"A Bathysmal Vishap, hm… interesting."
The Bathysmal Vishap originated from Watatsumi Island—more precisely, from Enkanomiya, a hidden domain also known as the Nation of Evernight.
The history of Enkanomiya predates the Archon War.
Back then, the serpent god Orobashi fled into Enkanomiya precisely to escape the slaughter of the Archon War.
When Severin left Inazuma last time, he had been in a hurry and never explored Enkanomiya properly.
Yet the greatest secret of that place lay in a forbidden tome—
Before Sun and Moon.
At the dawn of antiquity, Teyvat was ruled by seven Dragon Kings, each wielding one of the primordial elements.
Then came the First Throne, a being from beyond the world—the Primordial God Phanes.
Phanes defeated the Seven Dragon Kings, created humans and beasts, shaped mountains and rivers, and gave rise to forests and seas.
His deeds upon Teyvat were no different from the myths of creation—founding an entirely new era.
Then, the Second Throne arrived.
Its very presence proclaimed a terrifying truth to humanity's ancestors:
Gods were neither eternal, nor unique.
Faith was shaken. Divine authority wavered.
Humans began questioning the sacred, immutable laws established by the First Throne—and, in turn, grew curious about the world beyond Teyvat.
Inevitably, irreconcilable conflict erupted.
A war so cataclysmic that heaven and earth shattered.
A war where only one throne could remain.
It was after this war that Enkanomiya sank beneath the surface.
According to Before Sun and Moon, Phanes defeated the Second Throne and emerged victorious.
But… was that truly the truth?
Barbatos later discovered a copy of this forbidden book and secretly hid it beneath the Knights of Favonius Library in Mondstadt.
The original, however, still lay dormant in Enkanomiya—awaiting discovery by the Traveler and Paimon.
Just as Severin had previously deduced—
The recorded conclusion was false.
That was why Celestia never cast down a Skyfrost Nail upon Mondstadt or Enkanomiya.
The true victor was the invading Second Throne.
Phanes was either slain—or imprisoned.
Celestia was seized.
From that moment onward, the Second Throne ruled Teyvat in the name of the First, masquerading as the legitimate Creator.
The current Seven Archon system was nothing more than its design.
The destruction of Tsurumi, Sal Vindagnyr, and Khaenri'ah—
All carried out by the same hand.
"Once again, the Abyss Order is meddling with creatures that carry ancient bloodlines," Zhongli sighed. "It's endlessly troublesome."
Severin replied calmly,
"For thousands of years, the Abyss has never stopped trying to prove that the throne above the firmament is an outsider—and never ceased its vendetta against one of the Three Moon Sisters, the Crimson Moon."
The murals of Tsurumi depicted the Three Lunar Goddesses:
The Pale MoonThe Crimson MoonThe Abyssal Moon
"Mr. Severin truly knows many secrets," Zhongli said softly.
"I have a friend within the Abyss Order," Severin replied. "Some things, I learned from her."
His gaze returned to the Bathysmal Vishap's corpse.
"Unfortunately, once it died, the Light Realm energy within it dispersed. Otherwise, it would've been worth studying."
"Light Realm energy?" Zhongli repeated, hearing an unfamiliar term.
"You've heard of the Three Realms, haven't you—Light Realm, Human Realm, and Void Realm?" Severin explained.
"Teyvat contains three realms, and thus three corresponding forces."
Light Realm Power — Pure, primordial elemental energyHuman Realm Power — Power born of memory, belief, and civilizationVoid Realm Power — Abyssal energy
"They repel one another, yet also maintain a delicate equilibrium. The Bathysmal Vishap draws its strength from the Light Realm."
Zhongli clasped his hands together.
"I am enlightened—truly."
Even gods did not necessarily understand Teyvat better than Severin.
In the end, the Bathysmal Vishap sold for three million Mora.
The buyer—
The same Fontaine merchant.
"Haha! Rare as mermaids, these creatures only exist in Enkanomiya's legends!" he boasted loudly.
"Even dead, its organs will fetch a fortune at the Royal Institute, and the corpse alone will make a fine exhibition!"
His assistant praised him enthusiastically, while the man deliberately glanced toward Severin—pure provocation.
Zhongli frowned.
"He harbors hostility toward you. Be cautious. If you wish, I can serve as your bodyguard during your stay in Liyue. Payment can be deducted from what I owe you."
"No need," Severin replied calmly. "He's already a dead man."
Zhongli raised a brow. "How so?"
"The Bathysmal Vishap belongs to the Abyss Order. Once the auction ends, they'll come for it.
That man won't surrender his prize—and defying the Abyss leads only to death."
Zhongli shook his head.
"He's a renowned Fontaine tycoon. He won't risk his life over such profits."
Severin lifted his teacup, smiling without answering.
After a brief intermission, the auction resumed.
Ji Fang was practically glowing—today's commissions alone had earned Wanwen Bookhouse a fortune.
And the remaining items were of exceptional quality.
"Esteemed guests, we now present the fifth item."
A massive crate was carried onto the stage. From the strain on the workers' faces, its contents were clearly heavy.
Ji Fang pulled away the red cloth.
A jagged, pitch-black stone lay within—scarred by erosion and time, ancient beyond measure.
"Please observe closely."
The hall lights dimmed.
From within the stone's cracks, faint light slowly seeped out.
"This extraordinary stone was retrieved from deep beneath The Chasm."
"Yes—it is an uncut raw ore. No one knows what lies inside."
"Gold, jade, elemental crystals… perhaps even luminous life from an ancient age."
"…Or maybe just fireflies."
Laughter rippled through the hall.
"Whatever is inside belongs entirely to the buyer."
Gasps followed.
Even in mineral-rich Liyue, naturally luminous stones were rare—let alone one of this size.
"Starting bid—eight million eight hundred eighty-eight thousand Mora!"
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/SwritesTL