Chapter 395: Same as Before

Li Mo recalled the events of the previous day.

At Kujou Village, he had only drunk a little water, and the rest of the time was spent on the move. While Aki and Xavier were eating dry rations, Li Mo hadn't eaten anything.

Eating was no longer a necessity for him. He could survive by absorbing magical energy. In Teyvat, elemental energy combined with life force could also produce magical energy, which wasn't much different from other worlds.

However, that didn't stop Li Mo from adhering to the routine of three meals a day.

Sitting across from Yae Miko, Li Mo said, "Give me some reaction, Yae. The wards on Yashiori Island have been destroyed, and Orobashi's remains are starting to cause trouble. The barrier at Kujou Village won't last much longer."

The barrier was strong and could last for years, but it only covered Kujou Village. What about the livelihoods of the villagers?

"Oh, Yashiori Island? I don't know how to deal with the wards there either. That was something Lady Saiguu handled back in the day," Yae Miko said slowly.

Yae Miko's leisurely demeanor made her seem like an elderly person, though her age wasn't that advanced by human standards. But for youkai, age wasn't calculated the same way. If it were, Yae Miko would have long turned to dust.

Li Mo spoke up, "Don't tell me I have to go digging through old records."

He squinted. The last time he was at the Grand Narukami Shrine, he had been the one organizing and categorizing the books. The orderly state of the shrine's library was his doing, with books neatly arranged according to a systematic classification.

—After all, even on Earth, library management had evolved into a specialized field of study.

"No, no. Let me think... With the right materials, it should be possible to repair the wards, but it's hard labor, and it has to be done under the influence of the Tatarigami. Ah~ so tiring. That's not work suitable for a beautiful maiden like me."

The laziness in her tone made it clear that the stunning beauty before him was, in fact, a slacker who would rather sit than stand. Back when Li Mo was at the Grand Narukami Shrine, he had handled countless tasks for her.

In terms of strength, Li Mo felt they were roughly equal without using his tails. With his "pseudo-immortality," he could afford to be reckless, but he couldn't underestimate the centuries of experience Yae Miko had accumulated.

Being of similar strength had its downsides.

It meant she could dump all the work on him.

Li Mo said, "Yae, don't think you can make me do all the work this time."

"Oh? Didn't Aki already go? How is it all on you? And there are so many shrine maidens. Surely they can't all be useless to you."

"Enough of that. The Tatarigami is no joke. The shrine maidens can assist, but that's about it. Just give me a straight answer." Li Mo snatched the teapot from Yae Miko's hands, poured himself a cup, and used the tea and pastries to fill his stomach.

The taste wasn't bad.

"Alright, alright, I'll go with you. Can't even enjoy breakfast in peace," Yae Miko said helplessly. "Let's set aside the bad news for now. Little guy, can you tell me what you've been through?"

Li Mo noticed the strange look in her eyes but remained calm. "I used the 'Heavenly Fox Bloodline' you gave me."

"Oh? You kept it for yourself?"

"What are you talking about? I only used part of it," Li Mo said.

Yae Miko replied, "Is that so? I'll believe you for now. Little guy, how many tails have you grown now?"

Li Mo said, "Five, but my path is different from the Heavenly Foxes of this world."

He didn't elaborate on the differences. The systems of different worlds were worlds apart. Moreover, Li Mo's hodgepodge of abilities from various worlds left even him with only a vague outline of his own power.

"Is that so? Then, if you were to face Ei, how confident are you?"

"I have a fifty percent chance."

Yae Miko's eyes lit up. "A fifty percent chance of winning?"

"No, a fifty percent chance that after she draws her blade, you won't be kneeling and begging her not to kill me, i can probably take a serious slash or two" Li Mo quipped.

Yae Miko: "Oh my, still holding a grudge? Don't worry. You rushed here overnight, so you know how far it is. Besides, we need to arrange for some preparations."

She sent a small fox out, and soon after, Kano Nana, who was in charge of looking after Sayu, arrived with a report.

Yae Miko pushed the report toward Li Mo.

Picking it up, Li Mo focused on the contents. "What's this?"

"Intelligence collected by the Yashiro Commission."

Opening the report, Li Mo found mostly data. At first glance, it was confusing, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that this was a survey report on the state of the people's livelihoods. The summary at the end synthesized the data.

It wasn't that the people were suffering, but their standard of living had significantly declined.

The Sakoku Decree had led to a drop in trade, but the self-sufficiency of small-scale farming still kept things afloat. The Vision Hunt Decree itself didn't directly affect the common folk, but the war between the resistance and the Shogunate's forces had made life difficult for everyone.

With the war, a large portion of resources had to be diverted to the military, inevitably impacting civilian life.

Li Mo set the report down, his mood calm.

He was no longer the young man from Academy City who had seen too much darkness. Seeing the state of Inazuma, his only thought was that productivity was lacking.

"Yae, what do you want me to do?"

"Inazuma can't go on like this. I don't really care, but a certain shut-in would be very upset. She's hiding in her dark room, not looking at anything. But if she were to come out and see the mess she's created, she'd be heartbroken," Yae Miko said. "Though, seeing my old friend's distressed expression might be amusing."

Yae Miko's old friend could only be the Raiden Shogun. It certainly wasn't Ioroi, who was probably still sleeping in the forest.

"You want me to break the deadlock?"

"Exactly. You don't have a Vision, yet you're so strong. You're perfect for piquing my old friend's curiosity. Oh, before you came back, I was planning to use that blonde traveler. But now... the capable should do more."

Yae Miko's gaze settled on Li Mo.

She had been keeping an eye on the traveler named Lumine. The girl had been involved in the turmoil in Mondstadt and Liyue, making her the perfect variable. But then a certain priest had returned, stronger than before and now part of the family, so Yae could afford to step back.

"You want me to go to my death for free?"

"Don't worry, I'll give you anti-Raiden Shogun training," Yae Miko said gently. "How about during your time on Yashiori Island?"

"Sure. By the way, my priestly robes are ruined," Li Mo added after a pause. "They got destroyed in Tatarasuna."

"Oh, there are spares. Go find a shrine maiden to get them."