Chapter 210

The group felt like they were on a picnic… though they were indeed here to travel. 

The scenery of Sumeru was completely different from Liyue, Mondstadt, and even Inazuma. Even Liyue didn't have such dense forests. 

Compared to the Chinju Forest in Inazuma, this jungle was on a whole other level. 

Ei also felt a sense of relaxation. 

Kitsune Saiguu whispered with a smile, "How do you feel? Getting out for some fresh air must be nice, right?" 

Ei nodded, "Mhm…" 

In Inazuma, being a god was no easy life. There were endless documents to sign and decisions to make… 

If it weren't for Yae Miko being able to summon her sister to scold her at any moment, Ei would have handed everything over to the Shogun and retreated to the Plane of Euthymia to snack and read novels. 

"There's someone over there!" 

Paimon pointed excitedly at a woman with wavy blue-green hair in the distance, who seemed to be looking their way. 

Lumine said, "Let's ask for directions. We can't just wander around the forest forever…" 

Paimon shouted, "Hey! Miss over there, can you tell us…" 

Before she could finish, the woman turned and walked into a nearby cave. 

"What's with her? So rude!" 

Paimon stomped her feet in mid-air, frustrated. 

Lumine tried to smooth things over, "Maybe she didn't hear you." 

"That person… feels strange," Ei frowned. 

Havria quickly added, "You felt it too?" 

What? The others were confused. 

Ei explained, "It's hard to describe… but there's something off about that person." 

"Seems like a god's intuition… I didn't feel anything," Eula said, hands on her hips, turning to Jiang Ning. "Jiang Ning, what about you… Jiang Ning?" 

When Jiang Ning didn't respond, everyone looked over and panicked. 

Jiang Ning stood still, eyes closed, unresponsive no matter what anyone said. 

Shenhe quickly approached and gently pushed Jiang Ning, who fell backward. 

Eula was startled and caught him. 

"Jiang Ning!" 

Everyone gathered around, worried. 

Meanwhile, Jiang Ning was… 

In a dark space, with only a faint light. 

The light formed a path leading into the distance. 

Jiang Ning was shocked by the sudden change. 

He drew his weapon and called out to his teammates: 

"Ei! Havria!" 

But there was no response. 

Even the gods were cut off… but where was this place? 

"Ai-chan, are you there?" 

[Huh? Boss, what's up?] 

"What are you doing right now?" 

[Nothing much, just eating… By the way, Boss, have you reached Sumeru? Let me see… Wait, where is this?] 

Jiang Ning said, "I was about to ask you the same thing…" 

[Hold on, let me check… Oh, you're in the Irminsul's space. Follow the path of light, and you'll reach the Irminsul.] 

"The Irminsul?" Jiang Ning was surprised. 

He had heard Zhongli mention it. The Irminsul was like the convergence of ley lines… or something like that. 

It was also the foundation of Teyvat. 

The Irminsul couldn't be harmed. It held the history and memories of all of Teyvat. 

The previous Dendro Archon, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, was said to be the incarnation of the Irminsul. That's why she didn't participate in the war against Khaenri'ah. 

Celestia had ordered her to protect the Irminsul. 

How had he stumbled into this place? 

"Whatever, let's go take a look… Ai-chan, it's fine. Go back to eating." 

Jiang Ning said. 

Ai-chan replied, [Alright, call me if you need anything, Boss.] 

Jiang Ning took a deep breath, stayed alert, and followed the path of light. 

As he approached the Irminsul, he heard a voice in his ears. 

"The world… forgets me…" 

"What's that?" Jiang Ning grew more cautious. Were there ghosts or demons around the Irminsul? 

"The world… forgets me…" 

Jiang Ning was puzzled. What did this mean… and it was a woman's voice. 

In this space, with this voice, it had to be either the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata or the current Lesser Lord Kusanali. 

But the voice sounded… mature? 

Thinking of the statue of the Lesser Lord Kusanali he had seen earlier, Jiang Ning guessed it was probably the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. 

"Is that you, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata? Is there something I can help you with?" 

Jiang Ning called out. 

Zhongli had told him that the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was a kind, gentle, and wise goddess. 

So, he didn't need to worry about any danger. 

"The world… forgets me…" 

But the voice seemed mindless, only repeating the same phrase. 

Jiang Ning frowned and was about to ask more when a bright light blinded him. The next moment, he saw a magnificent, glowing tree. 

"Is this… the Irminsul?" 

This was Jiang Ning's last thought before he lost consciousness again. 

"Jiang Ning… Jiang Ning? He's awake!" 

Paimon's excited voice rang out, and everyone gathered around. 

"Are you okay? What happened? After you, Lumine also fell into the same state." 

Havria sat down beside Jiang Ning and asked. 

Jiang Ning said, "I'm fine… I just saw the Irminsul. It felt like… a dream? What about Lumine?" 

Eula said, "Lumine woke up before you." 

"Where are we now?" 

Jiang Ning looked around and saw a tent-like structure. 

"This is Gandharva Ville… It's good that you're awake." 

A calm voice spoke, though there was a slight tremor in it. 

Jiang Ning looked over and saw a man with large fox ears and a bowl cut walking in. 

He wore Sumeru-style clothing and had a Dendro Vision. 

"Hello, I'm Tighnari, a Forest Ranger in Gandharva Ville. I found you all and invited you here to rest." 

Though he said that, Tighnari clearly remembered the wary looks the women had given him. 

The white-haired woman's gaze had practically screamed, "If you take one more step, you're dead." 

Heaven knows, he had no ill intentions. 

But when he offered a place to rest and mentioned he knew something about their situation, they relaxed a bit. 

It wasn't until the unconscious girl woke up that the tension finally eased. 

