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

"If I could, I really hope that when we meet, it won't be like this, a battle between demons and gods."

“Hey street performer, what are you doing here?” Paimon turned around.

Wendy sighed.

Andrius and the dragon Durin are fighting. Even if he's slacking off, he can't just sit idly by.

Andrius is the Warden of the Four Winds in Mondstadt; if anything happens to him, the entire Wolfrune will be affected.

He watched Xu Chuan's retreating figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

This guy must have some kind of story behind him; every time he shows up, he manages to do something unexpected.

"Long time no see, Wendy," Ying greeted politely.

Xu Chuan turned his head and waved to Wendy.

"You've come at the right time. Sit down and let's talk."

He took out a bottle of fine wine from Liyue from his spatial ring and waved it at Venti.

The amber-colored liquid sloshed in the bottle, gleaming alluringly in the sunlight.

Wendy's eyes lit up immediately, and all her previous complicated emotions vanished.

"You understand me best." Wendy smiled as she took the drink and sat down to Xu Chuan's left.

Then, he skillfully uncorked the bottle and tilted his head back to take a swig.

The four of them sat on the edge of the trial arena, watching the two former demon gods fight fiercely.

In the distance, Dulin's pitch-black flames burned half the sky red, while Andrius's icy winds froze the other half white.

The two forces collided in the center of the arena, creating ripples of energy.

Xu Chuan had no intention of hiding anything from Wendy.

"As you can see, I have already subdued the soul of the dragon Dulin."

He gestured with his chin toward the black dragon in the arena. "Next, I plan to have the North Wind Wolf follow me."

Wendy swirled the bottle, her gaze fixed on Xu Chuan, as if trying to discern something from him.

The emerald green eyes reflected the bottle of wine, and also the figures of two giant beasts fighting in the distance.

“I see…” Wendy said softly, “I really can’t understand you anymore.”

“However…” Wendy paused, “Based on what I know of Andrius, even if you defeat that guy, it will not submit to you.”

"For me, this is not a problem."

Xu Chuan spoke calmly, saying that with his ability to control spirits, dealing with these souls who had lost their physical bodies was a piece of cake.

"Compared to all these things, I care more about your attitude."

"My attitude?"

Xu Chuan stared directly into Wendy's emerald green eyes.

"As the wind god, how do you view what I have done?"

A breeze passed between the two, ruffling Wendy's clothes, and the bottle in his hand swayed gently.

Wendy put down the bottle.

"To put it simply..." his tone became more serious, "I hope you can respect Andrius's choice. If you can persuade him, then everyone will be happy."

If you can't convince them...

He spread his hands and smiled.

"What can I, a weak and helpless bard, do?"

Xu Chuan glanced at him, thinking to himself: You think you're weak and helpless?

Barbatos, the wind god, is one of only two of the original gods among the seven.

Anyone who looks down on you, Xu Chuan will laugh at them for the rest of their life.

However, Xu Chuan did not actually intend to force Andrius to use the Soul Binding Technique.

While the ability to bind and command spirits can forcibly control souls, it is a last resort.

On one hand, Andrius is the guardian of the North Wind in Mondstadt, an ancient being who has lived for thousands of years, and deserves respect.

On the other hand, it was also out of consideration for Wendy.

It would be best if it were willing to go with him.

Otherwise, the moment it appears in front of you, the matter is already over.

If it weren't for its intention to conduct some kind of trial, they should be discussing things amicably right now.

Xu Chuan will not release Du Lin's soul.

Then, with such a grand display, they caused a huge disturbance in Wolfrun and lured Wendy out.

In the arena, the battle gradually came to a conclusion.

Andrius, after all, only had half a soul left, and his power was far less than before.

Dulin's pitch-black flames relentlessly scorched its ice armor, causing it to peel away and shatter layer by layer.

Andrius's movements became increasingly sluggish, and his breathing became increasingly heavy.

Dulin seized an opening and slapped Andrius on the side with his claw.

Andrius was knocked back several steps, his legs buckled, and he almost knelt down.

It was panting, its deep blue eyes still burning with an indomitable flame, but its body could no longer keep up.

At that moment, the space above the arena suddenly cracked open.

A pitch-black rift opened in the void, like an eye slowly opening.

The power of the abyss surged from the rift, emanating an unsettling aura.

"Such a powerful soul, it was worth my special trip."

A tall, slender figure emerged from the abyss passage, holding a law code, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"It will become the cornerstone of my lord's great cause, submitting to the abyss..."

Then, his words came to an abrupt end.

