Inside the Jade Chamber
Bonanus leaned back in her chair, listening to the negotiations between the Qixing and the three adepti.
Around the round table, the five Yakshas sat quietly, except for Bosacius, who occasionally offered his opinion. The other four remained silent.
Bosacius supported the age of humanity. Having lived among mortals for so long, he had seen and experienced much.
Humans were a fragile race, but fragility didn't mean weakness. They were united, they had spirit, and they possessed endless ingenuity.
One thing Bosacius knew clearly: Liyue under the adepti's rule might not necessarily be better than under mortals.
After all, he had fought alongside these three adepti before and knew their temperaments well.
...
On the Other Side
"Alatus, what do you think?" To ease her boredom, Bonanus leaned over and whispered to Xiao.
The two sides had been arguing for ages. She felt they could keep at it until tomorrow.
"Are you asking about the age of humanity?" Xiao turned his gaze from the Qixing and the adepti to Bonanus.
"Of course. What else would I be asking?" Bonanus pouted and jabbed his side with her elbow.
Startled, Xiao quickly grabbed her restless paw.
"I don't have a definitive answer. Whether the age of humanity should be embraced or rejected depends on how things unfold."
"We just need to stick to our duties." Xiao rubbed his chin and whispered back.
Bonanus chuckled at his response. She searched for a new topic and continued.
"You're not wrong. Still, this whole negotiation feels like it has nothing to do with us."
"In the past, I would have spoken up, but now that Bosacius is here, we can just sit back and watch."
Xiao nodded. Ever since that fool of a big brother arrived, he had been handling things. Bosacius was their eldest and one of the five great Yakshas.
"Big Brother actually seems reliable now. His whole demeanor has changed." Bonanus looked at Bosacius's serious expression.
"He's only serious when he has to be. The rest of the time, he's a mess." Xiao chuckled and nodded.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Xiao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Something bad was coming.
His brow furrowed, and his tone turned serious.
"Liyue is in danger."
As he spoke, he checked the formations in his territory. His premonition wasn't baseless—it came from years of fighting on bloody battlefields.
Besides the three adepti still arguing with the Qixing, Bosacius, Menogias, and Indarias all felt it too.
The five Yakshas exchanged glances, confirming their instincts. Seeing the same reaction in each other, they stood up.
Just as they were about to leave and investigate, a wave of overwhelming pressure washed over them.
Most of the ordinary people present collapsed to the ground, unable to bear it. Only those with Visions and the adepti remained standing.
That was enough to snap the arguing parties out of their dispute.
The three adepti and the five Yakshas immediately rose and rushed toward the Jade Chamber's exterior.
The Qixing members followed closely behind. They had just received word from their subordinates: Liyue was in serious trouble.
...
BOOM! BOOM!
ROOOAR!
Massive waves and the roar of a god echoed across Liyue Harbor. The sky dimmed, and dark clouds blotted out the sun.
The Millelith quickly evacuated the crowds. Having been on alert, they managed to move civilians to safety without much trouble.
As they fled, people couldn't help but look up.
In their eyes, the massive Jade Chamber was slowly drifting toward the god.
No one held much hope. Despair spread like a plague. That was a god. Without Rex Lapis, how could they possibly fight that monster?
...
Outside the Jade Chamber
The moment they stepped out, everyone saw the enormous sea serpent on the water. It was a true god—Osial himself.
Bonanus couldn't help but think that the Osial family really had a deep connection to Liyue.
First the younger one, then the main one, then his wife. They just kept coming.
"Damn it! Who broke the seals at Guyun Stone Forest?" Mountain Shaper gritted his teeth so hard they might shatter.
Already furious over Rex Lapis, he was now trembling with rage. If he were in human form, his face would be red-hot.
Still, as a seasoned adeptus, he held back the urge to charge Osial alone.
He couldn't win by himself.
Who would have thought they would fight a god in this peaceful era?
Just as everyone was reeling from the sudden appearance, Keqing appeared beside Ningguang like a flash.
"Ningguang, many of our soldiers can't hold their ground. Gods are too much for mortals to handle. We need to act fast."
Keqing's expression was calm, but her voice betrayed her urgency.
"Who is responsible for this?" Cloud Retainer felt her blood pressure spike. It was about to burst through the clouds.
Just as the adepti were searching for a solution, a floating figure wobbled toward them.
"It was the Fatui Harbinger!" Paimon shouted at Cloud Retainer.
Everyone turned to see a blonde traveler and a tiny mascot standing behind the Qixing and the adepti.
Ganyu and Granny Ping were with them too.
Ganyu must have brought them up to the Jade Chamber. But no one had time to worry about that now.
"Hmph. I'll deal with them later." Indarias stepped forward, clearly annoyed.
They already disliked the Fatui, and now they had caused this mess. Those Harbingers were truly bold.
Meanwhile, Ningguang quickly formulated a plan. She bit her lip and spoke swiftly.
"Esteemed adepti, in this moment of crisis, we must set aside our differences and fight together."
The five Yakshas all nodded. As for the other three adepti...
They let out a dismissive huff. Finally, Moon Carver spoke.
"We may not win, but we won't sit idly by. Do you have a plan?"
Ningguang rubbed her chin and replied.
"Yes. The Qixing have studied and improved the old Guizhong Ballistas. They're right here. With the adepti's energy, we can use them."
She looked at Cloud Retainer.
"Hmph. What could mortals possibly do with adepti tools? But the creator of the Guizhong Ballista is here."
"With a few modifications, I can restore it to full power." Cloud Retainer huffed, her tone calm but confident.
"This must be fate. We'll leave it to you." Ningguang smiled. She turned to the two outsiders.
"Traveler, I'm sorry to drag you into this. I have one more request. Would you help us fight?"
"I'll help if I can." Lumine nodded. Paimon, though trembling with fear, also nodded.
ROOOAR!
The roar cut off their conversation. Everyone braced for battle.
That roar meant Osial had recovered from his long imprisonment. He was ready to strike.
"Everyone, Millelith soldiers and Qixing members will protect the formation. You can focus on casting your spells."
Ningguang looked up at Osial, walking forward as she addressed the group.
"Time is short. The final battle is now. Begin!"
With that, Ningguang formed hand seals and levitated in the air. A complex array appeared around her.
In the next moment, a massive disc appeared before the Jade Chamber. On it rested the new Guizhong Ballistas, improved by the Qixing.
The battle between mortals, adepti, and a god had begun.