Ganyu's Conjecture

Bai Ye had always wondered where he learned his Adeptal Arts.

His teacher didn't know either.

She was an Archon, and her power was beyond what humans could learn. Therefore, all she could teach him was Adeptal Arts she had learned from some unknown source.

Now, it seemed, the origin of the Adeptal Arts was clear.

Bai Ye felt it was quite a coincidence. When he was learning the Adeptal Arts, he thought the Adepti who mastered them were long gone. Yet, here he was, being told that said Adepti was not only alive and well, but also had two incredibly powerful students.

He thought back to when he and Yelan were in the labyrinth. His teacher had mentioned feeling like she'd had a conflict with the labyrinth's owner.

Teacher, oh teacher, I hope the method you used to obtain these Adeptal Arts was a legitimate one.

Ganyu walked over to Bai Ye at this moment, gently patted his shoulder, and continued to ask, "Where did you meet your master? It couldn't have been Mt. Aocang, right? If it were, my teacher would have told me."

Where on earth did Bai Ye secretly get taken in by the teacher?

Could it be that because my other student and I couldn't inherit her Art of Automata, she secretly nurtured a final disciple? And to spare our feelings, she didn't tell us?

Thinking to reveal herself only after he had achieved mastery?

Sensing Ganyu's presence, sweat beaded on Bai Ye's forehead.

"Ah? What's wrong?"

Seeing Bai Ye's reaction, Ganyu quickly took a handkerchief from her waist and wiped his forehead.

"Sister Ganyu, I really am not Cloud Retainer's disciple."

He said earnestly.

"You're not? Then where did your Adeptal Arts come from?"

Ganyu looked at Bai Ye with an expression that said, 'Are you kidding me?'

The Art of Automata could be explained as learned through imitation, but how did he come by these Adeptal Arts?

Bai Ye honestly explained, "I found a cave dwelling in the mountains of Liyue where I accidentally came across secret manuals for Adeptal Arts and the Art of Automata. I don't actually have a teacher; I've just been learning from those manuals."

"Ah? How is that possible?"

Ganyu found it even harder to believe.

Firstly, she didn't think her teacher would have nothing better to do than to leave her Art of Automata and Adeptal Arts in a cave dwelling waiting for someone to learn them.

Secondly, if one could learn such Adeptal Arts and Art of Automata purely from two manuals, then Bai Ye would be too much of a genius.

Seeing that Ganyu still didn't believe him, Bai Ye immediately said, "If you don't believe me, Sister Ganyu, I can take you to that grotto-heaven."

That grotto-heaven truly existed, and any trace of his teacher there had long since vanished. All that remained were the traces of his own cultivation of Adeptal Arts.

"No, it's not that, I don't mean to say you're lying." Ganyu blushed, shaking her head vigorously as if to comfort Bai Ye. However, after holding back for a long time, she couldn't help but confirm with Bai Ye again, "You really didn't learn Adeptal Arts from anyone?"

"Really not. Today is the first time I've learned that the Adeptal Arts I learned came from Cloud Retainer."

Bai Ye said seriously.

Seeing Bai Ye so certain, Ganyu couldn't help but believe him.

Then what is going on?

Ganyu conjured a possible scenario.

Perhaps my teacher intended to pass down her teachings to those fated? Leaving her Adeptal Arts and Art of Automata in a grotto-heaven, and seeing if someone could cultivate their own path without her guidance?

Ganyu considered this. This possibility seemed the most likely.

Otherwise, besides Rex Lapis, there was no one else in this era who could have obtained her methods for cultivating Adeptal Arts.

So, he's still my junior disciple, he just doesn't know it yet.

Ganyu thought, deciding it was best not to tell Bai Ye for now.

My teacher might not want anyone to help Bai Ye.

I'll talk to my teacher when I have time to go to Mt. Aocang.

"Then perhaps it was truly left behind by my teacher by accident back then, and you, Bai Ye, discovered it."

Ganyu said to Bai Ye.

"Yes, yes, I just happened to get lucky."

Seeing that Ganyu was no longer pressing the issue, Bai Ye quickly nodded.

Then, to prevent Ganyu from dwelling on the matter, he quickly said to her, "Forget it, let's talk about the current situation first. Sister Ganyu, look, this Hilichurl King is clearly not normal. Should we check what's going on with it?"

"Okay, Mas... Bai Ye."

Ganyu nodded in agreement.

They walked over to the Hilichurl King and examined its corpse.

Bai Ye had used his Adeptal Arts and Art of Automata to dismember the Hilichurl King, so examining its corpse now saved them the trouble of cutting it up again.

Both of them were accustomed to spending time outdoors, and they felt no psychological pressure witnessing death.

Bai Ye and Ganyu looked at the corpse of the Hilichurl King.

The two couldn't help but frown.

"Under normal circumstances, if he had just died, his muscles wouldn't be so decayed."

Ganyu examined the corpse as she spoke to Bai Ye, "This is the influence of Archon Residue. It's likely that Archon Residue leaked nearby and infected this Hilichurl King."

"Archon Residue, huh."

"Yes, Liyue was the most fiercely contested region during the Archon Wars. Countless Archons were defeated or fled. Even now, the will of many Archons lingers in Guili Plains and other areas."

Ganyu stood up.

"Perhaps Archon Residue has recently been exposed due to the erosion of time. I must go and assess the situation immediately."

She said to Bai Ye, "This is my responsibility. Of course, you don't need to come."

"Sister Ganyu, saying that is like slapping my face! I'm the one who wants to develop Guili Plains, so I definitely need to put in some effort to investigate these matters."

Bai Ye took out his handheld crossbow and gathered the mechanisms he had just deployed.

Ganyu watched from the side and smiled.

"Let's go. Remember to be careful later."

"Don't worry, there's still so much beauty in this world I haven't experienced, so I won't be in any real danger easily."

Bai Ye said to Ganyu as he walked forward.

The two then proceeded in the direction the Hilichurl King had come from.

This Hilichurl King probably hadn't been infected for long, otherwise, it would have already been killed by the Millelith.

Not long after they set off, Bai Ye and Ganyu saw the Hilichurls that Bai Ye had just driven away.

These Hilichurls were now frenzied. Upon seeing Bai Ye and Ganyu, they immediately roared and charged forward.

Their speed was significantly faster than that of ordinary Hilichurls.