Ningguang's lips twitched into a helpless smile as she observed Ryen's hurried pace, visibly outpacing even Baizhu. Such intense urgency was completely uncharacteristic of him under normal circumstances. However, considering this matter involved Qiqi... it was entirely understandable.
After instructing the staff to pack the untouched food and deliver it to the foot of Mt. Tianheng, Ningguang and the others followed Ryen out of the parlor. They had barely taken a few bites. Wealthy or not, there was no reason for such waste.
Along the way, Ningguang and Ganyu kept a close eye on Ryen's stride. His steps were much wider and faster than usual. The two women exchanged a glance, a teasing smile playing on their lips.
Indeed, when it came to raising daughters, absolutely no one was more dedicated than Ryen.
In his daily interactions with Klee and the rest, he treated them with more affection than a biological father. Visually, he looked like he could only be their older brother. Yet, he possessed the bleeding heart of a seasoned patriarch. Furthermore, chronologically speaking, Ryen's age was not even a fraction of Nahida's. He radiated pure fatherly energy.
On second thought, Ningguang and the others found this quite pleasing. If Ryen treated Klee and the others as his own daughters, by extension, they were their daughters too. For some unknown reason, none of them had managed to conceive yet. Experiencing the joy of raising young girls in advance was a welcome comfort.
Marching at a brisk pace, the group quickly arrived at the courtyard on Mt. Tianheng.
During the journey, Ryen gained a deeper understanding of Qiqi and Yaoyao. Qiqi's memory was not just poor; she would literally forget where she was mid-step. Her reactions were noticeably delayed. Her blank, dazed expressions tugged at the heartstrings, making her unbearably endearing.
Yaoyao, on the other hand, acted like a miniature adult. She constantly voiced concern for others, though traces of a normal little girl occasionally slipped through. A child forced to mature so early naturally evoked a deep sense of protective pity.
This was the first time Qiqi, Yaoyao, Shenhe, and Baizhu had witnessed the true state of Mt. Tianheng.
Qiqi, with her lagging memory and delayed reactions, displayed little reaction. She might have formed the intent to express shock one second, only to completely forget it the next.
Yaoyao paid more attention to Qiqi than the surrounding military might, constantly questioning Ryen about the probability of the Enchanted Golden Apple curing the zombie.
As for Shenhe... her expressions remained entirely static, processing any potential shock internally. Assuming she cared at all.
All things considered, only Baizhu meticulously analyzed the environment.
Compared to the average Liyue citizen, his knowledge of this place was severely lacking. Firstly, he had spent a long period traveling for medical consultations and had only recently returned. Secondly, due to the Qixing's intense paranoia, he was subjected to extreme surveillance. A regular citizen could wander close and observe from afar, but the moment Baizhu even approached the perimeter, he would be swarmed by agents.
His understanding of this peak stemmed almost entirely from tavern rumors.
However, Baizhu had always assumed those rumors were wildly exaggerated. Tales of endless elite armies, dense swarms of Dragonryders darkening the skies. Legends of assembled adepti standing guard upon Mt. Tianheng, casually debating the Dao. Whispers of captured demon gods being utilized as mere tools at the mountain's base.
He accepted that a fraction of it might be true, given the verified existence of Dragonryders and resurrected adepti. But he reasoned the reality could not possibly be so absurd. Nurturing a Dragonryder had to be incredibly difficult; he estimated Liyue possessed a few dozen at most.
As for the adepti... illuminated beings residing above the mortal realm would never demean themselves by acting as simple gatekeepers.
And demon gods... having traveled the world extensively, he understood the sheer terror of demon gods better than most. He concluded those tales were eighty percent hyperbole.
Yet, upon personally witnessing the reality of the peak, Baizhu could only swallow dryly.
The people of Liyue truly lacked the capacity for exaggeration.
