nycdaug Chapter 406 The True Purpose of the Order
Chapter 406 The True Purpose of the Order
Upon hearing Xu Ning's words, both Kong and Paimeng realized that the situation was indeed quite troublesome.
Dain, however, spoke up directly.
"No need to overthink it, just get started."
Sora and Paimon were shocked when they heard this, exclaiming, "How could this be!"
"Although I must admit that the tenacity of these black knights' willpower, which has withstood five hundred years of wear and tear without being worn away, can be considered a miracle born from despair."
"But five hundred years have passed, and the curse cast by the gods has long since permeated them. Under those dark armors, there is probably nothing left. Let's do it... consider it helping them find release."
Xu Ning looked at the Black Serpent Knights who kept trying to drive him away from the Hilichurls and sighed deeply.
"I'm so sorry..."
Just as Xu Ning was about to make his move, a shout, resembling a command, suddenly came from a platform on the first floor of the high-rise building.
The Black Serpent Knight, who was engaged in battle, suddenly stopped attacking, maintained a guarded stance with his gun, and slowly retreated to the rear.
Xu Ning also stopped what he was doing and looked in the direction of the sound.
As expected, the blue-armored knight reappeared, but his gaze seemed to be fixed on Dain behind him.
“————!!!”
Xu Ning heard him say another sentence, and then disappear into the gap again.
“He told us to go over there, and it looks like there won’t be any more Black Serpent Knights blocking our way.”
Dain looked visibly somber. After explaining the Blue Armor Knight's words to the crowd, he took the lead and walked towards that direction.
"What? Looks like he recognized you? Is he someone you know?"
Xu Ning took a sip of his drink, walked to Dain's left, and asked curiously.
Din nodded. "I only recognized him when I heard him speak just now."
"He was a young elite in the former palace guard, named Hafdan. I still remember that on the day of the Kanria cataclysm, before I rushed to the palace, I told Hafdan to 'tell all the Black Serpent Knights to protect the people of Kanria no matter what.'"
Xu Ning took a sip of wine. "To carry out the duty of protection for hundreds of years, until reason is worn away, yet still hold fast to the original belief. I admire people like that the most. I really want to know what he wants to take us to see."
The three passed through the dark, narrow passage and turned upwards, passing by the Hilichurls who did not react to their passage, and the Black Serpent Knight did not attempt to stop them again.
"Is this the hall he wanted us to see? Apart from a strange base, there doesn't seem to be anything else here, does there?"
Paimon spread his little hands, "And where is he? Isn't he going to meet us and explain?"
Xu Ning tilted his head back, took a sip of wine, and pointed to the top of his head.
"Perhaps what he wanted us to see was that place."
Thanks to Xu Ning's reminder, everyone witnessed the most peculiar scene since entering the Abyss of Layered Rocks.
Above their heads hung an upside-down fountain.
And even now, this fountain hanging upside down from the ceiling is still spouting clear spring water, which is divided into four streams and flows into the pool at the bottom of the pool, circulating endlessly.
Kong couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "What kind of power is this that can achieve such a feat? And it's been five hundred years, yet this fountain hasn't dried up. It's truly astonishing. But why did Hafdan send us to see this?"
Dain stepped forward. "I think I can explain this answer."
“When I stood under this pool, the power of the curse on me seemed to be suppressed even further. I’m afraid that the local power that can weaken the curse comes from this fountain—or rather, from the water in this fountain.”
Xu Ning walked to Dai Yin's side and looked up at the pool above, just like him.
"Then tell me, if I grab your belt right now and throw you into the pool above, will it wash away the curse on you?"
Dyne subtly shifted a step to the side, moving a little further away from Xu Ning.
"You can say such things because you don't know how the curse exists. I have been conscious and coexisting with the curse on my body for hundreds of years, and no one knows more about it than I do."
"As a mark that transcends cause and effect, the power of the curse itself is beyond our human comprehension. Even now, I can still feel its permeation, slow but never stopping."
"If we were to remove the curse, it would be tantamount to burning away the cursed part of myself. This would be difficult for me to bear, not to mention the people of Kanria who have been completely corrupted by the curse. They would have died long ago while trying to cleanse themselves of the curse."
Xu Ning shook his head and said, "That's a pity."
As the three were talking, a clicking sound came from somewhere, and a stone door at the front of the hall slowly opened, revealing Hafdan standing far away on a path, watching them.
Kong looked at Xu Ning and Dai Yin inquiringly, "Does this mean we should continue to follow?"
Xu Ning looked at the pool above and waved his hand thoughtfully, "You guys go with him and take a look. I feel there's something strange about this pool, and I want to stay here and look around a bit more."
Kong and Daine followed Hafdan forward again. Xu Ning glanced in that direction, and it no longer looked like a city, but rather a cave belonging to the Abyss of Layered Rocks.
Xu Ning turned his gaze back to the incredible pool at the top, recalling the path he had taken.
“Something once fell from the heavens and crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater that formed a giant abyss. I came down from the entrance, circled around to reach this place, and saw a shattered city with the power of water to purify curses.”
Xu Ning murmured, "Why does this description seem so familiar?"
"That's right, it's Dragon Ridge Snow Mountain!"
“Once, a celestial nail fell from the sky and smashed a deep crater in the snow-capped mountains. The city that once belonged to Fendnir was shattered by the celestial nail.”
"The location I am in now should actually coincide with the entrance to the cave I came from, but there may have been some deviation due to crustal movement. However, I am sure I can find a similar downward circular pit nearby, and the final deep pit should point to a sky nail!"
Xu Ning was somewhat pleased to have figured this out.
A Sky Spike has appeared in Mondstadt, a Sky Spike has appeared in Liyue, where will the Sky Spike in Inazuma be?
If we have time, we could go back and investigate.
The gods in heaven are so tyrannical in unleashing punishment upon the world; who knows what secrets they are hiding?
But putting aside the distant past, this pool of water in front of us also contains mysteries that are hard to fathom. How can we find a way to take some of it down?