I, the Geo Archon Morax with 2.1 Billion Mora, Have Joined a Chat Group [227]

The next day.

After resting for most of the previous day, the group had regained their usual energy.

Paimon, in particular, was brimming with enthusiasm, eager to set off for the snowy mountain.

However, just as they were preparing to leave, a girl named Sucrose arrived at their inn.

Sucrose, Albedo’s apprentice, had come to deliver a message on his behalf.

Still stationed in the mountains, Albedo had another request for the Traveler.

Since it was along their route anyway, neither Lumine nor Paimon thought too much about it and readily agreed.

As their self-proclaimed bodyguards, Zhongli and the others naturally had no objections.

Taking a slight detour before heading into the depths of the snowfield, they first made their way to Albedo’s laboratory.

Inside the familiar cave, the young alchemist greeted them upon their arrival.

"Traveler, Zhongli, Fu Hua, Guizhong—welcome."

Then, turning his gaze to the floating companion beside them, he added with a slight smile, "And, of course, hello to you too, Paimon."

"Heh, so, what’s the request this time?" Paimon crossed her arms, striking an authoritative pose. "We’ve got a lot of other things to do, you know. Helping you out is taking up precious time, so you’d better compensate us properly!"

Albedo chuckled softly and, with a simple motion of his hand, summoned a sword from the laboratory table.

It was an ominous-looking one-handed blade.

The sword’s body was old and jet black, its surface pulsing with faint purple luminescence, forming intricate, interconnected patterns. A gemstone embedded in the hilt emitted a dark violet glow.

Albedo presented the weapon to Lumine and Paimon.

"This request concerns this sword."

"A while ago, the Knights of Favonius raided a Treasure Hoarder camp outside Mondstadt and confiscated a variety of stolen goods—this sword being one of them."

"Most of the loot was unclaimed, its origins unknown, so it was left in storage. I happened to see this sword while retrieving something from the warehouse and took it out for examination."

"At first, I intended to use it as alchemical material, but during my research, I discovered that this blade possesses a unique ability."

"Traveler, you’re familiar with the dragon, Durin, aren’t you?"

Lumine nodded slightly.

Paimon, ever the vocal one, chimed in, "Of course! That’s the dragon Barbatos and Dvalin fought against back in the day! After being defeated, it crashed into this very mountain, right?"

"Exactly." Albedo confirmed. "This sword was forged using Durin’s blood or scales. It carries the dragon’s corrupting venom, which is why people refer to it as a cursed blade."

"This weapon gains power through bloodshed, but the strength it offers is tainted—an insidious poison that corrodes the wielder. For an ordinary person, using it would mean certain death."

"But you, Traveler, are different. You possess the ability to purify Durin’s venom, meaning that, in theory, only you can wield this sword safely."

At this point, Albedo paused for a moment before continuing.

"My request is simple: I’d like you to use this sword as much as possible and help it grow stronger."

"...That sounds kind of dangerous." Paimon narrowed her eyes, watching the ominous sword hover in midair. "Something that dangerous—are we really sure Lumine should be using it?"

"Of course. And to make it worth your while, I’m offering a reward of no less than 300 Primogems. What do you think? Interested?" Albedo didn’t hesitate to dangle the incentive.

"Hmm…"

Lumine pondered for a moment, glancing at Zhongli and the others before turning back to Albedo.

Then, slowly, she nodded. Reaching out, she grasped the dark violet sword in her hand.

The moment she did, the sword’s glow intensified, an eerie, pulsating light radiating from its blade.

Anyone watching would have felt a sense of unease.

"Are you feeling okay, Lumine?" Paimon asked quickly.

"I’m fine." Lumine shook her head, weighing the sword in her hand before tilting her head slightly. "It doesn’t feel like anything special… Just like an ordinary one-handed sword."

"Hey, don’t just brush this off! It’s literally glowing ominously! Do normal swords do that?!" Paimon cried.

"But at least it’s not affecting the Traveler." Albedo interjected calmly.

"Mhm, I think so too." Lumine agreed.

