The people of Mondstadt were unfazed; their Anemo Archon's great deeds were numerous as well—halting blizzards and flattening mountains with awe-inspiring power. The people of Inazuma were equally un envious; their Shogun could cleave an island in two with a single strike. The people of Snezhnaya felt the same; their Tsaritsa was also a figure of greatness. However, the people of Sumeru and Fontaine had some mixed feelings.
In Sumeru, the Grand Sage was particularly displeased. "If only Greater Lord Rukkhadevata were still here…" He glanced toward the place where Nahida was imprisoned, strengthening his resolve to create a god for their nation.
The people of Fontaine, meanwhile, were thinking that they had never seen their Hydro Archon perform any earth-shattering feats. Would they ever witness one in their lifetime?
People from other nations might marvel at or revere the Geo Archon's might, but for the people of Liyue, the stronger their Geo Archon was, the prouder they felt.
Back to the book, the group split up to explore Guyun Stone Forest, but only the Traveler and Zhongli found items of value. The items Wan Yan and Clement uncovered had no research significance—though, if one didn't mind angering Ningguang, the teacup used by the Tianquan herself could probably fetch a hefty sum.
Wan Yan and Clement blamed each other, each criticizing the other's shortcomings. Wan Yan was frustrated that Clement was solely focused on profit, while Clement was equally annoyed at Wan Yan's unprofessional attitude.
[Wan Yan: "See? All you care about is selling things for money!"]
[Clement: "So what? Can't we research and make money at the same time? Why be so rigid?"]
[Wan Yan: "You! You're practically drowning in Mora!"]
[Clement: "And you! Digging up artifacts all day—has dust gotten into your brain?"]
After bickering for a while, they decided to head to their next destination: Sal Terrae, the former domain of the Salt God, who was 'assassinated' by the Geo Archon.
In reality, Lucian was currently at Sal Terrae. He had already informed Yun Jin that he had made arrangements for Furina and Navia. After settling them, Lucian came to this place, where the Salt God was sealed.
"Little Lucian, this time you better show this Hall Master your 'resurrection technique'!" Hu Tao said, trailing behind Lucian. When she learned that Lucian was about to resurrect a second god, Hu Tao insisted on coming along to witness it.
"You'd have to watch even if you didn't want to, since I can't see," Lucian said, spreading his hands.
Unlike Guizhong, Havria wasn't familiar with the Adepti, so none of them came along this time. Lucian had no choice but to bring Hu Tao.
"Let's see if this works," Lucian said, uncertain.
Havria was sealed later than others, so much of her divine residue had likely dissipated. It was unclear if what remained in the seal was enough to 'resurrect' her.
As Zhongli explained in the book, unlocking the seal of Sal Terrae required a specific sequence.
[Zhongli: "South from Tianheng, east to Yaoguang, west to Jueyun, north to Qingce."]
To break the seal, Electro energy was needed, so Lucian spent 4,000 Emotional Value points to acquire an Electro element. After unlocking the seal, Lucian and Hu Tao entered the ruins. With a pinch of his fingers, Lucian activated a technique, and the divine residue within the ruins began to gather around them.
Hu Tao, grinning, followed along, occasionally mimicking Lucian's gestures behind his back to help guide the residue. Lucian thought his adeptal arts were improving, as not a single bit of residue escaped.
When it came to handling divine residue, Hu Tao was an expert—her family's ancestral craft.
Back in the book, the first thing the group did upon entering the ruins was to establish a contract.
[Zhongli: "Please, both of you, sign a contract. The terms are: 'Take turns retrieving items, one at a time.'"]
Neither Clement nor Wan Yan agreed. One wanted to monopolize the treasures for profit, while the other believed the relics of her god should not be desecrated. Zhongli, however, stated that if they didn't sign the contract, he would no longer serve as their consultant.
Hearing this, Clement and Wan Yan reluctantly agreed. Both were faux archaeologists; without Zhongli, they'd be lucky to survive the ruins, let alone find treasure. With the contract signed, it felt even more like they were 'tomb raiding,' complete with prearranged 'loot splitting.'
Inside the ruins, they discovered several 'statues' encased in salt. The statues, some appearing to flee, others as if pleading, added an eerie atmosphere to the expedition.
[Wan Yan: "These… these are 'statues'?"]
[Zhongli: "No. They are people."]
["These people were likely the followers of the Salt God from back then."]
Wan Yan listened with growing concern. How could the Salt God's followers have turned into statues? Was this Morax's doing? Or… no! It couldn't be—Lady Havria would never do such a thing!
In reality, Hu Tao noticed the same issue and frowned. "Little Lucian, these statues… they seem like real people."
After buying the book, she had gone straight to Lucian and given the book to Guizhong without reading it herself. Her discovery was purely based on intuition.
"Yes, they are real people—followers of the Salt God," Lucian nodded.
"What?! Then the Salt God isn't some creepy god who sacrificed her own people, is she?" Hu Tao asked.
This was the same question on the minds of those reading the book. The people of Liyue trusted the Geo Archon unconditionally, so in their eyes, the Salt God must be the 'culprit' behind this scene.
"No, Havria was a very gentle god. That's why I want to 'resurrect' her," Lucian replied.
He continued, "She's better suited to a gentle era, not the time of the Archon War."
Hu Tao nodded, relieved that Havria wasn't some malevolent deity, and continued helping Lucian guide the residue.
Without Lucian nearby, the others had to keep reading to find answers.
In the story, the group found a salt goblet that always remained half-filled with salt. Salt was valuable, and this goblet was essentially an endless supply. Clement immediately claimed it as his treasure.
Later, they found a ruler. When inserted into the ground, it caused an endless stream of salt to pour forth. This seemed even more valuable than the goblet, but per the contract, the salt ruler belonged to Wan Yan.
Handing this treasure to Wan Yan frustrated Clement. He felt that since he funded the expedition, giving it to her was a loss.
[Zhongli: "So, you're saying you want to break the 'Contract'?"]
Look at that keyword—breaking a contract in front of the God of Contracts.
[Clement: "So what if I break it? I've pretty much figured out the mechanisms in this ruin. You're no longer needed."]
The people of Snezhnaya couldn't help but marvel at Clement's 'bravery.' Even the Tsaritsa probably wouldn't dare break a contract with the God of Contracts. Was this a case of the ignorant being fearless?
[Zhongli: "The Geo Archon once said, 'Once a contract is made, those who break their word shall face the Wrath of the Rock.'"]
[Clement: "That's your Liyue god. I'm from Snezhnaya, I…"]
[Zhongli, not wanting to argue further: "The 'Wrath of the Rock'—experience it for yourself. It won't be pleasant."]
The people of Snezhnaya were exasperated. Brother, don't drag us into your boasting! Saying something like that in Snezhnaya is one thing, but in Liyue? Which Liyue citizen wouldn't want to punch you for that?
Venti, who had 'enjoyed' such a punishment before, merely smiled and said nothing.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice: Lucian - About Havria
"I hope she'll like this era."