Paimon clapped her hands with joy.
"That's great! I believe Beidou would say, 'More friends, more connections,' right?"
Shajin chuckled softly.
"Not a bad saying. Having more friends really does make things easier."
Everyone introduced themselves in turn.
Yun Jin was a bit surprised.
She hadn't expected to see the famed Cloud Retainer here in person.
Paimon led the way ahead.
"No time to waste, let's get going!"
"We can't let someone else take first place!"
…
Lumine walked alongside Shajin, glancing at the woman beside them.
"Shajin, Cloud Retai— I mean, Xianyun… why did she come to Liyue Harbor in human form?"
Shajin adjusted the sunglasses perched on her nose.
"Probably just a tsundere bird with an empty nest, lonely and cold all by herself in the mountains, so she came down to Liyue Harbor to find some warmth~"
"Achoo!"
Shenhe blinked in confusion.
"Master, are you catching a cold?"
Xianyun rubbed her nose.
"Impossible. How could this immortal catch a cold?"
…
Time passed quietly as the group reached the base of Mt. Tianheng.
Yun Jin looked around nostalgically.
"When I was little, I came here once with my father. I remember the mountain being so tall—by the time I reached the summit, my legs were aching terribly."
"Coming back now feels like a journey to the past… These majestic peaks and the sound of flowing water make it feel like a hidden paradise."
"It's no wonder the legend of The Divine Damsel of Devastation takes place here. 'Mortal fate murky, immortal fate vast'—this truly feels like a place frequented by immortals."
Xianyun nodded.
"This area was once a gathering place for many immortals."
Paimon turned back with curiosity.
"Yun Jin, what kind of story does The Divine Damsel of Devastation tell?"
Yun Jin tapped her chin.
"It's about… a young girl who becomes a hero."
Shajin glanced at Shenhe. That girl still doesn't realize that the "hero" in the story… is actually her.
Yun Jin flashed a rare, mischievous smile at Shajin.
"Shajin, you've seen me perform it several times already—would you do us the honor of summarizing it for everyone?"
Shajin saw Yun Jin wink at him.
With a helpless smile, he gave in.
"Alright, I'll keep it brief~"
"This is one of the oldest legends to circulate around Mt. Tianheng. It's said that a prosperous village once stood here."
"In that village lived a couple deeply in love. One day, a monster suddenly appeared."
"The wife was out collecting herbs and was captured by the monster. The husband was devastated and soon lost his mind."
"The monster arrogantly declared to the villagers: 'If you want to survive, offer your children to me!'"
"The creature was so powerful that no one dared oppose it. The villagers could only obey."
Shajin glanced at Shenhe, who stood with her head bowed.
"Just as they were debating whose child to offer, a little girl suddenly stepped forward."
"She carried a demon-banishing sword and pretended to be terrified as she approached the monster's lair. Then, in a bold move, she attacked. After a grueling battle, she finally slew the beast."
"Later, due to her exceptional talents, she was taken in by an immortal, and her tale became legend."
"However… the divide between mortal and immortal could never be bridged. She vanished from the world of men."
"That's why the last line in Yun Jin's father's play reads: 'Karmic dust fades, smoke disperses.'"
Paimon was spellbound. "What a great story…"
But Shajin let out a scoff.
"I don't quite agree."
Everyone turned to look at him.
Shajin waved his hand.
"I don't mean the play—I mean the real story."
Paimon scratched her head.
"What do you mean?"
Shajin glanced at Shenhe again, whose head had lowered even further.
Yun Jin suddenly remembered.
"Oh… I forgot about that part."
"Plays always involve interpretation and adaptation—it's inevitable that the real events get changed."
"My father likely wrote this play to inspire others by portraying the 'Divine Damsel' as a hero."
Shajin shrugged.
"You're probably right…"
Shenhe, who had been silent with her head lowered, suddenly looked up and spoke with self-mockery.
"To me, the little girl in the story… maybe she wasn't all that brave."
"The little girl in the play… was just a lucky… sacrifice."
