At the beginning of the fourteenth life, the audience had subconsciously assumed it would be an ordinary tragic story.
But they never expected that by the end, it would even involve Raiden Ei of Inazuma.
The reincarnation of this life had ultimately been slain by Ei.
This was truly unexpected.
Thinking of this, people turned their gazes to the corner of the inn where the gods were seated.
Sure enough, they saw Raiden Ei sitting frozen in her chair.
Though they couldn't see her face clearly, it must have looked terrible.
The audience began to murmur.
"The storyteller certainly didn't disappoint. Another massive tragedy!"
"I'm speechless."
"That Thunderbird just wanted Aru to fulfill their promise. She just wanted Aru's song."
"Those villagers are so stubborn!"
"I've realized something. The villagers of Tsurumi are all brilliant. They've been struck by lightning multiple times and still keep sacrificing Aru!"
"That Raiden Shogun killed her brother's reincarnation again—she must be devastated."
"Shh, don't let the Raiden Shogun hear you."
"The Raiden Shogun is sitting right there in the inn."
"Aru is still enduring the pain of being sacrificed. I want to go to Tsurumi Island and save Aru. Anyone want to form a group?"
"Let's go to Tsurumi together and smash the altar. Save Aru!"
"Help Aru fulfill his promise!"
The audience buzzed with discussion.
Upon learning that even to this day, Aru was still trapped in the cycle of sacrifice, they all felt deep sympathy for him and wanted to rescue him.
But they weren't sure whether helping Aru fulfill his promise would actually end the cycle on Tsurumi Island.
So the audience asked Li Mo again.
"Storyteller, if we stop Aru from being sacrificed and let him go to the fields to sing his song for Kapatcir, will the cycle end?"
Li Mo sat on stage and heard the audience's questions.
He spoke seriously, "That's correct. If you can convince Aru to refuse the sacrifice and fulfill his promise to Kapatcir, the resentment will be satisfied."
"The resentment will dissipate and the cycle will end."
Seeing that some people wanted to go to Tsurumi Island to rescue Aru from the sacrificial cycle, Li Mo naturally would not stop them.
The audience was delighted upon hearing this.
Several listeners immediately decided to form a group and travel to Tsurumi together.
To save Aru.
To help Aru fulfill his promise to Kapatcir and end his suffering.
Meanwhile, in one corner of the inn, Shenhe, La Signora, Hu Tao, Keqing, Beidou, Xiangling, and the others sighed repeatedly after hearing the story of the fourteenth life.
Some had even shed tears.
Beidou said thoughtfully, "When I led my fleet to Inazuma, I heard rumors about this strange island."
"Some even said it was haunted."
"I never expected the truth to be like this. Next time I go to Inazuma, I'll go take a look."
Of course, she would go not just to see the island, but also to help Aru.
Xiangling patted Guoba's little head and said sadly, "Yes, a thousand years have passed. That Aru must have been sacrificed countless times by now."
Guoba: "Lulu lu—"
Keqing: "At least here in Liyue, we no longer have such barbaric customs."
As they all sighed and lamented Aru's tragic fate, Arataki Itto said carelessly, "Those villagers are so stupid. After all this time, they still can't figure out what the Thunderbird really wanted."
"What a bunch of idiots. They're not even as smart as me."
Paimon: "You're the idiot. Everyone knows that."
Itto laughed heartily. "Ha! I'm an idiot? Little one, are you mistaken?"
"Didn't you see? When you were all crying just now, I didn't shed a single tear!"
"You'll never make me cry. Impossible!"
"I'm the Oni King. The Oni King never cries—hahaha, if Shinobu were here, she'd be crying her eyes out!"
Itto not only didn't cry, but he could even laugh.
It wasn't because he was heartless.
It was because he was the Oni King.
As the boss of the Arataki Gang and the Oni King of Inazuma's streets, it was only natural that he didn't cry, right?
How could he keep his reputation on the streets of Inazuma if others saw him shed tears?
But to be honest, deep down, Itto did pity Aru.
Seeing Aru reminded him of his own tragic past.
But that bit of negativity meant nothing to Itto. He immediately suppressed it with his optimistic spirit.
Hearing Itto's laughter, Paimon was speechless.
"Idiot! If you were on that island, they'd definitely sacrifice you first! Let's see if you'd still be laughing then!"
Itto laughed loudly. "Ha! Those people wouldn't dare sacrifice me! I'm an oni!"
Paimon: "…"
Hearing Itto's confident voice, even Hu Tao couldn't hold back.
She huffed, "What's-your-name Itto, all you do is laugh. Don't you feel sorry for those villagers?"
Itto: "Feel sorry? They're the ones who sacrificed Aru. They deserved it."
Hu Tao said seriously, "Think about it carefully. There were so many people on that island. After the disaster, none of their bodies were ever buried!"
"How pitiful!"
After hearing the story, Hu Tao's professional habits had kicked in again.
Everyone around her was speechless.
It seemed Hu Tao always focused on different things than everyone else.
Just then, little Paimon flew around the group.
She looked at the carefree Itto and grew annoyed.
"Stupid Itto, have you really never cried before?"
Itto laughed loudly. "Of course not! I'm the Oni King! How could the Oni King cry?"
In truth, he remembered crying when he was very, very young.
But as the Oni King, he couldn't admit to ever crying.
As long as he didn't admit it, he had never cried.
That's right. Exactly.
Little Paimon huffed, "Hmph! Maybe next time, you'll appear in the storyteller's story too. Then don't cry too hard!"
Itto was startled. "Ha? I might appear in the storyteller's stories too?"
That was indeed frightening.
But then Itto thought back over his life, from when he was very, very young to the time he spent with Granny Oni.
He had experienced many hardships.
And many touching moments.
But those stories had only made him stronger.
Did they think they could make him cry?
Impossible.
This great one could never cry.