The Tenryou Commission, like the Kanjou Commission, had its own dedicated training grounds. When not on patrol, most officers spent their time there honing their skills.
Kujou Sara naturally led these sessions.
The recent turmoil among the commission heads hadn't weakened her position - if anything, it had strengthened it, earning her the Shogun's personal recognition as a "Warrior of Loyalty." Her leadership of the Tenryou Commission was unquestioned.
Among all officers, Sara stood out as exceptionally skilled. Her tengu heritage granted her abilities far beyond ordinary humans, which she had mastered through relentless training.
But today was different. Today, Kujou Sara wasn't the instructor - she was the student.
The sharp clang of clashing weapons echoed across the grounds. Sara wielded her naginata with perfect form, each movement precise and powerful, her attacks forming an unbroken chain of strikes. Yet none could penetrate her opponent's defenses.
That opponent was Li Mo, who despite using an unfamiliar weapon - the naginata - moved with natural ease, as if the long polearm were simply an extension of himself. He remained purely defensive, effortlessly parrying every one of Sara's attacks until she finally conceded defeat.
"I didn't expect the Divine Priest to be so skilled with a naginata," Sara admitted sincerely.
The Liyue native had been staying in Inazuma City for several days now, acting as a personal combat instructor for the Tenryou Commission. Whether with spears, swords, greatswords or daggers, Sara had lost every match. His martial skill far surpassed hers.
"Don't underestimate yourself, Sara," Li Mo said. "When it comes to archery, I can't compare to you. And you're still young - you have plenty of room to grow."
His words held both comfort and truth. If measured by physical age alone, his body had endured centuries. The time spent in Makoto's consciousness space alongside the two Raidens spanned hundreds of years.
Sara exhaled. "I appreciate the guidance. But may I ask why you've taken time to train me?"
"Is this about Kujou Kamaji's situation rather than your own?" Li Mo tilted his head. "I suppose it makes sense. After descending from the Grand Narukami Shrine to inspect the commissions, my sudden reappearance must feel like unspoken pressure."
His status as shrine priest wasn't particularly notable - but as the Shogun's personal confidant, he had become an unofficial pillar of Inazuma's power structure. For months, he and the Shogun had handled most of the nation's affairs.
Of course subordinates would feel uneasy when their superior came to inspect their work.
Sara remained expressionless. "Then what is your answer?"
"The training grounds are too stifling. Walk with me, Sara."
"As you wish."
Beyond the Tenryou Commission headquarters lay Inazuma City's busiest district, home to establishments like Uyuu Restaurant.
The Tenryou Commission's duties extended beyond military command - they handled urban security, fire prevention, and civil disputes. During his stay, Li Mo had witnessed officers arresting members of the Arataki Gang for fire hazards while roasting lavender melons - only for the quick-witted Kuki Shinobu, a graduate of Liyue's prestigious academia, to bail them out with fines.
"Sara, what do you think of Inazuma's changes?"
"That's not for me to comment on." As a warrior, Sara's role was to follow orders - nothing more.
"Then let me rephrase," Li Mo said. "Do you think they're good or bad? No evasions. I don't need analysis - just your instinct."
Sara hesitated. "...Good, I suppose?"
"What makes you say that?"
"The soldiers complain less. Some even smile when speaking of their families now."
As a high-ranking officer, Sara maintained professional distance from her subordinates. Yet even she could sense the shift in morale.
Li Mo nodded. "Then our efforts these past months haven't been in vain. But..."
The streets bustled with well-dressed nobles and merchants. The prosperity was undeniable - a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere under the Sakoku Decree.
"Inazuma thrives, but its power structure is unstable. The Tri-Commission system worked for centuries because it balanced authority. But after the Yashiro Commission's decline, the Kanjou and Tenryou Commissions grew too close. The Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees were the result."
From today's perspective, those decrees had been failures - well-intentioned perhaps, but disastrous in practice. Much of their recent work had been cleaning up the aftermath.
"For months, the Shogun and I have overridden the commissions to keep things running. But this is temporary. Power must return to the Tri-Commission system. My descent from Mount Yougou was merely a test - a shrine priest shouldn't linger in politics forever."
Sara listened silently. She didn't fully grasp governance intricacies, but understood one thing:
Li Mo was preparing to step down.
"Do you understand now, Sara?"
"I know how to respond."
"Good."
No further words were needed. His departure from the Grand Narukami Shrine signaled his impending exit from Teyvat. The current system - reliant on his and the Shogun's direct intervention - couldn't last.
As noon approached, Li Mo led Sara into Uyuu Restaurant. Of all Inazuma's eateries, this was his favorite.
And there, sitting in the main hall, was someone unexpected.
A certain pink-haired shrine maiden, her modified miko robes unmistakable.
"Lady Guuji?"
What was Yae Miko doing here?