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

Dain is incredibly resilient; he won't get into trouble easily. Following the original trajectory, he should reappear in Sumeru.

As long as this guy is alive, he'll reappear sooner or later.

Because of his intervention, many of the Abyss Order's plans have been disrupted.

However, Xu Chuan had also considered taking control of the "loom of fate" himself.

But this thing requires Calibel's help, and Xu Chuan can't find him for the time being.

Moreover, who can say for sure that with him flapping his wings, the Abyss Order might pull off something even bigger than "The Loom of Fate"?

After clearing his mind, Xu Chuan absorbed the soul of the Abyss Apostle into his body.

"It's simply a matter of dealing with whatever comes our way."

Chapter 168 Farewell Party

Wolf's Lair, Trial Arena.

Two incomplete demonic souls alone were enough to completely destroy this enormous arena.

The ground was cracked, and gravel was scattered all over the place.

Looking around, large areas of forest were affected, with trees uprooted and broken branches lying haphazardly on the ground, just like a typhoon had passed through.

Dulin stopped circling and descended from the sky, its huge dragon wings folding, creating a gust of wind.

The dark figure gradually shrank, from a mountain-sized behemoth to the size of a small bird, flapping its wings and landing on Xu Chuan's shoulder.

It tilted its head and looked at Andrius curiously.

This new colleague and Xu Chuan have already established a similar connection.

Andrius shifted his gaze from Xu Chuan to the dense forest deep within Wolf Territory.

The deep blue eyes reflected the afterglow of the setting sun, carrying an indescribable complexity.

Now, it is leaving this land.

“I need some time,” Andrius said, his voice low and rumbling like thunder. “Before I leave, I need to settle the wolf pack.”

Xu Chuan nodded. "Go ahead."

As the sun set, Andrius turned and walked into the depths of the forest, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

"A perfect ending."

Wendy had somehow picked up the bottle again, took a satisfying swig, and squinted her eyes.

Paimon crossed his arms and flew in front of Wendy, complaining, "Hey, you busker, why are you drinking again?"

"Fine wine and legendary tales are the virtues of bards."

Wendy shook the bottle, the amber liquid swirling inside. "Little Paimon will understand when he grows up."

"I don't want to understand!" Paimon flew back angrily.

Wendy's emerald green eyes lit up.

"How about we have another cocktail party tonight, like the one we had under the big tree in the wind last time?"

Paimon scratched his head: "But where would we find so much wine in this desolate wilderness..."

“Of course.” Wendy turned to look at Xu Chuan.

"When Xu Chuan took out this bottle of fine wine for me, I could smell the aroma of fine wine in the wind."

Xu Chuan's lips twitched.

How can you smell the wine that you stored in your own cave?

Don't use the wind god's power in this kind of way!

Wendy looked at him, her emerald green eyes full of expectation, like a cat crouching at a table waiting to be fed.

Xu Chuan smiled helplessly, but did not refuse.

"Row."

"Yay!" Wendy raised the bottle.

Night falls.

After Andrius and Durin clashed, the weather was exceptionally clear.

The night sky was cloudless, and the Milky Way shone brightly as you looked up. The Milky Way stretched across the sky from one side to the other like a luminous river, and countless stars covered the entire sky.

The group lit a campfire on the spot.

The dry branches crackled in the flames, sending sparks flying into the night sky.

The firelight shone on everyone's faces, making them feel warm and cozy.

Xu Chuan was busy preparing dinner.

He took out the ingredients and seasonings from his spatial ring and laid them out one by one.

As for the kitchen utensils, Xu Chuan projected them onto the screen in the blink of an eye.

Ying helped out from the side, and the two worked together seamlessly.

The firelight reflected on the girl's profile, her golden eyes mirroring the dancing flames, quiet and focused.

Taking advantage of the free time, Wendy took the harp from her waist and plucked the strings a few times.

The intermittent notes flowed from between the fingers, like a stream overflowing over stones, or the wind whistling through the treetops.

"Paimon, want to give it a try?" Wendy handed him the harp.

Paimon took the harp and clumsily plucked the strings with his little hands, producing a series of off-key notes.

She frowned, the more she tried to fix it, the more chaotic it became, and the more chaotic it became, the more anxious she became.

“No, you need to relax your fingers.” Wendy leaned closer and taught her step by step.

Paimon's little hand looked even smaller in his palm.

She looked intently at the strings and plucked them one by one, and the sound gradually became more and more pleasing.

