Looking at the respectfully kneeling Millelith commander, Su Han gave his orders: "Seal off the news. Don't let anyone know it was me. Announce to the public that the explosion was caused by a shipment of explosives bound for The Chasm accidentally detonating."
"Yes, my lord."
Mo Yun was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood Su Han's intention.
A blast of that magnitude would easily stir rumors across Liyue. Though the "explosives accident" explanation was a bit of a stretch, it would serve well enough to calm things down for now.
Su Han had wanted to say more, but his body ached too much to bother. He spoke briefly: "The enemy this time was an Abyssal creature. I've already eliminated it, but I can't guarantee there aren't others nearby. Be cautious during your search."
When Mo Yun heard the foe was a powerful Abyssal creature, his gaze toward Su Han grew full of reverence. The Millelith's history contained many records of clashes with Abyssal entities.
As the Millelith's commander, he knew more than most, and anyone capable of slaying such a monster deserved deep respect. No wonder Lady Ningguang had instructed them to treat Su Han with utmost courtesy.
"Understood, my lord. May you have a safe journey."
"You all be careful too."
After Su Han finished giving instructions, the Millelith escorted him away. The rest of the work was left in their hands. Perhaps because of his exhaustion, Su Han drifted off to sleep halfway back.
When he awoke again, it was already nighttime.
Yaoyao, who had been keeping watch by his side, set down the towel in her hand and exclaimed in delight, "Big Brother, you're awake! That's great! Does it still hurt anywhere? Are you hungry?"
Seeing the tired little girl's worried face, Su Han smiled and nodded. "My body's fine. It doesn't hurt anymore… but yeah, I'm a bit hungry."
He had to admit, the Qilin bloodline was truly powerful.
In his battle against the Abyss Apostle, Su Han had sustained heavy injuries. His organs were intact, but his body had been covered in wounds. Yet after just one night of sleep, all the smaller scars had completely vanished.
Without the Qilin bloodline, such recovery would've been impossible.
As soon as Yaoyao heard that he was hungry, she darted out of the room.
Moments later, the sound of many footsteps echoed from outside.
When the door opened, Ningguang, Keqing, Xiangling, Ganyu, and Klee all rushed in. The little sun of Liyue, Klee, was crying as she ran, shouting, "Big Brother, are you okay? Big Brother, you're not hurt, right?"
Seeing the tiny girl more anxious than himself, Su Han couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Klee. Your big brother is tough! It's thanks to you, actually, the enemy's already been defeated."
Hearing that Su Han was fine, Klee finally let out a breath of relief. She patted her chest and grinned. "That's good! He deserved it, that big meanie! Who told him to bully Big Brother!"
Ningguang stepped forward, her elegant eyes full of concern. "You truly have no lingering injuries?"
"None. Just a bit tired. Let me eat something first, and then I'll tell you what happened."
Though the Qilin bloodline had already healed his wounds, this had been his most intense battle yet. His stamina hadn't fully recovered, perfectly normal, all things considered.
At Su Han's words, Ningguang gestured with a graceful wave of her hand. Servants immediately entered, carrying tray after tray of food. Considering Su Han's condition, Xiangling had prepared nourishing medicinal dishes, light in flavor, no heavy meats, but as delicious as always.
As he ate, Su Han began recounting the events of that afternoon.
"The enemy this time was an elite among Abyssal monsters, an Abyss Apostle. It wielded a weapon akin to Hydro power, extremely strong. Even one of the Liyue Qixing would find it difficult to handle in direct combat."
At the words Abyss Apostle, both Ningguang and Keqing exchanged startled looks.
"An Abyss Apostle?!" they exclaimed in unison.
"You two know of them?"
Su Han was surprised. While everyone knew of Abyss creatures, Apostles were exceptionally rare, their movements mysterious, and most who encountered them never lived to tell the tale.
Ningguang sighed softly. "The ancient records of the Qixing mention such beings. They first appeared during the Great Cataclysm five hundred years ago. Immensely powerful, often found near ancient ruins. They've become rare in recent years… but that one ambushed you?"
"So that's how it is."
Hearing "five hundred years ago," Su Han immediately understood, it must've been during the fall of Khaenri'ah. The timing matched perfectly.
He nodded thoughtfully, then said, "Since you know what kind of creature it is, there's something else you need to hear. This concerns all of Liyue."
Keqing frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
Su Han took a deep breath. "You don't yet know why the Abyss Apostle attacked us, right? The truth is, it came for the Golden Light Mantra. Its goal was to hunt down anyone who can use it."
Everyone in the room was stunned.
"You can't be serious," Keqing said, her voice sharp with disbelief. "Why would those things target people who just learned the Golden Light Mantra? We've barely begun practicing it."
Ningguang thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No… perhaps it isn't the mantra itself, but rather fear. Maybe Su Han's lineage poses too great a threat to the Abyss, so they're acting out of caution. But precisely because they fear it, we should practice even more diligently. The stronger we are, the less danger we'll face."
Listening to her, Su Han couldn't help but smile wryly. He couldn't possibly tell them the truth, that he wasn't some immortal descendant but an ordinary Earthling. Still, one thing Ningguang said struck a chord.
The Abyss feared the Golden Light Mantra.
And the Apostle had said before dying that Kong considered anyone who used the mantra to be his mortal enemy.
If that was the case, then perhaps the Golden Light Mantra's true power was far greater, and far stranger than he had ever realized.
As Su Han sank into thought, Ningguang gently sat beside him and said softly, "You were lost in thought earlier, worrying about the Abyss? There's no need. Liyue stands with you. And if things worsen, we can always consult the Adepti. There's nothing to fear."
Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Su Han understood her intentions, she didn't want him to shoulder this burden alone. But what occupied his mind was something else entirely.
Wiping his mouth, Su Han said seriously, "Actually, my thoughts align with yours. If the Abyss wants me dead, I won't let them have it easy. And I think the Golden Light Mantra might be the very thing that restrains Abyssal power. So why don't we expand its practice? The more people who master it, the better."
"Expand it?" Keqing blinked, then her eyes widened. "Wait... you're not saying we should have the entire Millelith cultivate the Golden Light Mantra, are you? That's… impossible! It requires talent to learn!"
This wasn't some ordinary martial technique like the Cloud-Piercing Palm. The Golden Light Mantra might be learnable by anyone in theory, but without sufficient spiritual aptitude, most wouldn't get anywhere.
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