It was deep into the night. Su Han had personally carried Beidou to the guest room. Although her physical body wouldn't truly die in the Spiral Tower, that level of high-intensity mental combat was enough to leave anyone utterly drained.
He sat by her side, merging a few stored Soul Crystals with the essence of the Black Water Mystic Snake to help her recover. There was no need for modesty between them; they had long since shared their true feelings. As he applied the medicine to her back, he noticed her breathing was steady, yet her earlobes were turning a tell-tale shade of crimson.
Su Han smirked. He slowed his movements, his fingers trailing lightly down her spine until Beidou finally couldn't take it anymore. She flipped over, pinning him to the bed with a fierce glare.
"You big dummy..." she growled, her face flushed. "You knew I was awake, didn't you?"
"I couldn't help it," Su Han teased. "You're much cuter when you're trying to hide."
Before she could respond, Su Han snapped his fingers. The scenery shifted instantly. They were no longer in the Jade Chamber, but on a small boat drifting in the middle of a moonlit sea. The only sounds were the gentle lapping of the waves. He handed her a jug of wine. "A drink, Captain?"
"Hmph. You usually don't drink," Beidou said, taking a swig. "I gave you a chance back there and you didn't take it. Don't expect another one so easily."
"I just didn't want to 'occupy' you while you were weak," Su Han said, pulling her into his arms. "I've always said I love the Beidou who is the empress of the sea. Although you no longer have the Crux Fleet, I promised to build you the strongest navy in the world. I brought you here for a surprise."
[The Fleet of the New World]
Beidou looked toward the horizon as light began to crest the waves. A fleet of over a hundred massive warships was sailing majestically from Inazuma toward Liyue. Each one possessed the scale of the Alcor, equipped with the latest elemental cannons and crystalline defense barriers.
"Is that... our fleet?" Beidou gasped, her jaw dropping.
"It is. Your fleet," Su Han whispered.
Beidou laughed, the last of her exhaustion vanishing. She leaned against him, and for the rest of the night, they talked of old times and the future they were building together. While they didn't take the final step that night, their hearts were finally, irrevocably joined.
[The 31st Mission: The Divine Dragon]
The next morning, Su Han was woken up by a splash of cold seawater. He floated on the surface, staring up at a blanket-wrapped Beidou who was pointing at the sky.
"Wake up, Big Boss! It's almost eleven! The 31st mission is refreshing, and the point mall is about to update!"
Minutes later, they returned to the Jade Chamber's garden. Venti and the Raiden Shogun were already pacing impatiently. Venti rushed over, pulling out a chair and pouring Su Han a cup of tea with uncharacteristic diligence.
"Su Han! Finally! If it's a Five-Star mission, you'll let me go, right? Let me show you the power of Barbatos!"
Just then, the system pinged.
[Ding! 31st Mission Triggered: Five-Star Difficulty!]
[Mission]: Defeat the true ruler of the Fountainhead Palace, the Demon-class monster Divine Dragon, and purify the entire palace.
[Description]: The Divine Dragon was a defeated demon from the East that settled in the Fountainhead Palace near Ashina. It has occupied the Sacred Sakura and polluted the land. Humans have been turned into slaves or infested by palace vermin.
[Warning]: The dragon draws power from the palace itself; its strength grows over time. Furthermore, the Great Serpent of the Sunken Valley will attack the palace once the mission begins. Defeat the dragon before the serpent arrives.
Su Han looked at the two Archons. He needed someone who could handle aerial combat and massive purification.
"Venti," Su Han decided. "This one is yours. General... you take the next one."
"Yahoo!!! It's mission time! Wanshu!" Venti cheered, jumping into the air as the golden light of the portal began to envelop him. Ashina was about to meet the God of Freedom.
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