He changed Tiwat

"You actually found the location of the last key without even conducting an on-site investigation, just by looking at the blueprints!"

“I told you before, before I became ‘Hero Han,’ I was a civil servant at Yuehaiting. And before that, I was a test-taker. So…” Han Fulai’s face once again showed a smile that said, “Now I’m the stronger one.”

"I've done this problem before."

"Truly worthy of being called Master Han! Not only is his martial arts unparalleled, but his wisdom is also extraordinary!" Zhiqiong's admiration was like a surging river, never-ending.

"Not at all, it's all thanks to Miss Zhiqiong's excellent map drawing. I was even thinking of recommending you to Lord Yuhengxing to be in charge of land surveying."

Han Fulai's lips curled up uncontrollably, he was very pleased with the praise from Zhiqiong, his "fangirl".

"Alright, enough with the flattery. Let's go deal with 'Panjian'." Jiang Xue clapped her hands, interrupting the two's mutual flattery.

“The method to remove these ‘bonds’ should be related to the cage-like rock elemental polymer over there…” Zhiqiong pointed to the area below the bonded rocks, where there were two stones that looked like rectangular lanterns. Although they resembled lanterns, they were actually just clumps of soil and rock, with a bumpy appearance, clearly not man-made.

"These strange polymers have been troubling the General Affairs Department lately... They have been sprouting from the bedrock of the Layered Rock Abyss in the last two years. After investigation, the people of Huishan Hall found that they have been absorbing the surrounding rock element energy, slowly weakening the structure of the rock key... It's very strange, as if they are deliberately destroying the sealing array."

“We clean it up every two weeks… but these strange things quickly grow back, and it’s been happening more and more frequently lately. Perhaps the bottom of the Abyss of Layered Rocks has become restless…” Zhiqiong said with a rather uncomfortable expression on her face, presumably because she had seen the “black mud” at the bottom of the Abyss of Layered Rocks before.

She rolled up the map and made a swinging motion as if to hit it with a stick.

"In short, by saturating these rock element polymers with rock element energy and then striking them to impact the rock bond, their fragments can effectively weaken the rock bond's structure."

Han Fulai nodded slightly. The method Zhiqiong described was very specific and highly feasible; it was clearly a method that had already been proven in practice. It seemed that these rock element polymers had likely affected the rock bonds in the past—for example, a lantern-shaped polymer that had been continuously absorbing rock element energy suddenly exploded, and the fragments weakened the rock bond structure.

"Senior Jiang Xue, shall we begin?"

Jiang Xue nodded and they each walked toward a cage-like rock element polymer.

To make these "lanterns" quickly absorb rock element, you naturally need to infuse them with rock element energy.

Although Han Fulai does not possess the Eye of God of the Rock type, he does possess the power of the Rock-type Demon God.

He pressed his left hand against the rock element polymer and began to use the power of the Salt God. Soon, the interior of the rock element polymer was filled with newly created marble. The rock element polymer absorbed the rock element energy and began to emit golden light. Han Fulai stretched out his right hand, and the black-tasseled spear was already in his hand. He used the spear as a staff and swept it horizontally towards the huge rock key in mid-air.

With a loud bang, the rock element polymer collided with the rock key, shattering into pieces. The rock key trembled violently and then fell to the ground a short distance before finally coming to a stop a few meters above the ground.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xue drew his bladeless sword.

Without him making any special movements, a several-foot-long earthen-yellow sword light suddenly bloomed from the bladeless sword!

Jiang Xue cleaved the polymer of rock element with the light of her sword, shattering it instantly. The fragments rained down, striking the rock key with a crackling sound, as if precisely hurled at it by a human. Jiang Xue's swordsmanship was exquisitely skillful!

With a deafening roar, the rock key crashed into the earth, and the geomantic light surrounding it was completely extinguished. This rock key was now nothing more than a broken boulder, devoid of any remaining mystical power.

"Jiang Xue's swordsmanship is superb!" Zhiqiong, a member of the crowd, was clearly very knowledgeable and could tell at a glance which side had a higher level of skill.

...Sword immortals are so handsome, it's the easiest way for them to win over young girls, Han Fulai thought with a pang of envy.

Next, led by Zhiqiong, Han Fulai and Jiang Xue followed the map's markings, climbing up and down until they finally solved the four keystones as the sun began to set.

