As Ningguang floated in the air, holding a decree, a massive array rose from nothing, and the Guizhong Ballista emerged from within it.
Liuyun, Moon Carver, and Lishui, the three Adepti, then flew onto the array, each controlling a Guizhong Ballista.
As the three Adepti infused their Adeptal Power, the Guizhong Ballista emitted dangerous light and fired at Osial, with countless arrows condensed from Adeptal Power striking Osial's clones.
At this moment, several teleportation gates appeared below the array, and Fatui troops poured out, heading straight for the Guizhong Ballista.
Paimon: It's the Fatui! They're coming for the Guizhong Ballista!
Keqing: We can't let them disturb the three Adepti. Millelith who can still fight, follow me!
Lumine and Keqing immediately drew their weapons and charged forward to block the Fatui.
Liuyun: Adepti and Gods, it's been thousands of years since we last contended. Hmph, come on, let me see how much power you have left?
The Guizhong Ballista's attacks grew fiercer. Seemingly enraged, Osial stirred up even more waves from the sea.
Several hydro tornadoes rushed towards the Guizhong Ballista. Lumine wanted to help, but she was stretched thin; the Fatui were too numerous.
Xiao, holding his spear, soared into the air. Anemo gathered on his spear, and with a few thrusts, he burst a hydro tornado.
Xiao: Leave this to me. Focus on the enemy.
Lumine: Okay!
Below...
Bosacius: Millelith, form up! Do not be scattered! If anyone is injured, replace them!
Bosacius: Big Brother, this isn't going to work. The Vortex God's attacks are too troublesome.
Guizhong: Believe in her. She wouldn't abandon Liyue, even if the Geo Archon has...
Bosacius: Even if we can't hold on, we must. We have no choice.
Qixuan watched the injured Millelith below and Lumine fighting valiantly.
But she felt something was off. If Osial only had this much strength left, then...
Seeing more and more people getting injured, Qixuan couldn't hold back. She then pulled out a pure white knight's spear from her imaginary space, and upon closer inspection, there was a hint of black within it.
She then directly plunged it into the ground of the Jade Chamber. A powerful life force emanated from the Jade Chamber, and everyone fighting could feel their injuries rapidly recovering.
Keqing: So powerful...
Lumine: With this, I can fight without worries.
Guizhong: Phew... She finally made her move. I'm exhausted...
Bosacius: This way, we can reduce more casualties.
Above the sea, Osial condensed more divine power and shot it towards everyone. Lumine and Keqing dodged back and forth.
At this point, the Fatui were increasing in number, and even with her dual elements, Lumine was gradually finding it difficult to cope.
Ningguang: Heh, quite audacious. After this is settled, not a single diplomat from Snezhnaya will escape.
Paimon: There are so many! Lumine is almost...
Granny Ping: Children, are you trying to say 'we can't hold on much longer'?
Don't be afraid. I'll lend you a hand. Don't say disheartening words. Take this.
Paimon: Eh? It's Granny Ping!
Lumine then felt Adeptal Power within her, then charged up and unleashed 'Granny Ping's Shockwave,' dispersing a large group of Fatui with a single blast.
Paimon: Wow! Granny Ping is so strong.
Ganyu: The blood of the qilin protects you from evil. Traveler, please fight without worry.
With the blessing of dual life forces, Lumine felt like she could now directly confront Osial.
Just kidding, she wasn't that foolish.
Xiao then also shared his Adeptal Power with Lumine.
Lumine: I'm super strong now!
Granny Ping: Child, your soul is resilient, and so is your foundation. Perhaps that's why you can simultaneously bear three kinds of Adeptal Power...
Lumine fought with increasing ferocity, utilizing the three streams of Adeptal Power.
Ganyu: Everyone, be careful! The God's power has probably reached its limit...
Keqing: In other words, as long as we hold on, there won't be anything harder, right?
After finally dealing with the last of the Fatui.
Moon Carver: The interference is gone. Finally, no more distractions.
The three Adepti then condensed all their Adeptal Power. The Guizhong Ballista's light converged into one, then blasted towards Osial!
With a loud bang! One of Osial's clones was destroyed.
Paimon: It worked! If we keep this up...
At this moment, Lumine sensed something was wrong. Osial was gathering divine power above his head.
Then countless attacks rushed towards the array, breaking through it in an instant. Everyone hurriedly returned to the Jade Chamber.
