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

Where I go, what I do, and how long it will take me to come back.

Simple and clear, never wastes words.

After reporting it, he can confidently and boldly move forward.

Because he knew that the Emperor was standing behind him.

This was exactly the kind of insurance Xu Chuan needed.

The one sitting in Liyue Harbor is one of the oldest living gods on the continent of Teyvat.

He hurled the vortex demon from Lonely Cloud Reef into the sea, and countless demons fell under his spear.

For six thousand years, the land he protected has never truly fallen.

Unless the laws of nature awaken immediately, Teyvat will explode instantly.

Otherwise, no matter what mess Xu Chuan makes, there will always be someone to cover for him.

Such a great opportunity, it would be foolish not to seize it.

Zhongli finally spoke.

"Xu Keqing".

His voice was a beat slower than usual.

"Traveling around and broadening your horizons is a good thing, especially for a young person like you."

Zhongli paused for a moment, then continued.

"As for whether the Emperor will protect us or not..."

His gaze lingered on Xu Chuan for a long time.

The moonlight condensed into a tiny point of light in his amber pupils, a light that remained motionless, like a corner of the snow and ice on a mountain peak that had never melted for thousands of years being illuminated by the morning sun.

"From a universally rational perspective, sincerity is key."

Xu Chuan almost burst out laughing, but he managed to hold it in.

In his view, sincerity brings results.

I know, so call me if anything happens.

"That's good." Xu Chuan nodded, his tone returning to its usual casualness.

"With Mr. Zhongli's words, I can rest assured."

Zhongli glanced at him.

There was an extremely complex meaning in his eyes.

It's as if he's saying: I'm not the Rock King Emperor, when did I say that?

It's as if it's saying: Oh well, I've already said it.

But in the end, he said nothing, only sighed softly.

The sigh was so faint that it was carried away by the sea breeze.

However, Xu Chuan, whose physical condition is now vastly different from what it used to be, heard this.

The lighthouse beam swept across the sea, leaving a brief streak of light on their faces.

Zhongli turned around and faced the sea.

The moonlight stretched his shadow very long, almost covering the entire breakwater.

The sea breeze rushed into his robe, making the fabric flutter. He stood there, like a reef that had stood for six thousand years.

Xu Chuan did not chase after them.

Everything that needed to be said has been said.

Zhongli needed some time to process what they had just said.

He needed a moment to savor Zhongli's expression just now, the expression of someone whose six thousand years of cultivation had been cracked by a stone falling from the sky.

This will keep him entertained for a long time.

The tide crashed against the embankment, breaking into white foam.

The lights of Liyue Harbor spread out behind us, like a golden net spread between the mountains and the sea.

The cannon remained silently standing three steps behind.

The lighthouse's light swept across its face, illuminating that calm, unchanging face for a fleeting moment.

Chapter Ninety-Five: Fragments of the Heavenly Nail

When we left Liyue Harbor, it was still dark.

Fishing boats in the dock area were hauling in their mooring lines, and the boatmen's shouts were cut into segments by the sea breeze, scattering in the gray-blue morning mist.

Xu Chuan emerged from the White Horse Inn, a coarse cloth bundle slung over his shoulder, containing dry rations, water, and a map of Liyue.

Xu Chuan unfolded the map and glanced at it.

The area on the map was marked in dark brown, with a line of small text next to it.

He folded the map and stuffed it back into his bundle.

The Layered Rock Abyss, like the Dragon Ridge Snow Mountain, has also been struck by the nails of heaven.

Many years ago, the Dragon King Ruotu emerged from the earth beneath the layers of rock, and Zhongli fought him there.

This battle caused landslides and geological fractures, completely altering the landscape of the Stratocrates.

Deep in the mining area, traces of that battle can still be seen today.

The most dangerous force is the abyssal power suppressed deep underground, like a caged beast.

This place is extremely dangerous for ordinary people.

Xu Chuan's trip to the Layered Rock Abyss was specifically for the fragments of the Heavenly Nail.

He had only taken one fragment of the Frostfire Nail from Dragon Ridge Snow Mountain, so it wouldn't affect the mountain too much.

The same applies to the Abyss of Laminaria; he has no intention of moving the entire nail.

"I wonder what the differences are between the sky nails in these two places."

The Heavenly Nail and the Heavenly Nail of the Layered Rock Abyss look very similar, but Xu Chuan couldn't be sure if there were any differences between them.

In terms of destructive power, the Heavenly Nails from Mount Sumeru are the most powerful.

To understand this, Xu Chuan must come into contact with the Heavenly Nail fragments.

