Chapter 404: The God of Salt (2-in-1 Chapter)

"Keqing! Long time no see," Nolan greeted as he noticed the girl approaching.

"Oh, it's you, Keqing. We're here to deliver the levitation stone to Ningguang. What brings you here?" Hu Tao asked, raising her brows in surprise.

"I'm the Yuheng Star, responsible for land and construction matters. With such a massive project like rebuilding the Jade Chamber, I naturally have to come by often to check for any safety hazards," Keqing replied, folding her arms and speaking in a straightforward tone.

"I see. Keqing, you truly work hard. You could easily delegate tasks like this to your subordinates, yet you handle them personally," Nolan praised.

"Don't put it that way. It's not like I handle everything alone," Keqing said, shaking her head, her light-purple twin tails swaying slightly. "Besides, it's more reassuring to inspect things personally."

Keqing understood that relying solely on reports from others could lead to receiving incomplete or filtered information. Over time, basing all decisions on second-hand accounts would dull her judgment.

By inspecting things herself, she could address issues immediately and maintain sharp instincts.

As this thought crossed her mind, Keqing turned her gaze to Nolan.

"Speaking of which, would you be willing to help me with something?"

"Help? Sure, but what is it exactly?" Nolan responded, carefully maintaining an air of equal respect rather than agreeing blindly. Showing maturity and thoughtfulness often left a better impression.

Keqing lightly touched her chin, her soft, pale skin contrasting against her resolute expression.

"Recently, the Ministry of Civil Affairs received reports from adventurers about a powerful group of Treasure Hoarders near the Domain of Salt. They seem to be searching for something in secret.

"For Treasure Hoarders to spend this much effort, it must be for some valuable treasure. While treasure hunting itself isn't illegal, they've been attacking other adventurers who venture into the area, preventing outsiders from approaching.

"With their increasingly aggressive behavior, they've become as dangerous as monsters. I'd like you to come with me to apprehend them before they harm anyone else."

Originally, Keqing had planned to bring the Millelith with her. However, such a large-scale operation would likely alert the Treasure Hoarders, giving them time to escape.

But with Nolan's unique ability to summon translucent tentacle-like constructs, she believed he could capture the entire group in an instant.

Running into him by chance was an unexpected but welcome opportunity.

"The Domain of Salt... Treasure Hoarders..." Nolan mused. Helping apprehend Treasure Hoarders was a simple task he couldn't refuse.

However, his interest was piqued by the Domain of Salt itself. The area contained ruins of the God of Salt, including two artifacts imbued with the "Authority of Salt."

On his previous visit, without the "Golden Vault" feature in his Wonderland, he had dismissed the trouble of acquiring them. But now, he felt compelled to claim these rare artifacts.

These relics would undoubtedly surpass any five-star artifacts in value and rarity.

He could already imagine how much his Wonderland space would expand if he collected them!

Yet, accessing the ruins would be tricky due to Zhongli's seal. He'd likely have to consult Zhongli and hope for his cooperation.

Still, his motives were selfish—seeking the artifacts for his own gain. He wasn't sure if Zhongli would approve.

"No problem. This sounds simple enough. When do we act?" Nolan asked.

"Thank you. Let's head out this afternoon. After lunch, the Treasure Hoarders will likely be at their least vigilant," Keqing said with a small smile.

[Keqing Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 230 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.5 (100/500)]

"Alright, let's meet outside the city then," Nolan agreed.

"Good. Ningguang's two secretaries, Baiwen and Baishi, are over there. If you're looking for Ningguang, you can speak to them, and they'll notify her," Keqing explained, pointing to the area she had just come from.

After giving her instructions, Keqing turned back to inspect the Jade Chamber's construction site.

---

"Miss Keqing is truly a dedicated Yuheng Star," Yun Jin remarked, watching Keqing's retreating figure. "She's overseeing the safety of the Jade Chamber's construction here while also worrying about the Treasure Hoarders in the Domain of Salt.

