"I'll do it…"
Kiana lifted her fair hand slightly, intending to block the strike, but quickly lowered it again, tilting her head toward the orange firelight streaking through the air.
"…You'd better handle it."
Kiana turned back to Osial, ready to enjoy the show.
The adepti hurriedly channeled their power, trying to stop the blast, but the water-cannon was faster.
"We're done for…!"
Before a barrier could form, the water-cannon—brimming with Hydro energy—was already upon them.
"Welcome back, old friend."
Watching from a hill above Liyue Harbor and ready to intervene, Zhongli glanced skyward; a flicker of longing crossed his ageless eyes.
!!!
Just as everyone thought the Qunyu Pavilion would be blasted from the sky, a searing orange fireball descended overhead.
Sssss—
The water-cannon met the orange sphere; the hiss of vapor filled everyone's ears as steam enshrouded the Qunyu Pavilion.
"Who…? This presence feels so familiar…"
Ganyu's eyes trembled; one hand on her chest, she gripped her bow and stared at the silhouette in the mist.
The two Liyue Qixing, Ningguang and Keqing, exhaled in relief—then frowned toward the figure in the fog.
Which ancient adeptus could be this powerful…? They assumed it must be some primordial immortal.
"This… this is…!"
Mountain Shaper's voice quavered; he unconsciously stepped forward.
"Ah… she… she has returned…"
Moon-Carver mirrored Mountain Shaper's reaction, but the spiritual light in his beast-eyes shimmered with yearning.
"Xin Yan… she's back."
A flash of radiance surrounded Granny Ping; the old lady transformed into a slender young maiden.
Tears sparkled at her eyes, full of joy and nostalgia.
"You scoundrel… so you finally decided to come home…"
Cloud Retainer's voice trembled; she turned her crane-head aside, muttering under her breath.
Yet her tone carried unmistakable longing and delight.
Bianca narrowed her eyes, fixed on the orange figure.
"Kiana, this aura… it feels like…"
"Yes, it's her—this world's Kiana."
Kiana nodded, confirming Bianca's guess.
Bianca's eyes widened in surprise.
"You mean Nana just saved us?"
Hu Tao, standing close by, caught every word. Her eyes went round as she stared into the fog—though she could see nothing through the thick steam.
The mist was simply too dense.
"Well, you'll have to ask her yourself later."
Kiana gave a mysterious smile.
She could already picture Workhorse Na being chased by an excited crowd.
Ningguang and Keqing exchanged a grave glance.
The mysterious Empress who had governed Liyue alongside the Geo Archon since antiquity—Empress Xin Yan—was about to reveal herself?
Yet the records stated that, five-hundred years ago, she had burned away her own life to secure peace for the realm.
She had perished… hadn't she?
It wasn't that they wished her gone.
On the contrary, if it truly was her, they longed for her return.
At that moment the silhouette waved her hand; the mist veiling the pavilion vanished instantly.
"My dear old friends…"
A girl clad in blazing flames turned slowly, a high-slit qipao fluttering around her white hair that shaded into crimson at the ends. A smile curved her lips as she regarded everyone behind her.
"Long time no see."
Xin Yan—Workhorse Na—gazed at them, her fiery eyes bearing the golden sigil of a blazing sun, brimming with longing.
At the sight of her, even the proudest immortals felt hot tears roll down their cheeks.
"Hail the return of Her Imperial Highness!"
The adeptus chorus rang out, strong and sure, as though their very backbone had returned.
The Millelith, swept up in the moment, snapped to attention, kicked the nearest Fatui aside, and thundered:
"Welcome Her Imperial Highness back to her rightful place!"
A mighty cheer shook the heavens; a blazing orange aura shot skyward from the Qunyu Pavilion.
Even Ningguang bowed deeply to Xin Yan in respect.
Liyue was secure—utterly secure.
She had already budgeted to sacrifice the pavilion if necessary, but now that would not be needed.
Keqing and Hu Tao stared, stunned. The flame that had scattered darkness and lit the dawn… was their own devoted admirer?
Keqing especially felt the sky crashing down; her wide eyes fixed on Xin Yan in disbelief.
Xin Yan casually incinerated the Fatui teleportation array, then sent a fire dragon sweeping across the pavilion, hurling every Fatui from the sky.
With the rabble dealt with, she sensed two peculiar stares boring into her.
"Seems you two are pretty surprised, Lady Keqing, and my dear Hu Tao."
She winked, flashing them a cheeky V-sign.
Then her playful air vanished; she turned toward Osial, a trace of nostalgia in her eyes.
"Osial, the Vortex God… I told them back then: burn you to ash and be done with it, but no—seal you instead. Tch."
She shook her head with a sigh, then sharpened her gaze and thrust out her right hand, summoning a spear into her grip.
The crimson weapon coiled with golden dragons; its blade, wreathed in scarlet runes, jutted from the jaws of an open dragon-head.
"Dawn-Coiling Dragon-Spear."
Her trusty companion from the days when she, Morax, and the adepti waged war across the land.
"Old friend, this time we'll burn Osial to cinders—demon God and lingering will, all of it."
She leveled the spear at Osial, a confident smirk on her lips, then shot skyward as an orange-red streak.
Boom—!
High above, Xin Yan's temperature soared; a mighty shockwave burst from the blazing sphere.
The storm-clouds scattered, revealing—well, revealing the moon that lit Liyue Harbor.
An enormous sun-sigil expanded where she hovered, and Xin Yan herself became a miniature sun hanging beneath the night moon.
In an instant all darkness across Liyue was driven away; the land blazed like noon.
Evil beings touched by the light turned to ash on the spot.
"I am Xin Yan—the blazing sun that guides Liyue through the dawn, scattering every shadow!"
Her voice rolled across the nation; every citizen lifted their eyes to the sun in the sky.
Osial, newly unsealed and still groggy, halted and stared at the fireball above.
Something about that sun looked painfully familiar… His body throbbed with phantom pain. "Scree—roar—!"
Though instinct urged fear, his hunger for freedom won; he howled at the sky.
He would be free—he would have his vengeance on Liyue!
Crimson light flared in his many eyes; countless watery twisters rose from the sea, racing toward Xin Yan to douse the hated light.
At the same time he summoned a colossal tsunami, intent on swallowing Liyue Harbor whole.
From within the blazing sun Xin Yan lifted a delicate hand, halting the twisters, then glanced at the towering wave below and formed a sword-finger with her free hand.
"By my decree—rise!"
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