If a knight cannot die from the power of bare hands and can control the power of the Heavenly Nail Fragments, then naturally the more Heavenly Nail Fragments the better.

If you're lucky, you might even find something else in the Abyss of Laminaria.

One of Zi Bai's three souls.

Xu Chuan remembered that Zi Bai was originally the moon messenger of the goddess of March, and also had some connection with the ruler of time.

However, in order to protect her people, she defied the heavenly nails that were thrown down by divine justice.

In the end, it was only through Zhongli's teachings on severing the three corpses, and the secret intervention of the Time Ruler, that the three corpse souls were preserved.

When Zi Bai's three souls possessed others, the power that seemed to stop time intrigued Xu Chuan.

This is somewhat similar to the power displayed by the Doctor who controls the three Moon Essences.

Even powerful figures like the servant and Falgar could not escape this influence; it was a force that truly touched upon the rules of the world.

But this power can only affect the Teyvats.

As a descendant, Luminous was almost unaffected.

The same is true for him.

Whether it's the ability to summon spirits or Xu Chuan's own unique characteristics, Zi Bai's time period is ineffective against him.

To be honest, he has had the ability to command spirits for quite some time now.

However, in Liyue Harbor, those detained were all ordinary human spirits.

They were broken, weak, and their self-awareness had been largely worn away by death.

Even if Xu Chuan uses his spiritual power to nurture them, it can only prolong their lives for a short while, but those destined to dissipate will still dissipate.

This is not the true usage of the technique of summoning spirits and commanding generals.

The power of this extraordinary technique depends on the strength of the spirit it binds.

The stronger the soul, the greater the power it can exert.

The more complete the soul, the more self-awareness it can retain.

The remnants of ordinary people's souls are nothing more than pebbles in a stream, drifting with the current. It's not worth it to waste one's energy nourishing them.

The entrance to the Pittospan is hidden between two mountains, and from a distance it looks like a crack cleaved open by a giant axe.

On the mountain walls on both sides of the crevice hung the sentry flags of the Thousand Rock Army, their vermilion banners fluttering in the wind.

Two soldiers from the Thousand Rock Army stood in front of the checkpoint; one was writing in the register, his eyes scanning everyone who approached.

However, the checkpoint could not stop the two, and the knight did not die from attacking with his bare hands.

Xu Chuan controlled the cannon and, with the help of the Heart of the Wind God, entered the Layered Rock Abyss directly from the air.

The night before he set off, he used the technique of summoning spirits and commanding generals on the cannon.

The power of binding spirits and commanding generals merged into the golden light, then emerged from the fingertips and wrapped around the puppet's body.

The light rays spread along the limbs and seeped into the chest cavity through the gaps in the joints.

He closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink into that golden light, like dipping his finger into a stagnant pool.

In the end, there was nothing.

The puppet's body did not resist, nor did it even flinch.

The souls of the stragglers seemed to have long since vanished, leaving behind only an empty shell driven by the Heart of the Wind God.

The body of a puppet has no soul, and the ability to bind spirits and command generals is ineffective against it.

However, Xu Chuan did not consider this experiment a failure.

He withdrew the golden light and looked at the cannon's calm face.

An idea began to take shape that night.

Since he can't extract a soul, let's just stuff one in.

Zi Bai's three souls, his puppet body, and the power of the Wind God's Heart.

At that time, he will no longer need to be constantly distracted by using the golden light to control the cannon.

From Mondstadt to Liyue, from the Jade Pavilion to the Hall of Rebirth, he had been using the power of the Golden Light Charm to remotely control the puppet's movements.

He always had to spare a bit of his attention to manage it.

It's like trying to fly two kites at the same time with one hand. It's fine when the wind is strong, but when the wind gets erratic, the lines easily get tangled.

If Zibai's soul can enter the body of the puppet master, it will have its own consciousness.

Even if it is only one of the three corpse souls, it is far more powerful than an ordinary spirit.

At that time, the cannon will be a cannon, no longer a puppet on a string in his hands.

"Once we find Zibai's three souls, we can try to stuff them into this puppet's body."

"I wonder what kind of expression Zhongli will have when he sees his old friend in this state."

Upon realizing this, Xu Chuan couldn't help but show an expectant expression.

Years of mining have fragmented the entire mountain, giving it a sense of decay.

He walked down the mine tunnel.

The Senyan Army's sentry flag receded further and further behind, eventually shrinking into a tiny red dot before being swallowed by the shadow of the mountain.

Traces of mining can be seen on the rock walls on both sides of the mine tunnel.