As things stood, the expressions on Ningguang and Keqing aboard the Jade Chamber changed instantly.
They had thought that by holding out until the time limit ended, the crisis would resolve itself.
Who would have expected Osial to completely disregard the pride of a god? Ignoring the three women who had humiliated it, the ancient demon god instead chose to rush toward Liyue Harbor to vent its rage on the civilians!
Did a dignified demon god have no shame at all?!
It wasn't just them—Eula and the others also realized something was wrong.
But with meteor-like attacks forcing the three into constant evasive maneuvers, they had no spare moment to intercept Osial.
"This is bad! If this continues, does that mean… the exam is going to fail?!"
Even at a moment like this, what Eula worried about was failing to meet Luo Li's expectations—and losing the promise he had made.
But she soon realized she had worried for nothing.
Aboard the Jade Chamber
After a long moment of thought, Ningguang finally seemed to make up her mind.
"To stop the demon god Osial… I will abandon the Jade Chamber!"
Her sudden declaration stunned everyone present.
Paimon exclaimed in shock, "Huh?! What do you mean by that?!"
Keqing reacted instantly, frowning. "You're planning to use the Jade Chamber to suppress it back into the sea?"
Ningguang nodded silently. "Yes. Since no one else can stop it, then I will become the final line of defense!"
Her unwavering resolve was unmistakable.
The Jade Chamber had been built at an unimaginable cost—countless treasures and divine materials piled together to create this floating palace.
From the moment Ningguang became one of the Liyue Qixing, she had been preparing for its construction. The Mora spent was beyond calculation.
More than wealth, the Jade Chamber represented her ultimate dream.
She had once sworn that one day, the shadow of the Jade Chamber would loom over all seven nations.
Yet now, at this critical moment, she was willing to destroy her dream to protect the people of Liyue.
This change of will made Luo Li glance at her.
From this moment on, Ningguang was no longer merely a merchant—her mindset had truly shifted toward that of a ruler.
What she considered now was not gain or loss, but the safety of the people.
Taking a deep breath, Ningguang steadied herself. As painful as abandoning the Jade Chamber was, compared to Liyue Harbor, the loss was acceptable.
"Traveler, I'll leave it to you."
Looking at Lumine, Ningguang felt an unprecedented sense of clarity and relief.
If they could survive today, she was confident that Liyue's future—under human governance—would only grow brighter.
All hesitation and doubt would be swept away.
Lumine nodded heavily. Just as she was about to act, she heard soft applause from beside her.
"Well done. I hope you won't ever forget this resolve—now or in the future."
Luo Li clapped gently, admiration clear in his eyes, drawing everyone's attention.
In truth, today's trial was not only for Eula and the others—it was also for Keqing and Ningguang, the leaders of Liyue.
Through crisis, he wished to see their courage and determination.
This was also Zhongli's expectation.
It was never about flawlessly resolving everything, but about finding the resolve and direction to walk into the future.
If even this hurdle defeated them, Zhongli would have stepped in personally, erased everything, and rebuilt Liyue's power structure from scratch.
Luo Li shared the same view. That was why he had not intervened earlier—he wanted to see the Qixing's true caliber.
Keqing's ideals had never wavered—she centralized authority immediately and used force to eliminate instability.
Ningguang, however, had always remained behind the scenes, her intentions difficult to read.
Only when the crisis was laid bare, with no room left to retreat, did her true resolve emerge.
And the answer she gave satisfied Luo Li.
"Don't worry. Osial won't reach Liyue Harbor," Luo Li said calmly.
"The exam I set isn't over yet. It's staying right here."
His light tone carried crushing weight.
He gazed at the demon god charging forward with endless waves, his expression utterly tranquil.
Stepping lightly off the Jade Chamber, he walked as if upon solid air.
After five hundred years, he finally made a move.
Keqing and Ningguang stared at his back, unease rising—until the next instant.
Their eyes widened, lips parted in shock.
Luo Li made no grand gesture—he merely waved his hand.
Suddenly, an overwhelming darkness swallowed the sky.
A vast purple-black Imaginary Space unfolded like a colossal curtain, slamming head-on into Osial and its surging tides.
It was like crashing into an invisible wall.
Osial staggered, its advance halted, staring blankly at the curtain connecting sea and sky.
This… felt familiar.
Luo Li paused slightly. The imaginary space collapsed, as if it had never existed.
Then—like an unseen giant palm striking down—
The entire Guyun Sea split apart under an unimaginable force, forming a chasm tens of kilometers wide, the seabed fully exposed.
Osial had no chance to resist.
Like a rag doll, it was flung away along with tens of thousands of tons of seawater, smashed straight back toward Guyun Stone Forest.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Keqing. Ningguang. Lumine. Paimon.
Even Eula and the others froze.
"That's… terrifying," Eula muttered, swallowing hard.
Compared to Luo Li, the fearsome demon god they had struggled against was nothing more than a toy.
Even the Geo Archon himself might not have achieved such a feat.
"All right," Luo Li said calmly from midair.
"I've put it back. The exam continues. Don't worry—I was careful not to injure Osial."
The three women stood speechless.
After witnessing that display, any fear they had of a demon god vanished completely.
With a teacher like this—what was there to be afraid of?
At the brink of death, Luo Li would never stand by and watch.
Realizing this, Eula's fighting spirit surged.
A mere demon god…
I'll cut it down with my blade!