Qiu Bai stroked his chin, looking at the guard before him, seemingly pondering something.
"If that's really the case..."
"The Ruler of Void isolated this place, so how did Yae Miko know that the big brother had caused the downfall of eighteen Archons?"
Qiu Bai looked at the guard before him, frowning as he thought.
"And five hundred years ago, during the Cataclysm of Khaenri'ah..."
"How did the great demon who escaped from the Dark Sea to Liyue manage to cross over?"
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, unable to figure it out.
"Hehe, what are you chatting about?"
"You two seem deeply engaged in conversation."
An elderly man walked over, holding a glowing white wooden staff.
Looking kindly at Qiu Bai and the guard before him, he smiled and said.
"Village Chief, this traveler who has arrived here."
"Wants to learn about the origins of our City of Light and Dark."
The guard turned around, looking down at the somewhat short elderly man, smiling as he spoke.
"I see."
"My name is Saila. Young man, what would you like to know?"
The elderly man raised his head, looking at Qiu Bai before him, and spoke.
"Village Chief, I want to ask you."
"Five hundred years ago, did the barrier that separates the Dark Sea weaken?"
Qiu Bai looked at the elderly man before him and asked.
"Oh?"
"How would you know about that?"
Saila looked at Qiu Bai before him, speaking with some surprise.
They had seen foreign travelers before, their ancestors had encountered them, so it wasn't too surprising.
It seemed like a young man with golden hair had also visited here several hundred years ago.
"Hmm..."
"Five hundred years ago, indeed, that barrier did weaken for unknown reasons."
Saila pondered for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
"At that time, many vassals of the Archons had escaped."
"Many people also used boats constructed from the branches of the Luminous Tree to break through the barrier."
Saila looked at Qiu Bai before him, explaining.
"Hmm..."
"That explains it then."
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, nodding as he spoke.
Perhaps those humans who sailed out of the Dark Sea,
When they finally reached Inazuma much later, the calamity from five hundred years ago had already ended.
Coincidentally, Yae Miko was investigating that big brother and questioned these people.
So that's how Yae Miko knew he had vanquished eighteen Archons.
No wonder Yae Miko asked me if I had ever been to the sea of flowers.
In her imagination, combined with the descriptions from those who had escaped the Dark Sea.
A humanoid white-robed Archon, wielding a long sword, with a yin-yang stone hanging at his waist.
In this world besides him Morcius who else could it be?
Indeed, the wisdom of the fox is formidable.
Thinking of this, Qiu Bai mouth twitched slightly.
"And that also explains what happened in Liyue..."
"Given the chance, I should ask the great demon who was saved back then."
Qiu Bai muttered in his heart.
"Thank you, Village Chief Saila, for being willing to tell me these things."
Qiu Bai looked at the short elderly man before him, smiling as he spoke.
"Hehe, it's nothing."
"Here, young man, this is a leaf from the Luminous Tree, it can shield you from the darkness of the Dark Sea."
The elderly man nodded kindly, taking out a glowing white leaf and handing it to Qiu Bai.
"Thank you."
Qiu Bai looked at this kind elderly man, nodding as he spoke.
"Village Chief, could you tell me the location of the City of Light and Dark."
"I'd like to go there and see it."
Qiu Bai looked at the elderly man before him, asking with curiosity.
"The City of Light and Dark..."
"As it happens, my granddaughter is heading there, why don't you travel together?"
The elderly man looked at the curious Qiu Bai, smiling as he spoke.
"Your granddaughter?"
Qiu Bai said with some surprise.
"Grandpa, what are you doing here?!"
"Did I surprise you?"
A young woman wearing elegant white attire, with a leaf from the Luminous Tree pinned in her hair—that is, a glowing leaf—her black long hair secured by glowing branches.
Her slender legs were exposed, appearing to be eighteen or nineteen years old. She patted the elderly man playfully and said with a smile.
"Oh my, my dear granddaughter."
"Don't frighten your grandpa like that. Grandpa can't handle such excitement."
The elderly man turned around, looking at the playful young woman before him, speaking affectionately.
"Hehe, I know I was wrong."
The young woman rubbed her head, somewhat embarrassed as she spoke.
"Who is this?"
The young woman looked at the handsome Qiu Bai before her, asking with curiosity.
"My name is Qiu Bai."
"I come from beyond the Dark Sea."
Qiu Bai looked at the young woman before him, smiling lightly as he spoke.
"I'm Yi'er, nice to meet you!"
"Beyond the Dark Sea, I'd love to see that place..."
Yi'er looked at Qiu Bai before her, speaking with longing.
"Hehe, Yi'er, why don't you accompany Mr. Qiu Bai here."
"Together to the City of Light and Dark."
The elderly man looked at his granddaughter, speaking kindly.
"Really?!"
"Big Brother Qiu Bai, could you tell me what the outside world looks like along the way?"
Yi'er looked at Qiu Bai before her, speaking excitedly.
"Of course."
"But why do you call me 'Big Brother'?"
Qiu Bai looked at the lively young woman before him, asking with some confusion.
"In our region, 'Big Brother'..."
"Is usually how we address someone older than ourselves."
Yi'er looked at Qiu Bai before her, smiling as she explained.
"You can just call me Little Sister Yi'er~"
Yi'er put her hands behind her back, looking at Qiu Bai before her, her expressive eyes making a circle as she smiled and spoke.
"Uh..."
"Little Sister Yi'er?"
Qiu Bai looked at Yi'er before him, speaking somewhat awkwardly.
"Hehe, hello Big Brother Qiu Bai!"
"From now on, you're Yi'er's friend!"
Yi'er looked at Qiu Bai before her, speaking happily.
"Hehe, my granddaughter is innocent and playful."
"I'll have to trouble you to look after her along the way."
The elderly man looked at Qiu Bai before him, then at his granddaughter, speaking with some concern.
"Oh, don't worry, Grandpa."
"I definitely won't be mischievous."
Yi'er patted the elderly man shoulder, giving him a reassuring look.
"Ouch, my shoulder!"
The elderly man rubbed his shoulder, crying out in pain.
"Let's go~!"
"Big Brother Qiu Bai."
Yi'er looked at Qiu Bai before her, smiling as she spoke.
Then she put her hands behind her back, walking step by step down the village street.
"What a lively girl."
"She's a bit like Director Hu."
Qiu Bai looked at Yi'er retreating figure, smiling lightly and shaking his head before following.
The surrounding streets had something similar to streetlights, but they were made from tree roots.
Emitting a bright light, the children around, upon seeing Yi'er, ran over to her.
"Big Sister Yi'er!"
"Can you play with us? The spinning game you invented last time!"
Two children ran over, looking up at Yi'er, smiling as they spoke.
"Hmm~"
"Hmm..."
Yi'er lowered her head, looking at the two children before her, her expressive eyes turning in a circle, emitting two hesitant sounds.
"Big Sister..."
The two children looked at the hesitating Yi'er, speaking anxiously.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)