Lumine glanced at Shajin, who subtly shook his head.
Yun Jin fell into thoughtful silence.
"Miss Shenhe, you mean…"
Shenhe nodded slowly.
"I wasn't sure before. But now, I think… the little girl in your father's story—must have been me."
Ganyu stepped forward, but Xianyun stopped her with a gentle hand.
"When I was five, my mother died of illness."
"After that, it was just me and my father."
"But he could never let go of my mother's death."
"He wandered through life like a ghost, drinking every day, completely numb."
"Then he heard rumors that immortals could bring the dead back to life."
"So he became obsessed with finding them."
"He set out to seek the immortals, hoping to resurrect my mother."
"But…"
"He was gone for a whole year."
"I was left alone."
"Sometimes kind people brought me food, but most of the time, I survived on wild herbs from the mountains. Once I caught a rabbit—I was so happy I cried."
"The venomous bugs in the summer, the freezing cold of winter… they were unbearable."
"After a year, he still hadn't found an immortal, nor a way to bring back my mother."
"But he returned with a secret ritual—one that claimed to trade one life for another."
"With that ritual, he summoned a black 'spirit' I'd never seen before."
"My father thought the ritual had worked. He was overjoyed, thinking he could trade his life to bring Mother back."
"But…"
Shenhe's voice trembled.
"That 'spirit' told him… I was born under a cursed star. A 'Calamity Star.' That I was the reason my mother died."
Xianyun noticed Shenhe's condition worsening and reached out, but Shajin stepped in first.
She gently steadied Shenhe by the shoulders.
The red string wrapped around Shenhe's wrist shimmered faintly with golden light.
Shenhe slumped weakly into Shajin's arms, continuing her story.
"The 'spirit' said only by offering my life could my mother be resurrected."
"I didn't understand anything back then."
"I only remember being happy that my father had come home."
"He said he'd prepared a gift for me in a cave behind the mountain."
"I remember running there excitedly. I even fell and scraped my knee, but I didn't care."
"When I stepped into the dark cave, he pointed at me and said…"
She paused, choking on her words.
"He said I was born with this cursed fate. That as long as I lived, I'd bring disaster to everyone around me."
"That I should just die… to bring Mother back."
"There was no gift in that dark cave. Only a black 'spirit.'"
"It had a terrifying face and blood-red eyes, staring straight at me. I didn't know what it saw in me—maybe the same thing I saw when I looked at other people's family portraits."
"I only remember… I took the dagger Mother left me and stabbed at it."
"She said the dagger had been blessed. That it could banish evil. That I should use it to protect myself."
"I lost all awareness. My mind went blank, consumed by one thought: kill it."
"I fought that 'spirit' for I don't know how long."
Shenhe forced herself upright.
Shajin helped her stand.
Shenhe turned to Xianyun with a faint smile.
"Thanks to Master, I was saved from that cave. I became her disciple."
"After a ritual, and with the red string on my wrist, my emotions felt… dulled."
"I wanted to speak. But I didn't know how."
Then she turned to Shajin.
"Thanks to you… I can finally tell this story."
A tear slipped down Shenhe's cheek.
"Really… thank you, both of you…"
Shajin shook his head and handed her a handkerchief.
"Actually, Shenhe, you're incredible. Far more than I ever was."
"I may have doubted the story—but never the girl in it."
He ruffled Shenhe's hair gently.
"The Three Combs—"
"First comb to sweep away sorrow."
"Second comb, no joy, no grief."
"Third comb, no regrets until the end."
"The past can't be changed. All we can do is move forward."
"As for 'Calamity Star'…"
"Heh…"
"Fate is written by the heavens, but destiny—destiny is written by you."
"Look around, Shenhe. So many people have gathered by your side. You're no longer that so-called 'jinx.'"
"You're Shenhe. And that's more than enough~"
Shajin nodded to Xianyun.
Understanding, Xianyun stepped forward and wrapped Shenhe in a gentle embrace.
She said nothing—just held her quietly, listening to the soft sound of Shenhe's sobs.
_
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