Liuyun: The Guizhong Ballista is destroyed. Without its suppression, it will be difficult for us to continue counterattacking.
Ganyu: But the Jade Chamber is our last barrier. No matter what, we cannot retreat another step...
Just as Qixuan was about to make her move to deal with Osial, she suddenly felt a power from beneath the abyss. She then didn't say much more...
The Abyss? Finally showing itself...
Ningguang: I... have another plan.
Ganyu: Miss Ningguang means?
Ningguang: I will abandon the Jade Chamber...
Liuyun: What do you mean by this?
Xiao: I understand. Then the Adepti channeled their own power to Lumine.
Ningguang: Farewell, my old friend. This parting today is for a future reunion. Traveler, lend me your strength.
Lumine used the power granted by the Adepti, converged it into her sword, and plunged it straight into the Jade Chamber. Then the Jade Chamber's core extinguished.
The Jade Chamber began to fall rapidly. Everyone quickly moved away, escaping towards Liyue Harbor.
Accompanied by an earth-shattering explosion, a massive Mushroom cloud erupted after the Jade Chamber crashed into Osial.
Qixuan: Ho, truly worthy of a 'nuclear' solution.
Guizhong: That should have solved it, right?
Everyone in Liyue Harbor rejoiced, believing they had won, and began to cheer.
Zhongli, in the distance, frowned...
Qixuan said with some "seriousness": Guizhong, quickly organize all residents of Liyue Harbor to evacuate.
Guizhong: Eh? But why...
Before Guizhong could finish speaking, the sky remained overcast, and then thunder rumbled. The vortex where Osial had appeared earlier had not disappeared.
Wafts of black mist emerged from it, and then... one... two... three... several times more hydro tornadoes than before appeared, tinged with black.
Then one... two... a total of nine snake heads emerged, each imbued with lightning, and half of their bodies were black.
The Abyssal-corrupted Osial was merely a body without consciousness. It roared, stirring up monstrous waves that crashed towards Liyue Harbor, instantly submerging half of the Liyue Harbor.
Ningguang: It's the power of the Abyss...
Paimon: This... what do we do now! He seems to have gotten stronger. She then looked at the Adepti.
The Adepti shook their heads. Liuyun: We have exhausted all our Adeptal Power. We are unable to fight further.
Keqing pounded the ground helplessly. Are we... going to give up on Liyue like this? This is my home. If you want to leave, go ahead. Even if I die in battle...
Moon Carver: We don't want to either, but if we don't conserve our strength now...
At this moment, Qixuan received a telepathic message from Zhongli.
Zhongli: Do you have a plan?
Qixuan: Alright, alright, don't worry. I've been waiting for this thing to show itself.
(At this moment, Qixuan thought of a brilliant scene.)
Panic spread through Liyue Harbor.
Xiao Cui: Are we really unable to hold on? Do we have to leave the place where our ancestors lived for generations...
Da Qiang: Who wants to! Look, the Qixing and the Adepti have no solution!
A little girl said to her mother,
Mommy, are we leaving? I don't want to leave here...
Be good... Xiao Hua... We have to survive.
Keqing vowed not to retreat, as did the other Yakshas. The Adepti tried to persuade her but couldn't. Ningguang thought to herself, it was a misstep after all...
And the corrupted Osial wouldn't give them time for "last words." The nine snake heads then condensed into pillars of water, rushing towards everyone.
Paimon: Wah! I don't want to die, Lumine.
Lumine still wanted to escape with Paimon, but unfortunately, she couldn't break through in such a short time. Is my journey... ending here? Brother...
Guizhong donned her Valkyrie armor and stood at the very front.
Liuyun: So be it. The Geo Archon is gone. We have no more attachments. We vow to advance and retreat with Liyue until death!
Just as the attack rushed towards everyone, everyone closed their eyes, then felt no pain.
A drop of water fell on Lumine's face.
I told you, why are you so foolish? I said for you to leave first. How can I go all out if you don't?
And you, Guizhong, was the armor I gave you meant to be a meat shield?
Hearing the voice, everyone opened their eyes, then witnessed a scene that shook their worldview.
The attacks had not hit them but had stopped not far away, and Osial was also motionless, maintaining its attacking posture.
Paimon: Look at the sky!
Everyone looked in the direction Paimon was pointing, and saw Qixuan dressed in a black and white gown, her white hair flowing in the wind, her pupils turned golden, and six dangerous-looking long spears hovering near her shoulders.
