"I've been discovered?!"
Yelan's expression turned grave. She had made absolutely no sound.
The malevolent attack came swiftly. Yelan didn't try to block the powerful strike head-on; instead, she swiftly evaded it and retaliated with an arrow.
The Hydro Element-infused arrow was effortlessly cleaved apart by Malice. Despite his towering frame, he moved with remarkable speed, lunging forward again.
"Silk threads, interweave!"
A dense barrage of silk threads swarmed Malice, temporarily hindering his movements.
Yelan entered a state of extreme focus, continuing to weave threads in an attempt to trap him.
But these silk threads proved insufficient. Malice simply ignored the minor damage they inflicted, exerting a burst of force to tear free.
The wounds inflicted by the threads healed instantaneously, leaving no trace.
Thick-skinned and tough as hide—this is exactly what that saying means.
Witnessing this, Yelan's shock deepened. What kind of monster is this?
Though she was usually composed, Yelan now realized she couldn't defeat this creature alone. Weighing her options, she maintained her vigilance while searching for an opportunity to retreat.
But just as she locked her gaze on the monster, she was astonished to find it had vanished.
Escaped? No, that's wrong!
The sense of impending danger hadn't dissipated; it had intensified.
Yelan maintained the highest level of vigilance over her surroundings.
Several minutes passed, yet she dared not relax her guard for a moment.
Suddenly, a massive blade materialized behind her, appearing as if from thin air. Despite her constant vigilance, the sudden attack startled her.
In that split second, Yelan barely managed to raise her longbow to block the incoming blade.
Clang!
A crisp metallic clash rang out, and Yelan's figure was sent flying backward, crashing into a nearby boulder.
Seizing the brief opening before the next attack, Yelan fled at top speed.
This thing is too bizarre. I have no chance of defeating it alone, and I might even end up being its next victim.
In this state, Yelan moved with extraordinary swiftness, escaping the canyon in no time.
Just when she thought she was safe, another massive blade came slashing toward her.
Using the same maneuver as before, Yelan was sent hurtling more than ten meters through the air, landing heavily on the ground. A thin trickle of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth.
Suppressing a groan, Yelan dared not let her guard down for a moment. She immediately scrambled to her feet.
"Xiao!"
Without a second thought, she called out the name.
She wasn't sure she could withstand a third attack from this creature.
Fortunately, the creature didn't immediately follow up.
During this time, Xiao, having unleashed countless Skills in rapid succession, finally arrived.
The chaotic Elemental Power swirling around him testified to his extraordinary speed.
Upon arriving, Xiao found only the injured Yelan; no one else was in sight.
"What happened?"
"Be careful! That thing is hiding nearby!"
Xiao's eyes sharpened instantly, as if recalling a specific enemy. The hand gripping his spear tightened slightly.
But by then, Malice had already fled.
Yelan and Xiao remained vigilant for a long while, but nothing further occurred.
"It must be gone," Yelan said, lowering her guard and leaning against a tree to sit down.
The feeling of being targeted by an enemy lurking in the shadows, who would strike without warning, was deeply frustrating and unnerving.
Yelan quickly recounted the incident to Xiao, who immediately recognized it as the same entity he had been hunting for days without success.
Such a dangerous creature, left unchecked, posed the greatest threat to Liyue.
"Let's go. I'll escort you back for treatment," Xiao said.
Given the creature's unpredictable nature, he couldn't allow Yelan to return alone in her weakened state.
Yelan didn't refuse. Who knew if that thing might return for another attack?
"Thank you, Conqueror of Demons!"
-
The next day, at night, atop the Jade Chamber.
Ningguang dismissed the others and met with Yelan alone.
"How's your injury?"
"It's nothing, just a minor wound."
The injury was indeed trivial for Yelan. As a Vision wielder, her physical resilience far exceeded ordinary humans, and after Baizhu's treatment, a period of rest would suffice for recovery.
"The monster I encountered yesterday was the mastermind behind the chaos in Mondstadt. It resurrected the Fell Dragon Durin, unleashed hordes of Abyss Monsters upon the city, personally murdered a Mondstadt girl, and even evaded capture by the Anemo Archon."
"Recently, it appeared in Liyue and was confronted by the Conqueror of Demons. Yet again, it escaped his grasp. Based on the Conqueror of Demons' account and my own observations, this creature possesses exceptional concealment abilities, capable of eluding even the detection of divine-level powerhouses."
Ningguang frowned in contemplation. "If even you couldn't defeat her, dealing with an enemy of this caliber will be exceedingly difficult."
The Qixing had only recently assumed full authority over Liyue's affairs, and Ningguang was eager to prove their competence. She was reluctant to seek aid from the Adepti unless absolutely necessary.
Yelan continued to share her deductions:
"I encountered it near The Chasm. Its only objective in going there must have been that place."
Ningguang: "The Chasm is connected to the Abyss. I understand your meaning. It seems we must further strengthen our defenses there and maintain constant vigilance."
"Ningguang, I must remind you that this creature is extremely cunning, and its motives remain unclear. Despite causing such a massive disturbance in Mondstadt, it ultimately killed only one girl. While it's possible that was all it could accomplish, escaping the Anemo Archon's grasp proves it's no ordinary foe."
Ningguang nodded solemnly. She had never underestimated the gravity of this matter.
"What do you plan to do?"
After a long moment of contemplation, Ningguang finally said:
"This matter is of utmost importance. I will have the Kaiyang personally lead troops to garrison the Chasm. You will assist her. Should the situation develop unexpectedly, I will seek aid from the Adepti."
Yelan still felt uneasy, but it seemed there were no better options for now. The Kaiyang was a formidable commander, and her leadership...
"Very well. I will assist her when the time comes."
With that, Yelan departed the Jade Chamber.
Left alone, Ningguang sat in her chamber, meticulously reviewing the information Yelan had just shared, carefully analyzing every detail.
-
Beneath the Dragon-Queller Tree, Zhongli, Lumine, and Paimon stood together, having just resealed Azhdaha.
Zhongli, invoking the terms of their Contract, refused to answer Lumine's questions about her brother.
"Traveler," he said, "you seem to understand this world more deeply with each passing day."
"This continent holds countless forgotten stories and long-buried secrets... tales lost to time, abandoned, or simply forgotten."
"If anyone can uncover and cherish them, it would be you. A Witness comes to bear witness; a Recorder exists to remember."
"As you journey toward that person, you will face even greater trials. But as long as you firmly believe that this path leads to what is right, everything will have meaning."
As Zhongli spoke, Lumine gazed up at the lingering twilight sky, her thoughts unreadable.