Su Han quickly walked in. The room's furnishings were still the same as when he had left: simple and plain.
And Hu Tao was lying on that bed.
Her face was colorless, like burned-out firewood, with only a withered look remaining.
Su Han undid the buttons on Hu Tao's clothes. Her abdomen was still stained with blood, but the wound itself had already healed.
Mona frowned. "Since the wound has recovered, why isn't she waking up?"
"I think it's the side effect of that Yama Token," Su Han said. He had activated his Transparent World and checked her body up and down several times. Aside from some minor internal injuries, she was no different from a normal person.
Her inability to wake up was just as Zhongli had said: a side effect of the token.
"How is she?" Mona asked with concern.
A look of pain flashed across Su Han's face. He sighed. "It seems we have a problem. You take care of Hu Tao; I'll go out and ask some questions."
"Alright." Mona nodded. She began to clean the bloodstains from Hu Tao's body and then change her into a set of clean clothes. The battle earlier had been so tragic; Hu Tao was in a miserable state.
Su Han went outside and looked at Zhongli, who was waiting for him. "How do I resolve this side effect?"
"That, I do not know. Although I am the Geo Archon of Liyue, you should understand that there are many things that I do not know as well as you do. However, I can point you in a certain direction."
"Oh? Quickly, tell me."
"Go and take a trip to the border. If it were anyone else, they would probably die if they went, but you are different. Perhaps you can find out something there."
Su Han understood. "The border." It was the depths of Wuwang Hill, the resting place where the people of Liyue went after they died.
It was the place Hu Tao had gone when she was thirteen, wanting to see her grandfather one last time. In the end, she had not seen him, and was instead persuaded to return by the spirit of an old woman.
"Mm, alright. I'll prepare and set off immediately."
Su Han returned to the room and told Mona that he was going to the border.
She was astonished. "You're going there? Heavens! Don't you know? That is a world that only the dead can go to!"
"Don't worry. Mr. Zhongli said my constitution is special and that I can go there."
"Then… what about Hu Tao?"
"I'll have to trouble you to take care of her. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"But the border must be huge. How will you find what you're looking for? How about I go with you?"
Faced with Mona's words, Su Han thought for a moment and finally agreed. The Compass That Doesn't Point still had three days left on its cooldown. With her, he could at least avoid some unnecessary detours.
He opened the Multiverse Mission Group and contacted Ningguang, telling her what had happened.
Ningguang:Mm, Hu Tao worked so hard for the mission. We must help her. Are you and Mona enough?
Su Han:I think it should be no problem. In a bit, send someone to take Hu Tao to the Jade Chamber. Mona and I will head out first.
Ganyu:Then I'll go and get Hu Tao. My work for today is already finished. It would be better for me to go.
Su Han:Alright.
Beidou:Be careful, you two.
After bidding farewell to the group, Su Han and Mona boarded an adeptal crane and flew towards Wuwang Hill.
This was her first time riding a crane, and Mona found it very novel. "Where did you get such an obedient crane?" she asked.
"It was raised by Cloud Retainer. I gave her some dragon meat a few times, so she gave me a few white cranes in return."
Although Liyue had trains, it was still not very convenient to go to places like Jueyun Karst. Because of this, Cloud Retainer had given him six adeptal cranes for transportation, saying that he could bring Ganyu or Shenhe back to visit whenever he had time.
Sitting on the backs of the cranes, it only took them two hours to get from Liyue Harbor to Wuwang Hill.
Although it was daytime, this mountain valley felt eerie and ghostly. The yin wind made Mona shiver.
"Is this the place?"
"Mm. Let's go," Su Han nodded, taking Mona's small hand and walking towards the depths.
Just like in the game, the outside world was in broad daylight, but the moment they arrived at Wuwang Hill, it instantly turned dark, as if they were in another realm.
The two of them followed a small path, advancing in the darkness. Soon, they arrived in the depths.
The number of ghosts nearby began to increase. Although Mona couldn't see them, she could still sense that something was passing by from the cold, drifting wind.
"Are there many spirits nearby?"
"Mm, but they are all lost souls heading to the border. I have the Pure Yang True Fire and the Purification Power. No need to worry."
Su Han continued to advance with Mona. After a turn, the two of them finally encountered a ghost with a physical form.
It was an old man; his age was indistinguishable, but his beard was white. He sat quietly on a long bench, guarding the bridge in front of him.
