Lord Rex Lapis ... was killed...?
Ryan's words confirmed the matter again, and Ganyu stumbled back two steps, her face showing an expression of disbelief.
"Senior Sister, don't be too sad. The most urgent task now is to investigate the matter thoroughly."
Seeing that Ganyu was not doing well, Ryan had no choice but to stop and comfort her.
Unlike Ryan, who had only met Lord Rex Lapis twice, Ganyu had a contract with Lord Rex Lapis and had assisted him on the God battlefield.
However, perhaps because Ganyu was half-human and half-immortal, after the God War ended, continuing to stay in Liyue to help people build the city-state was also part of her contract.
That's why she stayed in Liyue Harbor at first, becoming a secretary assisting the Liyue Qixing.
"Ryan, you're right..."
After a while, Ganyu, though still looking worried, nodded her head.
"Then I'll go back and inform Master first..."
"Wait a moment, Ryan."
Just as Ryan was about to rush back to Jueyun Karst, Ganyu suddenly called out to him.
"After you inform Cloud Retainer of this matter, be sure to dissuade the immortals from acting rashly."
While Ryan was confused, Ganyu cautioned him.
She was worried that the news of Lord Rex Lapis's death would cause the immortals in Jueyun Karst to act impulsively.
"Ah? Okay, I understand..."
Hearing Ganyu's reminder, Ryan tilted his head, but still agreed.
Then Ryan bid farewell to Ganyu and walked out of Liyue Harbor.
At the same time, on the second floor of Yuehai Pavilion.
"Lord Rex Lapis..."
The Damselette named Keqing gripped the railing with both hands, gazing at the Exuvia that fell during the Rite of Descension, subconsciously biting her lip... "The Rite of Descension... Lord Rex Lapis was killed in plain sight..."
Leaving Liyue Harbor and returning to Jueyun Karst alone, Ryan, now quiet, couldn't help but ponder.
"This is too coincidental. Could it be... that Lord Rex Lapis died on purpose?"
While passing through Guili Plains, such a thought suddenly popped into Ryan's mind.
The next moment, the cause and effect suddenly connected in his mind.
"So that's how it is... Paimon was just a chance encounter, not material Lord Rex Lapis gave me..."
"And how could anyone in the world assassinate Lord Rex Lapis? So..."
"Lord Rex Lapis answered my Wish... and gave me a dragon!"
"Uh, but it doesn't seem to be that much, I don't need that much either..."
"Oh, but why didn't I go up and pluck a few scales back then! I've let down Lord Rex Lapis's good intentions!"
Muttering this, Ryan regretfully slapped his thigh, feeling more and more regretful the more he thought about it.
After all, if he went back now, the half-qilin, half-dragon divine body had already been sealed off by the Liyue Qixing, preventing anyone from approaching. He had no chance to touch it... Then Ryan rushed to Jueyun Karst with a mournful expression... And while Ryan was rushing to Jueyun Karst, at the Northland Bank in Liyue Harbor.
Because they showed signs of fleeing at the Rite of Descension scene, Lumine and Paimon had been wanted by the Liyue Qixing. Fortunately, a man who called himself Young Master saved them.
But to prove their innocence, under Young Master's guidance, they decided to go to Jueyun Karst and truthfully convey what happened at the Rite of Descension to the Adepti.
Mortals could never assassinate the God of War who swept through armies. At that time, the Liyue Qixing's absurd act of looking for a murderer among the spectators would naturally be questioned by the Adepti, and they would be cleared of suspicion.
Before departing, they also got a map of Liyue from Young Master; otherwise, being unfamiliar with the place, they wouldn't know how to get to Jueyun Karst.
"Hmm... in that case, Wangsheng Inn is very close to Jueyun Karst. We can set off from here."
Leaving Liyue Harbor and arriving near the Statue of The Seven, Lumine and Paimon looked at the Liyue map in their hands together. Paimon quickly pointed to Wangsheng Inn, which could be called a landmark building of Dihua Marsh, and suggested.
They had come to Liyue from Mondstadt via Stone Gate, and on their way to Liyue Harbor, they must have passed that Wangsheng Inn and rested there.
"Alright, let's go."
Lumine nodded and put away the map in her hand.
Paimon immediately fell behind Lumine, resting her hands on Lumine's shoulders.
Then Lumine raised her hand towards the nearby Statue of The Seven, and the next moment, she and Paimon disappeared from the spot.
In Teyvat, there are many devices scattered across the land called Teleport Waypoints.
The people of Teyvat do not know their purpose, but they have long grown accustomed to their existence. They even have people specifically maintaining them at regular intervals, just like cleaning the Statue of The Seven.
In reality, Teleport Waypoints are also called Ley Line Waypoints, connecting to Teyvat's Ley Lines. Those with permission can use them to travel through the Ley Lines, going to any Ley Line Waypoint or Statue of The Seven.
And Lumine is a person with such permission. Although she herself doesn't know any of this, she only knows that she can freely travel through the Ley Lines via Teleport Waypoints to any Teleport Waypoint she has touched... On the way back to Jueyun Karst, Ryan was not too hurried. Instead, he recalled the details of the Rite of Descension while traveling.
But no matter how he recalled, he still couldn't confirm what happened in the sky at that time, or why Lord Rex Lapis was killed.
After some time, Ryan finally returned to Jueyun Karst.
On the way, he also saw the tunnel the Treasure Hoarders were digging when he last left, but it seemed they stopped halfway and even left their tools behind, not taking them, and he didn't know why.
Ryan paid a little attention, but didn't bother much. He transformed back into a white fox and nimbly leaped through the mountains, quickly heading towards Mt. Aocang.
However, when passing through Qingyun Peak, he suddenly discovered something.
"Paimon, don't you fly?"
"I do fly, but I can't pull you at all."
"Darn it, I almost flew onto that stone of the Statue of The Seven. Why isn't there a wind current..."
Ryan looked up and saw a blonde Damselette gliding down from the mountain with a Wind Glider unfolded behind her, followed by a small white-haired girl.
It was Lumine and Paimon.
Since the Wind Glider was only a glider and not true flight, after missing a high point, they could only glide downwards and could not ascend.
"Paimon, why are you in Jueyun Karst?"
Seeing the two land, Ryan approached, transformed back into human form, and asked curiously.
"Ryan?!"
Paimon and Lumine exclaimed, seemingly not expecting to meet again here.
"Wait... did you just... transform from a fox into a human?!"
After exclaiming, Paimon rubbed her forehead, saying somewhat confusedly, she suspected she might have seen wrong.
"That's right, I was a fox to begin with, is that strange?"
Ryan twitched his ears and shrugged his hands as if it were natural, then even showed his tail.
It's worth mentioning that the blue fur on his tail was now gradually increasing.
'It's like Ganyu Senior Sister's tail...'
Noticing the blue fur on his tail, Ryan muttered to himself, but he wasn't too worried because he knew it was the effect of the Qilin Pill.
"Ah... it's different from Diona and Sucrose..."
Paimon scratched her head and said to Lumine.
In Teyvat, there are actually many humans with animal features, but those like Ryan who truly transform from animals into human form are rare.
"Animal transformation... are you an immortal?"
Lumine pondered for a moment, and realizing this, immediately confirmed with Ryan.
Many Liyue Adepti are in beast form; she had only heard of this today. Even Lord Rex Lapis descended at the Rite of Descension in the form of a half-qilin, half-dragon.
"An immortal? Not really, I'm just an immortal's disciple..."
Ryan scratched his head and explained.
His identity as an immortal's disciple was nothing for Ryan to hide, but he wouldn't bring it up proactively unless asked.