Genshin Impact: Dionysus reigns supreme, all demons retreat!

Chapter 270 The Divine Cherry Blossom Place is Empty

Xu Ning was utterly shocked.

Why do you sound so lewd, you witch?

Is this also a unique aspect of Inazuma culture? Shaman sister, will you scold me again?

Despite feeling somewhat strange about the shaman's seemingly eccentric attitude, Xu Ning still reached out and picked up the divination tube, shaking it vigorously a few times as the shaman instructed.

Then Xu Ning stared blankly at the bamboo skewers scattered all over the table.

The priestess inside clenched her fists instantly and growled at Xu Ning in a low voice, "You're making me very tired... and no god would like someone like you who asks a lot of questions all at once."

The shrine maiden snatched the fortune-telling tube from Xu Ning's hand, swept all the fortune slips on the table into it, and then casually pulled one out. "I'll leave one for you, let me see which slip I'll give you... Here you go, take it and leave!"

Xu Ning reluctantly accepted the fortune slip and said, "This has ruined the fun of drawing a prize for me, and I think the guidance you gave me just now was a bit wrong... Oh, it's a very auspicious one. Okay, this one will do!"

Xu Ning looked at the fortune slip in his hand in the light.

"A day of regaining what was lost. ... Nothing in this world is irretrievable forever, and today is the day we can get back what we have lost."

"It's truly strange that such broad and ambiguous fortune slips can be so popular!"

Xu Ning clicked his tongue in amazement, but instead of using his mouth, he tucked the small piece of paper with the fortune slip written on it between the teeth of the comb in the Fox Palace and put it into his pocket.

"Alright, I originally came here to meet Lord Yaeguji. If I may be so bold, in my hometown, the term 'fox spirit' is used to describe the most beautiful woman."

Xu Ning chuckled and sighed, "It's a pity we missed it today; we can only hope for another chance."

Inashiro Hotaru and Kano Nana exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat helpless. It seemed that the task assigned by Lord Miyaji was unlikely to be completed.

Inashiro Hotaru gestured towards the path covered with fallen cherry blossom petals and said, "Since you've come all this way, please pay your respects to the sacred cherry blossoms before you leave. Everyone says that praying before the sacred cherry blossoms always brings a very effective response."

Xu Ning nodded, gazing at the sacred cherry tree that resembled a fox, and said, "Alright, but shouldn't I go to the front hall first and put some Mora into the donation box before I can come and worship the sacred cherry tree?"

Inashiro Hotaru laughed and said, "Our gods wouldn't care about such a small amount of Mora. Even our Narukami Taisha has its own source of income. This is just everyone's good intention. You just need to worship with a sincere and faithful heart."

You look down on Mora?

That's quite a sophisticated way of putting it, isn't it?

Is this why the gods don't carry money when they go out?

Xu Ning sighed a few times in his heart, walked across the stone path, stepped onto the wooden steps, and stood directly in front of the Divine Cherry Blossom.

Xu Ning didn't actually believe in any kind of prayers; he came to worship simply out of respect for the sacred tree that protected the people of Inazuma.

He bowed in accordance with the etiquette of Liyue, then uncorked the gourd and poured a bottle of "celestial brew" in front of the Divine Cherry.

Inashiro Hotaru never expected Xu Ning's "worship" to be in this form. She wanted to say something, but she held back.

But the change happened in that brief moment.

The celestial wine that Xu Ning poured out was almost instantly absorbed by the divine cherry tree upon contact with its roots, leaving not a single drop.

Then the entire cherry tree, from its branches to its petals, seemed to suddenly brighten.

Just as Xu Ning was still somewhat confused, the little fox that had been quietly nestled on his left shoulder suddenly chirped alertly and jumped off Xu Ning's shoulder.

At the spot where Xu Ning poured the wine, a black mist suddenly swept out and seeped into Xu Ning's body.

The moment the black mist entered, Xu Ning's eyes turned pitch black, as if they had been filled with ink.

Xu Ning felt slightly dizzy when he saw the black mist spreading, and when he opened his eyes, he saw a black, three-fingered claw rapidly digging towards his throat from within the black mist.

The attack was too sudden, and Xu Ning had no time to make an effective block. In his haste, he could only use one leg to push off, causing his body to fall quickly to the right.

Just as his body was about to hit the ground, he pressed his right palm down and his left leg snapped back, kicking away whatever was attacking him.

"Heh, stranger, where did you come from? But that was a pretty good move!"

Suddenly, a voice of praise came from the side, followed by a flash of extremely fast blade light, cutting the black shadow that had been kicked away in two.

Xu Ning stood up and finally saw clearly what the beautiful girl in front of him looked like, dressed in a traditional Inazuma kimono.

Although he was dressed in twelve layers of clothing, he had removed the rather cumbersome skirt and Tang-style robe, making him look dashing, tall, and elegant.

However, what attracted Xu Ning's attention the most was the pair of sharp pink horns on the forehead of this girl with a face as round as the moon.

Ghost clan?

Why are there suddenly demons at Narukami Taisha Shrine?

And what was that black mist that attacked me just now?

Before Xu Ning could even process what was happening, the beautiful girl wielding the long sword reached out and grabbed him.

"There's no time to stand around at a time like this. Quickly hide inside the shrine. If any escape, we'll leave them to you."

When Xu Ning saw the girl's outstretched hand, which was actually crimson in color, he became even more convinced that she was a member of the ghost clan.

However, he did not let the strange ghost girl grab him. Instead, he dodged away and looked around.

This sight startled Xu Ning.

The entire Shadow Mountain was filled with Beast Realm Wolves that roamed back and forth in the black mist.

Inside the shrine where they were, countless women and children huddled together, watching in fear the calamity that had appeared out of nowhere.

Outside on the mountain path, countless sword-wielding warriors and spear-wielding soldiers guarded key points, resisting the ferocious beasts that were about to rush up the mountain.

Further down the mountain, both Konta Village and Inazuma Castle were completely shrouded in dark fog. Only the mournful howls of beasts could be heard from within the fog, but no human figures could be seen.

"What happened? How did it suddenly turn out like this? And are there no living people left in the mist down the mountain?"

Xu Ning's mutterings were overheard by the beautiful ghost girl.

The demon girl laughed and said, "There are no living people left. It's good enough that we can hold this place."

"That malevolent mist is sweeping in, and even normal people are corrupted and turned into demons inside. But you don't need to panic here. The Fox Palace is currently stabilizing the barrier nearby, and that mist will definitely not be able to get in. Just focus on killing these evil beasts."

Is the Fox Palace stabilizing its barrier?

Am I... transported back 500 years?

Moreover, even if we went back to the past, with Kagura Shinonome around, how could those dark forces have corrupted Inazuma to this extent?

Xu Ning turned his head and looked towards the back of the shrine, towards the location of the sacred cherry tree with its towering shadow.

Empty!