"Ugh..."
Xiao's forehead creased with frustration, at a loss for words.
Moon Carver sighed helplessly.
"Both Adepti, calm down! The Conqueror of Demons hasn't even spoken yet! We must be cautious when facing deities! Cloud Retainer, your temper truly needs to be tempered."
"Hmph! This Adeptus has a perfectly good temper and needs no tempering."
Cloud Retainer shook her head and turned to Xiao. "Conqueror of Demons, continue."
"Um..."
Xiao's expression was utterly helpless. After a moment of silence, he addressed the Adepti.
"That deity is not an enemy. She is a friend of the Traveler and is also acquainted with Rex Lapis and Mondstadt's Anemo Archon."
"Familiar with the Emperor?"
Cloud Retainer automatically ignored the matter between the Traveler and Mondstadt's Anemo Archon.
Hearing Xiao mention that Lora was acquainted with the Emperor, she was greatly surprised. "Besides the other 'Archons,' are there any other deities the Emperor knows personally who are still alive?"
"Could that deity be one of the 'Archons'?"
The Mountain Shaper looked to Xiao, seeking an answer.
"Well... I haven't verified it, so I can't confirm," Xiao pondered for a moment before shaking his head, unable to validate the Mountain Shaper's conjecture.
"But if it were an 'Archon,' aside from the Anemo Archon, would they so easily leave their own realm?"
"The heights of the Seven Archons are beyond our wildest speculations. Perhaps among them, there truly exists a deity of such character."
Moon Carver stamped his front hoof.
"Xianyun, since the Conqueror of Demons has spoken, this deity is not our enemy. Our most pressing matter now is the situation in Liyue Harbor. Let us set the affairs of the gods aside for the time being."
Cloud Retainer nodded.
"This Adeptus understands."
...
Lora remained unaware that her sudden appearance at Jueyun Karst had sparked a debate among the Adepti. After passing through Jueyun Karst with Qiqi, she turned toward Mt. Hulao.
"Sister, ahead lies Mt. Hulao!"
Qiqi pointed at the towering peak before them.
"Yes, I sense it too."
Upon stepping into the domain of Mt. Hulao, Lora could already sense the terrifying, chaotic energy buried deep within this land.
Could she defeat Azhdaha now?
It seemed... unlikely.
Azhdaha was an Elemental Dragon Sovereign capable of holding his own against Zhongli. Even at her peak, she might not have gained the upper hand...
"I hope the Abyss Order hasn't released Azhdaha from his seal yet," Lora sighed, murmuring to herself. If she truly encountered Azhdaha, she'd have no choice but to retreat with Qiqi and Rhodeia.
Hearing this, Rhodeia behind her asked in surprise, "Miss Lora, are you referring to... Azhdaha,? That mightiest of the Geo Archon's followers?"
"Well, it's not quite accurate to call Azhdaha Zhongli's follower," Lora reflected for a moment before explaining to Rhodeia. "Their relationship is more akin to... partners, collaborators."
"Partners?" Rhodeia struggled to grasp the concept. Not being a deity herself, her understanding of Elemental Dragon Sovereigns was limited.
Up ahead, Millelith soldiers spotted Lora's approaching group and swiftly blocked their path. A squad leader addressed Lora.
"Excuse me, everyone! The area ahead is dangerous. Millelith forces are currently clearing the front. Please take an alternate route."
Lora bypassed the Millelith soldiers and peered ahead, where she could see large numbers of Millelith troops patrolling—all stationed there to guard against the Abyss Order.
The news that Azhdaha was sealed here was known only to Zhongli and the Adeptus, no one else.
Lora addressed the squad leader.
"We're here to handle this very matter! I am Lora Chaya, a guest of Lady Ningguang. And this is Qiqi—don't underestimate her. She's an Adeptus!"
"Adeptus?" Hearing Lora's words, the Millelith soldiers stared in astonishment at Qiqi, whom she was holding by the hand.
"Hello, I'm Qiqi! I'm... an Adeptus... or a zombie." Qiqi raised her hand, waving stiffly in greeting to the Millelith soldiers.
"Ah! I remember now! I've heard rumors that Bubu Pharmacy does indeed have a Zombie Adeptus! Could it be you?"
One soldier suddenly recalled something, staring at Qiqi in astonishment.
"Indeed, I do work at Bubu." Qiqi nodded; that much she wouldn't forget.
"Since you're an Adeptus, you may enter. But please, be extremely cautious. Those creatures that appeared out of nowhere are extremely dangerous! They've already injured several of our brothers. If they hadn't been reluctant to prolong the fight, our losses would have been far greater!"
Upon learning Qiqi was an Adeptus, the Millelith squad leader no longer obstructed them, though he offered a few final warnings.
"Thank you," Lora expressed her gratitude to the squad leader.
...
As they entered the territory of Mt. Hulao, Lora immediately sensed an overwhelming, terrifying pressure bearing down upon them from all directions.
Lora's face instantly drained of color, and she instinctively took a few steps back.
Rhodeia noticed her pale expression and quickly wrapped her arms around Lora's shoulders, asking, "Miss Lora, are you alright?"
"Sister!" Qiqi gripped Lora's hand tightly, her face etched with worry.
Lora frowned deeply, gritted her teeth, and shook her head.
"Damn it! It wasn't me who sealed you..."
She attempted to summon her divine power to resist the oppressive force. Though Azhdaha was sealed deep underground, he could still leak his power through Zhongli's seal.
However, compared to Lora's divine power, the strength he could manifest was relatively weak.
The two forces canceled each other out, easing Lora's expression slightly.
"I'm fine. I can handle it."
She shook her head, took a deep breath, and after steadying herself, headed toward the source of the strongest pressure. If her guess was correct, that spot would be the location of the seal.
The Millelith soldiers made way as the group approached. They had already learned Qiqi's identity from their squad leader.
Even though Adepti were rarely seen in Liyue Harbor these days, they were still treated with deep respect.
But when they saw the group nearing Azhdaha's Sealed Tree, the Millelith soldiers still tried to dissuade them.
"Adepti Guests! The area around Azhdaha's Sealed Tree is dangerous. Please be careful!"
Though the human Millelith soldiers couldn't sense the oppressive presence of Azhdaha, their subconscious warned them that the area around Azhdaha's Sealed Tree was unsafe.
Members of the Abyss Order were known to frequent that very spot.