The last note faded like a ripple across a still pond. The echo of Gabriel's organ dissolved into the ensuing silence, as if even the winds atop Yujing Terrace had stilled to listen to its end.
For a moment, no one moved.
Until a timid clap broke the quiet. Then another, and another, until the sound swelled—warm and sincere. The applause resonated powerfully, not out of mere courtesy, but something deeper: gratitude, surprise, admiration. Some locals, still holding their lanterns, clapped with broad smiles, while foreign dignitaries exchanged knowing glances.
Ganyu had stood motionless throughout the song, lips slightly parted. Her eyes shone brighter than usual, as if some restrained emotion had surfaced unbidden. When she noticed me watching from the stage, she averted her gaze, cheeks faintly flushed—but not before offering a small smile.
Cloud Retainer, standing among the other Adepti, nodded repeatedly with visible satisfaction, as if vindicated for convincing me to do more than wield a spear.
"Hmph! As I foretold… The young must also cultivate other forms of expression. Not all is shattering mountains and scattering mist," she murmured, just loud enough for nearby Adepti to hear. Mountain Shaper gave a discreet huff, while Moon Carver nodded solemnly.
Zhongli did not applaud at once. Instead, he studied the stage with narrowed golden eyes, as if sifting through centuries of history in his mind.
Finally, he lifted his ceremonial cup of osmanthus wine slightly and spoke in a measured tone:
"At times, the most valuable echoes are not those of victory, but of a truth shared through beauty. Today, Liyue has witnessed both."
Only then did Zhongli add his applause.
That gesture alone drew the entire audience to their feet.
The ovation rose like waves upon an emotional sea. And though the moment was fleeting—like all true music—something had changed.
Not just for me.
For Liyue as well.
******
*Furina's Point of View*
Ah, Liyue! Always so ceremonious, so shrouded in clouds of incense, tradition, and solemnity… a nation that breathes legacy and spits protocol!
I, Furina, the Star of Judicial Splendor, simply couldn't miss an occasion like this. Oh, officially, of course, I came as a "representative of Fontaine" to a "cultural diplomacy ceremony." That was the line on the Qixing's invitation.
But please… did they really think they could hide the truth behind pretty words and official seals? Ha! My intelligence informants—those delightfully scurrying little mice who dart through archives and shadows across the continent—leaked the real story: the appointment of a new Adeptus.
A man of fathomless eyes and elegant bearing, with an aura not of this world… the reports said. Naturally, my curiosity wasn't just piqued—it was burning. So I took my fan, my most spectacular gown, and demanded the necessary permits to step onto Liyue's soil.
Not that it was simple, of course. Nations don't just welcome Archons on a whim. But a few words with Ningguang, a calculated smile, and voilà—the stamped documents arrived in record time. Fontaine knows how to move… when it suits us.
And now here I stand, on Yujing Terrace, watching as the enigmatic Dan Heng—yes, I know his name too, thanks to my darling little spies!—transforms the ceremony's solemnity into a spectacle even Fontaine would gawk at.
How did he do it? What manner of technology were those tools? A winged broom shaping the stage like a theater director's baton? An impossible organ that roared like a dragon trapped in marble?
I don't know, and it infuriates me.
And mon dieu, when he began to sing…
It wasn't the flamboyant performance of my courtrooms, nor the grandiose hydromelodramas of Fontaine. No. It was… intimate. Earnest. Like someone baring their soul not to be admired, but understood.
And I… I was speechless.
I, Furina, left without words.
An uneasy silence gnawed at my lips. What is this… feeling? Melancholy? Awe? Professional jealousy?
"Tch!" I clicked my tongue softly, crossing my arms. "What an enigmatic creature… He has potential, though he's still clumsy in politics. It'd be best to keep an eye on him. Or… perhaps tempt him to visit Fontaine one day."
I muttered it under my breath, but one of my attendants cleared their throat uncomfortably.
"What?" I spun with my usual elegance, adding a touch of drama. "Is appreciating art in Liyue suddenly forbidden? Then Fontaine shall welcome him with fanfare when the time comes."
I cast one last glance at Dan Heng, still standing on the stage with that serene expression—as if he were listening more to the wind than the applause.
Hmm… Someone who will undoubtedly become the talk of Fontaine's courts. And when that happens… I'll already be one step ahead.
******
*Jean's Point of View*
The sound of bamboo flutes, petals drifting through the air, and the murmur of the crowd wove together into a majestic—if unusually tense—atmosphere. Since arriving in Liyue as Mondstadt's official representatives, I hadn't missed the subtle strain on the Qixing's faces or the way the Geo Archon's presence seemed to envelop everything around him.
The carefully worded invitation had called this a "cultural celebration." A diplomatic gesture between nations. But when the stage lit up and that person was called forward… I knew it was more than that.
"…The appointment of a new Adeptus?" I murmured, narrowing my eyes with a mix of surprise and admiration.
My duty as a leader had taught me to read between the lines, yet I hadn't anticipated something of this magnitude. According to the Knights of Favonius' historical records, Morax hadn't named a new Adeptus in centuries.
"This is… a historic moment," I said quietly, just loud enough for Diluc on my right to hear.
