As the Lantern Rite Festival approached, the weather turned bitterly cold. Early in the morning, Chen Xiyao bundled up in a down jacket and started her livestream.
"Hey Chat! I heard the official Lantern Rite event is going to be huge this year. Let's dive in and check it out together!"
Having pre-downloaded the update, the loading time was minimal.
After logging in, Chen Xiyao immediately opened the event interface.
After claiming the ten free pulls she already knew about, she was surprised to see Mihoyo offering a permanent 5-star character selection.
"Wow, this is actually pretty generous for once! Mihoyo's having a rare moment of conscience."
Still, considering it was a festival, these small perks, while plentiful, weren't particularly extravagant.
Just then, Chen Xiyao noticed comments in the chat urging her to check her in-game mail.
"Mail? Could there be more rewards?"
Mihoyo hadn't mentioned this earlier—was it a last-minute addition?
She opened the mail and was immediately stunned:
To thank Travelers for their companionship, Paimon has prepared 3,200 Primogems, to be distributed over eight days during the Lantern Rite Festival. We hope Travelers will show Paimon a little more patience and understanding~
Clicking the claim button awarded her 400 Primogems.
"Holy crap, is Mihoyo finally growing a conscience?"
Since launch, Mihoyo had been notorious for their stinginess, grudgingly handing out even the smallest rewards. Yet this Lantern Rite event not only offered a ten-pull but also a guaranteed 5-star character of the player's choice, followed by another twenty-pull distributed over the event!
And that didn't even include the rewards from the special Lantern Rite activities. When you added it all up, how many pulls could we get during this Lantern Rite?
This meant all those streamers who had been saving up for the Kaiyang's debut on the gacha banner would finally have enough for her "dowry"!
[No way, they're being this generous? Is this even the Mihoyo I know?]
[Looks like I have to play now!]
[Heh heh, 'Steadfast Bedrock'—that's definitely Qingge! After waiting so long, she's finally here!]
[Hahaha, I bet Mihoyo panicked from all the backlash and decided to shower us with rewards.]
[Just a little more patience and tolerance—isn't this their way of begging us to stop the outrage?]
[Heh, now they're afraid. Where was this concern when they stabbed Rola in the back?]
[Fuck, I'm still at work. That lousy Boss hasn't given us a holiday yet! Aaaaargh...]
Urged on by her viewers, Chen Xiyao began playing through the main story.
-
Liyue.
On the day of the Lantern Rite.
The Chasm Entrance.
"Lumine, I'm counting on you this time."
Lumine: "It's no problem. I'll definitely bring back news that Qingxu is safe in The Chasm."
On this day, Lumine and Paimon accepted Qingge's quest to return to Liyue Harbor and inform her family about Qingxu's situation.
Having spent so much time in Liyue, they still didn't know where Qingge's home was.
Fortunately, Qingge had provided them with a simple map. With Lumine's abilities, they were confident they could find it easily.
Mu Qingxu was still asleep; the girl had been so excited the previous night that she'd stayed up late, making it impossible to wake her early today.
"Qingge, we're leaving now."
"Be careful on the way!"
Lumine and Paimon had only walked about ten meters when a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the Mouth of the Chasm, sending massive boulders flying.
"Paimon, watch out!"
A massive boulder hurtled toward Paimon, but her small body darted nimbly toward Lumine, dodging the stone's impact zone.
"What was that?"
Qingge immediately sprinted toward the site of the explosion. Lumine and Paimon, who had been about to leave, turned back.
Terror still lingered on Paimon's face. "What's going on? Why did it suddenly explode?"
Qingge frowned deeply. She reached the very edge of the Mouth of the Chasm, crouched down, and peered over the side.
The oppressive aura rising from the pitch-black depths made her expression even more grave.
This is... the Abyss?
The oppressive aura grew stronger, Qingge's face paled.
"All troops, on high alert!"
Her voice boomed across the area. The surrounding Millelith soldiers had already been on high alert since the explosion. Hearing their commander's order, the entire army swiftly formed ranks, their movements precise and rapid.
-
[Straight into the action, huh?]
[Holy crap, guys, this is the real deal! The Millelith's formation looks so badass!]
[What's happening in The Chasm? Did someone invade?]
[Khaenri'ah's Black Beast Tide? Wasn't that sealed away?]
[Could it be Aether?]
[Upstairs, what are you smoking? Would the Opposing Twin really pull off something this massive?]
-
"Hey, hey, what's going on?!"
Paimon, still clueless about the situation, grew increasingly anxious as she observed the entire army on high alert.
Lumine sensed something was wrong too. "Paimon, hide!"
Qingxu also woke up, quickly dressed, and emerged to find the massive commotion outside. Her eyes widened in confusion.
"Sister? Sister?"
Just as she was about to search for her sister, Paimon darted in front of her.
"Qingxu, quick! Hide behind me. Something big is about to happen out there!"
"Paimon? What was that explosion just now? What's going to happen?"
Paimon grabbed Qingxu's hand. "No time to explain! We need to get out of here now. I'll tell you everything later!"
-
Mouth of the Chasm.
Suddenly, swarms of Abyss Monsters crawled out along the walls. Their bodies were a dark purplish-black, and their forms were grotesque and varied: some humanoid, others monstrous, and even a few draconic.
"Form ranks! Contain them!"
The Millelith soldiers surged forward in unison, slamming their spears into the ground with tremendous force. A massive, earth-yellow shield instantly enveloped the Chasm Entrance.
The Abyss Monsters that had just emerged recoiled violently upon contact with the shield, sent tumbling back to the lowest depths.
Simultaneously...
Tartaglia, who was hurrying toward The Chasm, heard the distant explosion. Though faint due to the distance, his keen senses recognized it instantly as an explosion.
"What was that?"
His curiosity piqued, Tartaglia quickened his pace considerably.
-
Liyue Harbor.
Zhongli, who was helping Hu Tao decorate the room, suddenly paused, his hands freezing mid-motion.
"Hey, hey, hey, Consultant Zhongli! What are you doing?"
Zhongli rose and walked toward the door. "An urgent matter requires my immediate attention."
-
Beneath the Dragon-Queller Tree.
Azhdaha rose, his four massive legs stomping with earth-shattering force, the colossal power shattering the ancient seal.
ROAR!
A deafening roar shook the heavens, announcing his return!
The ground collapsed, earth and stone flying into the air as the Dragon Sovereign, sealed for millennia, finally saw the light of day once more.
"Morax!!!"
Azhdaha's furious roar, forged over a thousand years of confinement, erupted with world-shaking intensity!
Dihua Marsh, Wangshu Inn.
Upon hearing the thunderous roar, Xiao immediately set out.
Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, and Cloud Retainer also sensed the anomaly at the Dragon-Queller Tree and converged on the site without delay.
Zhongli had just left Liyue Harbor, en route to The Chasm, when the thunderous roar reached him. His expression shifted instantly, and he immediately changed course, heading toward the Dragon-Queller Tree.
Jade Chamber.
Ningguang shot to her feet. "What's happening?!"