"Not like Hu Tao, who spends her days playing pranks on others with nothing better to do!"

Yun Jin sighed, casting a pointed glance at Hu Tao.

"Hey, why drag me into this?" Hu Tao protested, quickly changing the subject and jogging ahead. "Come on, let's go find Ningguang already!"

Watching her run off, Yun Jin could only shake her head in exasperation.

Nolan chuckled and motioned for Shenhe and Yun Jin to follow.

Before long, they spotted Ningguang's two secretaries, Baiwen and Baishi, overseeing the work in her absence.

Hu Tao, who had walked ahead, had already explained their purpose to the two secretaries. After understanding, Baishi took a bright yellow floating stone from her pocket and crushed it effortlessly.

"This floating stone was created by Lady Ningguang using her elemental power. It's not hard, so it can be crushed easily. Once shattered, it releases Lady Ningguang's elemental energy.

"Even if she's far away in Liyue Harbor, she can sense this and know we need her. Lady Ningguang will come over shortly," Baishi explained when she noticed the group's curiosity.

"Oh? That seems pretty interesting," Hu Tao said, stroking her chin thoughtfully.

"The principle isn't too complex. A strong Vision wielder can sense elemental energy keenly, especially their own.

"But this method only works effectively with Geo elements because of their stability, which allows the energy to be preserved for a long time," Nolan analyzed easily.

This process reminded him of a wireless phone. He wondered if it was possible to develop an elemental version of such a device.

If they could release stored elemental energy in fixed patterns and provide the receiver with a "codebook" for those energy waves, it might allow for long-distance communication.

This idea intrigued him, but he figured it would be better to leave it to an expert like Lisa, a master in elemental studies. If it could be developed, it would undoubtedly be a highly marketable product.

With that thought, Nolan immediately used his "Waymark" ability to contact Lisa, who was still in Mondstadt, and shared his sudden inspiration.

While waiting for Ningguang, their conversation was brief. Soon, a bright yellow Geo elemental circle appeared before them. From within the glowing array emerged Ningguang, with her platinum blonde hair and elegant high heels.

"Lady Ningguang!"

Baiwen and Baishi greeted her respectfully.

Ningguang nodded slightly and folded her hands across her chest. Smiling at the group, she said, "You've been quite efficient. You've already brought the Sunset Vermillionite back so quickly."

"Of course, this is an essential material for rebuilding the Jade Chamber. We couldn't afford to delay," Nolan replied with a smile.

"The Sunset Vermillionite is about half the size of a room. Where do you want it placed, Lady Ningguang?"

"Let's have Baiwen fetch some chains and secure it near the mountain, in a spot that won't obstruct the workers," Ningguang decided after surveying the surroundings.

"Understood, Lady Ningguang," Baiwen replied before heading off.

Ningguang then led the group to the designated location, signaling for them to bring out the floating stone.

Without hesitation, Nolan opened a sizable spatial rift parallel to the ground. The massive Sunset Vermillionite floated out slowly.

As it emerged, it began to drift upward as if it intended to keep ascending.

Ningguang raised her hand, clad in her sleek black sleeve, and made a subtle downward motion. The floating stone stopped midair, held firmly by an invisible force.

Nolan could feel the dense Geo energy anchoring the floating stone in place.

Smiling, he asked, "This Sunset Vermillionite is quite large. Are you satisfied, Lady Ningguang?"

"Of course, I'm very pleased. A Sunset Vermillionite of this size usually costs around 500 to 600 million Mora on the market. Considering its rarity, it could fetch an extra 20 or 30 million.

"As promised, I'll pay above market value. Let's round it up to 680 million Mora. How does that sound?"

Ningguang's white fingers lightly brushed the polished floating stone as a satisfied expression appeared on her face.

If it had been anyone else, she might have haggled. But since they were friends, she wasn't about to employ any of her usual business tactics.

