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

"I know, thank you for your hard work."

He lowered his head, staring at the light blue core in his palm, which bore a golden mark.

The gaze passes through the surface of the core, through the transparent outer shell, and falls into a deeper place.

There was a light flickering there; it was the soul of Skvornugg, the core power.

The two are intertwined, indistinguishable from one another, like two seeds planted in the same hole, their roots entwined, inseparable.

Xu Chuan grasped the core and tucked it into his sleeve.

"Dottore, I hope you like this wonderful gift I've prepared for you."

Inside the grotto, the bamboo leaves rustled.

The waterfall in the distance cascades down, its roar like thunder.

The wind blows by, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves and the dampness of the soil.

Skvornugg's voice came from the depths of his core, barely audible: "My lord, what should I do next?"

"Just wait."

Xu Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant mountains.

Chapter 145 The Fickle Thoughts of a Young Girl

Xu Chuan's words were brief, but they did not deceive Skvornugg.

He really only needs to wait quietly.

Only when the fruit of godhood ripens will it reveal its ferocious claws.

"But before that, you must first integrate with the core."

Xu Chuan looked at the core wrapped in faint golden threads in his palm. On the light blue core, the golden patterns were sparse and faint.

"The pain you just experienced will become the norm."

A ripple emanated from the core, but Skvornugg did not flinch in the slightest.

Xu Chuan said no more, and with his right palm raised, golden light surged from his palm, enveloping the core layer by layer.

Golden threads of light, like silkworms spinning silk, wrapped around it in circles.

The golden light continued to solidify until it completely engulfed the core.

At first glance, it looks like it was made of pure gold, perfectly seamless, with no seams or flaws.

It floated quietly in Xu Chuan's palm, radiating a faint warmth.

Using the Golden Light Mantra as a reference, Xu Chuan applied his own methods of tempering his life force to the fusion of Skvornugg and the core.

The method was a bit crude, but the results were surprisingly good.

Xu Chuan was confident that he would be able to implement the plan on the day it was ready.

Skvornugg's soul will become one with the core, inseparable.

While cultivating the Golden Light Mantra, Xu Chuan also focused on merging the core and soul.

Golden light circulated within his body, round and round, each cycle advancing his life cultivation by one point.

Skvornugg did not make another sound.

The pain did not lessen, but his will remained unshaken.

He simply endured it all in silence, swallowing each reshaping experience and transforming it into deeper resilience.

Xu Chuan felt the fluctuations emanating from the core, from the initial violent tremors to the later steady and orderly ones.

Time passed silently within the grotto.

Xu Chuan stopped moving, sensing that Skvornugg had reached his limit.

"That's all for today."

Then, he stepped out and left the cave.

Morning light streamed into the rooms of Qunyu Pavilion through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The first rays of dawn broke through the darkness, falling on the windowsill, the carpet, and the edge of the bed, bathing the entire room in a warm orange-yellow hue.

Liyue Harbor awakens in the morning light.

The fog on the distant sea had not yet dissipated, a vast expanse of white, like a thin veil shrouding the harbor.

Xu Chuan walked to the window and opened it.

A morning breeze carrying the salty scent of the sea swept in, dispelling the lingering aroma of incense in the room.

He took a deep breath and felt completely relaxed.

He stretched habitually, his joints making a series of crisp popping sounds.

With a casual wave of his hand, the surrounding water elements immediately responded, condensing from the air and forming a clear water sphere in front of him.

The water sphere floated in mid-air and rotated slowly, its surface reflecting the morning light.

Xu Chuan reached into the water sphere; the water temperature was just right, cool and pleasant.

Unlike before, this time he did not use projection magic, but used the Eye of God as a medium to control the water elemental force.

He has been able to manipulate the surrounding elemental forces with his own will and make them work for him.

The world, interwoven with these seven elements, became even more vibrant and colorful in Xu Chuan's eyes.

Although it is still far from being comparable to the demon gods.

But Xu Chuan believed that one day he would reach that level as well.

Knock knock knock.

There was a knock on the door, neither too loud nor too soft.