"...Am I the only one here who’s actually worried about this thing?!" Paimon threw her hands up in frustration. "It’s a cursed sword—a weapon that grows stronger by killing!"

"I don’t see an issue with that." Zhongli remained composed. "By common reason, a sword is merely a sword. It is the wielder who determines whether it becomes a blade of justice or one of malice."

"That is the logical conclusion," Fu Hua added.

"Hahaha, Paimon, don’t stress yourself out." Guizhong giggled, wrapping her arms around the little companion. "Lumine is a mature individual—she knows what she’s doing."

"Ugh, fine, fine." Paimon slumped her shoulders, looking dejected. "Everyone trusts Lumine so much that I’m starting to sound like some overprotective mother."

"Mmm…"

Lumine’s response was to pull Paimon into a hug.

"Paimon isn’t a mother… You’re… one of a kind…"

"Huh?" Paimon’s eyes lit up.

"A one-of-a-kind… emergency food." Lumine’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Eh—?! Why are we still bringing that up?! Can’t we just let it go already?!"

Laughing and teasing all the way, the group finally left Albedo’s lab and began their ascent toward the peak of Dragonspine.

This time, however, they encountered an obstacle before even making it halfway.

A massive wind barrier blocked their path.

This strange phenomenon, covering the entirety of the mountain’s summit, caused Lumine to furrow her brows.

"Looks like we can’t go any further."

Paimon, having quickly recovered from her earlier sulking, cupped a hand over her eyes and gazed toward the peak.

"I’ll fly up and take a look!"

With that, she shot straight into the air, disappearing into the sky within moments.

...

About ten minutes passed.

Just as the Traveler was beginning to grow a little anxious, Paimon finally returned, panting heavily as she flew back toward them.

She flopped onto Lumine’s shoulder, spreading her arms in exhaustion. "No good. It’s too high. I flew up at least two thousand meters, but the wind barrier was still there. There’s no way to get past it just by flying."

"Perhaps this is a seal placed by Barbatos," Zhongli mused. "Logically speaking, after defeating the dragon Durin, it would be reasonable for Barbatos to establish a wind barrier to seal Durin’s remains within the mountain."

"That does make sense," Paimon nodded knowingly before clapping her hands together. She turned to Lumine excitedly. "Then let’s go to Mondstadt and find that bard! He can probably lift the seal for us!"

"No need," Guizhong interjected, raising a hand to stop them. "I’ve read about this wind barrier in my research."

"This isn’t a wind barrier created by the Anemo Archon. It has existed ever since this ancient kingdom was frozen and destroyed two thousand years ago."

"So even the bard can’t get rid of it?" Paimon’s eyes widened in realization.

"Not necessarily," Zhongli replied. "Since he is the God of Wind, he could likely dispel it as well." His gaze shifted toward Guizhong. "But I suspect you’re not finished explaining."

"Of course not." Guizhong nodded, then turned to the Traveler.

"Lumine, do you remember the inscriptions on the stone tablets?"

"I still recall some of them." Lumine nodded slightly.

"One of them stated: ‘Blizzards covered the skies, and the pillars of heaven shattered into three…’ You remember that part, don’t you?"

"Yeah."

"According to records, this wind barrier only emerged after the three heavenly pillars collapsed," Guizhong explained. "Which means… if we can locate those three fallen pillars, we might be able to break the wind barrier."

"Huh? That actually makes sense!" Paimon perked up in excitement. She grabbed Lumine’s hand and tugged her forward. "Let’s go, let’s go! I remember seeing a weird-looking ice pillar near the base of the mountain—maybe that’s one of them!"

"Alright." Lumine followed after Paimon, heading downhill with a lighthearted step.

Guizhong, Fu Hua, and Zhongli remained behind.

After Lumine had gone some distance ahead, Guizhong turned to Zhongli, frowning slightly. "Zhongli… are you hiding something from me and Lumine?"

"Logically speaking, yes." Zhongli gave a small nod.

"And your reason?" Guizhong pressed further.