Then, he asked about their purpose for coming. 

That was when Tighnari's legs almost gave out. 

Three god-level beings, along with adepti disciples and godly familiars… 

Were they here to tear Sumeru apart?! 

But since they were already here, he had no choice but to be polite. 

Since Ei had introduced herself as the younger sister of the current Electro Archon (as per Makoto's instructions), Tighnari didn't realize he was dealing with the Raiden Shogun herself. 

So, he focused more on Jiang Ning. 

After all, it was clear that Jiang Ning was the core of the group. 

And Jiang Ning… he had heard the rumors. The next Geo Archon, a man who had slain gods and faced the Raiden Shogun head-on. 

No, a god who had done all that. 

In any case, Tighnari quickly prepared the best accommodations and warned everyone nearby not to provoke this group. 

After all, the group was full of stunningly beautiful women, and there were bound to be fools who couldn't resist causing trouble. 

Now that Jiang Ning was awake, Tighnari finally breathed a sigh of relief. 

Jiang Ning said, "Thank you, Tighnari." 

Tighnari replied, "It's nothing… Helping those in need is part of a Forest Ranger's duty." 

"Rest well. I have some things to attend to, so I'll take my leave." 

Tighnari couldn't handle the atmosphere and quickly excused himself. 

"What happened at the Irminsul? Lumine said she heard someone say, 'The world… forgets me…'?" 

Havria frowned and asked. 

"Maybe it's something left behind by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?" Jiang Ning wasn't sure. 

But before he lost consciousness again, he thought he heard another voice from the Irminsul. 

It was like… a gravely ill patient, crying for help. 

"Is Sumeru really this eerie?" Eula found it strange. 

She hadn't heard anything like this from Lisa. 

Ei said, "I've heard that Sumeru is a dangerous place. While it's not as chaotic as Liyue's Archon War, it has its own dangers… like the God of the Desert, King Deshret, the Goddess of Flowers from the Seelie race, and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, the incarnation of the Irminsul." 

"And in the desert, there's also the Skyfrost Nail…" 

The Skyfrost Nail was said to be Celestia's punishment, a divine retribution to destroy nations. 

Similar things existed in Dragonspine in Mondstadt and the depths of the Chasm in Liyue. 

"Whatever, we're here to travel, right?" 

Lumine put her hands on her hips, looking smug. 

But seeing Jiang Ning and Ei's hesitant expressions, Lumine's smile faltered: 

"Right?" 

Jiang Ning patted Lumine's shoulder and said earnestly: 

"Even though we've reached an agreement with your brother, he told us later that while we can accompany you on your journey, we're really here to relax. The exploration part is up to you… Of course, feel free to cause trouble. We've got your back." 

"What about Paimon? She's the best guide! You wouldn't let her lose her job, would you?" Jiang Ning changed tactics. 

Paimon, who had been munching on Sumeru's local fruits, was suddenly called out and looked confused: 

"Huh?" 

But under Jiang Ning's meaningful gaze, she quickly caught on and put on a pitiful expression: 

"Lumine, you wouldn't let me lose my job, right?" 

With things put that way, Lumine could only say, "Fine…" 

Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. 

"Don't worry, like I said, cause as much trouble as you want. We've got your back." 

Jiang Ning nudged Ei with his elbow. 

Ei mumbled, "If anyone dares harm you, I'll cut them down…" 

Lumine finally felt reassured, "That's more like it… But remember, I'm going to cause some real trouble." 

Jiang Ning nodded, "Sure, no problem… Let's ask Tighnari later for directions to Sumeru City." 

"I've already asked… We can follow the map." 

Kitsune Saiguu lifted the tent flap and walked in, holding a scroll. 

"Ugh, this place is so uncomfortable. My tail and ears feel all sticky." 

Kitsune Saiguu complained. 

"Didn't Jiang Ning give you cooling talismans?" Paimon asked, confused. 

"It's more of a psychological thing. Seeing others like this makes me feel uncomfortable too." 

Kitsune Saiguu pinched Paimon's cheek. 

"Okay, I don't really get it." 

Paimon scratched her head. 

"So, are we resting for the night or heading out now?" 

Kitsune Saiguu asked. 

"Let's rest and leave tomorrow morning. We're here to relax, no need to rush." 

Jiang Ning said. 

By nightfall, the forest, which had been tranquil during the day, turned eerie. 

The paths between the trees looked like gaping mouths, and the darkness felt like it could swallow you whole. 

"Damn, is Sumeru's map this creepy?" 

Jiang Ning was shocked. What was miHoYo thinking? Sumeru at night felt like a scene from a horror movie. 

The game had definitely prettied things up. In reality, such dense forests would naturally evoke a sense of helplessness and fear. 

"The nights here are so boring…" 

Eula muttered. 

"I still think Liyue's nights are more fun." 

After work, Eula liked to drink, and Liyue's alcohol was excellent. 

Especially at home, where Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu would sometimes join her for a drink. 

Liyue's nights were lively, with bustling night markets and bright lights. 

Jiang Ning could only console her, "Well, maybe this is just a remote village in Sumeru? Things might be better in Sumeru City." 

"But isn't Sumeru the nation of wisdom? Why does it feel so backward? Even a remote village shouldn't be like this." 

Eula was still puzzled. 

Havria agreed, "Yeah, even the remote villages in Liyue have developed, but Sumeru…" 

Jiang Ning didn't know what to say. The land of Sumeru gave him an uneasy feeling, as if it was riddled with problems. 

And the wind carried a sense of… ignorance? 

Shenhe quietly approached, "Junior Brother, dinner's ready." 

"Oh, coming." 

Because of the sudden incident with Lumine and Jiang Ning, they couldn't enjoy Jiang Ning's cooking with the Shroomboar today. 

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