Rumble!
Dark clouds gathered at the far edges of the horizon, swirling into a massive vortex in the sky.
Countless elemental energies converged there, condensing into a dense sphere of hydro energy that shot straight toward the Guyun Stone Forest below.
The stone spears, which had stood firm in the sea for thousands of years and eventually transformed into mountain peaks, were snapped in two by the sheer force of the hydro impact.
Beneath the surface of the ocean, massive shadows began to loom and drift.
"Is Osial... finally about to break free?"
Su Ming's expression grew serious. He looked into his system warehouse at the Sublimation Card he hadn't had the chance to use yet.
This was his only remaining trump card.
After a moment of thought, he decided to use it to sublimate his Parvati gene.
Enhancing his cryo-based powers was the most logical way to deal with a demon god of the hydro element.
"System, sublimate the Parvati gene."
[Sublimating Parvati gene...]
[Congratulations, Host. Sublimation successful.]
[Parvati gene (Emperor-class Honkai Beast) → Parvati gene (Judgment-class)]
[Congratulations, Host has gained an additional ability: Frost Domain]
[Frost Domain: Upon activation, a zone of extreme cold is generated with the user as the center, spanning a radius of five kilometers.]
[Within this domain, the Host's energy consumption for cryo-based abilities is reduced by 30%, and their power is increased by 20%.]
[Note: Activating and maintaining the domain requires a continuous consumption of energy from the Host.]
Su Ming looked at the sublimated gene and nodded in satisfaction.
The leap from Emperor-class to Judgment-class was no small feat. He could feel that the cryo-affinity within his body had been strengthened by several levels. Even his physical resilience had seen a marked improvement.
As for this new ability, it was a double-edged sword. It was clearly designed for burst-window combat to finish things quickly. The longer he dragged the fight out, the greater the pressure of maintaining the domain would become.
"I've gained a decent support skill."
"As expected, Sublimation Cards are much better than Enhancement Cards."
"I wonder what kind of rating the system will give me if I handle Osial alone this time, without Ningguang having to smash the Jade Chamber into him."
"Maybe I can get another Sublimation Card, or even an Enhancement Card."
While Su Ming was already mentally picking out his rewards, the people behind him were not faring quite as well.
The Overlord of the Vortex, Osial, was on the verge of escape. His invisible divine pressure, carrying the resentment of a thousand years of imprisonment, began to spread.
This wasn't the lingering remnants left behind by a dead god; this was the tangible, oppressive malice of a living demon god!
Standing on the Jade Chamber, Keqing began to feel a tightening in her chest.
That ethereal pressure, combined with the ancient demon god's malice, was not something an ordinary mortal could withstand. It was only because Keqing possessed a Vision and a lifetime of martial arts training that she was able to remain standing.
Among the Millelith stationed on the Jade Chamber, many of the newer recruits found their legs trembling so violently that they collapsed to the ground.
However, the discomfort was quickly alleviated.
It wasn't just Keqing; the Millelith felt it too. They noticed a layer of golden light that had appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the entire Jade Chamber.
Su Ming turned his head to look at Keqing. "Yuheng, take the Millelith and withdraw."
"This battle... is not one where mortals can intervene."
"This isn't a slight against human weakness; it is simply the reality of the situation."
"Look for yourself. Without the protection of my golden light, you would barely be able to stand."
"Your mission isn't to face a demon god in frontal combat, but to evacuate the civilians."
"Leave what happens down there to me and the Adepti."
At that moment, Ningguang, Lumine, and Shenhe arrived, hurrying toward Su Ming.
"Why are you here? It's dangerous," Su Ming said, urging the women to go back.
This was a genuine demon god, not the vassal Beisht that Shenhe would eventually drive off later in the timeline. Even a vassal of the Overlord of the Vortex was capable of summoning a tsunami; one could only imagine what Osial himself could do.
Lumine immediately retorted, "You're already here, so why can't I be?"
Shenhe nodded in agreement. "Where you go, I go."
"Do you... do you really know what kind of enemy we are about to face?"
Su Ming felt a slight tremor in his heart when he saw their refusal to leave.
