Qiu Bai glanced at the man in the team and finally recalled who he was.
Back then, he rarely stayed at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, but there was one occasion when both Hu Tao and the senior employees were absent, leaving him in charge.
Remembering this, Qiu Bai lips twitched slightly.
"This coffin is made of pinewood. If paired with the inner casket you chose, your friend may not rest comfortably."
"Brother, take a look at this blueprint instead—crafted from cypress wood, using far superior materials."
"If you wish to provide your friend with a proper resting place, this would be the better choice."
"Then let's go with what Mr. Qiu Bai recommends."
"In that case, I'll seek out the finest carpenter in Liyue Harbor tomorrow to craft it for you."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Qiu Bai."
Scenes of him promoting funeral services to this archaeologist replayed in his mind.
"So it's you, my friend."
"I remember you now. What a coincidence to meet again here."
Qiu Bai smiled as he looked at the man before him.
"You flatter me, Mr. Qiu Bai."
"My name is Wang Xiaopeng."
Wang Xiaopeng stepped forward, smiling as he greeted Qiu Bai.
"So it's Mr. Qiu Bai."
"I've heard much about you. My name is Xiaocui."
The female guard with a Vision also approached, smiling politely at Qiu Bai.
"Haha, Mr. Qiu Bai, would you care to join us?"
"We were commissioned by Lady Ningguang of the Tianquan Star to investigate this site."
A middle-aged man in the team stepped forward, looking at Qiu Bai with a friendly expression.
He spoke freely—after all, Lady Ningguang had described Qiu Bai as a very mysterious individual.
Interestingly, their mission today had originally included a plan to request Qiu Bai assistance from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
However, believing that they didn't need a young man help, the team leader had come here on their own.
Now that they had encountered Qiu Bai by chance, it was only natural to extend the invitation.
"Heh… so this so-called 'archaeological team'…"
"It's just a front for outsiders. Their true objective isn't archaeology at all."
Qiu Bai mused internally, but outwardly, he remained calm and composed.
"In that case, I'll accompany you all on this journey."
"I happen to have nothing else to do at the moment."
He smiled at the group before turning to Bonanus and winking playfully.
Bonanus nodded silently.
"Rest assured, Mr. Qiu Bai."
"Once this investigation is complete, you will be handsomely rewarded."
The middle-aged man nodded as well, smiling at Qiu Bai acceptance.
Qiu Bai and Bonanus joined the group as they made their way into the cave.
The cave was damp and dark, prompting several members of the team to raise their torches.
The woman named Xiaocui, seemingly a Pyro Vision wielder, ignited all the torches with ease.
With flames in hand, the group ventured deeper into the cave.
As they walked further, the path gradually widened, revealing a vast, open space ahead—eerily calm and silent.
After a while, several Hilichurls and Ruin Guards suddenly emerged before them.
"Protect the archaeologists and Mr. Qiu Bai!"
"Move in!"
Xiaocui shouted to her companions, and three Vision holders rushed forward.
The sounds of battle echoed through the enormous cavern—clashes of weapons, bursts of elemental energy.
Flickering blue, red, and golden lights illuminated the space intermittently, casting eerie shadows along the walls.
Qiu Bai, however, remained at the back, seemingly lost in thought.
"Do you sense it, Bonanus?"
"That strange presence... it's getting closer."
Qiu Bai spoke in a low voice, glancing at Bonanus beside him.
"Hmm, I feel it too, but I can't pinpoint its exact location."
"We can't let these mortals get too close to it."
Bonanus nodded, his brows furrowed in concern.
Qiu Bai agreed silently. He could sense the source of the aura, but its true form remained unclear.
"How interesting..."
Qiu Bai murmured inwardly, stroking his chin with a faint smile.
His gaze drifted toward the far end of the cavern, staring into a darkness that no ordinary person could perceive.
"It's done."
"Let's move on."
Xiaocui and the other two Vision wielders returned, their battle finished.
"Thank you, Miss Xiaocui and to you two as well."
The middle-aged man smiled as he expressed his gratitude.
"No need to thank us—it's our duty."
Xiaocui nodded with a polite smile before the group continued their exploration.
Eventually, they arrived at a wall deep within the cave.
The middle-aged man stepped forward, placing his hand on the ancient stone surface, frowning in confusion.
He took a torch from a nearby team member and illuminated the wall, revealing an intricate mural.
Under the flickering reddish glow, the carvings became clear.
The mural depicted a strange figure kneeling on the ground, praying to a cloud-like entity.
Yet, this "cloud" was bizarre—it was pitch-black, and it had eyes.
"What exactly is this painting?"
"I've studied archaeology for so many years, but I've never seen a mural this strange."
The middle-aged man ran his fingers over the rough stone, his expression puzzled.
"Even Uncle Yu, you don't understand it?"
Xiaocui eyes widened slightly in surprise.
After all, the man before her was one of Liyue's most renowned archaeologists—it was rare for him to encounter something so incomprehensible.
Qiu Bai, who had been standing behind the group, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth upon seeing the mural.
So this was why he couldn't perceive its form—it actually looked like this.
"What a bizarre thing."
"Growing into something like this… truly rare."
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, silently evaluating the image in his mind.
"System, what is this black cloud in the mural?"
He asked inwardly, curiosity sparking within him.
[Ding!]
[Host, this is the Dream Archon.]
[However, this is not the Dream Archon's true form—this is its state while devouring the dreams of mortals.]
The system voice echoed in Qiu Bai mind.
"The Dream Archon? Wasn't it already destroyed?"
"Isn't that the one that controlled Xiao and later got obliterated by Morax?"
Qiu Bai frowned slightly.
During the Archon War, Xiao had been controlled for nearly a hundred years, serving as one of the Dream Archon generals.
The Dream Archon launched an invasion into Morax territory, only for Xiao to be rescued by the Geo Archon himself.
But the real question was, does the Dream Archon truly dead?
If it was gone, then what was that strange presence I just sensed?
"Mr. Qiu Bai, could you take a look at this?"
Uncle Yu, who had all but given up hope of understanding the mural, turned around and asked softly.
Qiu Bai pulled from his thoughts, refocused on the people before him.
"This black cloud depicted in the mural is the Dream Archon from the Archon War era."
"This form represents it devouring the dreams of humanity."
Qiu Bai explained, seeing their confusion.
The entire group in front of him widened their eyes in shock, staring at him in disbelief.
"T-The Archon War?!"
"That was thousands of years ago! How does Mr. Qiu Bai even know this?!"
Uncle Yu looked at the young man in front of him, utterly stunned.
If what Qiu Bai said was true…
Then had he wasted his entire life as an archaeologist?
(T/N: Will be updating Qiu Xue name issues, the lil sis will be Qiu Yue and I'll try to update it all as fast as possible)
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