Only the last key, which Han Fulai found on the blueprints, remained.

The three stopped at the edge of the high cliff where the fourth key was located, looking at the layered rock scenery below, chatting casually, and taking a short rest.

"Is this... the earth shaking?"

Zhiqiong suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes fixed on her feet. Just now, a small pebble had suddenly bounced up.

"Perhaps because the seal has loosened, the nearby rocks have also begun to become unstable... Have you felt it?" Zhiqiong asked.

"It doesn't feel very obvious...." Han Fulai leaned against a large rock, looking at Jiang Xue, who stood beside him, shaking her head as well.

“It’s just a miner’s intuition. If you two had grown up in the mines, you’d also have some understanding of the language of the rocks.” Zhiqiong boasted to the two of them with a hint of pride about her “special skill,” but her voice quickly turned terrified—“Wait…be careful!”

Her warning had barely sounded when the ground began to tremble violently, the entire abyss shaking as if something were shaking the earth from its depths. Cracks appeared in some rocks near the cliff, and stones began to fall deeper into the abyss.

Even with Jiang Xue's skill, she couldn't maintain her balance. Han Fulai even started to stagger. As for Zhiqiong, she had already fallen, but she managed to grab onto a sand tree next to her.

Lying on the ground, Zhiqiong shouted, "Grab whatever's around you! The earthquake won't last much longer!"

Jiang Xue grabbed onto something nearby, which was Han Fulai.

He grabbed Han Fulai by the collar and leaped to Zhiqiong's side. Just as Jiang Xue crouched down to pull Zhiqiong up as well, the earthquake stopped.

"Phew... it should be over." Zhiqiong got up with a look of lingering fear, patting her green beret. "Luckily we were on the surface. If we had encountered an earthquake like this in the mine, it would have been terrible... I hope Mu Ning won't blame us for the earthquake."

"...I guess he's already started writing the report..." As a civil servant, Han Fulai knows best what a civil servant's first reaction is in this situation.

Zhiqiong adjusted her mindset quickly. Even though she had just experienced a major earthquake half a minute ago, she was now acting as if nothing had happened and looking forward to the adventure to come.

"The sealing formation's power has greatly weakened, leaving only the last key to be dealt with. Let's hurry and resolve this last of the 'five points' before nightfall!"

Chapter 127 First Exploration of the Layered Rock Abyss (Part 4) The Ancient Sword of a Thousand Rocks Appears

The group headed to the abandoned mine. On the way, Zhiqiong talked with great interest about the earthquake they had just experienced: "Speaking of which, the old folks in the mine call that kind of earthquake that comes and goes so quickly... 'the breath of a lump of flesh'."

“What is a ‘meat lump’?” Jiang Xue asked.

Zhiqiong adopted a smug tone and, imitating a storyteller, waved the map in her hand like a folding fan.

"My dear readers, you may not know this, but let me explain in detail—'Meatball' is actually a king who ruled Tianqiu Valley in ancient times. He was the incarnation of the Rock Dragon... a dragon king who lived in the mountains. Legend has it that he fought the Rock King for three hundred rounds here, and was finally subdued by the Rock King with force and sealed in the deep mountains of Jueyun. It is said that he is still sleeping to this day."

"'Following the immortal's path to Tianqiu, I gaze upon the ruins of the palace, filled with sorrow. The venerable Ruo Tuo, the virtuous queen, lamented that the once lush garden had turned to dust.'" Han Fulai recalled a record he had read in an ancient book: before the Ruo Tuo Dragon King and the Rock King Emperor turned against each other, the Tianqiu Valley area was ruled by the Ruo Tuo Dragon King, which corroborated the legend Zhiqiong spoke of… If there was anything wrong with this legend—perhaps the old man telling the story had a heavy regional accent…

Han Fulai laughed and said, "I've never heard of the 'Flesh-Bullet Dragon King,' but I have heard of the 'Ruo Tuo Dragon King.'"

"Uh...maybe so..." Zhiqiong said a little embarrassedly, and quickly explained, "Most of the old people who could tell the story of the Dragon King so eloquently passed away when I was young...so I don't really know much about it..."

However, as a member of the Adventurers' Guild, Zhiqiong quickly offered a conclusion very much in the style of an adventurer: "It doesn't matter if there are mistakes. Isn't the purpose of our adventures to get closer to the truth buried beneath these stories and legends?"

