Fortunately, Yelan, Bai Ye, and Xingqiu arrived in time. Combined with the usual rule that villains died from talking too much, Qian Er, the second shopkeeper of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, was still spouting nonsense when Yelan arrived.
The battle was almost entirely one-sided.
With Xingqiu, Yelan, and Bai Ye—three Genshin Eye holders—facing a leaderless group of Fatui soldiers, it was a completely one-sided battle.
The Fatui did not hold out for more than ten minutes before all of them were defeated by the three.
After the battle ended,
Xingqiu's father repeatedly thanked Bai Ye and told him that once they returned to Liyue Harbor, he would properly reward him.
Bai Ye was delighted.
After saving their lives, asking them to help find a few pieces of Floatstone should not be a problem, right?
With the matter settled,
Xingqiu's father and older brother wanted to return to The Chasm to conduct business with Sangemah Bayt, the Magnate, from Sumeru, thereby opening trade between the Feiyun Commerce Guild and Sumeru. After considering it, Xingqiu decided to travel with his father and brother so he could protect them.
At first, Bai Ye did not react when he heard the Sumeru merchant's name. But after thinking it over, wasn't that the unscrupulous merchant Dori?
Well, damn.
She had come all the way to Liyue to swindle people?
Bai Ye hurriedly warned Xingqiu's father. Although Dori was wealthy and a major merchant, he still needed to be careful not to get conned by her.
Xingqiu's father chuckled and said he understood, that he would be on guard.
He had spent many years in business. There was no way he would get swindled.
Seeing him like that, Bai Ye could not say much more.
After all, he was only familiar with Xingqiu.
Soon afterward, Xingqiu and his father and brother left.
That left only Bai Ye and Yelan here.
Oh, and a pile of Fatui on the ground.
Bai Ye operated the labyrinth mechanism and collected all the Fatui into the Adeptus mechanism diagram.
Bai Ye said to Yelan, "This mission is over. Let's go back to Liyue. Oh, right, those Floatstones..."
"Would I deliberately stiff you?" Yelan rolled her eyes at Bai Ye, then took several pieces of Floatstone from her pocket and tossed them to him.
"I already prepared them. There is even one extra. But the next batch of Floatstones will not be so easy to find. Next time, I can only give you money."
"Alright, boss, you're generous."
Bai Ye narrowed his eyes and smiled. The shrewd grin on his adorable face was not irritating at all; it was rather endearing.
I kind of want to pinch his cheeks...
That thought flashed through Yelan's mind.
She shook her head and quickly dismissed it.
She hurriedly said, "Let's go. We need to return to the Rock Tea House in Liyue first. That is a base I just acquired. If you catch any Fatui on the road in the future, quietly send them to the Rock Tea House as well."
"Alright."
Bai Ye nodded vigorously.
He had already made plans. After returning to Liyue today, he would rest for the night, then starting tomorrow, stake out The Chasm and Lingju Pass. There were plenty of Fatui there.
Unfortunately, those Fatui could not respawn automatically after being taken out like they did in the game.
The two headed toward Liyue Harbor.
Halfway there, Yelan could not help asking Bai Ye,
"Say, what do you need all these Floatstones for? Are you making some sort of mechanism?"
She was rather puzzled.
Why did Bai Ye need so much Floatstone?
If Bai Ye only wanted some Floatstone to make Xiao Lanterns for fun, he would have had more than enough already.
As for building a Jade Chamber, even if Bai Ye had the skills, he did not have nearly enough money. It was simply impossible.
"No, I don't plan to use Floatstone to make any mechanisms." Bai Ye shook his head.
Then he came up with an excuse for himself. "I need these Floatstones to cultivate Adeptal Arts by absorbing their power. Mm, my Adeptal Arts require Floatstone."
"Cultivating Adeptal Arts requires Floatstone? There are Adeptal Arts like that?"
Yelan was curious.
"Yes, the Adeptal Arts I cultivate require Floatstone."
"Which Adepti did you learn these Adeptal Arts from?"
"I don't know which Adepti these Adeptal Arts came from."
Well, my teacher taught me these Adeptal Arts, but I have no idea which Adepti they came from.
"I see..."
Although Yelan felt Bai Ye was not telling her the full truth, she could tell that his claim that he did not know which Adepti the Adeptal Arts came from was likely true.
At that moment, Bai Ye continued, "Um, do you have any intelligence on the Adepti? I want to see which Adepti my Adeptal Arts actually came from."
Information about his teacher would not be easy to find,
but he could start by asking about the Adepti.
If he could first determine the source of his Adeptal Arts and who had made this mechanism diagram, he could use the opportunity to learn more information.
"I do have some intelligence on the Adepti. Recently, because the Fatui have been getting involved with Adepti artifacts quite often, I have collected a little more information than usual."
"Could you give me a copy? Um, do you need any compensation?"
"Not for now." Yelan paused before continuing. "However, if I need help dealing with the Fatui in the future, you will assist me. Their activity has been rather frequent lately. The Rich's activities in Liyue are mainly commercial, while Childe, the Fatui's lowest-ranking Harbinger, has been constantly searching for Adeptal treasures. There may be quite a lot happening in Liyue soon."
"Mm, as long as you need me, I will definitely help."
Bai Ye naturally agreed.
Then,
he thought of another question.
He asked Yelan,
"Oh, right, by the time we get to the Rock Tea House, it will be noon, right? Does the Rock Tea House provide meals?"
"Mm, it does."
"Then..."
"Don't get any ideas. They will only provide you one meal. There will be nothing else." Yelan glanced at Bai Ye.
"When we are out in the field, all that is the Ministry of Civil Affairs' responsibility. But at the Rock Tea House, the food comes out of my own assets."
"Alright."
Bai Ye was somewhat disappointed.
Afterward,
Bai Ye and Yelan returned to the Rock Tea House in Liyue Harbor.
Bai Ye brought out those Fatui and handed them all over to Yelan for imprisonment and interrogation.
Taking advantage of that time,
Bai Ye had a proper meal.
He had been fighting from last night until morning and was already starving.
After Bai Ye finished eating,
Yelan gave Bai Ye a stack of materials.
This was all the information on the Adepti that she knew.
"Although it is not explicitly stated, intelligence concerning the Adepti still needs to be kept confidential."
As she handed it to Bai Ye, Yelan also reminded him.
"Don't worry. Other than me, no second person will see it."
Before you continue