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

His soul hovered before Xu Chuan, obediently lowering its head.

"Not bad." Xu Chuan withdrew the golden light and ordered it to follow behind him.

After defeating the Abyss Apostle, he turned away.

The wolf king looked down at the north wind from his high vantage point.

"Trial over."

Xu Chuan's voice wasn't loud, but every word carried undeniable weight, and his tone wasn't as polite as before.

"At this moment, you should be able to listen to what I have to say."

Andrius raised his head, revealing the white wolf's head to its current wretched state.

Its body still bore the marks of the battle; its ice armor was broken in several places, and its silver-gray fur was covered with ash and ice shards.

But in those deep blue eyes, an indomitable flame still burned.

"Human, I don't understand how you control the dragon's soul."

Its voice was deep and rumbling like thunder, "But I will never yield to you."

"Roar--!"

The dragon's claws descended from the sky, their sharp claws pressing heavily on the wolf's head.

Dulin swooped down from the sky, his dark body pressing down on Andrius's head, black flames surging in his throat, that terrifying power ready to erupt at any moment.

Even with death looming close, Andrius's pupils reflected the burning flames of Dulin, and Dulin's eyes reflected Andrius's stubborn image.

Seeing this, Wendy couldn't sit still any longer.

He leaped into the air and landed between Xu Chuan and Andrius.

"Hey, hey... let's talk this out."

He raised his hands, trying to persuade both sides not to do anything rash.

"We're all friends, why make things so awkward?"

Andrius shifted his gaze from Dulin to the boy in green.

“Barbatos,” it said, its voice tinged with a complex emotion, “you have indeed awakened.”

"Yes, it's been a long time, Andrius."

Wendy smiled, but there was a gentle warmth in her emerald green eyes that came from years of experience.

He turned around to face Xu Chuan.

"Friend, for my sake," he said, his tone softening, with a hint of pleading.

"There's no need to go to such lengths."

Xu Chuan glanced at him, then at Andrius.

"Dulin, step back."

The black dragon folded its wings and released its claws from the wolf's head.

It flapped its wings and soared into the sky, circling above the arena. Its massive body blocked out the sunlight, casting a shadow over the white giant wolf, silently warning its opponent.

Wendy breathed a sigh of relief; as long as they could talk things out properly, there was still room for negotiation.

"Andrius, you saw it just now too."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a serious tone.

"If Xu Chuan were to use that power, which controls the soul, directly on you, could your shattered soul truly break free?"

Wendy sighed softly to himself. He had been quite surprised when he witnessed Xu Chuan's ability to instantly manipulate souls.

There was no prior preparation.

In an instant, a living soul completely submitted to Xu Chuan.

Presumably, the dragon Durin was also subdued in this way.

Andrius fell silent, his lantern-sized, deep blue eyes fixed on Xu Chuan.

Having seen it with its own eyes, it naturally knew that Wendy was telling the truth.

That force was something it absolutely could not resist in its current state.

The tiny figure stood above the arena. Even though the faint golden light around him had receded, the oppressive aura remained.

Even without the dragon Dulin, this guy's power is probably not to be underestimated.

Andrius spoke, his voice a few decibels lower than before, acknowledging Xu Chuan's strength.

"Human, your power surpasses mine, so why do you still force your way onto my broken soul?"

Xu Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the ancient behemoth.

“It’s very simple,” he said. “I need your help in my spiritual practice.”

Then, Xu Chuan changed the subject and continued.

"I have a good relationship with the Knights of Favonius, and I learned about their expedition to Nordkare from the current acting Grand Master..."

"Moreover, I also know that this expedition... is actually related to you."

"What do you know?" Andrius pressed.

Xu Chuan did not answer the question and continued speaking at his own pace.

"Andrius, don't you want to add another boost to this expedition?"

Andrius's ears twitched, and a flicker of emotion flashed in his deep blue eyes.

Although Falga is powerful, the calamity is not to be underestimated. It would be a good thing to have more power to help.

The power of this guy in front of me is far superior to mine, and with that power that restrains the soul, he might actually be able to quell the future disaster.

"Are you willing to help?"

Andrius’s tone carried a hint of uncertainty.

