He changed Tiwat

So Han Fulai's current task is—"Hold on firmly, and there will be a way."

The problem was that the "Wishing Stone" didn't specify how long he had to hold out. Han Fulai could only squeeze out his remaining strength to maintain the suppression of the dark energy while praying that this ally wouldn't pull the "long-distance rescue" stunt so close at hand...

The bigger problem is that he is gradually losing control.

He felt his vision beginning to blur, as if his gaze was being drawn into that black hole... This was a sign of excessive physical exertion, and he was now relying entirely on his willpower to keep going.

The energy he had absorbed earlier had been largely depleted in his battle with Ye Mingxiang, and he was now at his limit. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on—maybe two minutes? Maybe one minute? Maybe even less?

In a hazy state, Han Fulai sensed a blinding white light, followed by a tremor in the space.

He had felt the same tremor when the "Layered Rock Nail" fell before.

He tilted his head slightly and saw the "rock nails" falling rapidly above him.

—Speaking of which, he seemed to be a little too close to that black sun, close enough that he would be smashed into mincemeat along with the "Layered Rock Nails".

"not good!"

As the "Layered Rock Nail" emitted its light, Jiang Xue and Ye Lan, who had witnessed its fall, simultaneously realized that something was amiss.

The two acted at almost the same time.

However, this distance of several hundred meters is not something that can be jumped across in one leap. Moreover, both Jiang Xue and Ye Lan are exhausted from a long battle, so how could they maintain their peak speed?

Unless one possesses the ability to traverse space like the Great Demon Slayer Xiao, with the "Wind Wheel Stands Alone," it would be impossible to save Han Fulai before the "Layered Rock Nail" falls.

Xiao did not appear.

But a streak of purple lightning flashed past overhead.

A small hairpin was guiding the direction of the lightning bolt.

In the distance, in Han Fulai's blank divine eye, a miner's lamp floated out—a very cute cat-head miner's lamp, handmade by a girl and imbued with her own elemental power.

Chapter 299 Can Humans Become Gods? [4k5]

The "Layered Rock Nail" collided with the "Black Sun," like two suns, one white and one black, colliding. A violent conflict erupted between the dazzling white light and the black malice, seemingly dyeing the entire rock hall black and white. Then, this black and white merged together, becoming an indistinguishable gray.

No one could open their eyes under such bright light.

Even Han Fulai couldn't.

Already in a daze, before closing his eyes, he only remembered that stunning flash of purple lightning.

Another earth-shattering tremor shook the rock hall, more violent than any of the previous earthquakes, making one almost think that the earth might suddenly crack open.

In fact, this was the aftershock of two forces capable of shaking space colliding.

If the "Layered Rock Nails" had not reinforced the space beforehand, there might already be numerous spatial cracks in the rock hall that could shatter a person to pieces.

Han Fulai felt as if he had returned to his childhood, sitting on a dilapidated old bus in the county town, traveling on a bumpy dirt road, his bones feeling like they were about to be shaken apart.

Fortunately, the turbulence didn't last long.

Several seconds later, the hall returned to calm.

Han Fulai forced himself to stay awake and recalled what had just happened—

He had been trying his best to suppress the energy leaking out after Ye Mingxiang's death, and he was about to give up when the "Layered Rock Nail" came crashing down.

He had nowhere to run at that point, but it seemed as if someone suddenly appeared and took him away from the danger. What exactly was that purple lightning?

The "Layered Rock Nail" finally suppressed the overflowing abyssal energy and rose into the sky once again.

Han Fulai opened his eyes and saw two familiar cat ears.

Below the cat's ears are the familiar purple twin tails.

"Are you alright?" Ke Qing asked anxiously.

"Ah Qing?" Han Fulai was so shocked that he forgot to use honorifics. "Why are you here?"

Seeing that he could still ask questions, Ke Qing felt relieved and glared at him irritably.

"Hmph, if I hadn't come, would I be attending your memorial service tomorrow?"

Han Fulai reflected on the situation and realized that Keqing seemed to be right. Although he wasn't sure if the "Layered Rock Nail" would actually hit him too... the possibility was indeed quite high. After all, the "Wishing Stone" was an AI; if it smashed him as well, it would just be a case of "accidentally injuring a probationary civil servant while performing official duties." If Han Fulai really "died in the line of duty," Sky Island probably didn't have any workers' compensation regulations...

More importantly, Ke Qing's complaints revealed her genuine concern for him.

Han Fulai quickly lowered his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, I made you worry."

