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- Ever since I've joined the adepti, all mortal customs were forgotten like dust in the wind...But since I met you, I've actually been looking forward to this day. I can't really describe how I feel, other than that my heart feels warm. This feeling reminds me of a blue sky, a spring breeze, and the bouquet you sent me. Thank you for your gift. So, these Qingxin... can I eat them?
- —Shenhe's 2023 birthday artwork caption, presumably talking to the Traveler
Shenther is the het ship between Aether and Shenhe from the Genshin Impact fandom.
Canon[]
Interlude Chapter Act I - The Crane Returns on the Wind[]
Joining the challenge to help Ningguang rebuild the Jade Chamber, Aether and Paimon set off to look for Sunset Vermillionlite, Wonder Cores, and Adepti Sigils. As they are about to leave Yujing Terrance, they spot two men talking to Shenhe in the distance. They offer to help her find the materials for Ningguang's project, but she refuses and walks away. The two men chase after her, with Aether and Paimon following behind them in hope of hearing information about where to find the materials. While running, Shenhe eventually gets cornered with no where left go. The two men approach her to strike up a deal, and she once again refuses in a harsher tone. Left with no choice, one of the men start to threaten her for mora and rebuke her for disagreeing. Shenhe becomes extremely angry, trying to use violence to make them back away. Aether and Paimon suddenly show up, with a Millelith soilder by their side. The soilder confronts the two men before taking them away. Aether and Paimon walk up to Shenhe to make sure she is alright, and she introduces herself to them. She mentions she had heard about the two before, and then thanks them for their help, although saying she could've dealt with the man herself by smashing his head against the ground. Taken aback Shenhe would resort to that, Paimon begins to lecture her about Liyue Harbor's laws. Shenhe appears to be confused, and sheepishly admits she has not heard about laws when questioned by Aether. Just then, Shenhe's stomach growls, indicating she hadn't eaten enough. Aether and Paimon hear it as well, and decide to take her to Bubu Pharmacy so she can eat.
When they arrive, Shenhe goes up to the front desk and requests half a pound of qingxin, glaze lilies, and violetgrasses. Shenhe finishes all of them, and thanks Aether for bringing her to Bubu Pharmacy. Aether asks how they taste, with Shenhe responding they are rather awful. She informs Aether and Paimon she chooses not to eat the food in Liyue because craving them once she returns to the mountains would get in the way of her spiritual development. Hearing this, Paimon considers her guess that Shenhe was an adeptus to be correct, and Aether nods in agreement. Paimon then tells Shenhe she and Aether are taking part in Ningguang's challenge. Shenhe says she will help them in return for their kindness to her, revealing she already has a plan. She proposes they can simply get rid of all the contestants ahead of them, but Paimon considers it unacceptable. She tells Shenhe they want to win the competition fairly, so they should just look for the materials themselves. Baizhu shows up to see who is arguing, who they get insight on where to find Sunset Vermillionlite from.
Aether, Paimon, and Shenhe go to the Feiyun Commerce Guild to get further information as Baizhu mentioned. They run into Xingqiu, who tells them a piece of Sunset Vermillionlite is in possesion of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, put up for auction for 500 million mora. Xingqiu suggests they go look for it in Lisha, since the price of the piece is quite high.
Looking around Lisha, there appears to be nothing in sight. Shenhe uses an adepti sigil to transport her, Aether and Paimon into a place hidden by an adepti art. They follow a seelie to the entrance of a domain behind a waterfall. Upon entering, they are transported onto a floating platform in the abode of Sea Gazer. After destorying a mechanism preventing them from heading further, Aether, Paimon and Shenhe fall onto a layer of clouds. They destroy a mechanism again, causing them to fall all the way down into a pool of water. Destroying the third mechanism, the Sunset Vermillionlite they have been looking for is finally found. Shenhe insists she can handle the weight of it, and carries it back to the Sea of Clouds.
Aether and Paimon return to the Jade Chamber worksite, with Shenhe having already arrived. Baiwen, the secretary of the Jade Chamber approves the Sunset Vermillionlite for submission. She asks Shenhe for her name so she can credit her for the item, but Shenhe says she was only delivering it for Aether and Paimon, who show up just as she is finished talking. Paimon mentions to Shenhe how everyone is complimenting her for her efforts, who seems unfazed. She says the people of Liyue call her and adeptus and treat her differently from regular civilians. Paimon makes a point that it is because that's how adepti are. Shenhe begins to correct Paimon that she is actually not an adeptus, but suddenly gets lightheaded, saying she is fatigued from their entrance into Sea Gazer's abode. Paimon suggests to rest at a makeshift hotel, which Shenhe at first declines. With the help of Aether, Shenhe agrees. Aether and Paimon take one room to share, and Shenhe takes the other for herself.
Aether and Paimon take a stroll in search of something to eat, and spot Cloud Retainer standing on a mountain. They go over to see what she is doing. When she seems them, she mentions she has seen they have met Shenhe and asks if they are getting along. Paimon responds they are, surprised to see Cloud Retainer knows her. Cloud Retainer explains all the adepti know Shenhe. Paimon then asks what Shenhe's adeptus name is, feeling it would be better call her by that. As it turns out, Cloud Retainer reveals Shenhe does not have one because she is human. Paimon is very shocked by this, due to all the adeptus-like traits Shenhe displayed. Cloud Retainer says she had found Shenhe in a cave when she was six, fending off a monster with a dagger. She goes on to explain how hard it must've been for Shenhe, considering she was very young when it happened. As Aether and Paimon are about to leave, Cloud Retainer asks for Aether to take good care of Shenhe.
