"So, the Geo Archon wants us to break the seal on the Overlord of the Vortex—Osial?"
Shajin raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. But on second thought, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
After all, Morax had already decided to hand Liyue over to the humans and implement a "rule of man."
What surprised him was that Morax had chosen them to break Osial's seal.
But why hadn't the Tsaritsa told him about this? Shajin rubbed his chin, puzzled.
Did the Tsaritsa have other plans or concerns?
He dismissed the thought quickly.
"So how are you planning to break Osial's seal? As far as I know, it's still fairly stable."
Shajin asked with curiosity.
He knew Osial's seal wasn't something that could be broken easily—even the Fatui would need a clever solution.
Tartaglia rotated his shoulder a few times, then pulled a talisman from his pocket and handed it to Shajin.
"What's this?"
Shajin accepted the talisman and examined it closely.
"It's a replicated version of the Sigil of Permission from our factory in Liyue. A single copy isn't strong enough, but when you have hundreds, quantity becomes quality. We've already made enough to break the seal."
Tartaglia explained.
So that's how it is. Shajin suddenly understood.
Using the Sigil of Permission to break Osial's seal—what a clever approach.
"Adventurine, where are you going?"
Rosalyne asked instinctively as she saw Shajin stand up, put his mask back on, and head for the door.
"Nowhere important. Just going out for a stroll. Want to come?"
"I-I-I'm coming too, partner!"
Rosalyne shook her head.
"I'll pass. I've still got work to handle."
...
"Lumine, hurry! The Rite of Descension is about to start!"
Paimon called out excitedly, leading the way toward Yujing Terrace in a blur of fluttering wings.
"Seriously, Paimon, wait for me!"
Lumine shook her head helplessly, but still quickened her pace to follow.
She knew all too well—once this little creature got excited about something, there was no stopping her.
By the time they arrived at Yujing Terrace, a large crowd had already gathered.
"Wow, there's so many people!" Paimon exclaimed in awe as she looked around at the lively crowd.
"Yeah, everyone's really looking forward to the Rite of Descension," Lumine replied.
"Let's move up a bit. We can't see anything from back here," Paimon suggested, tugging Lumine forward through the crowd.
At the center of Yujing Terrace, Ningguang stood poised on the stage, ready to begin the ceremony.
She glanced up at the sun directly overhead—its light was sharp and blinding.
"The auspicious hour has arrived~"
As Ningguang's voice echoed through the terrace…
She formed hand seals, chanting under her breath. Three jade stones rose beside her, circling her like radiant stars.
In an instant, a fierce tornado descended, wrapped in divine might. It roared like a wild beast, engulfing all of Yujing Terrace.
With a thunderous roar, like a dragon's cry from the heavens, a massive "dragon-shaped" form plummeted from the sky, slamming into the ground with a deafening crash. A deep crater formed on impact, as if the earth itself had been scarred.
Ningguang's eyes widened in shock, her gem-like pupils gleaming with disbelief.
She hurried forward to investigate.
"What… is this!?"
"Wait… don't tell me that's the Archon!?"
"Oh no, what are we supposed to do!?"
...
The crowd erupted into murmurs, buzzing like a hive of startled bees. Faces filled with panic as the scene spiraled into chaos.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Ningguang responded instantly. Her voice was clear and commanding, cutting through the noise like a bell in the mountains.
"The Archon has fallen—lock down the area!"
At her command, the Millelith who had been standing by surged forward like a tide, sealing off the entire Yujing Terrace. Their formation was tight and unyielding, like walls of steel.
"What in Teyvat is going on!?" Paimon buzzed around Lumine in a panic, clearly shaken.
She flitted about like a frightened bird, chattering anxiously.
"Ningguang just said the Archon has fallen… Does that mean the Geo Archon is dead? That's insane! And now the Millelith are interrogating anyone too close to the scene."
Hearing this, Lumine's body tensed. She turned slowly toward Paimon.
"Paimon… I think we count as 'too close to the scene.'"
"Eh!? Oh, shoot!"
Paimon smacked her forehead, eyes wide in alarm like a pair of panicked almonds.
"What do we do now!?"
She asked, flustered.
Lumine furrowed her brow, pressing her fist to her chin as she fell into thought.
After a moment, she looked up with resolve.
"If the Geo Archon really was our enemy from back then, then we can't fall into the hands of his followers."
"You mean the Geo Archon might've been the god who attacked you and your brother? Hey—Traveler, wait up!"
Paimon stamped her feet in the air, flapping after her as Lumine dashed past two Millelith guards, slipping deftly out of sight and sprinting down the staircase toward Liyue Harbor.
They were almost clear of the scene when—
Crack!
A stone slab suddenly crumbled beneath Lumine's foot with a sharp, echoing sound.
"Who's there!?"
Lumine grimaced at the shattered slab beneath her. Who built this shoddy thing!? She cursed silently.
No choice but to run now!
She reacted instantly, bolting down the stairs with Paimon in hot pursuit.
"There they are! After them!"
Millelith guards swarmed at the sound, the air filled with the thunder of boots and shouted orders.
"Miss, look out—don't move~"
Lumine turned and saw a brown-haired young man sweep past her, knocking aside the blocking guards with ease.
"Yo, Lumine. Told you we'd be seeing each other again soon."
A masked figure appeared at her side.
She couldn't see his face, but she recognized the voice.
"Thank goodness, Shajin—get me out of here!"
"Roger that~"
Geo and Cryo energy shot from Shajin's fingertips like silken threads, entwining and forming a veil that concealed everything from view.
He gently wrapped an arm around Lumine's soft waist, while Tartaglia grabbed Paimon by the scruff.
"Hold on tight."
Lumine clung to Shajin with all her strength.
When the threads dispersed, the suspicious individuals had already vanished—leaving behind only the unconscious bodies of the fallen Millelith.
_
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