Endless elite armies? Sweeping his gaze across the slopes revealed dense, heavily armored formations. The aura radiating from every single soldier matched that of an ordinary Vision bearer.
Uncountable Dragonryders? A cursory glance at the summit revealed hundreds of massive dragons casually roaming the peaks.
Adepti acting as gatekeepers? The intertwined adeptal energies lingering in the air numbered in the dozens. While most were residual traces indicating their temporary absence, over a dozen active adeptal presences occasionally swept over him, causing his pulse to spike in sheer terror.
Changsheng, coiled tightly around his neck, possessed a profound understanding of the adepti. With every passing wave of energy, she accurately identified the source.
"Bosacius, Pervases, Sea Gazer, Indarias, Green Bamboo..."
"How absolutely terrifying! The sheer number of adepti here rivals the absolute peak of Liyue's forces during the ancient Archon War..."
Changsheng clicked her tongue. She did not display any true fear. On the contrary, she found the auras quite familiar. Her only confusion arose when the sweeping adeptal energies paused upon touching her, followed shortly by... a distinct wave of profound relief and comfort radiating through their magic.
"Tread carefully." Changsheng could not decipher the reason behind their reactions, but she still retracted her aura and whispered a warning to Baizhu. "If you cause any trouble here, absolutely no one will be able to save you."
Baizhu offered a helpless smile, lowering his voice. "Having lived together for so long, do you truly believe I would act so recklessly? I am merely here to cure my illness."
"As for immortality... that can wait until my body is restored."
Changsheng offered no reply, falling into a heavy silence, her reptilian mind wrestling with unknown thoughts.
Baizhu continued to scan the perimeter from the corner of his eye. The tavern rumors were flawlessly accurate. While he had not yet spotted any captured demon gods, considering every other wild claim had been proven true, he harbored zero doubts regarding their existence.
Judging strictly by the staggering defensive perimeter at the base of Mt. Tianheng, if a demon god actually invaded, it would be severely beaten upon arrival. Whether it managed to escape alive would depend entirely on the defenders' mood. It was highly probable Ryen would simply point, declare the demon god interesting, and order its capture. Then, the unfortunate deity would be dragged down a path of no return.
While Baizhu cared little for martial prowess, focusing entirely on medicine and longevity, he was not ignorant of Zhongli's overwhelming power. Rex Lapis, Azhdaha, and Guizhong. This calculation completely excluded Ryen's unfathomable strength. Those three alone could effortlessly capture multiple demon gods.
Vision bearers were divided into tiers of power, and demon gods were no exception. Clearly, the three foundational deities of Liyue currently residing here belonged to the absolute apex.
"You are remaining rather composed. In the past, anyone entering this sector for the first time, regardless of their status, would be paralyzed by shock." Ryen cast a sideways glance at Baizhu, offering a light, teasing remark.
Baizhu managed a bitter smile. "That is far from the truth. I am deeply shaken, I am simply not adept at expressing it. Furthermore, a great deal of rumors regarding Mt. Tianheng have already circulated through the harbor."
"However, witnessing it with my own eyes, I find those rumors were remarkably conservative."
Pausing briefly, Baizhu found his curiosity shifting. Compared to the staggering military might, he was far more intrigued by the rumors of demon gods being subjected to research. Judging by Ryen's open demeanor, they did not appear intent on hiding secrets. He decided to ask directly.
"The rumors claim several demon gods were captured and brought here?"
This time, Keqing answered in Ryen's stead, her expression perfectly level. "We did indeed capture them, though not a large number."
"Ryen and Zhongli ventured into the Dark Sea to retrieve them. However, they are currently not stationed at Mt. Tianheng. They are being utilized inside the Delusion Manufacturing Factory as raw materials."
"Raw... materials?" Baizhu blinked, utterly bewildered.
He had assumed a captured demon god would be subjected to complex arcane research. But calling them 'raw materials'... That sounded far too bizarre, did it not?