Qixuan walked through the air, step by step, until she was above Osial.
Qixuan: I originally wanted to deal with you first, but to lure out a bigger (fish), I had to endure. A small snake being so rampant in front of me... you're the first.
Her divine voice made everyone's ears ache.
Lumine: She's... so similar... (But Lumine knew Qixuan-jie wasn't that person.)
Paimon: Are we... saved? Paimon slowly opened his eyes.
Keqing: Is that... a God?
Liuyun: We never saw her full power when we followed the Geo Archon, but from this, it's clear she hasn't used her full strength... Liyue is safe...
Ningguang let out a sigh of relief. It seems she needed to build a good relationship with her in the future...
At this moment, Zhongli, who was watching from afar, nodded. Yes, he was at ease now. If this old friend hadn't gone traveling with the Traveler, his divine position could have...
Qixuan: No, you can't!
Mommy, is that a God?
Yes, child, we are saved! We don't have to leave! The mother hugged her child, weeping.
Qixuan glanced behind her, then snapped her fingers. Instantly, Osial's attacks shattered, and then she lifted the time stop.
Osial roared and attacked Qixuan.
Qixuan: Heh... insect.
Then she spread her hands, and an imaginary void emerged behind her. Immediately, countless spears of the void rushed towards Osial, instantly scattering Osial's body.
Finally, she used spatial strangulation to completely eliminate the source lurking beneath the sea.
The sky gradually cleared. The people of Liyue Harbor cheered, hugging each other to celebrate their victory.
Paimon: Yay! We won! I thought I was going to... He then hugged Lumine and cried.
Qixuan, in the air, nodded towards the mountain where Zhongli was. Zhongli returned the gesture.
Qixuan dispelled her Herrscher form and came to little Paimon, poking him with her finger.
What's wrong? Scared silly? Hahahahahaha.
Paimon: Hmph!
Ningguang said: So you had foreseen this...
Qixuan: Yes, don't worry. After all, I promised your Geo Archon's request. I must protect Liyue well.
Keqing: Thank you very much! Keqing's eyes were practically sparkling. From now on, you're my idol!
Qixuan quickly refused, even though she also enjoyed being close to girls.
Me too, Ganyu said. Without you, Liyue would cease to exist.
Ningguang: Liyue now has no God presiding over it. If we encounter such a formidable enemy again, Liyue's future...
Paimon: Qixuan-jie is so strong, can't she (Mmm, mmm) Lumine, what are you doing?
After some consideration by the Adepti.
Liuyun: Now that the Geo Archon has passed, after this battle, Liyue cannot be without a God. We also agree for her to become Liyue's new God.
Qixuan: Eh? No, aren't you going to ask for my opinion?! I protest! For my peanuts!
Guizhong: Hehe, protest invalid. Just accept your fate. At worst, I'll be your secretary and handle the government affairs for you.
Qixuan: This is the first time I've realized the treachery of women, old geezer! If you don't come out, I'm going to kick over your jar!
As everyone wondered who she was shouting at, Zhongli walked out from the side.
Paimon: Eh? Mr. Zhongli, is Wangsheng Funeral Parlor alright?
Zhongli: Yes, thanks to all of you, it's safe and sound.
Qixuan: Oh~ The busy man is finally out, Lord Geo Archon?
Paimon: Eh?! Wait, you mean Mr. Zhongli is?
Zhongli then felt the eyes of everyone in the room wanting to slice him. You said you were gone, why come out now? We were all ready to establish a "new God."
Of course, this was just Guizhong's inner monologue.
Lumine had an 'I knew it' expression: The world lied to me, for my peanuts!
Then, after everyone discussed, they began to repair Liyue and inform all the people of Liyue that their Geo Archon was not dead.
Zhongli: Children, I'm back!
But Zhongli stated that if it's to be done, it must be done well. The Farewell to Seafarer Ritual still needed to be completed.
Lumine couldn't talk him out of it, so she had to agree. Besides, she still had many questions. The Qixing also agreed; how could they not? They couldn't handle another fake death. These eighty-year-old "Adepti" and the Qixing couldn't take it anymore.
Then the Adepti helped the Liyue Qixing begin to repair the badly damaged Liyue.
At this moment, the dazzling sun rose in the sky, as if symbolizing Liyue's victory.