Keqing's expression softened slightly: "Don't forget, you promised me you would witness the changes in Liyue together."

"Mm." Han Fulai nodded.

“And you are my personal secretary, you are my person,” Ke Qing emphasized.

"Mmm-hmm." Han Fulai nodded vigorously.

"So you're not allowed to quit without my permission! I order you to cherish your life, no matter what happens... Understand?"

Ke Qing's purplish-red eyes grew even more stern.

"I promise I won't do it again..." Han Fulai said, tilting his head to indicate the Dragon's Roar in the Box stuck next to his cheek.

"So, Lady Keqing... could you please put the sword away?"

Their current pose is roughly similar to a "wall slam".

Han Fulai was pressed against the wall, while Ke Qing was almost face to face with him, holding the Dragon's Roar in one hand and resting the other hand on his shoulder—it looked like she was "wall-slamming" Han Fulai, but with a sword, and in a very forceful way.

When Keqing saved him, she used the "Star Return" movement technique. Using the miner's lamp she gave him as a target, she used the attraction and repulsion between lightning elements to perform an "instantaneous teleportation".

The principle behind it isn't complicated. Keqing's "Star Return" teleportation using her hairpin utilizes the electromagnetic induction of lightning, instantly unleashing powerful lightning energy to use the hairpin and her sword as magnetic poles to attract each other. Just now, she was able to save Han Fulai by using the miner's lamp she gave him as a magnetic pole, allowing herself to fly to his side, and then converting the attraction into repulsion, escaping with him before the "Layered Rock Nail" fell.

In the entire Liyue region, only Keqing, this pragmatic reformer who disrespects the gods, would research using elemental forces to blast fish or use them as magnets for movement...

Of course, in that emergency, Ke Qing didn't have time to strike a graceful pose. She simply bumped into Han Fulai and then slammed him against the wall—which is why the two of them ended up looking like this.

Ke Qing curled the corners of her lips, put away the Dragon's Roar from the box, and then took a step back.

"Come back with me. I want a detailed report from you. Tell me everything that happened in the Abyss of Layered Rocks, understand?"

"Okay." Han Fulai knew that he would probably have to give a long report.

"Can you still walk by yourself?"

He asked the question, but Keqing had already reached her hand out in front of him.

"Thank you." Han Fulai grasped Ke Qing's small hand.

In the distance, Zhiqiong watched this scene quietly.

"I want to entrust my life to you, Miss Zhiqiong. Are you willing to accept this commission and become my 'hope'?"

Zhiqiong always remembered the "commission" that Han Fulai had given her.

Keqing was able to arrive in time thanks to Ziqiong. Without Ziqiong, an adventurer skilled in cartography, leading the way, Keqing would have had no chance of finding the correct path in the complex terrain of the Layered Rock Abyss.

Han Fulai was saved by Ke Qing at the last moment, but Zhi Qiong was actually the most important unsung hero behind the scenes.

"So, I guess I've... completed the request...?"

Zhiqiong adjusted her beret, turned around, and walked out of the rock hall.

Ke Qing half-supported the exhausted Han Fulai as they walked out of the central square.

Jiang Xue came up to him and patted Han Fulai hard on the shoulder.

"Brother Han, it's good that you're alive. Let's go back and have a few drinks."

Han Fulai smiled and agreed.

Ye Lan watched quietly from the side, without saying a word.

As Han Fulai passed by her, he paused slightly and said, "Miss Yelan, thank you for your help before."

Ye Lan simply nodded slightly.

"And..." Han Fulai hesitated for a moment before saying, "Please tell Lady Ningguang that I know what she wants and I am ready."

Ye Lan nodded gently again.

"it is good."

Han Fulai, Ke Qing, and Jiang Xue also left the Rock Hall.

After watching them leave, Yelan walked toward the "Layered Rock Nail".

She still had one final task to complete.

The "Layered Rock Nail" hovered in mid-air, calmly watching the tiny humans below.

Ye Lan carefully took a box out of her bosom.

The box is engraved with intricate patterns and sealed with magic. Only if it contains a sufficiently important secret would it be worth her treasuring it so much.

"Teach them with wisdom, discipline them with virtue, strengthen their bones and muscles, and unite their wills." Ye Lan slowly recited these four sentences, and the seal on the box was thus broken.

She opened the box.

There was no treasure in the box, but rather a handful of dust that seemed to be found everywhere.

However, upon closer inspection, one can discover that within the dust and sand, there seems to be a shimmering light like stars.

At that moment, Ye Lan entered that empty space of consciousness.

