Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

After the Lantern Festival ended, Ruotuo returned to the Fulong Tree to nurture his remaining soul before being sealed away again.

As for Xuan Yue…

"Won't you stay in Liyue for a few more days, sir?"

As he was engrossed in a report, he heard a concerned voice from his subordinate beside him. He took off his one-way glasses, pinched his aching nose, and replied, "Thank you for your concern, but if I stay a few more days, the documents here will bury me."

The subordinate glanced at the pile of documents almost completely spread out on the desk and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"However, the Order of the Fathers has indeed taken action. They've discovered our presence..."

Xuan Yue looked at the reports from last month and this month, as well as the letters she exchanged with Dolly, and found that the Order Academy had recalled a lot of students. The rest were ordinary students who did not know the inside story and did not have many connections.

Based on the information they had, they were no longer able to find out how far the Council of Religious Affairs had progressed in its research.

That's right, research. The Great Sages want a god they can control, one who can also grant them "wisdom." Based on reports from the Fools on the periphery and from Winter's End, it's highly likely that this mysterious and dominant figure is the "Second Seat of the Fools"—the "Doctor."

"You can go now. Tell them there's no need to gather information about the city anymore; it's too risky to alert them. Send another team to the desert to see what those gilded brigades are up to."

"Ok."

After Xuan Yue sent everyone away, she buried her head in her arms and slumped onto the table, looking utterly exhausted…

(Ah Qing, Ah Qing, how is it? Is there anything else you want to add?) A familiar voice echoed in my mind.

Xuan Yue—or rather, Xuan Qing, who was now in control of Xuan Yue's body—transmitted a message to Xuan Yue through his consciousness: (We cannot proceed to the next step for now. If we push them too far, they will fight us to the death.)

Xuan Qing: (These so-called "scholars" are still in control. As long as they retain control of the "Void Terminal," we must avoid them.)

Xuan Yue: (This is so troublesome, isn't there any other way?)

(…) Xuan Qing remained silent, and Xuan Yue understood his meaning, sighing helplessly: (I understand, foreign gods cannot interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. But we've already done so much, when will we be able to close the net?)

(…Xuan Yue, I'll contact you later. Keep the spies in the city in check, and secretly send a message to Seno, asking him to investigate the desert area. I believe he'll discover some things he hadn't noticed before.)

"Ugh!" Xuan Yue's vision went black, and she found herself switched out of the game. "Xuan Qing! I only rested for an hour! I want to sleep, I want to eat snacks..."

(Sweetie, once we've finished dealing with the Sumeru matter, I'll take you on a vacation.)

"Okay..." (╥﹏╥)

Although Xuan Yue felt wronged, she still picked up the report that Xuan Qing had just put down and hadn't finished reviewing, and took over his work.

(After I finish this work, I'm going back to Liyue. I'll lie in bed for days and nights, and then finish reading all the novels I haven't finished!)

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"Ugh..." After transforming his consciousness back into a crystal butterfly, Xuan Qing felt a rare bout of dizziness. He had no choice but to rest on the flower stamen for a moment.

(I guess I've been using my power too frequently lately... it's affecting my physical body... ugh!)

The crystal butterfly's form began to flicker, continuing for several seconds before stabilizing. It took a short breath, flapped its wings weakly a few times, and then flew back into the air, heading towards the Order of the Order…