"What are you all talking about?"
Just as Mualani was left speechless by the questions, a woman with a Pyro Vision at her waist walked over: "On such a fine day, if you don't seize the time to soak in the hot springs, that would be such a waste."
"Auntie Atea!"
Upon seeing Atea arrive, a smile immediately bloomed on Mualani's face: "Auntie Atea, don't tell me you're heading to the hot springs again?"
"Mualani, when did you get so clever?" Atea put on an expression of surprise, "You can actually predict my next move."
"In the People of the Springs, who doesn't know you're the one who loves soaking in hot springs the most?" Mualani said with a light laugh, "Especially after your injury healed, you seem to wish you could soak in the hot springs even while sleeping."
Ever since Atea returned from the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, she had taken the elixir that Rios gave her. Not long after drinking it, the Abyss corrosion that had plagued her for so long completely vanished, and even her body gradually recovered, as if it had never been harmed by the Abyss at all.
Just as Mualani said, after fully recovering, Atea couldn't wait to soak in the hot springs all day long.
Sure enough, she had run into Mualani and the others on her way to soak in the hot springs.
"Does anyone want to come soak in the hot springs with me?" Atea invited.
"I soaked today, so no need."
"I've already soaked twice."
The people from the People of the Springs waved their hands.
"Then I'll accompany Auntie Atea." Mualani, like Atea, could never get enough of soaking in hot springs.
And so, the two changed into swimsuits and found an unoccupied hot spring to enjoy.
After entering the hot spring, Atea learned from the girl's mouth about the content of the earlier conversation, and immediately burst into giggles: "Mualani, you child, to think you'd have a time like this too."
"Auntie Atea, don't tease me." Mualani slightly lowered her brows, "I didn't expect Rios to be so amazing; he can even pull souls from the Night Kingdom, making everyone go to him for help."
In the end, Mualani was the only one who still hadn't seen Rios even now—it was truly too embarrassing.
"Mualani, you've grown up with Rios since you were little; you know that child has his own unique insights into the use of power, even deeper than the elders in the tribe."
"Not to mention, he now has the power of a god; it's not something unacceptable that he can do these things."
Mualani had been too young back then and didn't know how outstanding the previous Rios was.
But Atea, who had watched them grow up, knew full well how Rios had dropped everyone's jaws in astonishment.
"I've always known Rios was amazing."
Mualani curled up her body and hugged her bent knees: "Auntie Atea, do you think I'll be able to see Rios again in the future?"
Atea immediately laughed upon hearing this: "Mualani, when did you get so pessimistic? Rios is right there at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame; if you want to see him, can't you go anytime?"
"But I'm afraid that when I go to the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, the doors of the assembly hall still won't open for me." Mualani truly wasn't like her usual self.
Thinking of the possible future, she had chickened out and hadn't dared to go.
Atea could tell that the girl currently had something on her mind, so she sighed: "The young people these days..."
After sighing, Atea continued: "Isn't the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame coming up soon?"
"With Rios's personality, he'll definitely come watch your individual match."
Mualani's eyes lit up: "Really?"
"Of course it's real." Atea said, "He couldn't be bothered to watch anyone else's individual matches, but he'll watch yours, and after it's over, he'll even clap."
"Even after becoming the Pyro Archon, he won't change in that regard."
"Alright—" Mualani immediately mustered her spirits, "For the upcoming Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame, I'll fight beautifully and make Rios's hands clap nonstop."
Looking at the girl who had regained her vitality, Atea smiled and said: "Mualani, add me to your team for the team match."
Mualani was stunned: "Auntie Atea, you're going to participate in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame too?"
"Of course." Atea laughed, "Before I was injured, I was also an excellent warrior."
"It's about time to let the kids in the tribe know that I'm not just some old auntie who only scolds them."
======
The player world.
Mu Yang moved the mouse, opened Genshin Impact, entered the game, then exited the game—repeating the cycle over and over.
"Why hasn't it opened yet?"
Mu Yang anxiously clicked the mouse.
[Why is Mu Yang so anxious?]
[The first banner in 5.0 isn't that Kinich guy, is it? You're not into guys anyway.]
Seeing Mu Yang in such an anxious state, his fans were somewhat puzzled.
It wasn't the first major version update; was there really a need to be this excited?
"You guys don't get it." Mu Yang clicked the mouse while saying, "This server launch is packed with benefits; it'll give away a free standard five-star."
This was something Mihoyo had said in the preview livestream, so it was definitely accurate.
Back when the players saw that announcement, they had been thrilled.
[Even if you can exchange for a standard five-star, it doesn't matter.]
[The stats are long outdated; even if it's free, it can't be fielded, only used as stock.]
The fans still didn't understand why Mu Yang was so excited.
"Hmph, in that case, you're wrong." Mu Yang curled up the corner of his mouth.
For a whale like Mu Yang, who had skewed all his standard pulls to full constellations, the free five-star character from Genshin had another use.
"My standard characters are all full constellation; if they give me another one, that'll turn into 25 unclaimed Starglitter."
"Then, I can exchange it for 5 Acquaint Fates."
"That's 5 pulls right from the start."
Hearing Mu Yang's explanation, the fans who had been puzzled moments ago suddenly understood.
[I see, there's actually this trick?]
[This is a method only someone who skewed all standard characters to full constellation could think of.]
[Skewing all standard characters to full constellation—what kind of despair does it take to say something like that?]
[That's one sad night after another.]
After a brief moment of surprise, the fans began teasing Mu Yang about his luck, managing to skew every standard character to full constellation.
"Sigh, I shouldn't have told you guys about this." Mu Yang recalled the heartbreaking past, "Talking about it just brings tears."
Skewing standards to full constellation didn't mean you wouldn't skew to standards again.
It was precisely because of experiences like ten Keqings and seventeen Qi Qis that Mu Yang knew extra five-star standards could be exchanged for five more pulls.
At this moment, he clicked the mouse and entered the game once again.
This time, the black loading screen no longer appeared; instead, the scene before him turned into a vast white expanse, so bright it nearly blinded the eyes.
Genshin Impact 5.0.
Server launch!