Lumine just stood there, staring at Qiu Bai in disbelief.
Drip...
The sound of blood hitting the floor echoed in everyone's ears.
"What do you mean 'acting'?"
"Qiu Bai is bleeding!"
Paimon seeing Lumine expression, hurriedly reminded her.
"Mister Qiu Bai, please don't force yourself."
"I'll go get bandages and other supplies right now!"
Kamisato Ayaka, hearing this and seeing the blood dripping on the floor, said worriedly.
She then quickly ran to a room in the Komore Teahouse.
"Mister Qiu Bai, don't you feel any pain?"
Thoma looked at Qiu Bai nonchalant face, even with a hint of a smile, and asked in astonishment.
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
Qiu Bai said with a smile to Thoma beside him, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Ugh!"
"Looking like that, no one would believe you're fine."
Thoma, seeing Qiu Bai condition, was startled.
"Well, judging by his appearance..."
"He really doesn't seem that troubled, after all, it's not the first time he's done something like this."
Paimon turned to look at Lumine beside her, spreading her hands and saying dismissively.
"So what exactly happened?"
"You and Qiu Bai seemed to disappear, like you were pulled somewhere else and vanished from our sight."
Paimon looked at Lumine, then at Qiu Bai, asking with a puzzled expression.
"Mister Qiu Bai, lie down!"
"Let's stop the bleeding first, then talk."
Ayaka rushed back with a small wooden box, standing in front of Qiu Bai with a worried look.
"Don't worry, Ayaka."
"I'm really fine."
Qiu Bai smiled and waved his hand dismissively, then his body surged with the power of light, instantly healing the wound.
Even his clothes were restored to their original state after a flash of white light.
"This, how is this possible..."
Ayaka covered her mouth in shock at the completely unharmed Qiu Bai before her.
"Qiu Bai..."
Lumine stood with her hands on her hips, looking at Qiu Bai with skepticism.
"Ayaka, there's no need to be so surprised."
"Qiu Bai isn't that easy to kill."
Paimon smiled and explained to the shocked Ayaka.
"As long as you're fine."
"Although I don't know how Mister Qiu Bai recovered so quickly, I'm still relieved."
Kamisato Ayaka patted her chest, letting out a sigh of relief.
"And Thoma has been rescued too."
"That's wonderful news."
Ayaka looked at Thoma and Qiu Bai with a smile.
"The Shogunate forces will eventually track us to this location."
"After this, I can only leave things to you all."
Thoma nodded, then looked at Qiu Bai and the others with furrowed brows.
"What should we do?"
Lumine looked at Thoma with some confusion.
"Go to Tatarasuna, find the resistance forces."
"There aren't many factions willing to take you in, but the resistance is an exception."
Thoma explained to Qiu Bai and the others.
"It's organized by the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, Sangonomiya Kokomi, and currently led by her subordinate Gorou, who is fighting against the Shogunate forces."
Kamisato Ayaka explained, stroking her chin.
"That's right, though we in the Yashiro Commission don't have close ties with the resistance."
"Mainly because neither side can fully trust the other."
Thoma spread his hands, explaining helplessly.
"But you three are different. In my view, the resistance should have no reason to refuse you."
"The only danger is that we're not currently clear on the exact location of the resistance, so you'll need to inquire along the way."
Thoma explained to everyone.
"During your journey, you might pass through territories controlled by the Shogunate forces."
"Please be extremely careful."
Kamisato Ayaka looked at Qiu Bai and the others with concern.
"Don't worry, Ayaka."
"We'll be on our way then."
Paimon smiled at Ayaka.
"Yes, please take care on your journey."
"I'll take Thoma to find a relatively hidden place."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded with a smile at the three.
"Oh, Thoma."
"This is your Vision."
Lumine produced a Pyro Vision from her hand and tossed it to Thoma.
"Hold onto me tightly."
Qiu Bai looked at Lumine and Paimon beside him with a smile.
Lumine and Paimon nodded in response.
Then they grabbed the hem of Qiu Bai clothes and disappeared.
When they landed, they found themselves in the wilderness.
They were in a forest at the foot of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"So, what exactly happened?"
Paimon looked at Qiu Bai and Lumine, spreading her hands questioningly.
Lumine then explained everything that happened in the Plane of Euthymia to Paimon.
"So that's what happened!"
"You two actually fought the Electro Archon in that space!"
Paimon exclaimed in surprise to Qiu Bai and Lumine.
"But Qiu Bai couldn't defeat the Raiden Shogun."
"That's quite unexpected for Paimon. It seems the Raiden Shogun martial prowess is indeed formidable."
Paimon looked at Qiu Bai with surprise.
"Unless Qiu Bai was acting."
Lumine said, looking at Qiu Bai.
"That can't be, right? When two gods fight, shouldn't they both give it their all?"
"And with all the Inazumans telling us how powerful the Raiden Shogun is, Qiu Bai wouldn't be acting, right?"
Paimon spread her hands, looking at Lumine beside her with a puzzled expression.
"Of course not, how could I possibly be acting?"
"When I was pierced through, I almost passed out from the pain."
Qiu Bai looked at Lumine and Paimon with a smile.
"I was starting to believe you weren't acting."
"But hearing you say that, I'm more convinced that you were."
Paimon turned around, crossing her arms while looking at Qiu Bai suspiciously.
Then she thought about how Qiu Bai had instantly healed his wounds earlier.
"By the way, Qiu Bai, that Electro Archon."
"Why did she show mercy toward you?"
Lumine looked at Qiu Bai with confusion.
The final words of the Electro Archon had left her puzzled.
"Hmm..."
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, pondering for a moment.
To be honest, he didn't know why Ei had held back.
From what he knew, Ei wasn't the type to be indecisive.
Yae Miko had said that perhaps Ei would have a familiar feeling when seeing him.
As it turned out, Ei really did have a familiar feeling when she saw him.
And Ei reaction, the moment she saw him, the Plane of Euthymia actually brightened for a moment.
The system quest was one part, but mainly he wanted to see Ei expression after piercing him.
Thinking about her expression, what she said, and a series of unusual behaviors.
Perhaps his conjecture was correct.
It now seemed that he might indeed be the "big brother" that Ei and Makoto had mentioned.
But he had no memory of that, so it was hard to make a definitive conclusion.
Yet another question arose: if he was indeed the "big brother" that Ei and Makoto spoke of.
He came into existence a thousand years ago, while Ei and Makoto big brother was from two thousand years ago.
And if it were true, Ei would forget him, yet still have a familiar feeling toward him.
All the other gods also had a familiar feeling toward him, which might mean their memories had also disappeared.
And then there was that book constituted by the principles of Yin and Yang, and the fragments he had created with his own hands.
"Interesting..."
"What exactly happened in between..."
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, frowning as he pondered internally.
"I don't know either."
"Perhaps it's just my charm that prevented the Electro Archon from striking me down."
Qiu Bai spread his hands, looking at Lumine and Paimon with a smile.
"This guy, so full of himself..."
Paimon looked at Lumine beside her, saying helplessly.
(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! 😊)