Since transmigrating, aside from his initial frustration at being powerless before gaining the system, his mindset had been quite detached. He had lived like a "salted fish," viewing the world from the perspective of an outsider looking into a book. Because he knew their destinies, he had subconsciously looked down on them from a position of superiority.
He had forgotten that he was now a part of this story. He had forgotten that even the people he considered "characters" had their own real emotions and memories.
Thinking of this, Su Ming smiled. "As you wish."
"But... try not to get hurt."
By now, others had begun to arrive.
Liyue Harbor had no natural barriers to rely on against the awakening Osial. The Jade Chamber was the only line of defenseand the last one.
Ningguang had overheard Su Ming's words to Keqing. She smiled and countered with a tone that brooked no refusal. "Mr. Su Ming, mortals are not entirely useless."
"This battle is the first crisis Liyue has faced since the departure of Rex Lapis."
"The Qixing will not retreat."
"Besides... who said humanity lacks the means to fight?"
Cloud Retainer appeared seemingly out of thin air.
She looked at Su Ming and said, "It is true... these mortals brought several damaged Guizhong Ballistas from the wilderness."
"This one repaired them a few days ago and even created several 'lite' versions that mortals can operate."
"Though they are somewhat simplified, their power is still significant. However, due to time constraints, I was unable to manufacture many."
Hearing Cloud Retainer's words, Su Ming instinctively looked at Lumine.
Lumine patted her chest proudly. "Pretty good, right? Zhongli and I brought those back!"
"The Qixing thought they were useful, so they had me act as a bridge to find Cloud Retainer to repair and modify them."
Cloud Retainer sighed with emotion. "I did not expect that staying at your place for a few days on a whim and tinkering with those Ballistas would prove useful at a time like this."
"Truly, it is a case of 'planting a willow for shade, only to see it grow into a forest,'" Moon Carver added with a smile.
Ningguang spoke up, "Everyone, please take a few steps back."
Then, using the arrays built into the Jade Chamber, Ningguang floated into the air. With her hands moving through complex seals, she took control of the chamber.
This structure, the symbol of Liyue's wealth, revealed its true face: an aerial war fortress.
Su Ming knew better than anyone that this thing was also a massive firework waiting to happen. However, the cost to build it was so high that even Ningguang couldn't mass-produce them. For now, this was enough.
Compared to the original plot, the Jade Chamber now had two extra powerhouses: Su Ming and Shenhe. Shenhe alone could be counted as a combatant on the level of an Adeptus. Furthermore, there were fewer distractions; with Tartaglia's plan having failed, the Fatui wouldn't dare act recklessly.
Soon, three massive Guizhong Ballistas rose from the floor of the chamber. The three Adepti each took their positions at an enhanced Ballista.
On the flanks, several lite versions of the Guizhong Ballista were pushed forward by Millelith veterans, aiming toward the surging sea.
Su Ming materialized a sharp sword in his hand, which began to emit a freezing chill.
"Here it comes!" Su Ming's eyes narrowed. Golden light flared across his body, expanding to shroud everyone atop the Jade Chamber.
In the next moment, a roar that seemed to echo from the depths of prehistory surged up from beneath the ocean.
"ROAR!!!"
The already turbulent sea erupted into colossal waves. From beneath the depths, five giant, snake-like blue heads burst through the surface, rising toward the clouds.
The creature was so massive that half of its body remained submerged, yet even the portion above the water forced the Jade Chamber to look up at it.
"Steady your minds!" Su Ming barked. His voice snapped several Millelith soldiers out of their trance as they had begun to struggle for breath upon seeing Osial.
"Do not fear. The golden light covering you will protect you from the demon god's pressure and the pollution of his resentment."
"As long as your will is firm, you will come to no harm before his attacks actually land!"
Then, Su Ming turned to Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and Mountain Shaper. "Sifu, Uncles, strike now!"
"Hmph, you brat, you're already giving orders to this one?" Cloud Retainer shot Su Ming a glare. "Do you think I didn't know? My brothers and I were simply charging our strength!"