While it's not exactly pleasant to listen to, at least it's not noise anymore.

"It's not that difficult!" Paimon exclaimed excitedly, holding up his harp.

The aroma of stewed meat filled the night air, mingling with the smoke from burning pine wood, creating a comforting scent.

Dulin stood not far away, his small body, about the size of a sparrow, huddled on the rock, tilting his head as he looked at the group.

Its eyes reflected the firelight, conveying an indescribable emotion.

It's like the longing a child feels when they secretly watch adults having a gathering.

"Dinner's ready." Xu Chuan tapped the edge of the pot.

Several people sat around the campfire, each holding a bowl.

The stewed meat is tender and flavorful, the broth is rich and thick, and the vegetables have absorbed all the meat juices, making every bite delicious.

Paimon got food all over his face, Wendy ate and drank, and Ying chewed slowly, occasionally glancing up at the starry sky.

"Mmm...!" Wendy swallowed a bite of meat and gave a thumbs up. "This tastes amazing."

Paimon said, deeply moved, "With Xu Chuan around, I feel like I can always enjoy delicious food!"

Ying noticed that Xu Chuan's cooking skills had improved, and turned to look at him: "Have you been secretly practicing your cooking skills?"

"That's it."

Xu Chuan smiled, and the image of someone who had tasted his food and then fled in panic flashed through his mind.

As they ate and chatted, the topic naturally turned to Liyue.

Venti mentioned the passing of the Geo Archon of Liyue Harbor and the appearance of the Maelstrom Lord Ocel.

Xu Chuan told Wendy the whole story.

Wendy sighed after hearing this.

"He actually stepped down from the position of Rock God." His tone carried a complex emotion. "This is really not something that old man would do."

It's no wonder Wendy was puzzled.

A deity that has been issuing divine pronouncements and guiding the development of the people of Liyue for thousands of years has suddenly stopped.

There are many mysteries surrounding this, and it doesn't seem as simple as it appears on the surface.

Xu Chuan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"For this year's Lantern Festival, would you like to visit some old friends in Liyue Harbor?"

"Perhaps we can gain something from this."

Wendy thought for a moment, then shook her head.

“I have only recently recovered, Tvalin is still recuperating, and Andrius is about to be taken away by you.”

He looked at Xu Chuan, a hint of helplessness in his emerald green eyes, "I can't leave Mondstadt for the time being."

Xu Chuan secretly regretted it.

Otherwise, we might have witnessed that famous toasting scene at this year's Lantern Festival.

Wendy then turned the conversation to Xu Chuan and Ying.

"You've already been to Mondstadt and Liyue, where do you plan to go next?"

Ying fell into thought.

After meeting Kong, she was indeed in no hurry to travel to various countries to gather information.

The urgency in my heart has now transformed into a desire to uncover the truth of the matter.

Why is Sora unwilling to take me along as before, and instead keeps emphasizing "my own journey"?

Thinking this, her gaze fell on Xu Chuan.

"After the Lantern Festival in Liyue," Xu Chuan said, chewing on the stewed meat in his mouth, his words somewhat indistinct, "I'll probably go to Inazuma."

"Thor has issued an eye-hunting order, and Inazuma is currently in seclusion."

"Getting there won't be easy."

Despite saying this, Wendy knew in her heart why Xu Chuan went to Daoqi.

Like the Fools, they were probably acting in the heart of God.

Although the aura was faint, he could vaguely sense the aura of the Heart of the Rock God on Xu Chuan's body.

Wendy simply smiled and raised her bottle.

"Then I wish you a safe journey in advance."

"cheers."

The group clinked glasses together in the air above the campfire.

"Wow...this liquor...cough...it's so spicy..."

Seeing Paimon's adorable reaction to choking on his drink, the three couldn't help but laugh.

Chapter 169 Humanoid Disaster

The next day, the weather was exceptionally clear.

Sunlight streamed in from the eastern mountain ridge, covering the entire Benlangling area.

The pebbles of the arena gleamed grayish-white in the morning light, and dewdrops clung to the weeds growing from the cracks, sparkling in the sunlight.

The group drank quite a bit last night and slept very soundly.

The campfire had gone out, leaving only a pile of grayish-white ashes and a few pieces of still-reddening embers.

Wendy lay on the bed in the tent, holding the harp in her arms, a slight smile on her lips.

Paimon lay beside Ying, only his little head peeking out, his mouth slightly open, fast asleep.