“I said from the beginning that I’m here to make a deal with you.”

Xu Chuan landed in the air and stood in front of Andrius, then extended his right hand toward him.

"I have shown my sincerity."

Looking directly into those deep blue eyes, Xu Chuan awaited the other person's answer.

"Andrius, what is your choice?"

Andrius stared at the hand for a long time.

The trial arena suddenly fell silent, leaving everyone wondering what would happen next.

Dulin hovered high in the sky, while Ying and Paimon stood not far away, even their breathing becoming slightly lighter.

Wendy hovered in mid-air, arms crossed, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Then, Andrius made a move; it finally made up its mind.

The enormous wolf claw slowly rose and landed on Xu Chuan's palm.

A cool sensation came from my palm, carrying the sharp chill of ice shards.

"You win, human."

Andrius's voice was low and calm, devoid of the resentment and anger he had shown earlier.

There is only one kind of composure that comes from recognizing the truth.

"A smart choice."

Xu Chuan grasped the wolf's claw, and the power of binding spirits surged from his palm, instantly enveloping Andrius's soul.

"Your future self will be glad you made this decision."

Invisible as a thread, it probed into the depths of Andrius's soul, weaving his soul together with Xu Chuan's will.

Andrius did not struggle or resist; he simply stood there quietly.

A moment later, a strange light appeared in Andrius's eyes.

Seeing that the matter was perfectly resolved, Wendy returned to her usual self.

Curious, he moved closer to Andrius and looked him up and down.

"It acts directly on the soul; it's a truly peculiar power."

Wendy tilted her head and asked, "Andrius, how are you feeling?"

After a moment of reflection, Andrius said:

"It felt like being bound by some kind of contract, with life and death hanging in the balance between Xu Chuan and his thoughts."

Furthermore, through this connection, I can feel a very faint force sustaining the existence of my soul.

Wendy nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face.

A short while later, Ying and Paimon came over.

The girl's gaze remained fixed on the soul of the Abyss Apostle behind Xu Chuan.

After the golden light shone through, the soul's aura weakened, but it still maintained its rationality.

Xu Chuan knew what she was thinking.

He nodded to Ying, indicating that she could ask.

Ying took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Where is my brother now?" she stared at the spirit, her voice strained. "And what exactly does he want?"

Under the control of the Spirit Binding General, the souls of the Abyss Apostles answered all her questions without reservation.

His slightly hoarse voice carried an unsettling echo, like something reverberating from an abyss.

"His Highness is always elusive, and I do not know where he is at this moment... As for His Highness's grand ambitions, what I know is only the tip of the iceberg."

Ying's fingers tightened, but she still didn't give up, trying to find useful information in the words of the Abyss Apostle.

"Ever since you ventured into the secret realm and met His Highness, the Order has abandoned its plan for the Mechanical Demon God."

The Apostle's soul continued, "Currently, the Order is preparing for a project called 'The Loom of Destiny'."

The loom of fate?

Wendy and Andrius's attention were drawn to it at the same time.

For these demons who stand tall in Teyvat, "fate" has never been an abstract or ethereal concept.

That is the reins in the hands of the maintainers of the natural order, the underlying rules governing Teyvat.

What exactly is the Abyss Order plotting this time?

Wendy's smile vanished, and she asked in a deep voice, "You've set your sights on the Demon God's soul, also for that plan?"

The apostle's soul shook its head.

"I came here to find the core of the first tiller, but I happened to encounter the soul of a demon god, and then..."

Xu Chuan remained silent.

The core of the first tiller that the Abyss Order had been searching for was now lying quietly in its spatial ring.

Does the loom of fate need this core, or some technology within the core?

Whether it's for some kind of significance contained within this core, Xu Chuan doesn't know for the time being.

Ying asked a lot more questions.

The souls of the Abyss Apostles answered one by one, but very little of value could be revealed.

Kong's whereabouts are a mystery, and he has no access to the core details of the plan. "The Loom of Destiny" is just a name, and even this guy doesn't know what it is.

Regarding Dain, the Abyss Apostle's soul said that the guy was tricked by the Abyss Order and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Ying's face darkened slightly.

Xu Chuan patted her on the shoulder without saying anything more.