"Indeed, Nephew Su Ming. We have fought alongside Rex Lapis through countless slaughters," Moon Carver said with a chuckle, though he was secretly uncertain.
'Fighting alongside Rex Lapis' was a nice way of putting it. In reality, during demon god-level battles, Rex Lapis, Guizhong, Azhdaha, and Marchosius were the ones who did the heavy lifting. Adepti like them were mostly there to use minor skills to draw attention.
Unless the demon god was exceptionally weak, they generally couldn't win on their own.
But now, Rex Lapis had passed. They, the Adepti, had replaced him as Liyue's final and strongest line of defense. They had to fight.
Defending Liyue was the contract they had signed with the Lord of the Rock! They would die before they broke it!
Moon Carver spoke lightly, but he knew that relying solely on these Guizhong Ballistas to repel Osial and seal him back into his prison was unrealistic. He only hoped to buy enough time for the civilians to evacuate, and perhaps... seek help from another nation.
He had heard the neighboring Anemo Archon was on good terms with Morax and had recently appeared in Mondstadt. Perhaps it was worth a try? After all,
in the current order of the Seven, a demon god living outside that order with such a strong desire for destruction was reason enough for another Archon to intervene. Liyue and Mondstadt were neighbors; if one fell, the other would surely follow.
However, Moon Carver didn't pin all his hopes on outside help. That was merely a desperate fallback plan if all the Adepti fell in battle.
Liyue belonged to the people of Liyue. Unless there was absolutely no other way, they would not easily beg another nation for salvation.
Moon Carver glanced at Su Ming. He found that he could no longer see through this "nephew" of his.
With a coordinated roar, the three Adepti unleashed a combined strike from the Guizhong Ballistas, slamming into Osial's massive frame.
All of His Guizhong Ballistas Opened Fire
Countless streaks of golden light rained down like a monsoon, striking Osial's body.
The sight reminded Su Ming of a famous scenethe moment when Gilgamesh stood upon the walls of Uruk, single-handedly controlling every lapis lazuli Dingir cannon on the ramparts to rain fire upon the Mother Goddess Tiamat, desperate to halt her advance.
Even the visual effects of the weapons were identical. Golden beams, one after another.
Osial let out a thunderous roar as the attacks connected. Having just broken through the seal and not yet fully escaped, he was inevitably wounded by the barrage.
Though the damage was likely little more than a scratch, being harmed by these "ants"these mere mortalssent him into a towering rage.
Five snake-like heads reared up simultaneously, each spitting a massive column of water toward the heavens. The thick layers of clouds in the sky were instantly blown apart.
The expected counterattack did not arrive immediately. However, just as everyone was tensely awaiting the strike, Su Ming immediately sensed that something was wrong. He flew into the air and deployed a curved ice wall directly above the Jade Chamber.
His judgment proved correct. Countless water bombs plummeted from the high altitude, smashing violently into his defense.
Despite being manufactured with once-sublimated Parvati genes, tiny, hairline cracks actually began to spiderweb across the ink-black ice wall. Su Ming had created this wall casually, but that did not mean its durability was low.
"It seems this newly escaped Archon is no simple matter," Su Ming muttered. "Still, judging by the weight of that attack, he isn't an target I'm absolutely incapable of defeating."
He clicked his tongue. "Man... the old man really was a monster back then. He one-shotted this guy with a single normal attack. I wonder how long it will take me to take him down."
Bang!
After blocking the water bombs, Su Ming landed back on the energy platform Ningguang had constructed.
"I managed to stop that one," Su Ming said to the others. "But it's clear your attacks aren't posing much of a threat to Osial. For the next part, I'll handle the frontal confrontation. Master, Senior Uncle, Lumine, ShenheI'll have to trouble you to provide cover for me from the rear."
Su Ming continued his analysis. "Osial hasn't completely broken free of the seal yet, and his strength hasn't fully recovered. The Guizhong Ballista strikes may not be devastating,
but they are still effective. Give me a suppressive barrage! I'm going up to meet this Overlord of the Vortex. I intend to beat him back into the seal before he can fully escape!"
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