Jiang Xiaofeng returned beneath the upside-down ruins.
Jiang Xiaofeng raised his hand and summoned the Cursed Sword.
Before long, a strange longsword with a black body and red edges flew up before Jiang Xiaofeng, spinning in cheerful circles.
"Enjoying your meal?"
Jiang Xiaofeng smiled and pointed ahead.
"There's an even bigger serving here."
Before the Cursed Sword could fly over, Jiang Xiaofeng grabbed it and pointed overhead.
"Up there first."
Holding the Cursed Sword, Jiang Xiaofeng flew up to the entrance of the ruins.
Then Jiang Xiaofeng swung the blade, cleaved through the barrier, and walked inside.
"Sure enough... none of it has started yet..."
Jiang Xiaofeng thought as he looked at the ruins, where there should have been Hilichurls.
I'll probably have to wait until the Inazuma storyline ends before Aether sets his sights on this place and tries to remove the curse... but what does that have to do with me?
Jiang Xiaofeng soon found the door that required nine Blue Orbs to open. He swung the Cursed Blade and hacked the mechanism-operated door apart in a few quick strokes, took the Mora from several chests, and left.
Jiang Xiaofeng left the notes in the chests untouched as well.
After finding and unlocking this most absurdly placed Waypoint, Jiang Xiaofeng let go of the Cursed Blade.
The Cursed Blade had long since run out of patience. The moment he let go, it punched straight through the ruins' wall and plunged into the large purple sphere.
Jiang Xiaofeng spread his wings and jumped through the gap in the center of the ruins, unfurling his dragon wings as he headed toward the other bell.
Jiang Xiaofeng raised his foot and kicked the greatsword-wielding Black Serpent Knight, which was still trying to struggle, into a scattering of armor, then rang the bell here.
Afterward, he recalled the Cursed Sword, then took it out of his backpack again.
"Full yet?"
"Still not full... no matter, there's an even bigger serving later."
"What? You can't waste food? Who taught you that now..."
Jiang Xiaofeng teleported back to the upside-down ruins while conversing quietly with the Cursed Sword.
Two furious Abyss Lectors had already appeared below, one Electro and one Pyro.
After a moment's thought, Jiang Xiaofeng took out the Hydro Vision he had seized, formed a ball of water, and threw it over.
I should still try doing as the locals do and show this world's elemental reactions some respect.
"Who's there!"
The Pyro Herald immediately floated up. Seeing this, the Electro Herald floated up too and began chanting.
Jiang Xiaofeng activated the Wings of the Crow, flew above the two Heralds, and dropped down, blue and yellow light flashing across his left and right hands.
Jiang Xiaofeng wanted to find some new ways to play.
The Hydro Vision at Jiang Xiaofeng's waist glowed faintly, and a ball of water floated directly above the two Heralds and burst.
Jiang Xiaofeng raised his left hand, and Cryo from the Cryo Hypostasis enveloped the two Heralds, who had been drenched in Hydro.
Both of them froze solid.
"That's it?"
Jiang Xiaofeng landed with a clang and raised his right hand, which lit up with an earthen-yellow glow.
Then Jiang Xiaofeng slammed it into the ground!
Three Stone Steles burst from the earth, surrounding the two Heralds just as they broke free of the ice.
The Electro Herald had only just raised his hand and released several spinning lightning orbs when the resonance from the three Stone Steles interrupted his chant.
The Pyro Herald flew up, trying to escape the area of the Stone Steles' resonance, but Jiang Xiaofeng simply raised a massive warhammer forged from Geo and smashed him back down.
Jiang Xiaofeng drove the Pyro Herald to the point where he almost wanted to explode on the spot.
Attack? His attacks couldn't reach.
Escape? The man wouldn't let him run at all!
Conjure an elemental shield to resist? There wasn't time. The Stone Steles' resonance always interrupted him at just the right moment!
He couldn't land a hit or escape.
The Electro Herald was the same, nearly driven mad.
After playing around for a while, Jiang Xiaofeng gradually grew bored, so he simply raised his hand, and the three Stone Steles sank back into the ground.
