SFS Chapter 192 The Boy Who Came to Me
Chapter 192 The Boy Who Came to Me
Xu Ning did not stay in the Dust Concealment Cave to admire the fragment. Instead, he left the cave and found another deep red stone, which he then broke open. He returned with a wisp of blood energy and struck the remaining solid ice.
Without the supply of cold air from the fragment of the Frost Nail, the remaining ice was almost powerless against this wisp of warm blood energy.
Within seconds, the warm, moist earth surface was revealed inside the tree bark.
Then Xu Ning saw a sapling sprout from the ground.
The saplings grow extremely fast; it only takes a moment for them to sprout and grow to be as thick as two people can hug.
"Just as rumored, this is indeed a branch of the World Tree? But these branches are stained with blood..."
Xu Ning stood before the tree, which was known as the "Honeysuckle Tree" in his previous life, and for the first time felt the will of the world.
Xu Ning had been puzzled by why this snow-capped mountain kingdom was destroyed by the Nails of Frost in his previous life.
It seems to be simply because of "questioning".
When the kingdom was destroyed, the Frost Nails also destroyed the giant trees that existed there.
Now that this tree branch, which has absorbed the red blood energy, is growing again, does it mean that this world is also protesting against the injustice from above?
When Xu Ning cut open the Crimson Stone, he sensed that what was contained within it was not a warm power, but rather the blood essence of the dead demonic dragon, Dulin.
Durin, once regarded as a dragon by Mondstadt, was able to revive a tree that had died thousands of years ago by channeling his blood energy after his death.
Moreover, the failed creation of the Primordial Being by the Golden Rhinedots, surely Rhinedots wouldn't waste their efforts giving it life force, right?
Yet he still woke up from the dragon's abdomen after Dulin's death. Perhaps the life force that allowed him to live was also thanks to Dulin?
Xu Ning thought for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud as he looked in the direction of Sleeping Dragon Valley.
"Thinking about it that way, it really is an incredibly gentle dragon!"
Xu Ning's unintentional sigh was overheard by the person who had just walked up behind him.
"Excuse me for asking, you just mentioned a gentle... dragon? Are you referring to the demonic dragon Dulin who died on this snowy mountain?"
Xu Ning turned around and saw the silver-haired, blue-eyed boy standing behind her, looking slightly puzzled, waiting for her reply.
"Yes, that's definitely what they're talking about."
The boy asked, "But isn't it said that he is a demonic dragon? A creation of darkness, a dragon with deadly poison."
Xu Ning paused for a moment before saying, "I think it's because it never had a choice."
"When something is easily created by someone, it is painted with colors that do not belong to it and is destined to be unacceptable to others."
"It had no complete understanding of the world before it faced the bitter fruit of death, yet even so, it seemed that until its death, it still loved the world and dreamed of singing with it."
Xu Ning looked at the boy behind him and asked, "Moreover, it seems that many people and things in these mountains have benefited from it. Doesn't that make it a gentle dragon?"
The boy was silent for a moment, then looked into Xu Ning's eyes and asked, "I think what you said makes a lot of sense. May I ask your name?"
Only after hearing this did Xu Ning remember to take a closer look at the boy in front of him.
"Xu Ning, a Liyue native, is an adventurer who came to explore the snowy mountains."
The boy patted his chest and introduced himself: "Abedo, a Mondstadt native, is conducting alchemical research in the snowy mountains."
Xu Ning suddenly laughed.
"It's fate that we met. The old palace not far away can provide shelter from the wind and snow. Would you like to come over there with me for a drink?"
Abedo nodded and said, "I was going to invite you to the place where I do my research to warm up by the fire, but unfortunately a Frost Armored King came two days ago and destroyed the entire cave while I was away."
Xu Ning sighed, echoing his words, "That's a real pity."
The two walked a few steps along the snow-covered path and arrived inside the old palace, heading directly to the innermost part.
At the very back of the old palace is a control panel, presumably used to operate the massive gate behind it.
There are eight stone tablet characters around the mechanism, but only one of them is lit up.
Xu Ning clearly remembered that a few days ago, when the Tiger Fang team was staying here, Tiger accidentally touched the stone tablet next to them, and then the stone tablet and the characters lit up together.
The last battle happened so suddenly that both of the Tiger Fang Squad's tents were still in the cave.
Xu Ning reached into the tent and pulled out two pillows, tossing them unceremoniously on the ground, gesturing for Abed to sit down.
Then he placed the two bowls in front of him, poured two bowls of nectar, and pushed one bowl to Abedo.
"Come on, drink up a bowl, to toast our new friend."
Xu Ning smiled and lightly tapped the bowl on the ground before drinking it by himself.
Abedo glanced down at the wine bowl on the ground, hesitated slightly before picking it up, taking a small sip, and said softly, "To my new friend."
Seeing that Abedo seemed to be slowly savoring the wine in his bowl, Xu Ning smiled and asked, "Looks like this is your first time drinking?"
Abedo was slightly surprised by Xu Ning's question. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I've had wine before, but I've never had wine from Liyue. I must savor it carefully."
Xu Ning nodded. "I see. Let me refill your glass, please continue to enjoy! I bet you'll soon come to love Liyue's wine, after all, you've met the largest wine merchant in Liyue with the most fine wines."
Abedo remembered all this information and asked, "Then what are you doing in these mountains? Is there anything you need?"
Xu Ning waved his finger at the runes around him and smiled, "Firstly, it's an adventure to find the secrets buried deep in the snow-capped mountains. Secondly, I'm also entrusted by someone to find some minerals and rare materials."
Abedo nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly asked Xu Ning, "Can I walk around in the mountains with you?"