For Ningguang, 6 or 7 million Mora was a trivial amount, barely a drop in the ocean of her wealth.

Nolan, knowing that a Sunset Vermillionite in the original story sold for just over 500 million Mora, couldn't help but marvel at Ningguang's generosity.

"I have no objections, but what do you all think?" Nolan turned to the others, wanting their input.

"That's a very high price. This Hall Master has no complaints," Hu Tao replied, crossing her arms and nodding with satisfaction.

Shenhe and Yun Jin had no objections either. Thus, this multimillion-Mora deal was finalized without any issue.

"Great. Also, hand me the Crystals needed for the Wonder Cores. I'll have Baishi deliver it to the blacksmiths for crafting.

"As for the Adeptus Sigil, I'll leave it to Shenhe," Ningguang added with a smile.

With all three core items for the Jade Chamber's reconstruction resolved, Ningguang's favorability toward the group increased slightly.

[Ningguang Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 240 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (200/700)]

Seeing the notification on his character panel, Nolan felt quite pleased. After a quick discussion, they decided to give the valuable Crystals to Ningguang as well.

She was generous to them, so naturally, they couldn't be stingy in return.

As for the Adeptus Sigils, they were originally meant as a gift for Ningguang, a small compensation from the Adepti for her sacrifice of the Jade Chamber to save Liyue for the greater good.

At noon, Ningguang hosted a banquet for Nolan and his group at the Liuli Pavilion. Before they left, she handed each of them a freshly prepared Liyue Bank withdrawal note worth 170 million Mora.

They could withdraw the Mora from the bank at any time or transfer it to their personal accounts.

Having been in Teyvat for so long, Nolan finally became a billionaire. A small goal achieved, and now he could aim for the level of a hundred-billionaire.

However, he wasn't one to hoard Mora without purpose.

He planned to use it to purchase rare treasures to expand his collection and the space of his Wonderland. He had already asked Ningguang to keep an eye out for such items since her position as the Tianquan made her better connected to those circles.

After lunch, Shenhe temporarily stayed with Ningguang to help craft the Adeptus Sigils, while Yun Jin needed to train. Nolan escorted her back to Yunhan Opera Troupe before heading back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with Hu Tao.

Later that afternoon, he was scheduled to join Keqing on a mission to capture a group of Treasure Hoarders in Sal Terrae. However, his true goal was to enter the ruins of the God of Salt and retrieve two artifacts.

From the moment he had agreed to the mission, he'd been trying to recall how the seals were undone in the game. Thanks to his good memory, most of the details came back to him.

Still, since the area was sealed by Zhongli himself, it felt improper to break it without notice. A quick heads-up seemed necessary and wouldn't take much time.

After all, Zhongli was the Geo Archon. It was only polite to show some respect.

It would be awkward if Zhongli suddenly appeared while he was halfway through breaking the seal.

In the original storyline, Zhongli even guided the Traveler in undoing the seal, so it was unlikely he would object. At worst, Nolan could sneak into the ruins without fully breaking the seal or alerting Zhongli.

That shouldn't be too difficult for him!

Not long after, Nolan and Hu Tao returned to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Zhongli, who spent most of his days wandering the streets, was currently standing by a wall in the hall, admiring a landscape painting.

Seeing them enter, he smiled slightly and said, "Hall Master, you're in high spirits. I've heard that you and Mr. Nolan went on quite the adventure."

"Aiya, Consultant Zhongli, since when have you been so gossipy? Are you that bored, with nothing better to do? Humph, fine then. Your Hall Master just made a billion Mora—here, take this withdrawal note and expand Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services!"

Hu Tao, catching the teasing tone in his voice, frowned and immediately handed him the withdrawal note that Ningguang had given her, assigning him the task.

Nolan couldn't help but twitch at the sight. Entrusting Zhongli, someone who never haggled or cared about prices, to expand their business? That didn't seem like a great idea.

This billion Mora… It probably wouldn't last long before it was all spent!

(End of Chapter)

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