"And they kept it quiet. A skillful move," he replied, a note of approval in his tone. The Dawn Knight remained as composed and discreet as ever, though I noticed his gaze lingering on certain details of the event—especially when dandelion wine was mentioned as part of the celebration. Apparently, they'd requested bottles directly from the Ragnvindr Winery. Mondstadt's reputation traveled far, even without words.
"Jean, Jean! Do you think there'll be fireworks later? Or dragons! Or fireworks shaped like dragons!" Klee tugged at my ceremonial cape, her hat bouncing with each restless step.
"Klee... remember we're representing Mondstadt," I whispered, smiling tenderly while taking her hand. Her joy was contagious, but also dangerously explosive. Albedo was occupied with one of his experiments, and after hearing about the lake that blew up the previous day, we had no choice but to bring her along to prevent any incidents in my absence.
Amber, walking beside us, stifled a laugh. "At least no Dodoco has exploded along the way. That's progress, isn't it?"
I gave her a tired smile. "Thank you for being here, Amber. While Lisa and Kaeya are doing excellent work covering for us back home."
"For Mondstadt, always ready!" she replied with her usual energy.
The atmosphere grew solemn almost imperceptibly when the new Adeptus took the stage.
A murmur ran through the crowd. We'd witnessed rituals, speeches, martial demonstrations... but a song performed by an Adeptus? This was uncommon. Not even in Mondstadt, where music was the city's soul, did one often see something so bold in a ceremony of this nature.
At first, I thought it would be something symbolic. A brief melody. But then I saw him extend his hand, and beside him emerged structures that... weren't ordinary sorcery.
A floating broom adorned with dark wings traced across the sky, conjuring an ethereal stage that seemed woven equally from magic and mechanical precision. Then, a massive pipe organ reminiscent of the one in our cathedral assembled itself behind him, emitting a deep resonance even before a single note was played. Both constructs, unfamiliar to me, carried an almost... sacred presence.
And then, he began to sing.
The song bore some resemblance to Liyue's famous operas, yet its rhythm was entirely different. The enunciation was clear, pure, resonant. Each note seemed to cut deeper than the last - not into the body, but into the spirit. Like an echo through Mondstadt's mountains, or the whisper of wind when no one else is listening.
I felt a lump form in my throat.
"Jean..." Amber whispered beside me, completely awestruck. "You too...?""
I nodded slowly. I didn't know how to explain it. Dan Heng's singing lacked the trained technique of a bard or the theatricality of a minstrel. It was something older. More essential. As if worlds and eras, silent pains and sustained hopes were all woven into that voice.
Even Klee, who would normally be bouncing around, watched in complete silence, clutching her Dodoco tightly to her chest.
I saw Diluc furrow his brow slightly - not in displeasure, but with intense concentration. For someone as analytical as him, this kind of music must have been breaking paradigms. And yet, he never looked away.
As for me, I felt a surge of respect.
This young man... not only possesses enough power for the Geo Archon to name him an Adeptus, but also an indomitable will.
The singing faded with the delicacy of a night breeze. And for a few moments, no one dared to applaud. Not out of disinterest, but because it would have felt like... profaning something sacred.
Until finally, timidly, someone broke the silence. And like a wave spreading from the ocean's heart, applause erupted. A standing ovation.
I joined them without reservation.
"Now I understand why Morax chose him," I said to myself, watching Dan Heng step off the stage with a quiet composure that seemed unaware of what he'd just accomplished.
******
*Dan Heng's Point of View*
The celebration was beginning to dissolve into the evening mist. Conversations scattered, laughter drifted away, and echoes of music still floated in the air like golden particles. But my attention was no longer on the festive atmosphere.
Zhongli waited for me by the stage, standing beside a stone pavilion adorned with jade motifs and ancient pillars that bore the weight of centuries.
"You've left an indelible impression," he said, still not turning around. He watched the last silhouettes of people retreating across Yujing Terrace. "The people of Liyue witnessed the birth of a new Adeptus tonight. A... peculiar one."
A barely visible smile crossed his lips.
"Tradition is anchored in stone, but even mountains are shaped by time. Your presence is a sign that Liyue can still adapt without losing its essence."
A pause settled between us, as if the air itself had grown heavier. His gaze then fixed upon mine with the gravity only an ancient being could muster.
"Now that your position is established..." he continued quietly, "it's time to discuss the other agreement. The one not celebrated before crowds."
I nodded.
"Azhdaha."
Zhongli closed his eyes briefly, like someone reliving a pain that never fully faded.
"The erosion has consumed him beyond recognition. Even my bond with him... has grown tenuous. His consciousness resurfaces at intervals, distorted. I cannot purify it alone."
He turned his gaze forward again.
"Contracts must be honored. Now, Dan Heng, follow me."
******
We walked in silence along the hidden path of Guyun Stone Forest, until we reached a trail sealed by multiple layers of talismans. With each step, I could feel the resonance of the earth, the weight of what lay beneath.
With a solemn gesture, Zhongli extended his palm, and a pillar of amber light emerged from the ground. The seals glowed one by one until the entrance opened like a wound in the mountainside.
"This is the place," he said. "Here he rests... or tries to, at least."
A guttural echo reverberated from within. Not a roar, but a deep moan, a dull rumbling that seemed to rise from the very veins of the world.
"Are you prepared?" Zhongli asked.
I looked into the abyss and exhaled slowly.
"More than ever."