"There is no need to place too much faith in tavern gossip. We only captured one." Keqing waved a dismissive hand, explaining casually. "Demon gods are not so easily apprehended. Capturing too many would also create unnecessary political waves."
"Furthermore, Ryen and Zhongli frequently visit the Dark Sea to hunt for resources. The residing demon gods have grown incredibly cunning. The moment they detect their auras, they flee to the farthest reaches."
"Killing them is simple enough, but capturing them alive is a difficult endeavor. We currently lack a perfectly optimized system for trapping demon gods."
"Most rumors are entirely unreliable. Do not overthink it."
The rumors were unreliable? Baizhu silently surveyed the surrounding perimeter once more, keeping his mouth firmly shut.
While the minor details might contain slight inaccuracies, looking at the grand picture... The absurdity of the rumors did not even begin to approach the sheer, terrifying absurdity of the reality!
Swallowing his internal marvel, he quickly followed Ryen into the inner courtyard.
Upon stepping through the gates of the secluded, tranquil courtyard, a large gathering immediately came into view. Or to be more precise, not a gathering of humans, but of adepti. Illuminates of all shapes and sizes sat casually around the yard, engaged in light conversation. Clearly, the frequent waves of adeptal energy scanning the perimeter were their handiwork.
Spotting Ryen's return, Skybracer offered a bright, breezy smile. "I was wondering why Mr. Ryen returned so shortly after departing. It appears he discovered Qiqi and Yaoyao... This perfectly aligns with Mr. Ryen's nature."
"And..." Skybracer shifted his gaze toward Baizhu. More accurately, his eyes locked onto Changsheng resting around the physician's neck. A look of profound comfort softened the stag's features. "Another old friend has returned. Rex Lapis will undoubtedly be overjoyed to hear this."
"Old friend?" Baizhu blinked.
He had always suspected Changsheng possessed some connection to the adepti. After all, she constantly muttered about how all the great illuminated beasts had to give her face back at Mt. Yaojun. However, Changsheng lacked any filter, and her claims usually bordered on arrogant boasting. Baizhu had estimated she was, at best, a minor, ordinary adeptus.
Yet looking at the situation now... Changsheng's true background was vastly more significant than he had ever imagined.
"Did you not attend the tournament?" Ryen offered a casual greeting as he made a direct line for the portal.
Skybracer and the others exchanged glances. Leaving a few adepti behind to guard the courtyard, they immediately followed.
"Today's matches in Liyue have concluded. Having nothing pressing to attend to, we were planning to stroll through Liyue Harbor."
"However, official matters take precedence now."
"I assume Mr. Ryen returned specifically for Qiqi?"
Ryen nodded, pausing briefly before speaking softly. "Qiqi's condition is highly irregular, residing in a state between life and death. I am not entirely certain how the mechanics will interact with her, so I brought her back to find a definitive solution."
"Since the Liyue tournament is over for the day, it is perfect timing. Have Zhongli come over and examine her."
Skybracer dipped his head. "It is only right. At the end of the day, we owe Qiqi a massive debt. She was dragged into our ancient war, and though she survived through her transformation into a zombie..."
"It remains our grave error."
"Failing to consider her well-being during this recent period of miracles was a severe oversight on our part."
Ryen offered no further commentary. He turned to glance at Baizhu. "Keep up."
Baizhu snapped out of his daze, tearing his eyes away from the bizarre, glowing gateway standing before them. He hurriedly followed the group into the Minecraft world.
A faint wave of vertigo washed over his mind. When his vision cleared, he found himself beneath a pristine, impossibly bright sky.
Stretching out before him was a landscape composed entirely of perfect cubes. A bizarre, yet undeniable aesthetic beauty flooded his senses.
But immediately following the visual shock, Baizhu felt an unprecedented surge of raw vitality ignite within his core. Having been tortured by his rotting flesh for decades, he had never, not for a single fleeting second, felt so overwhelmingly healthy.