Genshin Impact: Dionysus reigns supreme, all demons retreat!

Chapter 119 Thunderclap City Ruins: 4 Gates Appear

The location of "Zhenlei Lianshan Secret Palace" is at the junction of Mingyun Town, Yaoguang Beach and Longji Snow Mountain.

The teleportation anchor point in Mingyun Town was already activated when Xu Ning first cleared Guili Plain.

As Xu Ning walked out of the teleportation point, he was wondering whether to go through the town or climb the mountain to go around it, when suddenly someone on the main road waved to him.

"Xu Ning? What are you doing here?"

Xu Ning looked at the young man who greeted him, and only after taking a few steps closer did he recognize him as Ah Zhong from Xiachuan Fishing Village.

"Ah Zhong, where have you come from? You look so travel-worn, I almost didn't recognize you."

Ah Zhong wiped his face with his sleeve and smiled sheepishly, "After the New Year, I came out to find work. Through a friend's introduction, I came to Mingyun Town to work as a miner. But the foreman said I didn't have much experience and asked me to be responsible for transporting supplies and cooking here first. Fortunately, the wages are not bad, so I stayed here."

Ah Zhong asked curiously, "You're not with Bei Dou? Is there something you need here?"

Xu Ning smiled and said, "Beidou is still in Liyue Harbor. I came here to find a secret realm."

Upon hearing the words "secret realm," Ah Zhong's eyes suddenly lit up.

"So you've heard about Old Master Hong's treasure too! I told you it wasn't just a rumor, and the foreman even scolded me for being greedy."

Xu Ning was taken aback. What old master Hong's treasure?

"I haven't heard of what you're talking about. I'm looking for some materials left behind by immortals, things that can enhance weapons. Have you heard of them?"

Ah-Zhong was somewhat disappointed to hear that it wasn't the treasure he had expected.

"Oh, why don't you come into town with us? Our foreman has been working here for many years, he must know everything."

Xu Ning thought that since he was already here, he might as well go in and take a look.

Xu Ning helped Ah Zhong and the others push the truck uphill. Even though Ah Zhong said he didn't need help, Xu Ning still helped unload the truckload of vegetables and flour into the warehouse.

"That's alright now. I'll take you to our supervisor to ask!"

The foreman of Mingyun Town was a robust middle-aged man with a rather straightforward personality.

Upon hearing that Xu Ning had come to search for some secret treasure, he turned to Ah Zhong and scolded, "I've already said that the family letters and treasure are just rumors. Why did you bring outsiders with you to search for them?"

Xu Ning smiled and waved his hand, saying, "You misunderstand. I wasn't sent by Ah Zhong to search for treasure. I was ordered by Tian Shu Xing to find a secret realm related to thunder left behind by the immortals."

The name "Tian Shu Xing" was quite intimidating, and the foreman's expression immediately improved.

Ah Zhong stepped forward again and recounted what Xu Ning had done, and the foreman's attitude changed drastically.

"Oh, it's you! We all have to thank you. If it weren't for you leading the way in clearing out the monsters in Guili Plain, we would still be living like before, with our grain carts being robbed every now and then, not knowing where our next meal would come from. Unlike now, we have plenty of supplies coming from Liyue Harbor, and our production is increasing every day."

"I do have some clues about the secret realm you mentioned, but I'm not sure if it's the one you're looking for. Let me take you there."

Ah Zhong asked in surprise, "So, foreman, you've known about the treasure all along?"

The foreman said irritably, "There's no treasure here... Forget it, you come with me and take a look, so you won't keep dreaming about inheriting a millionaire's fortune."

Xu Ning followed the foreman through the mining area and headed towards the back mountain.

On the way, he was also curious about the treasure that Ah Zhong kept talking about, so he asked the foreman a question.

The foreman sighed, "Actually, it was back in the days of the previous mine owner."

"Before this mine owner took over the mine here, the town of Mingyun was run by Mr. Yuan Hongyuan, who made his fortune here with his three sons by mining."

"Later, when the old man was critically ill, he called his three sons to his bedside before he passed away. He took out the family precepts of the old Yuan family and said that he had left behind a treasure, which was hidden in the family precepts."

"The three sons were overjoyed and each grabbed a copy of the family precepts before going out to search for treasure, forbidding the other miners from following them. Unexpectedly, a mining accident occurred that very night, and none of the three sons survived."

Ah Zhong chimed in, "So, that treasure must still be somewhere in this mine..."

The foreman immediately glared at him angrily.

Upon hearing this story, Xu Ning recalled the anecdote about Mingyun Town that he had heard in his previous life.

After looking around a few times, he asked the foreman, "According to you, that old man Yuan Hong must have died with a heavy heart. Have you seen his spirit here?"

Ah Zhong laughed and said, "Of course I haven't seen it. If I had, I would definitely go up and ask him where he put the treasure."

The foreman chuckled, “Your idea is interesting. However, there are many strong men here, and the yang energy is abundant. I’m afraid the ghosts won’t come here at all. Otherwise, just as Ah Zhong said, the mystery of the treasure would have been solved long ago.”

"Oh, we're here. This is the place I was talking about."

The foreman led Xu Ning into a mountain hollow, which turned out to be a small circular plaza.

On one side against the mountain wall was a tall blue stone gate, exactly the style Xu Ning had seen before.

"It seems this is the place."

Xu Ning turned his head and looked at a downward passage on the right, and asked, "Where does that cave lead?"

The foreman glanced at it and said, "Oh, that cave leads to Yaoguang Beach. Looking from Yaoguang Beach, this should have been the cave of a great man, but it's abandoned now. Yaoguang Beach is full of Hilichurls."

Xu Ning nodded, "After I retrieve the items from this secret realm, I'll help you clean it up. When we get back to Liyue Harbor, I'll have the Tianheng mage place a talisman here to prevent the monsters from breeding. From now on, supplies from Liyue Harbor can be transported directly to Yaoguang Beach by ship, which is both safe and saves effort."

Ah Zhong said happily, "Then I'll have an easier time."

Xu Ning smiled and walked towards the blue stone gate.

"Oh, there's something else."

The foreman reached out to stop him, saying, "There's something strange about that stone door. One of our mine's underlings sneaked in once, but he said that as soon as he went in, it felt like something was draining his strength. In the end, he had to crawl out. I was afraid something might happen again, so I put up a seal. If you go in and find anything wrong, come out immediately. We'll keep watch at the entrance."

Xu Ning nodded his thanks, casually tore off the seal, and stepped inside.

Upon entering, you will see four stone gates with the eight large characters "震雷连山，鸣雷城墟" (Thunder resounds through the mountains, thunder echoes through the city ruins) carved above them.

Moreover, the feeling of being drained of physical strength, which the miner foreman had described, also appeared.

However, it's not absorbing physical strength, but rather using the electrical elements permeating the air to conduct and dissipate the elemental force within oneself.

Since ordinary people don't have elemental power, they can only channel the vitality within their bodies. It has to be said that the second brother was both bold and lucky enough to climb out; otherwise, I would have found a corpse lying at the door when I arrived.

Despite having ample elemental power, Xu Ning decided to finish the battle quickly, as the tingling sensation in the air was extremely unpleasant.

Xu Ning casually pressed his hand on the second stone door and pushed it hard.

With a crackling sound, a bolt of purple lightning appeared on the door and struck Xu Ning's palm.

Xu Ning felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and was so shocked that he took several steps back.