While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

Yelan quickly accepted this fact.

"However," Xu Chuan changed the subject.

"Although the Taiwei Instrument Plate no longer exists, there is something I found near it."

Hope this helps.

The ring on my right ring finger flashed.

Ripples spread through the air, and a stack of yellowed, worn-out papers appeared in his hand.

The edges of the paper were frayed, and the color had changed from white to dark brown, clearly showing that it had been through the test of time.

In some places, there are still traces of burning, the writing is blurred, and the ink has spread out like tear stains.

That's something from 500 years ago; it's quite remarkable that it's been preserved to this day.

Xu Chuan found these scattered wills in various parts of the Secret Realm of Layered Rock Abyss and specially collected them.

I was careful back then, and I put all the relics I could find inside the cannon.

Otherwise, these things wouldn't have survived to this day.

Xu Chuan rummaged through the papers for a while, then pulled one out and handed it over.

"This is what I found in the Mysterious Realm of the Layered Rock Abyss."

"It mentions the Taiwei Instrument Plate. Hope this helps."

Ye Lan took the paper and looked down at it.

The paper made a soft rustling sound in her hands, like fallen leaves being crushed.

Her pupils contracted slightly.

My fingers gently caressed the paper, tracing the faded words and dried ink marks.

Her brows relaxed, then furrowed again.

"Thank you very much." She looked up, her eyes filled with something indescribable.

"The contents of this paper are indeed the answer I have been searching for."

"I'm glad I could help you."

Xu Chuan glanced at Ying, then looked at Ye Lan.

"Regarding the Abyss Order," he asked, "has there been any recent information related to it?"

As far as he knew, the Abyss Order had another gathering place in Liyue, but he couldn't remember the exact location.

All I remember is that in the story, Ying accepted this mission from the Adventurers' Guild and Gan Yu.

Perhaps Yelan knows more clearly.

Upon hearing that it was about the Abyss Order, Ying straightened her back slightly.

Ye Lan put down the paper and placed her hands on her knees.

"Regarding the Abyss Order," she paused, "I remember there's a ruin in Liyue where traces of the Abyss Order can indeed be found."

Ying's eyes lit up; she was eager to see it.

Could you elaborate?

After the Abyss Order took the Vortex Demon God away that day, Ningguang ordered an investigation into their whereabouts.

Yelan needs to figure out what bigger conspiracy these guys are plotting and whether it will pose a threat to Liyue.

If Ying could join, it would be a good thing for her.

After sorting out her thoughts, Yelan recounted the information.

"The incident was caused by two major treasure-hunting groups within Liyue."

Ye Lan lowered her voice and slowed down her speech.

"Recently, they discovered a ruin that had never been excavated before, which was being closely guarded by the Abyss Order."

"These guys are really something, they even managed to find this."

Paimon had witnessed the power of those Abyss Orders; those guys could even capture demon gods, yet the Treasure Thieves had their eyes on them.

I really don't know whether to call them courageous or reckless.

“Our informant within the heist group has sent the message back.”

Ye Lan raised her head, her gaze sweeping over Ying's face. "We are preparing to explore this Abyss Order ruin."

"Count me in," Ying volunteered.

"Then I thank Miss Ying for her great help."

Ye Lan recounted all the information she knew, and the two began to discuss their plan of action.

When Xu Chuan heard this information, he already understood.

There were no treasures in the ruins at all, but there was a statue of the wind god in reverse.

Once the statue of a deity is tainted by the power of the abyss, any ordinary person who comes into contact with it will only face certain death.

If he remembered correctly, the great thief who had infiltrated the temple died tragically in front of the statue.

If nothing unexpected happens, Dain will also be there.

Chapter 136 The Angry Walnut

That guy has been tracking the Abyss Order and won't let this hard-won opportunity slip by.

Ying could see her brother one more time.

"You guys chat." Xu Chuan stood up and cleared the table of bowls and chopsticks. "I have to go to the Rebirth Hall first."

He said goodbye to the three of them, then pushed open the door and left.

