After recording his diary, a massive emerald barrier appeared in Su Xuan's sight not far away.
Venti sensed the elements within the emerald barrier, his expression darkening: "This is an ancient ruin. Dvalin did indeed make this his nest after waking up."
"However, the barrier covering the entire ancient ruin isn't purely Anemo energy. I feel an inexplicable energy within it."
If it were purely an Anemo barrier, Venti could easily break it.
But the unfamiliar energy contained within the barrier was likely intended to prevent him from breaking it and from connecting with Dvalin.
"It seems they don't want us to easily meet Dvalin." Venti spread his hands: "My kind young man, if it's truly impossible, let's return to Mondstadt."
"As long as I get the Skyfaring Harp, I'll have a way to summon Dvalin here, and then we won't need to enter Stormterror's Lair."
Su Xuan glanced sideways at Venti.
Venti wasn't actually messing around with him here.
This storm barrier did contain a certain energy provided by the Abyss Order. However, it wouldn't be difficult for Venti to dispel it.
He would only need to kill a nearby Abyss Order monster. Venti could quickly read the energy weaving rhythm of the barrier from the energy that dissipated after its death.
"No need for such trouble."
As Su Xuan's words fell, a layer of light suddenly illuminated his body. He casually raised a hand, and under Venti's puzzled gaze, a vortex abruptly twisted out of the storm barrier.
Before Venti could understand what was happening, Su Xuan gently twisted his palm, and the vortex's rotation seemed to surge.
In an instant, the storm barrier covering the entire Stormterror's Lair was unable to resist this powerful twisting force and collapsed on the spot.
Boom
A strong gust of wind howled through the mountains.
Venti stared, dumbfounded, at the path leading to the high tower of Stormterror's Lair, unable to react for a moment.
"Alright, let's go..." Su Xuan stepped towards Stormterror's Lair.
Venti quickly followed behind, chuckling sheepishly: "My kind young man, what exactly did you just do?"
"Why didn't I understand anything?"
"I just used brute force to destroy the barrier." Su Xuan said with a natural smile: "Compared to studying the energy arrangement and playing music for the barrier."
"I think simple destruction is easier."
Venti: "..."
The Anemo Archon was speechless.
From Su Xuan's words, it seemed he didn't want to reveal the secrets of his power to him.
This was normal.
The clever Anemo Archon naturally wouldn't pry for details.
He pointed to the distant tower, enveloped by the wind field, and said, "Dvalin is resting deep within the tower. The path here is quite winding, so we'll just fly over."
"Furthermore, from my observations, the barrier on the upper levels of the tower is blocking the storm surging from the bottom. I think Dvalin doesn't want to be disturbed."
"We still need to find a way…"
"Shh…" Su Xuan made a 'shush' gesture to Venti: "Be quiet for a moment. I need to observe the surroundings."
Venti: "Uh, this…"
Su Xuan patted Venti's shoulder heavily and said, "Since I dared to promise that diligent and responsible Knight to rescue Dvalin, you don't need to worry unnecessarily."
"Just stay here quietly for a while."
Venti still wanted to ask Su Xuan what method he intended to use to cleanse the tainted blood within Dvalin.
But hearing Su Xuan speak with such finality, the frustrated Anemo Archon could only close his mouth.
Su Xuan looked around, his consciousness stirring.
[Stormterror's Lair.jpg]
[This was once the town ruled by The Tyrant King of the Tower.]
[Now, it's so dilapidated that it's difficult to reach the tower on foot.]
[Of course, originally this place wasn't as difficult for sightseeing as it is now.]
[Until a woman full of strange ideas came here.]
[She felt that the Stormterror's Lair lacked the unique historical sense of a ruin, so she blew it up, turning it into Stormterror's Lair.]
[Standing in this ruined environment now, I feel a sense of melancholy.]
[Originally, the dragon's home was called the Stormterror's Lair. Now, the dragon's home is called Stormterror's Lair.]
[The hero woke up from five hundred years of slumber, returned home, and found his mansion turned into a dog kennel.]
