Year twenty of the Abyss Era.
The Seven Archons began visiting Celestia frequently, coming from time to time to ask whether there was any news of Xiu Yuan's return.
But every answer they received was no.
Clearly, the Seven Archons were beginning to panic. They only had twenty-seven years in total, and twenty had already passed, yet there was still no word from him.
They seriously suspected that Xiu Yuan had abandoned Teyvat and fled, just like the previous Heavenly Principles.
But after thinking it over carefully, they felt that the idea did not hold up.
If he really intended to flee, why had he created this new continent before leaving, and why had he explained all these things to the Seven Archons?
If he wanted to leave, he could simply have gone without a word. There was no need to go to all that pointless trouble.
Even if Xiu Yuan had come back and openly told them, "I'm leaving. You can stay here and wait to die."
The Seven Archons could have done nothing about it. They simply did not have the power to make him stay.
Shenhe did not involve herself in their speculation.
Precisely because she understood Xiu Yuan well enough, she had always believed that he would return.
Even if he did not bring good news, he would certainly come back.
He would never simply run away like this.
But she did not say any of this aloud. The Seven Archons did not understand Xiu Yuan, so saying it would have been meaningless.
Year twenty-seven of the Abyss Era.
Those who did not know the truth continued to live their lives happily. Everything was so peaceful.
Unlike ordinary people, the Seven Archons now felt despair and helplessness.
Twenty-seven years had passed, and Xiu Yuan still