"Miss Zhiqiong's words resonate with me deeply." Jiang Xue actually quite admired Zhiqiong's attitude.

“That’s right!” Zhiqiong regained her smugness.

Han Fulai sighed silently; he wasn't here to take any risks.

He now felt like Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. His eldest brother, Jiang Xue, was there to act as his bodyguard and take care of some personal business along the way. His second brother, Zhiqiong, was there to add to his adventure experience and take a trip. Only he was there to seriously resolve the anomaly in the Layered Rock Abyss...

After entering the abandoned mine, the group walked eastward for several dozen meters, following the directions marked on the map, and sure enough, they found a collapsed section of wall. Jiang Xue led Zhiqiong, and the three of them jumped down the wall. After walking a few steps, they saw a gap in the wall.

The three of them passed through the gap and entered another ancient, abandoned mine tunnel.

The abandoned mine tunnel was pitch black, but Han Fulai was prepared. He took out a small night light from his blank divine eye—shaped like an adorable purple cat head, powered by lightning elemental energy stored in a built-in crystal, and could be used for a considerable period of time.

The mine tunnels were littered with collapsed rubble and broken wooden beams. Mining carts, abandoned by the miners, still lay on the ground, containing the rubble they had once carried. Some of the rubble looked remarkably fresh, clearly indicating that the recent earthquake had caused another collapse.

Fortunately, although the mine tunnel was severely damaged, the earthquake did not seem to have completely collapsed it. After walking along the winding mine tunnel for a long time, the three finally saw a huge natural cave.

The last key was suspended in the cave, exactly where Han Fulai had marked it.

"Wow, amazing... Just as Master Han predicted! This is the last key!" Zhiqiong was the first to rush into the cave.

But after looking around, her tone became somewhat troubled: "...This is difficult..."

Due to the change in the position of the rock key, the two rock element polymers appear to have grown newly, and on the cliffs on either side of the cave. To strike those two rock element polymers, one would have to climb the cliffs.

Of course, climbing wouldn't be too much of a problem; it would just take a little effort. The key issue is that there are other rocks and keys in this cave.

Because this mine has been abandoned for a long time and no one has maintained it, monsters have long been bred there—especially monsters that like the rock element.

Directly below the rock key, a nest of baby rock dragons was gathered.

This monster is known for its "hyperactivity." Not only does it curl up into a ball and spin around like a top, but it can also burrow into holes and climb over walls. If you're not careful, it will burrow underground and then suddenly emerge from behind its prey to launch a surprise attack, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

If they were on flat ground, Han Fulai would have plenty of ways to deal with them—at worst, he could unleash a "Heavenly Tremor" attack. With his enhanced body, he could withstand one powerful attack.

But they were currently in an abandoned mine, a tunnel that had just experienced an earthquake and had already collapsed twice, making its structure extremely fragile. If he were to unleash a "heavenly tremor" now, he would be digging his own grave.

He had to destroy the rock element polymer, defend against the rock dragon lizard's attack, and be careful not to damage the mine tunnel... If Han Fulai were alone, it would probably be a tough battle.

In this situation, we really have to rely on Jiang Xue to take action.

Han Fulai looked at Jiang Xue with an inquiring gaze.

Under the bamboo hat, Jiang Xue frowned slightly, and after a moment, he nodded.

Then he turned to Zhiqiong very seriously and said, "Little girl, close your eyes and wait for me for one minute."

"Huh? Why?" Zhiqiong asked, bewildered.

"Because this scene isn't suitable for a young girl like you," Jiang Xue said earnestly.

"Let's do as Senior Jiang Xue says."

Before Zhiqiong could object, Han Fulai grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, blocking her view with his body to ensure she couldn't peek.

After confirming that Zhiqiong had turned around, Jiang Xue reached into her bosom and took out something.

The golden light flashed and disappeared in an instant, but Han Fu could see it clearly; it was definitely the light of the Geo-attribute Eye of God.

Jiang Xue now wielded a large sword.

The oldest greatsword in Liyue Harbor, the symbol of the Liyue Star Clan, a heavy sword made of divinely forged bedrock—the Ancient Rock Sword.