Hall of Rebirth.

As soon as Xu Chuan reached the door, he saw the person squatting on the steps.

Walnut rested her hands on her knees, her eyes fixed on the street corner.

When she saw him emerge from the alleyway, her eyes immediately lit up, like two lanterns that had been lit.

"Is the sect leader waiting for me?"

Xu Chuan stepped forward, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm truly flattered."

"I was just curious about what you said yesterday."

Hu Tao stood up, patted off non-existent dust from her clothes, and spoke with a hint of complaint.

"I tossed and turned all night and didn't sleep well at all last night."

"Why don't you hurry up and catch up on some sleep?"

"Stop keeping me in suspense, just tell me already!"

Hu Tao tugged at his sleeve and pulled him through the door, her steps quick and hurried, the plum blossom on her hat swaying with her movements.

The two entered the Hall of Rebirth, and Hu Tao pressed him into a chair, then sat down opposite him.

The girl braced herself on the table with both hands, leaned forward, and stared intently at him with wide, round eyes.

“Alright,” she said, “you can talk now.”

Xu Chuan did not rush to speak.

He wiped his hand on the spatial ring and took out the stack of yellowed letters again.

The paper rustled softly in his hands; its edges were badly torn, and some of the writing was so blurred that it was unrecognizable.

"As the hall master knows, I recently went to the Layered Rock Abyss."

Xu Chuan spread the letters out one by one on the table.

"While I was traveling through the Abyss of Layered Rocks, I unexpectedly entered a secret realm."

He paused, then met Hu Tao's plum blossom eyes.

"These are relics of the Thousand Rock Army soldiers who fought against the abyssal monsters in the Layered Rock Abyss five hundred years ago."

"I have already given one of them to Yelan. His ancestors also died in the Abyss of Layered Rocks."

Hu Tao took the stack of letters from his hand.

Her fingers were long and slender, white, a stark contrast to the yellowed and tattered papers.

She lowered her head, turning the pages one by one, reading each word carefully.

The expression on her pretty face changed little by little.

First came curiosity, then seriousness, and then solemnity.

His usual mischievous and playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen. In its place was an unusual seriousness.

Xu Chuan had never seen her face like this before.

She had her head down, her bangs covering half her face, making it impossible to see her expression.

Every moment in this world, people die.

Even the Rock King Emperor could not escape this cycle of life and death.

But not everyone has someone to see them off after they die, or to take them back to their homeland.

Hu Tao put down the letter and looked up.

"Xu Chuan," she called his name.

"Ah."

"You did very well."

Her voice was not loud, and her tone was calm, but those four words carried an unusual weight.

That was the hall master's recognition of the guest elder, and also Hu Tao's respect for Xu Chuan.

For a moment, the two remained silent.

Hu Tao lowered her eyes, her fingers gently brushing across the letters, as if caressing a storm from five hundred years ago.

"Treat the dead as if they were alive..." Her voice softened, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps to him.

"To find the way home for the deceased, this is what I expect of you."

She looked up at Xu Chuan.

"But I hope you can take better care of yourself."

Xu Chuan was stunned for a moment.

Hu Tao didn't look away; she just stared straight at him.

Those eyes no longer held the jokes and teasing of the past, only a clean and undisguised concern.

She recalled what Xu Chuan looked like when he was in Bubulu.

Covered in bandages, he lay motionless on the bed, like a mummy wrapped up.

At that time, she only felt that he was seriously injured, but she didn't know how he got those injuries.

Now she knows.

The letters clearly described the secret realm of the towering abyss, the fierce battle to suppress the wandering spirits, and the price that nearly cost him his life.

"The hall master is right," Xu Chuan nodded.

"I don't think you've learned anything from your mistakes."

Hu Tao puffed up her cheeks, glaring at him angrily, her voice filled with barely suppressed heartache.

Seeing his nonchalant expression, she became inexplicably angry.

Despite being so badly injured and almost losing his life, he sits here now, talking about it as if it were a trivial matter unrelated to him.

She stared at Xu Chuan for a long time.