When Hu Tao received Jiang Bai's message, her eyebrows shot up. She was itching to ask why he needed information, but since the Communication Device had limited daily uses, she reluctantly held her tongue.
She wouldn't find anything about Dunyu Ruins at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor anyway, so she went straight to the next best thing—a living history expert.
"Hey, old man! What do you know about the history of Dunyu Ruins?"
Zhongli was carefully pruning flowers in the courtyard. He looked up in surprise.
"Dunyu Ruins? Why the sudden interest?"
Hu Tao perched casually atop the decorative rockery, showing no concern whatsoever about crushing the ornamental stones beneath her feet.
"Well, Jiang Bai went out to retrieve an adventurer's remains. Apparently, that client ended up somewhere deep inside Dunyu Ruins. Jiang Bai suspects there's something odd going on, and asked me about it. Since I don't really know much, I figured I'd ask you."
"I see," Zhongli nodded slowly, resuming his pruning. "To understand Dunyu Ruins, you must first understand the meaning of 'Dunyu' itself…"
Hu Tao leaned in, all ears.
"'Dunyu' literally means 'place where beautiful jade fled.' Its history begins with the origin of its name."
"In the days when Rex Lapis was still young, a star fell from the heavens into the western wilderness of Liyue. The immense force of its impact carved out an enormous chasm from the wasteland, and from that chasm flowed inexhaustible veins of jade and precious ores—forming the basis of Liyue's mining industry for millennia afterward…"
The western wilderness of Liyue?
Hu Tao mentally mapped the location. He was describing The Chasm—the largest and richest mining area in all of Liyue. Its depths had been mined for thousands of years, yet the distinctive spiral-shaped mountains encircling its center had remained curiously unchanged, becoming a famed geographical wonder.
She'd always wondered how such a remarkable formation came to be. Now she finally knew: a literal star had plummeted from the sky.
Compared to Dragonspine's Skyfrost Nail—which had merely destroyed the mountaintop city—the star falling into The Chasm was something else entirely, smashing straight through to the depths beneath, inadvertently carving out vast subterranean pathways for miners to follow.
"When that unnamed star fell," Zhongli continued calmly, "a fragment splintered off and crashed into the rocky plains north of Lisha, creating the immense crater that would become known as Dunyu Valley."
"Whoa—!"
Hu Tao's jaw dropped. If just a shard could create something as massive as Dunyu, how terrifyingly powerful was the impact of the full star itself?
Ignoring her shock, Zhongli continued his steady explanation.
"Rocks and gemstones born of the earth possess a quiet, enduring spirit. Over countless ages—unseen and unknowable by mortals—they listen patiently to the rhythms of ley lines, the echoes of mountain springs, and the slow, ceaseless march of mountains."
"But meteorites from the heavens differ entirely. Unlike the gentle steadfastness of earthly minerals, celestial stones have a proud, restless temperament."
"Eventually, countless ancient gods and rulers waged war across the land for a seat upon the divinely ordained throne, plunging the world into chaos. The heavens darkened, tragedy disrupted the harmony of mountains and rivers, and the fallen celestial stones, unable to bear such turmoil, retreated once more to the skies…"
Hu Tao quickly translated Zhongli's scholarly speech into simple terms:
Basically, a fragment of the star created Dunyu Valley, but during the Archon War, the star fragment had somehow returned to the heavens, giving the valley its name—Dunyu, the place from which jade fled.
Zhongli's narrative continued rhythmically, accompanied by the snip-snap of his pruning shears.
"After the heavenly jade departed, only a deep crater remained. People built a fortified city within it, sheltering themselves securely within the remnants of the star's gift."
"Through centuries of storms and upheaval, Dunyu Valley endured proudly. Even as recently as five hundred years ago, it maintained bustling trade relations with the flourishing Liyue Harbor…"
Hu Tao jumped in eagerly. "Ah, I know the rest! One day, the valley suddenly sealed itself off. Its inhabitants fled, scattering everywhere, and Dunyu Valley became Dunyu Ruins."
"Exactly," Zhongli nodded. "Five hundred years ago, the great calamity swept across Teyvat—and Dunyu Valley was no exception. Ever since that day, the valley has remained sealed."
"Then isn't Jiang Bai in danger right now?" Hu Tao asked anxiously.
If the calamity had forced its residents to abandon their homes five centuries ago, who knew whether those dangers still lingered? The threat might never have truly vanished, merely hidden itself away.
"Don't worry. With his current strength, there's little left that could endanger him. Even remnants of that darkness shouldn't be a threat to him now," Zhongli reassured her.
Hu Tao let out a relieved breath.
"You're right. He's already stronger than me. If even he couldn't handle it, there's no way I'd be of any help—I'd just slow him down…"
She grew briefly downcast before quickly pulling herself together.
"I can't slack off anymore. Pass along this info to Jiang Bai for me—I've got to get serious about training again!"
It was good that her subordinate was strong, but as Director, she couldn't allow herself to fall behind!
Smiling faintly, Zhongli pulled out an old, worn manual. "Here's a guide you might find useful, Director."
Hu Tao eagerly snatched up the manual, clinging affectionately to Zhongli's arm. "Aww, you're the best, old man!"
...
"…Anyway, that's roughly the history of Dunyu Ruins. Be careful, and if it gets dangerous, retreat immediately, got it? I don't want to hold another funeral for you!"
Listening to Hu Tao's concerned voice, Jiang Bai's lips curled upward uncontrollably, splitting into a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
If the Communication Device weren't locked on cooldown for three more days, he'd probably flood her with messages right now. But it didn't matter. Once he returned safely with that adventurer's remains, he'd have plenty of time to brag.
Now that he knew what sort of danger lay hidden within Dunyu, Jiang Bai felt far more prepared.
He scanned the scattered Fatui soldiers inside the ruins thoughtfully. With Dunyu's complex history, perhaps the Fatui were already researching its hidden secrets.
Capturing a soldier for interrogation might simplify things considerably.
Acting decisively, Jiang Bai quietly knocked out an isolated Pyroslinger, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and slipped silently into the mountains surrounding Dunyu Ruins.