Jiang Xue made Zhiqiong turn her back and close her eyes because she didn't want her to see this scene. Zhiqiong might not recognize the greatsword in his hand, but as long as she spread what she saw and heard, someone would eventually discover Jiang Xue's identity.

Jiang Xue gripped the hilt of the Thousand Rock Ancient Sword with both hands.

His hand was very steady; the hundred-pound divine-forged bedrock felt like nothing in his hand, and the golden sword stood straight before him, motionless.

The hilt of the ancient sword had a faint red hue, but it wasn't the color of vermilion lacquer or cloth strips; rather, it was the color of blood—the sweat and blood left behind by each generation of Xing clan heirs as they practiced swordsmanship.

Jiang Xue once thought he could abandon this sword, and he had indeed not touched it for several years. But when he held the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword again, he realized that the memories in his body had never gone away.

He swung the ancient sword lightly, as if waving his own arm, with such ease and freedom.

This must be the fate of those who live by the sword. He felt he was no longer worthy of these things, but…

He couldn't let go of it in the end; he couldn't let go of his sword.

Jiang Xue whispered eight words.

The voice was very soft, but Han Fulai still heard it.

Jiang Xue spoke eight words that every soldier in the Qianyan Army knew.

"The cliffs are firm and the peaks are unyielding."

This is the motto of the Liyue Thousand Rock Army, and also the battle formation martial art taught in the army—Thousand Rock Technique: Unity.

Although he was alone here, his sword carried the spirit of protection passed down by the commanders of the Thousand Rock Army for thousands of years.

As if responding to Jiang Xue's call, the blade of the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword rippled with golden light. That was the radiance of rock elemental power, and like a rock key, rock elemental energy also swirled around the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword.

Unlike the numerous moves of martial arts heroes, battle formation martial arts only emphasize two words—killing the enemy.

On the battlefield, life and death often hinge on a single move.

Jiang Xue only needed one move to break this key.

Jiang Xue leaped high into the air, and the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword, with its unstoppable momentum, slashed straight at the Panjian, which was suspended in mid-air.

With a deafening roar, the final node of the Seven Star Formation, the massive rock key, shattered.

The reason why fragments of rock element polymers can disrupt the structure of the bedrock is because the rock element energy carried by the polymer fragments resonates with the rock element energy inherent in the bedrock. No other rock element polymer carries energy comparable to the divinely forged bedrock that forged the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword.

The fragments of the rock key crashed down, sending up a cloud of pebbles and sand. The young rock dragons gathered below were either smashed into pieces by the fragments or burrowed underground to escape.

Amidst the rolling dust, Jiang Xue landed and sheathed her ancient sword.

"Alright, Zhiqiong, you can open your eyes now."

Han Fulai patted Zhiqiong on the shoulder, signaling her to turn back.

As the final node of the magic array shattered, the "Seven Star Magic Array" sealing the Layered Rock Abyss began to crumble.

If observed from above the Abyss of Layered Rocks, one would see that the giant magic circle that originally obscured the center of the abyss began to develop spiderweb-like cracks. The cracks quickly spread across the entire area of ​​the magic circle, and then, the entire magic circle silently turned into golden fragments.

The Seven Star Formation has been broken.

Although Zhiqiong didn't know exactly how Jiang Xue destroyed the last key, she clearly heard the sound of it shattering. She also witnessed the full impact of Jiang Xue's sword strike.

"Wow, amazing! ...Jiang Xue is so amazing!"

Zhiqiong was full of amazement. She had already started to plan. If she had the chance, she would definitely pester this hero Jiang Xue to tell her his adventure stories. Then she would sell Jiang Xue's adventure stories to Tian Tiezui. At that time, the most popular storytelling in Liyue Harbor would be created by her, Zhiqiong!

Han Fulai coughed lightly, drawing Zhiqiong's attention back to her.

"Miss Zhiqiong, now that we've destroyed the 'Seven Star Formation,' shall we head directly to the Layered Rock Abyss?"

Zhiqiong shook her head. "No rush. We still need to prepare for the lower rock abyss."

"Oh...you mean, Tuan Que?"

Han Fulai quickly recalled Ke Qing's instructions before he arrived: "There are countless things to do when mining, but safety is the most important. Make sure you have the right equipment, and bring a miner's lamp."

In this generation's Liyue Seven Stars, Keqing is the only one who has actually mined herself.