Chapter Four: "About Evolution"

"Miss, I think I just saw someone!" Xia Zhu mentioned, causing her Miss to feel somewhat puzzled. The location they were in wasn't frequented by the rich elite, as it wasn't particularly close to the center of Liyue Port.

Nonetheless, Qingxue acknowledged Xia Zhu's comment. "Oh? Who might that be? Could it be someone you have a fondness for, perhaps?"

Xia Zhu was quick to interject, her cheeks flushed. "Miss!"

She then diverted the conversation to the pastries she had purchased. Qingxue reminded Xia Zhu to bring back the pastries she had previously bought, to which Xia Zhu promptly complied.

From another box, she revealed a crystal that she had also acquired.

"Miss, I bought this one of my own accord. Look!" Xia Zhu said as she opened the box, eager to share her purchase.

Upon seeing what Xia Zhu had brought back, Qingxue's reaction was one of bafflement. It wasn't uncommon for Xia Zhu to buy things on a whim. The small sum of Mora involved wasn't an issue, but they couldn't simply buy everything they came across.

This time, however, it was even more perplexing, as Xia Zhu had purchased a crystal.

Qingxue expressed her disbelief. "Xia Zhu, what's going on in that head of yours? Why did you buy this worthless stone and bring it home?"

Xia Zhu responded earnestly, "Miss, there's a beautiful crystalfly inside. I saw Mr. Li Wen negotiating with the seller."

Mention of Li Wen caught Qingxue's attention. She initially didn't think much of the name but soon realized it sounded familiar. Xia Zhu's words triggered her memory, and she inquired, "Li Wen? Which Li Wen?"

In her quest for confirmation, Qingxue momentarily forgot her intention to admonish Xia Zhu for impulsive buying.

Xia Zhu clarified, "It's the Li Wen whose family was destroyed in the Li Mansion some time ago. Did Miss forget?"

Once the suspicion was confirmed, Qingxue fell silent, stirred by mixed emotions. She recollected a time when both the Li and Qing families were renowned in the area. They had no way of knowing the path that fate would take, leaving Li Wen, once full of vitality, in his present situation.

"Indeed, everything in this world is fleeting..." Qingxue sighed.

Xia Zhu, however, remained quite straightforward. She boldly shared her motive. "What's the matter, Miss?"

Although Qingxue was about to respond, she decided to dismiss it with a sigh. She opted to consider the crystal as a collection, as she had many similar items. She dismissed the issue, stating, "It's all right; you took it from Li Wen, didn't you?"

Xia Zhu confirmed, "Yes, Miss. He looked down on you, saying that Keqing among the Seven Stars is his ideal partner."

Qingxue scoffed in response, "Hmph, I just can't stand him. He's always like that, isn't he? Even though he's handsome, someone of Keqing's stature would never have any interest in him. He's just chasing after a wild goose."

Xia Zhu then explained, "So, I decided to take his things and see how he'd react. Hmph! ^_^"

While Qingxue considered offering more advice, she eventually sighed and concluded, "Well, it's in the past now. No point dwelling on it. Let's move on."

Observing her indifferent Miss, Xia Zhu felt she had more to say. However, she couldn't quite grasp the situation and opted to remain silent. The carriage ride continued in silence. What perplexed Xia Zhu the most was that the person she had seen earlier didn't appear to recognize her and regarded her as a stranger. Despite being just a maid, she had encountered numerous young masters and ladies, many of whom recognized her. Li Wen was among them, yet he hadn't acknowledged her.

Yet, despite her initial surprise, when she observed the stranger's unchanging expression, she couldn't help but doubt herself. If it weren't for the familiar face, she might have dismissed the idea as a mistake.

Despite harboring suspicions, she ultimately decided not to press further, seeing her Miss deep in thought. The carriage continued its journey toward the heart of Liyue Port.

Unbeknownst to them, the "Crystalfly" inside the crystal had begun to fade, leaving behind a damaged crystal with traces of dirt.

Few people in this place knew about Li Wen's history, not including Xian Yu, who remained unaware of it.

Back in his new home, Xian Yu pondered about his predecessor's past. While the situation remained a concern, as time passed without any unusual events, he decided to let it rest.

Xian Yu gently stroked the cryo crystalfly he held in his hand. Feeling the cold sensation, he experienced a mixture of happiness and concern.

The cryo crystalfly, being a lower-tier elemental creature, held limited use and posed no threat to ordinary people. Nevertheless, as its master, Xian Yu had no intention of abandoning it.

The key was to find a way to make it evolve. Xian Yu believed in the concept of evolution but was uncertain about the specific method. He didn't expect it to transform into a dragon like Dvalin; he merely sought the strength of the Cryo Regisvine or an evolved, amorphous cryo form.

However, in its current state, the Crystalfly was at risk of dissipating, as the necessary elemental environment for its evolution was unclear.

Xian Yu contemplated potential locations for evolution. "Dragonspine Mountain" is suitable, but it's quite far away, and the conditions there are harsh for survival. There's the Skyforest Nail, although benefiting from it could prove difficult."

Dragonspine Mountain had an abundance of abyss mages, which posed a significant threat even for Xian Yu. He recalled an monster called the "Frostarm Lawachurl," a formidable adversary he doubted he could conquer.

While he had the Heaven Destroying Sword Technique at his disposal, using it against the Frostarm Lawachurl might leave him vulnerable in the mountain's unforgiving environment.

Xian Yu contemplated his new-found ability to employ the Heaven Technique Sword Technique with ease.

"Dragonspine Mountain... I should visit it later. The environment might facilitate the cryo crystalfly's evolution, but I must be well-prepared. It would be wise to wait and train further."