Reisen Riou and Yae Miko had planned to visit Mondstadt for the dragon calamity, but they ended up witnessing—and joining—a dragon-slaying battle on Dragonspine.
They also scored a haul of materials.
Satisfied, they took the safer water route from Mingyun Village back to Liyue Harbor.
But upon arrival, they found the port teeming with wounded soldiers.
They tracked down Ganyu, who was tending to the injured.
"Sister Ganyu, what's going on?" Miko asked, curious.
Ganyu scratched her Qilin horns, looking puzzled herself.
"The two-hundred-mile Chasm frontline was holding steady, but somehow, the monsters at Stone Gate got cleared out without anyone noticing."
"When the caravans passed through, they realized it. The Thousand Rock Army cleared out local Treasure Hoarders and such, then moved to reinforce the Chasm. These wounded soldiers in Liyue Harbor are the ones rotated back."
"Ganyu! Ganyu!" Two calls rang from the sky.
Everyone looked up to see an ice-blue crane swooping down.
"Greetings, True Lord Who Borrows the Wind!" Reisen and Miko said, reacting first.
"Greetings, Master!" Ganyu chimed in.
"Greetings, Adeptus!" echoed the wounded Thousand Rock soldiers and nearby civilians.
Though Reisen only knew her by reputation, he recognized her as a formidable familiar, with an immortal lifespan of thousands of years.
In his past life, fans dubbed her the Lonely Old Crane, Chatty True Lord, and I-Love-To-Invent True Lord. Her popularity was undeniable.
People especially admired her knack for splitting one outfit into two for Ganyu and Shenhe.
"The matter you asked me to investigate is clear," the Adeptus said. "According to the Conqueror of Demons, he sensed a powerful, searing demonic aura at Qingce Village. Rushing to Stone Gate's border, he found a witch burning the monsters."
"Uh, with so many people around, this isn't the place to talk," True Lord Who Borrows the Wind said, uneasy under the gazes of soldiers and civilians. "Let's head to Tianheng Mountain for details."
The immortal beasts and demons streaked to Tianheng Mountain as beams of light.
"The Conqueror of Demons didn't elaborate on the witch, but Reason's Mountain and Moonlit Pillar speculated she's likely a Mondstadt girl who passed through Liyue years ago."
Not just anyone could be a witch. It required innate, often uncontrollable power—witch aptitude.
Witches wielded immense, godlike strength when awakened.
The most famous? Alice, the Explosive Witch.
"Her name's something like Rosalyne, we think. Likely, she faced some trauma in Mondstadt, awakening her witch essence as the Crimson Witch of Flame. Poor child…" the Adeptus trailed off, rambling.
"Oh, you two are from Inazuma, right? Let me tell you about Ganyu's childhood—"
Ganyu grabbed her master's beak, and the master-disciple duo started bickering.
"We'll take our leave," Reisen said, awkwardly dragging Miko away.
Miko wanted to stay for the gossip, but if True Lord spilled Ganyu's embarrassing past, it'd get awkward. So, when Reisen tugged, she didn't resist and followed.
Seeing them leave, the socially clueless, homebody Adeptus tilted her head. "Do they have somewhere to be?"
"They're Inazuma's main and deputy envoys. Busy folks," Ganyu lied.
In truth, they'd delegated most work to their retinue. It was light—just translating and handling logistics for Inazuma's smiths.
The smiths were fine. Most were samurai, skilled in swordplay, with decent vitality levels. You couldn't forge quality weapons without strength.
Even their senior apprentices, many samurai themselves, had solid vitality and combat skills. Reisen and Miko had little to worry about.
Strolling through Feiyun Slope, they noticed prices dropping. Wounded soldiers, in pairs or trios, shopped at stores. Escort agencies were booming, as soldiers, unable to return home due to frontline duties, sent goods to their families via couriers.
Word of Stone Gate's trade route reopening had reached Liyue Harbor. Merchants, no longer fearing supply shortages, didn't dare hike prices.
They knew Morax might settle old scores. Past price hikes were excusable under trade contracts, but keeping prices high now was asking for trouble.
They'd literally eat rocks—Morax's Stone-Eating Punishment.
Unbeknownst to them, Morax was too busy with the Chasm to care.
Like Barbatos, Morax's divine power was sufficient but limited. His moves were wide-ranging, high-damage attacks.
The Chasm's two-hundred-mile frontline was too complex for a simple stone spear drop.
The beasts included corrupted Geo Dragon Lizards and young ones, Khaenri'ah's Royal Knights turned Black Serpent Knights, and ordinary Khaenri'ahns morphed into Hilichurls.
To counter the Abyss's undying curse, Celestia unleashed an equal force—erosion.
Celestia's erosion worsened Teyvat's existing wear, making it far deadlier.
Erosion wasn't an issue without death, but paired with the undying curse, it turned Khaenri'ahns into Hilichurls unknowingly.
The transformation was swift. Seven or eight deaths turned a civilian into a basic Hilichurl. A dozen or so made warriors into Hilichurl Berserkers or Bruisers.
Alchemists became Hilichurl Shooters, scholars turned into Samachurls, and court mages became fluffy Abyss Mages.
Even as Hilichurls, Khaenri'ah's remnants clung to their faith, crafting Black Sun banners to distinguish themselves.
Thus, a new Hilichurl race emerged: the Black Sun Tribe.