[Alas, Dvalin can only be described with one word: 'miserable.']
[After seeing such a dilapidated scene, I 'scoffed' at the woman full of strange ideas.]
[But precisely because I remembered this woman, I suddenly realized that one of her proposals enlightened me on my confused journey.]
[She once had a highly commendable ideal: to create an idol group for the Teyvat continent.]
[And she repeatedly tried to invite Barbara and Kamisato Ayaka to be idols.]
[Unfortunately, this plan of hers ended in failure, and the Teyvat continent idol group project was completely shelved.]
[Perhaps, I should pick up her great ideal again and create an idol group exclusively for me.]
[Imagine, emulating Ningguang, the wealthy businesswoman, by creating a Jade Chamber floating in the sky, then standing above the Celestial where no one can reach.]
[Waking up every day in an eight-hundred-square-foot bed, enjoying the sweet singing and graceful dancing of exclusive idols—wouldn't that be a beautiful life?]
The Ladies were speechless on the spot.
So, this is how you 'scoffed'?
Liyue's Jade Chamber.
Ningguang couldn't help but be amused by Su Xuan's idea: "If that is truly your heart's desire, then it's much easier to discuss."
"If you want the Jade Chamber, I'll give it to you. If you want a new one, I'll help you build one, even if it means losing everything."
"As for the so-called idols… that seems a bit difficult…"
"It's fine if they agree, but if they don't, should we forcibly tie them up?"
[Forget it, the most important thing now is to help Xiao Qin rescue Dvalin.]
[Time to get to work.]
Stormterror's Lair.
Venti, who had been staring at Su Xuan, suddenly saw Su Xuan look up at the distant tower.
He was about to step forward to ask about the next course of action.
But then he saw Su Xuan raise his arm.
Rumble!
The entire ground trembled violently.
The Anemo Archon was stunned. Having the previous experience of Su Xuan destroying the barrier, Venti subconsciously looked in the direction Su Xuan's arm was pointing.
The moment he turned his head, he saw the entire tower being uprooted.
Dvalin's dormant storm suddenly appeared, exposed in his sight.
Venti: "?"
In the storm, a emerald green light flashed.
Accompanied by a mighty roar of anger, a giant dragon soared into the sky from the storm.
"This guy has a bad temper when he wakes up?" Su Xuan narrowed his eyes and smiled.
Dvalin, having burst out of the storm, looked down at the earth and immediately saw Venti beside Su Xuan.
"Barbatos! Was it you who disturbed my rest?"
However, as soon as Dvalin's roar escaped his lips, he found his entire body seemed to be bound by some power, and he instantly fell into a state of paralysis.
"Barbatos, what… what have you done to me…"
Hearing Dvalin's angry roar, Venti was stunned: "Me? I didn't do anything."
"Impossible, my body, I can't move."
Venti: "?"
After hearing Dvalin's impotent rage, Venti suddenly looked at Su Xuan. Sure enough, Su Xuan's palm was now in a grasping posture.
Dvalin's current situation must be related to Su Xuan.
The Anemo Archon gasped sharply: What kind of power is this, to be able to firmly bind Dvalin's massive body?
"This one…" Venti was about to speak, but then he saw Su Xuan retract his palm.
A wave of wind instantly surged from not far away.
Venti hurriedly looked forward and realized that in just an instant, Dvalin, who had just been in the sky, had already been pulled to the ground not far away.
"Barbatos, you, you actually brought someone to kill me!" Dvalin let out a mournful cry, but no matter how he struggled, it was useless.
He was like a lamb to the slaughter, firmly pressed to the ground.
"I…" Venti's expression faltered.
Su Xuan followed up and said, "Why are you explaining to a crazed dragon? Once the tainted blood in him is cleansed, he'll be fine."
With that, under Venti's bewildered and shocked gaze, Su Xuan waved his hand, and a mirror glowing with brilliant colors appeared out of thin air.
A moment later, Dvalin's image appeared in the mirror.