Chapter 228: Past of the Black Snake Knights

Zhongli's gift can completely be called a great gift.

A divine artifact–level weapon.

This is a rare item even across the entire Teyvat continent.

The Wind Hawk Sword in Qin's hands is already a heirloom of the West Wind Knight Order.

Moreover, the power of that sword is truly mouth-watering to behold.

Earlier, when they encountered Sanbing in Mondstadt.

Qin originally couldn't budge Sanbing, who had a divine body, but once the Wind Hawk Sword appeared, any divine-level body likewise had to dodge its edge; it was precisely out of fear of the Wind Hawk Sword that gave Luo De the chance to wildly bombard Sanbing.

Compared to Mondstadt with its inheritance, the god‑forsaken Sumeru has hardly any good divine artifact inheritance.

Otherwise, Nadixa would surely have gotten Luo De a weapon.

It's a pity.

Due to the break in the divine level.

Nadixa had no stock, the Great Merciful Tree King had none either; the only possible source, Apep, Luo De didn't dare to ask her for.

So he has kept using that weapon he obtained during the holy ritual.

Unexpectedly.

He hasn't accomplished anything yet in Liyue.

Zhongli first sent out a divine artifact he had once used.

Rainbow‑Piercing Spear.

Its name is spear, so it is naturally different from a normal long spear.

In terms of length.

Rainbow‑Piercing Spear is about one and a half times the length of the Jade Wing, standing on the ground it is almost as tall as two Xiao.

"Forgive me for disrespecting the immortal master again."

Although it wasn't intentional, seeing the obvious height comparison between Rainbow‑Piercing Spear and Xiao, Luo De couldn't help but compare them in his mind.

This joke about the three‑foot‑five‑inch immortal really is impossible to get around.

He shook his head, tossing stray thoughts out of his mind.

Luo De continued to examine the Rainbow‑Piercing Spear in his hand.

Its heavy feel in hand, transcendent material, and the sound of air tearing with a light swing made him ever more delighted the longer he looked.

That can be said.

Rainbow‑Piercing Spear is the most comfortable weapon Luo De has ever used.

The only drawback.

Possibly just being a bit too long.

Compared to the Blazing Sun Spear Technique he has studied, he needs a good period to adapt.

"Really a fine spear."

After another word of praise, Luo De stowed the Rainbow‑Piercing Spear and looked at Hafdan, who had remained silent there.

This stubborn yet loyal knight.

Since guiding Luo De here, he has taken no other action, standing like a wooden post, silently watching Luo De.

"Alright, I've driven those people away; you can start dismantling these devices."

While speaking, Luo De glanced up at the similarly inverted spring above his head.

This spring is special, possessing the ability to purify curses.

But this spring was not made by the Kanriya people.

Rather, it has always existed in the relics left by that ancient civilization, until the Kanriya people discovered it.

Thinking of this.

Luo De then turned his gaze back to Hafdan.

The former site of Kanriya lies deep in Sumeru.

To get here, one must first cross the entire Sumeru desert, then pass through the rainforest region, finally enter the Layered Rock Abyss at Huachengguo, then go deep underground until finding this relic that can suppress the spread of curses.

This cannot be accomplished in a single day.

Unless Hafdan and his group had stayed with the Kanriya nationals near this relic at that time.

But that is impossible.

Moreover, thinking of the Black Snake Knights scattered throughout the Layered Rock Abyss and Kanriya's war machines.

Luo De roughly pieced together a timeline of Kanriya's past catastrophe.

Roughly speaking, it was when Kanriya suffered a drastic change five hundred years ago.

【Sword of the Final Light】 Dainsleif entrusted Hafdan, 'Convey to all Black Snake Knights: no matter what, protect the people of Kanriya.'

Carrying this order.

Hafdan mustered his Black Snake Knights and led the organized Kanriya nationals out of the war‑torn Kanriya capital.

Just like that.

Under the protection of the war machines and Black Snake Knights, the surviving Kanriya nationals began to wander in the Sumeru desert, where the dark disaster had broken out and monsters filled the land.

But as Kanriya suffered defeat.

Not only did their former homeland crumble, but the curse from the Heavenly Principle also followed.

The bodies of those Kanriya nationals who were once ordinary began to change: first their skin peeled, then their limbs rotted, their consciousness grew increasingly hazy, and the temperature of their blood slowly drained from their broken bodies, until finally they became mindless, terrifying monsters that horrified anyone who saw them.

Even worse.

Not everyone underwent this transformation.

Panic spread among this group of pitiful people who had lost their homeland.

Luo De could imagine that.

To maintain the unit's stability, Hafdan and his Black Snake Knights had to spare no effort, working to reduce everyone's panic while sending people everywhere to find a way to suppress the curse.

They might have taken one year, or ten years, or even several decades.

Finally.

The Kanrui Ya people found this ruin, and found this holy spring that can be used to weaken the curse.

Thus Hafdan gathered all still-functional war machines, leading the surviving Kanrui Ya citizens across all of Sumeru, enduring great hardships to reach this ruin.

Luo De was unsure whether, when Hafdan and his group arrived at the Stratified Rock Abyss, the black disaster in Liyue had already subsided.

But according to the historical records of both Sumeru and Liyue, no one has ever mentioned this peculiar troop, huge in size and carrying massive machinery.

Luo De was ninety percent sure.

That is, when Hafdan and his group arrived at the Stratified Rock Abyss, Liyue was still engulfed in war.

At that point in time.

Liyue might not yet have begun to lure the pitch-black monsters into the Stratified Rock Abyss.

But even if the Stratified Rock Abyss was not then at war with the pitch-black monsters, the time difference would not have been long.

In short.

Hafdan and his group, who had only just managed to settle in the ruin.

they immediately encountered the Abyss corruption brought by the pitch-black monsters.

Their war machines, too, lost the most basic friend-or-foe distinction under the influence of Abyss power; therefore, Hafdan and his group had to put those machines originally meant to protect the citizens into dormancy and send them to the ruin's location.

But this holy spring could only weaken their curses, and could not possibly purify them.

As time passed.

Even with the holy spring's aid, the Kanrui Ya citizens inevitably turned into Hilichurls, and the Black Snake Knights, under the dual effect of Abyss power's catalysis and the curse, had their flesh and consciousness eroded, becoming the dim, empty shells that now only remember to protect the citizens.

Hafdan, having lost most of his intellect, still retained human reason.

But he had long since lost the ability to observe people and discern things.

Regarding Luo De's change in expression, he could not see anything abnormal, merely nodding mechanically to show his gratitude to Luo De.

Afterward.

He then swung the greatsword in his hand, shattering the Abyss Order's painstakingly installed amplifier in a single stroke.

(End of chapter)