"Phew... with all that adeptal energy sent over, the situation in Liyue Harbor should improve quite a bit."
Su Bai fought through the hollow feeling of losing his foundation and continued tracing the seal. The three fluffy tails behind him had shrunk significantly, now no different from those of an ordinary fox.
On the Jade Chamber, the adepti sensed Su Bai's unstable and faint aura and grew alarmed. They, the elders, were still alive. They couldn't let Su Bai, the youngest, die before them.
Xiao wanted to go check on him, but Osial had already encased the entire Jade Chamber in a Hydro barrier. Even Xiao couldn't break through.
"Wow, this big guy is way tougher than Childe. That whale of his was pretty weak."
"Paimon, careful not to let Xiao hear that. If you get accused of disrespecting an adeptus, you won't be able to eat any good food in Liyue."
"What? That serious?"
Paimon let out a yelp as Lumine pinched her chubby cheek. Hearing Lumine's warning, she quickly covered her mouth. But being Paimon, she forgot to close her mouth while covering it, letting out a series of unintelligible muffled sounds. Anyone listening might have thought she was crying.
"Unknown god, I command you to stop. If you cease repairing the seal, I will make you ruler of Liyue."
Sensing the power emanating from Su Bai, Osial spotted him on the beach, surrounded by the shimmering seal. Realizing this was his only chance at freedom, despite his disdain for Su Bai, he forced himself to be patient and attempted to sway him.
Su Bai scoffed at Osial's words. A god sealed beneath Guyun Stone Forest, if he were truly a god of his word, Rex Lapis would have subdued him with force and extracted a vow to protect Liyue.
Seeing Su Bai show no sign of stopping, Osial grew enraged. He had fought against Morax. Though he had been defeated, he was still a god who could not be ignored by some fledgling adeptus.
Determined to stop Su Bai and teach him a lesson, Osial decided to show him the true power of the Vortex God.
Ignoring the adepti who had been holding him back, Osial focused his main head and condensed a Hydro arrow. Even from inside the Jade Chamber, Xiao could feel the terror of this attack. The sheer density of Hydro energy was beyond anything he could match with Anemo, even at full power.
Seeing Osial target Su Bai's life, Cloud Retainer could no longer stand by. A fierce Anemo gale swept across the Jade Chamber, tearing off roofs and sending debris flying. Paimon was knocked unconscious by a jade statue. True to form, even as she blacked out, the little money-grubber managed to stash the statue in her pocket dimension before passing out.
"Conqueror of Demons, let's break through this Hydro barrier together. Otherwise, little Su Bai will be in danger. Who knows how long Osial will wreak havoc if Su Bai doesn't finish the seal?"
"I understand."
Xiao and Cloud Retainer expanded their Anemo outward, trying to force the Hydro barrier open. Watching her treasures fly everywhere, Ningguang couldn't deny her heart ached. But compared to victory, the loss was acceptable. At least, that's what she told herself.
Just as Xiao and the others struggled to break free, Osial's Hydro arrow was complete. With a gentle push, he sent it hurtling toward Su Bai.
Su Bai narrowed his eyes and quickened his pace. According to his calculations, he would finish the seal just as the arrow reached him.
"Little Su Bai, move!"
Cloud Retainer's voice rang out from the Jade Chamber. Su Bai smiled bitterly. If he moved, all his efforts would be for nothing. He would take the hit. As for life or death, he could no longer afford to worry about that.
"Seal!"
With the final talisman drawn, the massive Hydro energy was already upon him. Su Bai closed his eyes. His task was complete. The rest was up to others. He wondered what the next world would be like. Perhaps he would find his parents there.
"Come to think of it, I've fulfilled my contract with Rex Lapis. I wonder if he's in the next world. If so, maybe we could have a proper chat."
"Too bad I never got to give Cloud Retainer those little foxes. She'll probably be heartbroken when I'm gone."
In that moment, Su Bai thought of many things. Looking back on his short life, there were still so many regrets. He would have to deal with them in his next life.
"Child, you have done enough. Since you have protected Liyue, in accordance with the contract, I should protect you."
A gentle voice sounded in Su Bai's ear. He struggled to open his blurred eyes. A figure glowing with golden light stood before him. The dense Geo energy and the faint dragon silhouette behind him revealed the identity of the newcomer.
"You are... Rex Lapis!"
A massive wave erupted on the beach, sweeping away countless monsters. With Su Bai's buff, the Millelith soldiers only needed to hold onto something sturdy to avoid being swept away.
Feeling the pull from the seal, Osial roared in fury. He knew his time was running out. Looking at the angry faces on the Jade Chamber, he felt wronged. If that god hadn't insisted on repairing the seal, his arrow could have been dodged.
Seeing attacks aimed at him from all directions, Osial made a desperate decision. He would be sealed regardless, and he could recover his strength slowly. Might as well plunge Liyue Harbor into chaos.
He gathered his divine energy before him. Sensing this might be his final, desperate attack, everyone on the Jade Chamber braced themselves. But even the adepti couldn't guarantee they could withstand such a devastating blow.
"Cloud Retainer, do you think we can block this?"
"No. Osial may be a defeated god, but we are not Rex Lapis. We will do our best, though. If we can't hold, you need to get out of here."
Despite her earlier clashes with Keqing, Cloud Retainer held a certain respect for the Liyue Qixing. Even Rex Lapis had praised them.
Confirming her suspicions, Ningguang slowly lowered her hands and said something Keqing could hardly believe.
"I will sacrifice the Jade Chamber. Let it take this attack."