“Your Excellency Xu Chuan.” Ningguang’s secretary stood outside the door, speaking respectfully, “Please come to the dining room, breakfast is ready.”

Xu Chuan responded and, after washing up, threw the water balloon in front of him out the window.

The wind element moved accordingly, and the water sphere instantly dispersed into mist in mid-air, disappearing without a trace.

It must be said that the seven elements are of great help in all aspects of life.

Xu Chuan changed into clean clothes, pushed open the door, and walked out of the room.

The morning light streamed in through the windows, illuminating the entire restaurant.

Ningguang was already seated in the main seat, dressed in gorgeous robes, her long hair styled up.

He was holding a cup of tea, looking down at a document on the table. (Listen...)

Upon hearing footsteps, she looked up, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Lord Xu Chuan, did you sleep well last night?"

"Very good." Xu Chuan sat down opposite her. "Thank you for your hospitality."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than footsteps sounded at the door.

Ke Qing walked in from outside the door, her steps hurried.

Today she was dressed in a smart casual outfit, her long purple hair tied in a ponytail, revealing a section of her fair nape.

Upon seeing Xu Chuan, Ke Qing paused, then nodded to him.

"morning."

"morning."

Ke Qing sat down next to Ning Guang, her gaze shifting between Xu Chuan and Ning Guang.

"That's really strange." Ke Qing picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said with a hint of curiosity, "Ning Guang actually let you stay at Qunyu Pavilion."

She paused, a sly glint in her eyes: "Did you use the favor Ningguang owed you?"

Ningguang answered for Xu Chuan, "On the contrary, it was I who invited Lord Xu Chuan to stay at Qunyu Pavilion."

Ke Qing paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

She turned to look at Ningguang, scrutinizing her from head to toe, as if she were getting to know her all over again.

"real or fake?"

Ningguang simply picked up her teacup and took another sip.

That calm and composed demeanor was more convincing than any answer.

Ke Qing stared at her for a few seconds, then shook her head.

She stopped dwelling on the topic and quickly got back to work.

He speaks quickly and clearly, explaining several important matters in just a few words.

Xu Chuan sat opposite him, drinking his porridge while listening.

Keqing speaks much faster than Ningguang, like a machine gun, one sentence after another without any pause.

But every word she spoke was clear, every sentence hit the mark, and there was no redundancy.

He couldn't help but nod.

That's more like it. That's the Keqing I remember who said: "It's good to balance work and rest, but don't relax too much."

Since the two didn't try to hide anything from him, Xu Chuan simply listened for a while.

Keqing was talking about fools.

The lady and the young master have left Liyue Harbor, and the Thousand Rock Army has taken control of the remaining people.

As for industries like Northern Bank, regulation has been strengthened, and no further action has been taken for the time being.

Ke Qing explained the general situation, "The rest is still under investigation."

"But one thing is certain: the Fatui's plans in Liyue will not cause any trouble in the short term."

Ningguang nodded.

“Lord Xu Chuan,” Ning Guang said.

"Ok?"

"I've already written the letter." Her secretary took out a letter and handed it to Xu Chuan.

"When you arrive in Mondstadt, please pass this on to Master Jean."

Xu Chuan took the letter, put it into his cave, and stood up.

"Then I won't disturb you two any longer."

He greeted Ningguang and Keqing, then turned and walked out of the restaurant with light steps.

Ke Qing watched his figure disappear through the doorway, then turned to look at Ning Guang.

That look seemed to say, "What exactly are you planning to do?"

Ningguang picked up her teacup and took a sip.

She offered no explanation for Ke Qing's probing.

……

Xu Chuan walked through several streets, and the entrance to the Hall of Rebirth was right in front of him.

Walnut rested her chin on her hands, elbows on her knees, and stared intently at the street corner.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Xu Chuan emerge from the alleyway.

Xu Chuan stepped forward.

"Is the sect leader waiting for me on purpose?"

Hu Tao remained silent, simply staring at him.

Those complaints simply faded away.

Even Hu Tao herself couldn't explain why this was the case.