The Abyss Apostle's movements as he manipulated the codex in his hand suddenly stopped.

Because he saw four people sitting not far away.

The blonde girl and her white floating object—that was His Highness the Prince's blood relative—we must not move.

As for that green-clad boy who clearly looks like an alcoholic, he shouldn't pose any threat.

What truly stunned him was the black-haired youth who was smiling at him.

Xu Chuan sat there with an innocent smile on his face.

At that moment, the Abyss Apostle's mind went into overdrive.

He knows this person.

In Liyue, the sealed land of the vortex demon god Oser, he witnessed firsthand what this seemingly harmless human had done.

The Frost Nail struck Oser, nearly killing the ancient demon god. That power still erodes Oser's body, causing the Order considerable trouble.

From that moment on, the Abyss Apostle knew that this person was not someone he could afford to offend.

But now, by sheer bad luck, this guy has appeared in Benlang Territory, and I've run into him again.

The Abyss Apostle's fingers trembled slightly as he held the codex, his heart sinking.

Chapter 167 Andrius's Submission, The Loom of Fate

"They're from the Abyss Order!"

Upon seeing the suddenly appearing Abyss Apostle, Ying's spirit was jolted.

She didn't go to the Abyss Order, and they came to her on their own.

The girl's golden eyes were fixed on the abyss apostle who was frozen in mid-air, her gaze sweeping back and forth across the slowly closing abyss passage behind him, trying to find the figure she wanted to see.

It's just a pity that this time it's just this guy alone.

"Has the Abyss Order also set its sights on Andrius?"

Wendy tilted her head, her tone carrying a hint of enjoying the drama.

"Moreover, judging from what this guy said, it seems he also has his eye on Dulin's soul."

After speaking, he turned his gaze back to Xu Chuan, his emerald green eyes filled with anticipation.

My friend always manages to pull off something unexpected; I wonder what he'll do this time.

"I was really underestimated."

Xu Chuan smiled slightly, but his aura was gradually rising.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the abyss apostle immediately activated his power to open the abyss passage, trying to escape as quickly as possible.

The codex emitted a dark light before him, and deep blue water blades tore through the air, shooting towards Xu Chuan and the others.

The water blades were as sharp as knives, cutting through the wind curtain and tearing through the air. As long as this wave of attacks provided cover and delayed Xu Chuan's progress.

Even if it can only hinder them for a short while, that would be fine.

His idea was good, but unfortunately it had almost no effect.

Xu Chuan moved swiftly, golden light emanating from his body, and flew straight towards the water blade.

There's no need to avoid a mere water blade.

boom--!

The elemental water blades, upon contact with the golden light, were instantly blasted apart by Xu Chuan as if they had crashed into a moving city wall.

The next moment, water splashed everywhere, turning into a mist that couldn't even stop him for a moment.

"Since you're here," Xu Chuan's voice boomed amidst the splashing water, "then stay here."

"not good!"

The Abyss Apostle, who had already taken a half-step into the abyss passage, turned around and saw Xu Chuan about to catch up, which terrified him.

He desperately burrowed deeper into the passage, his body quickly disappearing into the darkness, and then the edges of the passage began to narrow.

Just as his figure disappeared into the abyss and the passage was about to close.

Golden beams pierced through, like countless golden spears, into the closing spatial rift, locking the Abyss Apostle within the passage.

"what--!"

A piercing scream came from the crack, accompanied by the sound of flesh and blood tearing apart.

Before the passage completely closed and disappeared, there was a whoosh.

A semi-transparent soul was bound in mid-air by Xu Chuan's golden light; it was the Abyss Apostle who had just tried to escape.

Golden rays bound him tightly, and the point where his soul touched the golden light hissed and smoked, like a red-hot wire digging into a block of ice.

No matter how much the soul of the Abyss Apostle struggled, it was difficult to break free from the golden light's binding force.

Xu Chuan's unique golden light has an unparalleled suppressive power over the soul. The more filthy and evil the soul is, the more it will be restrained under the golden light.

It has a particularly remarkable effect on souls that are already tormented and twisted by the curse of immortality.

The face of the Abyss Apostle's soul was twisted in agony, emitting painful hissing sounds.

Xu Chuan looked at the soul with a nonchalant tone.

"Why be so afraid? I'm not some kind of devil."

He raised his hand, and the Spirit Binding and Commanding of Generals was activated instantly.

Golden light surged forth like a tide, enveloping the soul layer by layer.

The struggles of the Abyss Apostles grew weaker and weaker, until finally they fell completely silent.