"A contract… I am fulfilling my contract," Zhongli said calmly. "And I am also respecting the Traveler’s wishes. Guizhong, this matter has nothing to do with you or Fu Hua. This is Lumine’s journey—her story."

"Our role is merely to ensure her safety as she ventures through the storm that awaits in these mountains. As for everything else…"

He paused and turned his gaze toward the other side of the mountain.

With her sharp eyesight, Guizhong followed his line of sight. In the distance, a small Hilichurl camp stood, yet something about it felt off.

The number of Abyss Mages present far exceeded what was normal. Towering, unusually strong Hilichurls also lurked among them.

"All of this… is something the Traveler must face on her own. This is her battle."

Zhongli stared at the camp for a few seconds longer before looking away.

"It’s time for her to learn the truth. Time for her to face it."

"This journey through Dragonspine… is the perfect opportunity."

Guizhong frowned as if about to argue, then hesitated. In the end, she let out a quiet sigh and gently took hold of Zhongli’s arm.

"I understand some of it… but not all." Her voice was soft. "I just don’t want Lumine to get hurt. She’s such a sweet girl."

"Yes," Zhongli agreed, his amber eyes deep as if holding countless stars. "She shouldn’t have to suffer."

"And I won’t let her suffer."

"But what she must face… she must face."

"Mm." Guizhong nodded slightly. "Zhongli, I trust you—just like I did four thousand years ago."

Beside them, Fu Hua stood quietly.

For a fleeting moment, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over her.

Where had she seen this before?

When had she seen this before?

She couldn’t remember at all.

---

"Prince! Prince!"

A lively voice rang through the large Hilichurl tent as a certain red-haired witch bounced around energetically.

Her movements were completely unrestrained, almost like a child hopping about aimlessly without reason.

"Witch… are you in a good mood?"

The voice of the golden-haired prince was calm and cold, devoid of any obvious emotion—like something worn smooth by the erosion of time.

"Yes, I am." The red-haired witch smiled radiantly.

"Why?" Even as he asked, the prince’s tone remained frigid.

"Because something good happened, of course."

The witch giggled. "My daughter has finally started listening to me. The bedtime story I told her last night made her develop a liking for deep-fried fowl. She used to hate meat."

"A bedtime story?"

For the first time, the prince showed a hint of curiosity.

"Would you like to hear it, my prince?" The witch asked playfully.

"You may summarize it. Do not waste time—we still need to locate the mechanism leading to the mountain’s peak." The prince spoke indifferently.

"Fine, fine. But I doubt you’d find it interesting. Let’s get to the main topic instead."

The witch’s playful expression faded, replaced by a more serious demeanor.

"First of all, we both know where we are—this is the land of the ancient kingdom that perished two thousand years ago."

"Yes, I know." The prince nodded.

"This kingdom predates even the Black Sun Dynasty of five hundred years ago. It was one of the many nations wiped out by the great Heavenly Principles. You should be aware of that as well," the witch said in a sing-song tone.

"…Blizzards covered the skies, and the pillars of heaven shattered into three…"

"This inscription describes how, two thousand years ago, Dragonspine’s kingdom was completely destroyed by the three ‘Nails of Cold Sky’ that fell from Celestia."

"As someone who also hails from a nation that harnesses ley lines, you should understand their fate all too well, my prince."

The golden-haired prince’s expression remained unreadable. His only response was a quiet:

"Get to the point."

"We…"

Before the witch could finish her sentence, she suddenly turned toward the mountainside, as if sensing something.

"What is it?"

In an instant, the prince unsheathed his sword—a one-handed blade gleaming with a deep violet glow. His brows furrowed slightly.

"Someone is watching us," the witch murmured. Then, after a brief pause, she let out a quiet sigh.

"It seems… to be someone I know."

"Why would they be here? Strange. Unbelievable!"

"No… that person…"

The witch’s expression suddenly shifted.

She stared, eyes widening in pure astonishment.

For the first time in her life, in the presence of the golden-haired prince—

She looked utterly shaken.

"This is… truly unbelievable!"

---

This is a fan translation of 我，21亿岩王帝君加入聊天群 by 大一统. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!