After formally shouldering the monumental task of supporting Zhongli's retirement, Jiang Bai immediately shed his usual laziness and began handing out flyers in earnest, expanding his clientele.
Although their Returning Leaves Service didn't bring in much Mora, it was still his core business. As Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's Soul Ferryman, he couldn't just let his main job slip.
Ever since Tales of the Snow-Covered Kingdom had been published, their reputation had soared, bringing in steady sales. Already, thirty-four adventurers had purchased their "afterlife insurance."
Though the number seemed small, wealthy adventurers interested in arranging their own funerals were few and far between, so having thirty-four was already impressive enough.
Interestingly, many customers didn't buy the service for corpse retrieval alone. Instead, they often wanted Jiang Bai to bring something important back on their behalf.
This led Jiang Bai to briefly consider changing the service's name—though he soon dismissed the idea. Their reputation had just taken off; rebranding now would only squander that hard-earned recognition.
Today, as Jiang Bai routinely checked the needles to see if anyone had passed away, he finally noticed one needle had turned black.
He felt strangely moved. Although adventuring was notoriously risky, adventurers who had bought their service rarely met with mishaps. The number of times he'd actually had to head out was few enough to count on one hand.
He'd even considered adding the slogan "Subscribe to our service—Keep the Reaper away!" to their flyers, but ultimately thought better of it, fearing it would get him punched.
Pulling out the blackened needle, he found the corresponding contract.
The deceased adventurer was a Liyue native named Wan Jiliang.
Jiang Bai remembered him clearly. Wan Jiliang had been in his fifties, a refined, scholarly sort—more historian than adventurer at first glance. Yet an adventurer he truly was.
Wan Jiliang possessed a wealth of exploration experience, often seen exploring Liyue's ancient sites—Qingxu Pool, Lingju Pass, and even The Chasm had all felt his footsteps. To better sell the artifacts he discovered, he'd studied history and antiques extensively, eventually surpassing even professional scholars.
Jiang Bai flipped open the contract, reading Wan Jiliang's final request. Like Cartis, Wan Jiliang had subscribed after reading Cartis's story.
Although an adventurer by trade, Wan Jiliang deeply loved antiques and history. His research into Liyue's past had led him to discover unsettling gaps in historical records.
Some places had abruptly fallen from prosperity to ruin, their inhabitants scattering overnight. Even Adepti and former residents remained tight-lipped about these events, leaving huge blanks in history—forgotten by the world after five hundred years.
Driven to uncover these secrets and piece history back together, Wan Jiliang repeatedly ventured into dangerous ruins, painstakingly compiling notes and manuscripts detailing these lost eras.
His final wish was for Jiang Bai to retrieve those precious notes he couldn't bring back himself, combining them with the unfinished manuscript at his home and publishing the book, even if it represented only a small fragment of Liyue's forgotten history.
After reading this, Jiang Bai felt a profound respect. Whether it was Cartis or Wan Jiliang, both had been passionate, determined souls—risking their lives knowingly, driven by ideals alone.
Exhaling softly, Jiang Bai carefully tucked the contract away. After notifying Hu Tao, he began preparing to retrieve the adventurer's remains and belongings.
Inserting the needle into the Sifang Compass, Jiang Bai saw it immediately swing toward the northwest.
He unfolded his map, examining landmarks in that direction: Mt. Tianheng, Dunyu Ruins, Tianqiu Valley, Nantianmen... They all lay northwest.
Without an exact location, Jiang Bai could only teleport waypoint-by-waypoint.
First, he arrived at the Statue of The Seven between Dunyu Ruins and Lingju Pass. There, the needle shifted sharply, pointing northeast toward Dunyu Ruins.
The Dunyu Ruins occupied a deep valley. Long ago, the place was not called "Dunyu Ruins" at all, but Dunyu Valley—a bustling city-fortress built strategically between mountains.
Five hundred years ago, it had rivaled even Liyue Harbor in prosperity—until abruptly, without explanation, it was sealed off and abandoned. Its residents fled, leaving the great city empty, a mere tomb echoing with wind and water. Thus, it became known as Dunyu Ruins.
Jiang Bai wasn't a native of Liyue, and his knowledge of its geography remained limited. Even his understanding of Dunyu Ruins had come entirely from Hu Tao.
But even Hu Tao had no idea why the place was called "Dunyu."
Now, centuries later, the city lay submerged beneath stagnant waters, its grandeur forever lost.
Rather than rushing inside, Jiang Bai circled the surrounding hills, confirming from every angle that the compass's needle pointed squarely into Dunyu Ruins. The situation was clear.
Wan Jiliang must have entered Dunyu seeking lost truths—and had met his end there.
Without question, it was a hazardous place. Even Treasure Hoarders avoided it entirely.
Five hundred years ago, the city's sudden abandonment surely had its reasons. Only great peril could have compelled an entire city to evacuate and seal itself off completely. After all, people don't abandon their homes lightly.
The fact that Dunyu's secrets remained unknown after centuries proved just how dangerous it truly was.
Jiang Bai, confident as he was, still hesitated to underestimate it.
Yet oddly, while no Treasure Hoarders lingered, Fatui soldiers were scattered conspicuously across the area.
Jiang Bai's brow furrowed at the sight.
After the Osial incident, Fatui forces in Liyue should have been almost entirely expelled. Why were they gathered here?
Were they stationed here precisely because it was deserted, or were they searching for something?
Judging by their careful patrols, Jiang Bai leaned toward the latter. Dunyu Ruins concealed a significant secret, one the Fatui clearly considered worth risking exposure for.
With these suspicions mounting, Jiang Bai reached for his Communication Device, contacting Hu Tao immediately.
"Director, look up everything you can on Dunyu Ruins. I need as many details as possible—urgently!"
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T/N: OUGH ITS BEEN SO LONGGGGG sorry if theres inconsistencies, ill try to keep Tales of the Snow-Covered Kingdom and Cartis, uhhh Returning Leaves... its shorter so ill just keep it