, still looking like a young girl."
Miko turned to look at the Sacred Sakura Tree, murmuring.
"She said she was going on a long journey, and never returned."
"Sigh... I didn't want to take over the troublesome affairs of the Narukami Shrine at all back then."
Miko continued, sighing.
"She told me."
"She said if I became the head shrine maiden, I could eat as much fried tofu as I wanted."
Miko went on, her usually mischievous voice becoming somber.
"What a terrible reason..."
"A noisy, headache-inducing woman."
Yae Miko looked up at the sky, her tone somewhat melancholic.
"I see."
"From your expression, it seems you miss Guuji Yae quite a bit."
Qiu Bai nodded, stroking his chin.
"So, what exactly do you want me to help with?"
"You can just treat me to a meal afterwards."
Qiu Bai asked with a light smile, crossing his arms over his chest.
Naturally, Qiu Bai knew about Lady Saiguu, the first head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma.
She died in a disaster five hundred years ago.
Even though Lady Saiguu(Kitsune Saiguu) had immersed herself in darkness to protect Inazuma and its former beauty, after her death, all the goodness she had imagined shattered completely.
Her memories and yearnings were so powerful that even the filth could not destroy them.
Five hundred years later, even though her memories reappeared in the world in the form of filth, her only wish was still to perform the Grand Sakura Cleansing to protect Inazuma.
And these memories and filth had converged to form Hanachirusato.
However, if the Thunder Sakura were purified, Hanachirusato would also disappear, because she herself was formed from filth and memories.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)