Yunqin led Lumine and Paimon deeper into Jueyun Karst, her fingertips occasionally brushing against the rock walls along the path.
The Geo element silently spread out, paving a smooth stone staircase over the rugged mountain path and simultaneously dispelling the damp, slippery mist.
"With me leading the way, we'll save at least half the time!" she said, her steps light and cheerful.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
The area was completely empty, not even a shadow in sight.
"Strange. Moon Carver should be here at this time of day," Yunqin muttered, scratching her head.
"Maybe he went somewhere else. We can just wait. The Adeptus will be back soon!" Yunqin said with a smile.
With nothing else to do, she pulled Lumine and Paimon to sit beside her and began sharing stories about the Adepti. "We need to find four Adepti on this journey. Let's start with Moon Carver."
"He takes the form of a magnificent brown stag with enormous antlers..."
"Who said I was a stag?"
Before Yunqin could say much more, a gentle yet commanding voice descended from the sky.
The three of them snapped their heads up. Amidst the churning clouds, a towering Adeptal Deer slowly descended, treading on the mist.
Tiny glints of light refracted from his antlers, and when his four hooves touched the ground, not a single speck of dust stirred—it was indeed Moon Carver.
His gaze fell upon Yunqin, but instead of anger, he sighed helplessly. "Cloud Retainer came to me just this morning, excitedly telling me how diligent you've become in your training, meditating for entire days without even stopping to eat."
"So this is your idea of 'diligent training'—sneaking out to play?"
Yunqin's face flushed crimson, the blush spreading from her ears down to her neck. She scratched the back of her head and chuckled sheepishly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I-I was just guiding my friends!"
"Besides, training is so boring. Eating delicious food and reading interesting stories is much more fun..."
"You still can't sit still, can you?" Moon Carver said, long accustomed to her temperament.
His gaze then shifted to Lumine and Paimon, his eyes filled with scrutiny. Adeptal energy silently emanated from him, carrying a faint sense of pressure. Qingyun Peak had always been a secluded haven for the Adepti, rarely visited by outsiders. He had to remain vigilant. "And who are these two? They don't look like they're from Liyue."
"They're my friends!" Yunqin instinctively stepped in front of Lumine and Paimon, like a protective mother beast. "This is Traveler Lumine, and the floating one beside her is her guide, Paimon!"
"Mm, we came here at the request of the Anemo Archon Barbatos to greet Rex Lapis," Lumine said, patting Yunqin's shoulder to signal for her to relax.
"Sent by the Anemo Archon?" Moon Carver's adeptal energy instantly receded, and his gaze softened considerably.
Though he wasn't personally close to Barbatos, he had long heard of the deep friendship between the Anemo Archon and Rex Lapis. Moreover, Mondstadt and Liyue were allied nations, so he had no reason to doubt their intentions.
He gave Lumine and Paimon a slight nod. "If you were sent by the Anemo Archon, then you are trustworthy. There's no need to be so formal."
Lumine nodded in return, but her view was suddenly blocked by Yunqin's face.
"No way, no way!"
"You actually know the Anemo Archon Barbatos?"
"Is he super powerful? Can he summon tornadoes with a wave of his hand? I heard he once flattened a mountaintop—that sounds amazing!"
She stared at Lumine and Paimon, the starlight in her eyes practically overflowing, her voice tinged with envy. "I wish I could talk to an Archon too."
In Yunqin's eyes, Archons were distant, unattainable beings.
It was said that the Adepti were extremely close to Rex Lapis.
My master is Cloud Retainer, so it's impossible that she doesn't know Rex Lapis, Yun Qin thought. But in the seventeen years I've trained under her, I've only ever glimpsed Rex Lapis's face at the Rite of Descension.
She wasn't even familiar with her own nation's god, let alone the gods of other nations.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance. Paimon first shook her head, then quickly nodded. "He can summon tornadoes! But he doesn't usually do that. Normally, all he does is drink..."
Before she could finish, Lumine gently nudged her arm.
After all, they were in Liyue, and in the presence of an Adeptus. It was best to preserve at least a shred of Venti's "divine dignity."
Moon Carver watched Yun Qin's flustered state with a helpless shake of his head. With a gentle flick of his hoof, a soft stream of adeptal energy lifted Yun Qin like a ragdoll and placed her gently to the side.
"There. Now the Traveler and Paimon can speak freely," he said, turning to them. His tone grew serious. "You followed Yun Qin all the way here to find me. I doubt it was merely to deliver the Anemo Archon's message. If you have urgent matters to discuss, speak plainly."
Lumine took a deep breath, suppressing the heavy turmoil churning within her. She met Moon Carver's gaze. "The Anemo Archon's message is no longer important. We came to tell you something else."
"At today's Rite of Descension, Rex Lapis has fallen."
"What did you say?!"
Moon Carver's voice instantly turned ice-cold. The adeptal energy around him erupted, and a powerful pressure, like a tidal wave, swept over Qingyun Peak.
He stared fixedly at Lumine, a terrifying light glinting in his eyes. His voice was filled with fury. "Mortal! Do you realize what you're saying? Rex Lapis is Teyvat's acknowledged God of War! He survived the blood-soaked Archon War without falling, and you dare make such a joke? Can you bear the consequences of slandering an Archon?"
The pressure bore down on Lumine's shoulders, making her bones ache dully. Yet she kept her back straight, her gaze unwavering. "I'm not lying! During the Rite, Rex Lapis fell from the clouds. Ningguang ordered the site to be sealed... Everyone present can testify. This is no joke!"
"It's true!" Yunqin rushed to Moon Carver's side and recounted the events of the Rite of Descension in detail.
Moon Carver's antlers trembled slightly, the fury in his eyes gradually replaced by disbelief.
He had known Rex Lapis for millennia and understood his power better than anyone.
Forget mortals—even other gods would find it nearly impossible to kill Rex Lapis.
Yet, seeing the unwavering determination in Lumine's eyes and the genuine sincerity in Yunqin's expression, he couldn't dismiss them as liars.
Anger and confusion warred within him, causing him to momentarily overlook the crucial question of whether the Qixing even possessed the power to assassinate Rex Lapis. Instead, he became convinced that the Liyue Qixing must be involved.
After all, the Rite of Descension was entirely orchestrated by the Qixing. The timing of Rex Lapis's fall was far too suspicious.
Who else could have acted so brazenly, in full view of everyone?
He took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his turbulent emotions. When his gaze turned to Yunqin, his tone softened with an elder's concern. "Stay away from Liyue Harbor for now. Return to Mt. Aocang as soon as you can and continue your training with Cloud Retainer. Don't get involved in this matter, lest you come to harm."
With those words, Moon Carver said no more. He turned, stepped onto the clouds, and soared into the sky. His figure quickly vanished into the thick cloud cover, leaving only a gust of wind tinged with his fury.
Lumine, Yunqin, and Paimon were left staring at each other in stunned silence.
"H-He's gone just like that?" Paimon stammered, floating dazedly in mid-air.
Lumine, however, frowned, her doubts deepening.
Moon Carver was right.
Rex Lapis was widely acknowledged as the God of War; she'd even discussed this with Venti back in Mondstadt.
Given that the Liyue Qixing were all human, even if every one of them possessed a Vision, it would be impossible for them to assassinate Rex Lapis so silently.
"Something's not right..." Lumine murmured, lost in thought.
But Yunqin had already grabbed her hand and started running toward the location of the next Adeptus—Mountain Shaper.