If this were a storybook, this would be the perfect place to end the chapter with a period.
The task of the Grand Narukami Shrine's priest was complete.
The youkai had been revived. Though their races and forms were no longer the same as before, their memories and personalities remained unchanged.
—Whether they were truly identical was hard to say. After all, he'd never spoken to these youkai in their past lives.
Li Mo watched coldly from above as the youkai descended to the ground, knowing his mission was accomplished. His steps back to the Grand Narukami Shrine were leisurely.
With the resurrection complete, handling the youkai's arrangements would be someone else's responsibility—specifically, Raiden Ei and Yae Miko's.
Would Miko be in for a headache?
That woman would probably just dump the work on someone else.
In any case, Li Mo returned to the shrine with a light heart, then shut himself off from the outside world.
Time passed quickly.
That night, he exchanged a brief greeting with hthe Shogun before retreating to his room to sleep. Even as a transcendent being, he still maintained the habit of sleeping—just like enjoying good food. He could go without it, but old habits died hard.
Over the next few days, he cut off contact with almost everyone, dedicating his time to studying the "Impact Staff" and "Spiritual Tripping" techniques, breaking only for meals.
Progress was slow, but through contemplation, he digested the mystical knowledge he had acquired, stabilizing the accumulated "mystery" within him.
He remained almost entirely unaware of events outside. Previously, his busy schedule had revolved around governance—working alongside the Shogun to manage Inazuma's affairs. The only reason he hadn't collapsed from exhaustion was that neither of them was truly human.
Now, with this sudden idleness—and solitude—he couldn't help but feel… strange.
Looking around, he didn't see any sign of that pink-haired fox. Had she gone back to the Yae Publishing House?
After days without seeing Ei or Miko, Li Mo found it somewhat unsettling. Then again, perhaps it was just unusual for him not to spot Miko around the shrine.
Venturing out for a walk, he asked the shrine maidens and learned that neither the Shogun nor Miko had been on Yougou Mountain these past few days.
They were handling the aftermath of that night.
The resurrection of the youkai had gone so smoothly it was almost frightening. So much so that no prior preparations had been made—not that Li Mo bothered to inquire further.
He asked about other matters, such as the Traveler's whereabouts, and learned that Lumine and Paimon had indeed come to the mountain a couple of days ago, mentioning they were heading to Tsurumi Island.
Unfortunately, Li Mo had been recuperating at the time and missed them.
He also inquired about Kujou Sara's situation and was told she had left with the Shogun.
Likely to help manage the youkai affairs.
"Couldn't they at least say goodbye?"
With that thought, Li Mo returned to his room and resumed his studies. He was never one to sit idle—digesting tens of thousands of grimoires was an eternal challenge.
At the same time, converting ideologies and concepts into "mystery" within the "Pseudo-Simulated Star Chart: Mystic Foundation" took time. Especially when it came to solidifying the knowledge from grimoires into a stable form of "mystery" within his body—it was a lengthy process.
Though he was steadily growing stronger, his system's parameters showed little change. Enhancements in "mystery" didn't directly translate to physical improvements, not that he particularly cared about physical prowess anymore.
"Pseudo-Immortality" was his greatest assurance.
And so, several more days passed. Li Mo remained patient, never seeking out Ei or Miko, instead spending time observing the Sacred Sakura in greater detail.
His past research on the tree had been cursory. Back then, he'd considered it of little value, its primary function being purification—cleansing the filth left behind by war. During the Archon War, Inazuma's battles hadn't been particularly intense, but as the first line of defense against the Dark Sea, the pollution had been exceptionally severe. By his estimates, without the Sacred Sakura, Inazuma wouldn't be what it was today.
—The Sacred Sakura was vital to Inazuma, but to Li Mo, it meant little. The taint of fallen gods? To him, that was just nourishment.
Like the remains of Orobashi on Yashiori Island—consuming it slowly might not give him extra tails, but it would significantly enhance the quality of his "Spiritual Foundation."
After completing the "Pseudo-Simulated Star Chart," the importance of his "Spiritual Foundation" had grown. Only belatedly did Li Mo realize that the two complemented each other—the former greatly stabilizing the latter, while the latter subtly elevated the former.
Could his Spiritual Foundation still be called a "Beast"-class foundation?
At the very least, after manifesting nine tails, his limits were no longer bound by something as mundane as a "Beast."
Indulging in these thoughts for a moment, Li Mo returned to reality. His renewed interest in the Sacred Sakura stemmed from the fact that it still held the "vitality" of Makoto.
But… taking Makoto away wasn't feasible. Her current state was far too fragile.
That was the conclusion Li Mo reached.
Makoto's situation was different from Hanachirusato's. Hanachirusato had still retained her own form before the "Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual"—she could still be considered a living being, more intact than even Urakusai and the other youkai. But Makoto? She was little more than a wisp of a soul.
Forget replicating Hanachirusato's circumstances and taking her to another world—if Makoto were removed from the Sacred Sakura, her existence would likely dissipate like smoke in the wind.
Rubbing his temples, Li Mo refocused. The solution lay in finding a method in another world, then returning to Teyvat to resolve the issue.
"Gather as much data as possible for now."
There was still much to do.
Even without any reminders from a certain donkey-eared girl, Li Mo pushed himself relentlessly. He listed his objectives clearly: deal with Tamamo-Vitch's situation, resolve Makoto's predicament, and return to the world of A Certain Magical Index.
The latter two were manageable. But Tamamo-Vitch…
Returning to the Fate universe wasn't impossible, but the only accessible timeline was the Fuyuki singularity. Tamamo-Vitch's true form existed in the FGO timeline—the bleached, lostbelt-stricken world.
He still hadn't mastered the ability to traverse parallel worlds. The grimoires offered no solutions either—after all, the world of A Certain Magical Index had no concept of parallel universes.
Thus, several more days passed. After organizing everything he needed—even leaving behind a treatise on the Kujou Clan's Onmyoudou—Ei and Miko finally returned to the shrine.
Exchanging farewells with them and leaving a letter for Lumine, Li Mo chose to depart.
Compared to his last exit from Teyvat—leaving after sharing drinks with Yae Miko—this departure was uneventful, as simple as stepping out for a short trip.