When the old man saw Su Han and Mona, he was very shocked.
"You… you are the living? Why have you come to such a place? Do you not know that it is very dangerous here? Or are you here to see the soul of someone who has already died?"
Hearing this, Su Han shook his head. "No. I've come here for one thing. Do you know about the Yama Token?"
"Yama… has something happened to the Hu family?"
"Yes. Old sir, do you know how to remove the side effects of the Yama Token?"
Looking at the agitated young man, the old man gave a bitter smile. "In Liyue, the only ones who possess the Yama Token are the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. How could I not know? As for the side effects… that I do not know. That is a secret that belongs only to the Hu family. However, you can go and search in the depths of the border. If you're lucky, you might run into someone from the Hu family. Perhaps they will have a way to solve it. As for this young lady, she should not go any further. Women are of the yin attribute and naturally attract ghosts. It would be better for her to wait here with this old man."
Mona was taken aback. "No! The border is so large. How will Su Han find them by himself?"
"How about you do a scry for me now? See if you can find which direction the Hu family is in."
"Alright, I'll try." Mona calmed her mind, and an astrolabe appeared in the air. She looked at it for a while, then pointed in a certain direction. "You can try this way."
"Good."
Su Han looked at the direction, crossed the boundary bridge, and advanced quickly.
The moment he stepped into the border, an icy yin power welled up. However, when the flames of the Pure Yang True Fire ignited, the coldness disappeared. The nearby ghosts were frightened by this flame and fled without looking back.
Su Han ignored them, only wanting to find the Hu family as soon as possible and wake up Hu Tao.
About ten minutes later, Su Han was blocked by a huge ghost holding a pitch-black chain.
The ghost looked at him and said coldly, "Halt. This is the border. The living should not be here. Otherwise, you will be cast into the abyss of sinners."
Before his voice had even faded, an unimaginably powerful force erupted from the man's body.
The giant ghost let out a muffled grunt, its face full of terror as it looked at him. Who is this man? Why does he possess such powerful strength?
"Tell me where the Hu family is. Otherwise, you can die."
A wisp of flame landed on the ghost's head. The scorching, surging power made the giant ghost tremble all over. He did not doubt for a second that he would be annihilated.
But to sell out the Hu family… he really couldn't do it.
"Huh? Su Han, why did you come here?"
Just as he was about to teach this ghost a lesson, Hu Tao's voice suddenly came from a distance.
A small figure walked out of the thick fog. She wore black clothes and had those familiar plum blossom pupils. Other than not wearing her ceremonial hat, she looked no different from usual.
Seeing Su Han's silence, Hu Tao said with a mischievous smile, "Why aren't you speaking? Are you shocked to see this Director like this?"
"This is…"
"Sigh, it's just as you see. After using the Yama Token, I've already died."
Died? Hu Tao is really dead?
When he heard her say that she was dead, Su Han felt an inexplicable pain.
When he had just transmigrated to Teyvat, he had been penniless. It was Hu Tao who had taken pity on him and taken him in. The two of them had spent every day together and had become good friends. But now, she was dead. How could Su Han accept this?
He forcefully pulled Hu Tao into an embrace, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you recently. That's what led to all of this. Come back with me. I'll find a way to resurrect you."
"Hey, why are you crying?" Seeing the man with tears in his eyes, Hu Tao was suddenly flustered. "Um… um, Su Han… d-don't cry. I… well, I can't leave."
"Is it because someone at the border is stopping you? Don't worry. I'm here. If anyone dares to block our path, I'll kill them all!"
Hearing his murderous words, Hu Tao was both moved and pained. She finally understood what it meant to shoot herself in the foot.
"Wait! Don't carry me and run! Grandpa! Come out and explain, quick! Your granddaughter is being kidnapped!"
"Hahahaha! Let's see if you'll be so naughty again," a hearty laugh came from the thick fog.
Su Han stopped and looked towards the sound. An old, portly man walked out from within.
Grandpa? Isn't Hu Tao's grandfather long gone? Why is he here?
The other party seemed to know his doubts and explained with a smile, "Young man, put my granddaughter down first. We can talk slowly. I know you're nervous about Tao-tao, but don't worry. With this old man here, no one can bully her."
Although he said that, Su Han did not let go, and instead held her even tighter.
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