Although it wasn't her first time visiting the Layered Rock Abyss or seeing the "Wishing Stone," it was indeed her first time interacting with it.

Because she holds an item with "authority," representing a precious relic of "that one."

“‘The ruler and ruler of the unchanging world,’ I, on behalf of the successor of Hargentus, extend my inquiry to you.” Yelan respectfully greeted the “Wishing Stone” in the space of consciousness.

Perhaps only Ningguang, besides the Geo Archon, knows that "Layer of Rock" is a relic left by one of the original four Shadows, representing the measure of a thousand winds and the sun and moon.

"Please ask your question." The synthesized female voice rang in Ye Lan's mind.

"I want to ask, in the future you foresee, is it possible for humans to become gods?" Yelan asked.

"can."

The "Wishing Stone" gave an affirmative answer.

The conversation didn't last long, and Ye Lan soon left the rock hall.

In the central square of the Rock Hall, only the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword remains, stuck in the rock strata, like an unknown tombstone.

After Han Fulai and his team returned to the exploration team's camp, the exploration team held another grand celebration banquet.

Not only the members of the exploration team, but also the Thousand Rock Army soldiers brought by Keqing participated.

After all, people living in Liyue will always have a few relatives or friends who are involved in the mining industry, and many Thousand Rock Army soldiers were miners before joining the army.

Keqing, in her capacity as a member of the Jade Balance Star, announced at the victory banquet that the anomaly of the Layered Rock Abyss had been resolved and that the Layered Rock Abyss would soon be reopened. The "Black Rock Factory" would also resume operations, which was met with enthusiastic applause.

If expressed in numbers, Keqing's public support rose by several percentage points in just a few sentences—and this will be even more pronounced after the Liyue Daily publishes the news a few days later.

The most prominent figure at this victory celebration banquet was Han, the Commissioner of Shenglu Hall who personally resolved the anomaly in the Layered Rock Abyss.

In the minds of most miners, Han Fulai had become "the savior sent by the Rock King Emperor"—this was, of course, inseparable from the boasting of miner Lao Tu and others.

For a long time afterward, Lao Tu would always mention, "You've all heard of Vice Minister Han from Yuehaiting, right? Let me tell you, I used to chat and laugh with him so easily..."

Of course, Han Fulai's previous "miracles"—having the miners make wishes to him at the ancient ruins and then removing the black mud from them—became the best "propaganda material" for Lao Tu and his men. In short, in the eyes of the miners, he was now practically a "half-god, half-saint, and half-immortal."

The two scholars from Sumeru, Hydif and Husseini, were also beaming with joy. The "Pulshina Light Spikes" they provided played a crucial role in resolving the anomaly in the Layered Rock Abyss, earning praise and gratitude from Keqing herself. With this Liyue star setting the tone, their future investigations in the Layered Rock Abyss would naturally proceed much more smoothly.

Furthermore, the "Pulshina Light Nail" also stores abyssal energy collected from the "Layer Rock Nail," which is invaluable first-hand information.

Hosseini's old face was filled with emotion upon seeing his graduation certificate, while Haidif was already envisioning the Kapilavastu Prize award ceremony.

All of this is naturally thanks to Han Fulai, the operator responsible for operating the "Pulsina optical nails" on the front lines.

So Heidiev reciprocated without hesitation, writing a letter specifically for Han Fulai. The letter was sealed with the emblem of "Ecologist Heidiev Pulshner".

According to Haidif, this letter of introduction was more precious than gold. The "Life Theory School" was the most influential school of thought in Sumeru, and their Purbiluni School was the most influential branch within the Life Theory School. With this letter of introduction, they could obtain the full support of the Purbiluni School in Sumeru.

Han Fulai naturally accepted the letter of introduction without hesitation.

The medical skills of the "Life Theory School" of Sumeru are perhaps the best in the entire Teyvat continent. With this letter of introduction, the orphan of the deceased Thousand Rock Army scout Jiang Shaoyuan—the child named "Jiang'er"—might have a chance to recover. He gave this letter of introduction to Jiang Xue, who was preparing to adopt Jiang'er, which was another great favor. This would naturally further his relationship with Jiang Xue, the commander of the Thousand Rock Army.

The bard Talesin from Mondstadt was busy compiling Han Fulai and his companions' journey through the rocky abyss into a "bard's epic," writing it into a book, and sending it back to the Mondstadt publisher.

As he strummed the strings, he shared his inspiration with the audience around him—

"...The deep black mist pressed down like an avalanche, then suddenly dissipated, and the apostle from the abyss vanished, just as he had come..."