Heroic Spirits? In Liyue, spirits weren't something you lacked.
Right here in the Dihua marshlands there were relics to be found. Relics that could even be used to summon mighty beings.
And once they reached Guili Plains and stumbled on the Ruins of the End, there would be more. Yasha, xian, forgotten sages—Liyue had an abundance of summonable souls.
Jiang Chen felt the injustice.
After being stabbed by HoYo, now it seemed he could twist that knife back.
Good. Very good.
When he thought like that, the Valhalla Hall became even more precious.
Lumine listened to Jiang Chen ramble until she was dumbfounded—she couldn't make sense of half the metaphors. He was being cryptic again. But judging by his mood, it seemed solid: the plan was feasible.
"Alright then," she said. "So are you going to live here now? If you have this, we wouldn't need to buy a house, right?"
"You still need a house," Jiang Chen answered nonchalantly. "That's obvious. We'll look around Liyue, see what fits, and buy a place if it's worthwhile. Living inside Valhalla isn't the same as having a home outside. You can't just stay in there forever."
That made sense to Lumine. Valhalla could be a refuge, something to use when travelling or when things got dangerous, but not a replacement for normal life. A real house would be needed.
Satisfied, Lumine started picking out a room in the Valhalla Hall and placed some daily things inside—this would be her little corner. Paimon did the same, gleefully claiming a spot next door to Lumine.
Jiang Chen set down the last of his items and gave them a nod.
"All right. Let's go." He led them back out. In an instant the three of them popped back into the physical world at the statue of the Seven.
"Let's move on," Jiang Chen said. "We'll head to Wangshu Inn. Stay there tonight and tomorrow we cross the plains to Liyue Harbor."
As they set off, Lumine couldn't help asking: "When are you going to summon Heroic Spirits? The hall is empty—fill it up, will you?"
She was excited at the prospect. If the Valhalla Hall filled with heroes, it would be lively indeed.
"No rush." Jiang Chen smiled. "We'll settle in Liyue first. I'll handle the house. You—post the missing-person notices to find your brother."
Lumine blinked. "If you settle in Liyue, do you plan to run a business? Money burns through quickly; land and houses in Liyue are expensive."
Jiang Chen shrugged. "I'll summon Heroic Spirits and get them to research technology based on my ideas. Then I'll sell tech in Liyue."
Lumine froze. "Wha—sell technology? You can do that?"
"Using the archon's machinery principles and the world's alchemy, it's not that hard. No one's tried it en masse here." Jiang Chen's grin widened. "With someone like the End-Master—if I summon him—to design mechanisms and automata, we can industrialize. Elemental energy is just a raw resource. Imagine carts, automatons, maybe even rudimentary flying rigs. Why stop at Liyue? Let's push the world forward—industrial revolution, travel beyond Teyvat."
Lumine's face went blank. That sounded absurd yet… intriguing.
"So you're going to summon skilled craftsmen as your toolmen?" she asked, realization dawning. "They'll do the work, and you won't have to pay wages."
That idea lit up her eyes. If Jiang Chen could call the right spirits and have them make devices, she could forget chasing her brother and go into business—rake in wealth, then find her brother with resources in hand. Practical.
Jiang Chen, however, balked. "Nope. You should keep traveling—visit all seven nations, gather elements yourself. Don't settle yet."
"Why?" Lumine frowned, then considered it. Gaining elements would make her stronger; the timing made sense. She nodded. "Okay, I'll keep going. But you—don't you have to touch other Statues to get powers? Your… thing—does it need that too?"
Jiang Chen waved a hand. "I'm not in a hurry. I'll base in Liyue for now. Later I can go to Sumeru, Fontaine, even Inazuma. Khaenri'ah's not a destination but regionally it's manageable. If needed I can visit other statues and get things sorted."
He added casually, "You could even obtain Dendro first, then head to Inazuma afterwards. That would make facing the Electro Archon easier down the line."
Lumine smiled at that possibility. Paimon, forever obsessed with food and comfort, didn't care much for industrial revolutions or elemental strategies—she just wanted her next snack.
The road to Wangshu Inn and Liyue Harbor stretched wide and scenic. The trio traveled through Guili Plains under a high sun; the air hummed with trade and mountain winds. Thoughts of factories, automata, and flying rigs flew through Jiang Chen's mind. Summon the right masters, assemble the tools, and Liyue might one day hum with machines no one had imagined.
For now, though, the plan was simple: settle, handle property, post the bounty notice for Lumine's brother, and then begin the careful work of summoning the right spirits. Recruit craftsmen, weapon-smiths, engineers—those "toolmen" who'd make things happen.
Lumine's hand hovered near Jiang Chen's shoulder.
"You sure you won't come with me? We could work together—skip the lonely wandering."
Jiang Chen shook his head firmly. "No. You go collect elements. Travel. Become stronger. When you're ready, we'll meet again. I'll be here building something big."
Lumine hesitated, then agreed—this path fit both of them for now.
They walked on beneath the afternoon sun, the silhouettes of mountains and the promise of Liyue's bustling harbor drawing nearer. In Jiang Chen's head plans multiplied: workshops, summoned artisans, manufacturing using elemental cores as power sources. A wild dream—maybe—but every great change began with a single piece of stubborn imagination.
And if anyone asked? He'd simply say: of course, we'll recruit toolmen.
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