After finishing breakfast together, Ganyu guided Junze in practicing [Trail of the Qilin].
But after seeing Junze's performance, Ganyu was completely shocked.
Her disciple was truly a genius.
In such a short time, he had already grasped the essentials of the Qilin technique.
At the same time, she began thinking about when she should start teaching him other abilities.
Just like that, Junze spent his entire morning in the courtyard.
Practicing [Trail of the Qilin], [Beginner Drawing], and [Beginner Planting].
With Ganyu's careful guidance, the proficiency of [Trail of the Qilin] had already reached 70%.
As for the other two, perhaps because they were only three-star skills, Junze had raised them to 90% through daily repetition.
Time passed into the afternoon.
After pestering Ganyu for quite a while during lunch, she finally agreed to let Junze go out with Shenhe to deliver documents.
"Shenhe, I'll have to trouble you with this child for now."
Ganyu looked at Shenhe apologetically.
After all, Shenhe had only come down the mountain for training, yet now she not only had to deliver documents but also take care of a child.
Shenhe shook her head.
"It's nothing."
Ganyu then looked at Junze helplessly.
"You mustn't cause trouble for your aunt."
Naturally, she wanted to accompany Junze, but the workload at Yuehai Pavilion had been overwhelming lately.
She had already squeezed out time in the mornings and evenings to be with him. In the afternoon, she simply couldn't get away.
But considering a child's playful nature, she could only agree to his request.
"Okay!"
Junze answered obediently.
"And keep the jade with you. If I can't find you, I'll be very worried."
Ganyu crouched down and checked the jade hanging at Junze's waist.
Only after confirming it was secure did she nod.
"Alright, you can go now."
She waved her hand.
Just like that, Shenhe held Junze's hand and left Yuehai Pavilion.
Watching their departing figures, Ganyu frowned slightly.
She felt a strange discomfort.
As if… she didn't like seeing someone else holding that child's hand.
"What am I even thinking…"
Ganyu shook her head, dismissing the strange thoughts.
But in the future, as time passed, she might grow to care more and more.
Perhaps… she would even regret today's decision.
After leaving Yuehai Pavilion, Junze stretched lazily.
He smiled at Shenhe.
"This is my first time going out so officially. Thanks, Aunt."
Shenhe didn't care much and simply asked:
"Where are you going?"
"Nantianmen. The Dragon-Queller Tree."
Since he had already agreed with Shenhe, Junze didn't hide it.
"Alright."
Shenhe nodded without asking why.
To her, it didn't matter.
But after answering, she suddenly grabbed Junze again.
"Hm?"
Just as Junze was about to use a teleport waypoint, he looked at her in confusion.
"Aunt, what's wrong?"
"We'll go together."
Before he could react, Shenhe half-embraced him and moved like she was stepping on clouds, rapidly advancing forward.
"Ah!"
Junze felt a strong wind rushing against his face.
Their figures sped through the streets.
Passersby thought they were witnessing an Adeptus and began shouting in surprise.
"A-Aunt, I… I can walk on my own!"
Junze was completely stunned.
He had been planning to take a shortcut using teleportation, but Shenhe had completely disrupted that.
"Oh. Understood."
Shenhe nodded and stopped.
Junze felt dizzy.
Being carried by someone and moving yourself were two completely different experiences.
He looked at his arms and couldn't help but sigh,
Her waist isn't a waist, it's a deadly curve.
After resting for a moment, black mist began to flow from Junze's body.
Although Shenhe already knew his true identity, others especially Ganyu couldn't find out.
And the identity of the "Ink Shadow Adeptus" was still very useful.
Shenhe stared closely at the black aura around him.
She murmured softly:
"Fated with solitary evil… is it the same as a Taotie's nature of greed and brutality?"
Through the elegant exterior, she could sense the terrifying essence beneath.
"How is this child able to suppress it?"
With that question in mind, the two quickly headed toward Nantianmen.
When they arrived, both of them were shocked.
The area around the Dragon-Queller Tree had become eerily silent.
It looked normal on the surface.
But the moment one stepped in,
A piercing sensation, like countless needles, assaulted the mind.
Not physical pain.
But something deeper mental.
And within it…
One could hear the whispers of a god.
"So much killing intent… so much anger."
Shenhe's expression turned serious as she took out her spear.
Cryo energy flowed through her body.
"What overwhelming malice."
Junze, shrouded in black mist, had a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
To him this kind of malice was food.
But he hadn't forgotten his purpose.
With a wave of his hand, countless ice lotuses formed and scattered across the ground.
Cryo energy spread from them like roots.
Each lotus froze a section of land.
"?"
Shenhe looked at him, confused.
"Why are you…"
"Explode."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ice lotuses detonated instantly.
Under Ganyu's training, their power had increased significantly.
The frozen ground shattered into pieces.
And then…
Collapsed.
Yes.
Collapsed.
Most of the shattered surface didn't scatter outward It fell downward.
Into the underground.
As the surface broke apart, everything beneath was revealed.
A vast network of tunnels spread underground.
And within them an overwhelming amount of resentment and malice surged.
The whispers around the Dragon-Queller Tree came from here.
The malice was indescribable.
Like clouds.
Like writhing worms.
Crawling and flowing through the tunnels.
Some had even attached themselves to dragons.
It was deeply unsettling.
"Remnants of a god."
Shenhe recognized it instantly.
Shock appeared in her eyes.
She had never seen such a massive amount before.
Looking at the untouched ground around them even she felt her scalp tingle.
Had the entire underground already become like this?
Junze looked through the exposed tunnels toward the Dragon-Queller Tree.
He sighed.
"As I thought… the reason those Vishaps dug tunnels was to nourish Azhdaha."
[Main Quest: The Purpose of the Vishaps Completed]
[Reward: 300 Primogems]
Through hypothesis and verification, the quest was finally complete.
"But the other mission still hasn't been completed…"
Junze frowned.
The quest regarding the cause of the Vishap unrest showed no progress.
"Wasn't it Azhdaha behind it?"
A sense of mystery deepened in his mind.
----------
Patreon Advance 30 Chapters: patreon .com/FicVibe