The next morning, Shenhe is standing outside her hotel room when Aether and Paimon approach her. She assumes Cloud Retainer had told them about her past, making Paimon curious how she knew so quickly. Shenhe informs them she had intended to wait for their return before going to sleep, but she never heard them come back. Worried, she had gone outside to check if they were alright, and saw them talking to Cloud Retainer. Shenhe remarks Aether treated her as a friend even while he thought she was an adeptus, supposedly making her feel a sense of happiness. Paimon suggests they should head back to the Jade Chamber worksite to see the building progress.
At the worksite, the Jade Chamber is seen almost fully built, but tied down by ropes. Beidou and Yun Jin show up at the worksite after them, who are there to compete in the competition too. After introductions, Yun Jin proposes everyone works together to obtain the last two materials, since the first three contestants all get to ask a question. Everyone agrees to this approach, so Beidou heads off. Aether, Paimon, Shenhe, and Yun Jin go to Master Zhang to ask about Wonder Cores. Luckily, he knows how to make them, having made them for the construction of the original Jade Chamber. Hearing they need Starsplinter Iron and Subrosium for the forging of Wonder Cores, everyone sets off to Mt. Tianheng to look for Starsplinter Iron. Yun Jin shares that is where the original story of the opera she is performing, "The Divine Damsel of Devestation" took place.
Feeling a close connection to the place, Yun Jin explains the story of the opera, a girl who defeated a monster to protect her village. Aether does not respond, possibly figuring out the story is about Shenhe. Shenhe seems to be in deep thought, and then remarks the girl in the story perhaps wasn't as brave as she seemed. Having found enough Starsplinter Iron, Yun Jin decides they should ask a local for information on Subrosium. They go up to someone standing in front of a village, who is surprised to see Shenhe. He says they can try looking around the village, so everyone enters an abandoned house in search of it. Inside, they stumble across a notebook, which Aether suggests tells the true story of "The Divine Damsel of Devestation". Learning the girl in the story is Shenhe and she was forced into the situation, Yun Jin considers changing the opera. Shenhe, however, is okay with the current version and hopes she can become like the girl in the story. Everyone then goes to the middle of a lake to find Subrosium.
They go back to Master Zhang to get them forged, with Shenhe taking care of the adepti sigils. Going back to the Jade Chamber worksite, Aether, Yun Jin, and Beidou are officially announced the winners. They visit Ningguang at the newly built Jade Chamber, who is ready to answer their questions. Everyone finishes asking, so she prepares for the ascension of the Jade Chamber. However, while it is rising up, the sky turns dark and a thunderstorm occurs, with a monster emerging from the sea. Ningguang, being prepared for the situation explains the monster is Beisht, the wife of Osial. The Liyue Qixing and the Millelith all prepare to attack her. Aether attempts to directly strike at her with his sword, but gets blasted by a shockwave. He nearly falls onto the ground, being saved by Shenhe. Shenhe puts him down safely, looking visibly worried about his condition. Seeing him injured, Shenhe gets reminded of Cloud Retainer informing her the day she learns how to use her strength for the good of others is the day she can truly become part of human society. Trying to protect Aether, Shenhe gains the motivation to fight against Beisht. She dives back into the sea creating a whirlpool, which Shenhe follows her into. Underwater, Shenhe realizes Aether and Paimon had come too. Together, they take on Beisht and successfully defeat her.
Getting back to the surface, Aether rushes up to Shenhe to see how she is doing. She responds she is fine, but did not expect Aether and Paimon to follow her underwater. She reassures Beisht will not be coming back. Happy to see Beisht is defeated, Ningguang tells Shenhe she will be welcome to the Jade Chamber in the future. Aether remarks Shenhe had protected him, like she was described in the opera. However, Shenhe states she was genuinely trying to protect him, not trying to be a hero. Cloud Retainer appears, once again telling Aether to take good care of Shenhe. She shares she has many childhood memories of Shenhe she would like to share, but Shenhe says there is no need.
At the Jade Chamber victory feast, Aether takes a seat next to Shenhe. They watch Yun Jin perform together, and at the end Yun Jin tells the story of Shenhe and Aether. They are suddenly approached by a man trying to sit down with them, which makes Shenhe angry. She threatens him, making Aether and Paimon realize she still has a long way to go before adjusting to the laws of Liyue Harbor.
Fleeting Colors in Flight[]
This section is in need of major improvement. Please help improve this article by editing it.
Quotes[]
- Main article: Shenther/Quotes
Fanon[]
Shenther is among the popular ships for Aether and Shenhe, both rivaling and getting slightly overshadowed by the other popular ships for the two. These ships include Ayather, Aeqing, and Nilother on Aether's side (all following the swordgirl standard for him), and Shenlan and ShenJin on Shenhe's side. Out of the many ships with Aether, Shenther stands out for how much their friendship developed in the Archon Quest. Aether was Shenhe's first and presumably most trusted friend, making him very special to her. Shenhe saving him at the end of the quest showed just how much she cared about him, thus making the ship more popular.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Aether/Shenhe tag on AO3
- Aether & Shenhe tag on AO3
Trivia[]
- When Shenhe introduces herself to Beidou as a friend of Aether, a very subtle smiles forms on her face before she returns to her usual expression.
- Both Shenhe and Citlali have a scene in their character teaser depicting them walking past Aether, and then turning back to look at him.
Gallery[]
Official Art[]
Screenshots[]