Before the two Heralds had time to retaliate, Jiang Xiaofeng released the Cursed Sword.
Crack! Crack!
Two crisp sounds rang out as the Cursed Sword instantly beheaded both Heralds.
Sigh, after absorbing the Hypostasis elements, even I, who should have been a warrior, have been spoiled into a mage...
Jiang Xiaofeng thought helplessly as he watched the two Abyss Heralds suddenly stop moving.
The Heralds' bodies instantly stiffened, then turned into black mist, which the Cursed Sword eagerly devoured.
Jiang Xiaofeng left and found the area where the exploration team would later set up camp, activating the Waypoint.
Then Jiang Xiaofeng blasted apart the nearby rocks and jumped down.
Jiang Xiaofeng partially transformed his body into a dragon and flew straight down into the cavern.
Watching the ground draw closer and closer, Jiang Xiaofeng righted himself and brought both feet down on the Black Serpent Knight!
Clang!
Jiang Xiaofeng crushed the Black Serpent Knight underfoot.
Jiang Xiaofeng calmly collected the drops and walked out toward the cavern entrance.
"Come over here."
Jiang Xiaofeng heard a voice say this.
Of course, he knew it was the giant mushroom calling him.
But Jiang Xiaofeng had no intention of going over to him.
After all, Jiang Xiaofeng had other things to do.
Besides, could the giant mushroom give him anything?
No, nothing at all!
Jiang Xiaofeng was already being quite generous by letting the Cursed Sword roam freely and absorb the filthy power to alleviate the giant mushroom's current condition...
Jiang Xiaofeng went around the giant mushroom and left the area.
The giant mushroom: "..."
Jiang Xiaofeng soon found the Waypoint here. After activating it, he slowly walked onward.
"Have you come... to play with me?"
A seductive voice reached Jiang Xiaofeng's ears.
Jiang Xiaofeng immediately raised his left hand. At the same time, the Vision hanging at his waist shone.
Soon, an ice sculpture of an Electro Cicin Mage stood before Jiang Xiaofeng, with only her head exposed.
"Katarina Snezhevna?"
Jiang Xiaofeng called out.
Katarina froze.
"One of us?"
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head.
"I want to join the Fatui, but I haven't yet. That's all."
Jiang Xiaofeng breathed out flames, slowly melting the ice around Katarina.
Katarina rubbed her shoulder, loosening her aching arms.
Jiang Xiaofeng wasted no words either, asking, "Where's your younger brother?"
Katarina paused. "You know my younger brother too?"
Jiang Xiaofeng waved a hand.
"I won't ask too much, and don't ask me anything else either."
"I ask, you answer."
"Where is your younger brother now?"
"Will he come back for you?"
"Have you had any news of him?"
Jiang Xiaofeng fired off three questions in a row, leaving Katarina at a loss.
After a long while, Katarina raised her head from her thoughts.
"He should be safe and sound right now."
"He and I agreed that no matter how far we got exploring this place, we had to turn back once the time was up."
"It's about time now."
After saying this, Katarina looked at Jiang Xiaofeng.
"I've shown you the necessary respect."
"Now, please introduce yourself, you strange fellow."
Katarina said.
Jiang Xiaofeng nodded.
"You can call me The Beheaded."
"As for who I am... I came from Liyue Harbor to give you all a warning."
Though you're the only one I've found so far...
"The Fatui in Liyue Harbor may be about to make a major move. Make your food last as long as you can, or simply ask for as much as possible when you request supplies."
"Don't sympathize with Liyue at a time like this. Make sure you survive before talking about anything else."
"If all else fails, work with the Treasure Hoarders now. They really do have a knack for smuggling things."
After saying this, Jiang Xiaofeng took some raw meat, fowl, and vegetables he had obtained by robbing Hilichurls out of his backpack.
"I'll leave these with you."
"Mm, in exchange, give me some of your firewater."
"I don't want to lay a hand on your colleagues for now, so I'd better have some proof to let them know they'd best not fight me."
Jiang Xiaofeng stated his purpose.