Su Han, the Raiden Shogun, and Shenhe descended deep into the salt-crusted caverns of Sal Terrae. As they reached the bottom of the vault, they were greeted by a gallery of macabre art—human forms frozen in terror, turned into pillars of pure salt.
"These are..." Shenhe's voice trailed off, her brow furrowed.
"Wretches caught in the wake of a collapsing power," the Raiden Shogun answered, her voice cold and analytical. "Just as Orobashi left behind the Tatarigami after his fall, even a peaceful entity like Havria unleashes a catastrophic burst of energy at the moment of 'death.' When the seal broke, her followers were instantly consumed by her essence."
Su Han scanned the area with a sharp eye. Zhongli hadn't sent him here just to loot minor artifacts. The Salt Chalice and the Salt Ruler were mere balets to a Sovereign. There was something else—something the Lord of Geo had kept hidden from the world for millennia.
"Ei, check the foundation," Su Han commanded. "Look for a hidden space or a secondary seal. I suspect the history written in the books is a lie."
The Shogun's eyes shifted from purple to a deep, crystalline indigo as Raiden Ei took control. Lightning crackled in the air as she sensed the fluctuations of the earth. "There is... a pocket of space directly beneath the salt crust. It's heavily suppressed."
"Break it."
Ei drew Musou no Hitotachi. The cave lit up with a violet glare that could be seen as far away as Wangshu Inn. With a single, vertical strike, she cleaved through a hundred meters of solid salt and stone.
[The Hidden Sanctum]
Below the crust lay a pristine, crystalline chamber. Unlike the ruins above, this place was filled with golden Stone Spears and glowing sealing talismans—the undeniable signature of the Geo Archon.
"The history books say Morax killed her," Su Han said, floating down into the vault. "But look at this. These seals aren't here to keep something in; they were built to keep her alive and hidden from the eyes of the Heavenly Principles."
In the center of the chamber sat a casket of pure white crystal. Inside lay a girl with silver hair, her form small and delicate, looking more like a young teenager than a warrior entity. She was Havria, the Salt Sovereign. She was in a state of suspended animation, her power drained but her essence intact.
"Zhongli sealed her to save her," Ei whispered. "He made it look like a suicide so the Heavens would stop hunting her. A mercy that the world mistook for murder."
Su Han stepped forward and lifted the frail Sovereign into his arms. "The Archon War is over. It's time for her to wake up in a world where kindness isn't a death sentence."
[The Return to the Jade Chamber]
When Su Han returned to the palace carrying the silver-haired chibi, the household was thrown into a state of confusion. Ningguang and Jean stared in shock, while Cloud Retainer, who had just finished her meditation, tilted her head in curiosity.
"Is that... a new friend?" Hu Tao asked, clutching her SnowBotamon. "She looks like she's made of sugar."
"She's a Sovereign from the ancient era," Su Han explained, placing Havria beneath the Moonlight Maple. "She needs the Tree's spiritual energy to heal her soul."
He produced Havria's two artifacts—the Salt Chalice and Ruler—and handed them to the Raiden Shogun. "Ei, destroy them. They are tied to her past 'death.' We need to recycle their energy back into her body."
With a crackle of lightning, the Shogun crushed the artifacts into a fine, shimmering powder. Su Han used his power to guide the essence into an array, funneling it directly into Havria. The color slowly returned to her pale cheeks, though she remained deep in slumber.
[The New World Order]
Later that afternoon, Ningguang briefed Su Han on the new guests from the One Piece world.
"Pudding is setting up a bakery in Mondstadt with Amber's help," Ningguang reported. "Brûlée is currently linking the mirrors between the three nations. Teyvat's laws are stricter than her home world's, so she can only maintain six 'Mirror Gates' simultaneously. Any more, and the mirrors will shatter."
"Six is more than enough for now," Su Han nodded. "And Katakuri?"
"He's been sent to the military camp where Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are training," Ningguang smirked. "I figured he'd be the perfect 'motivation' for those two dog demons."
Su Han laughed. "Perfect. Katakuri's Haki will give those two a real taste of what a true warrior looks like. Let's see if they can survive a day with the man who sees the future."
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