Seeing the other's fear, Bianca dismissed the materialized authority of Decay.
Gentle light then bloomed from her, rich vitality cascading outward in waves of Bloom.
Tartaglia's wounds—and the backlash of his Foul Legacy—vanished in an instant.
At the same moment, an entity watching from a projection above Natlan… and another somewhere in Teyvat both glanced toward Liyue.
"Authority over death (life)—why does it appear in Liyue?"
The former shut the narrow, eye-filled rift he had cast across Natlan's sky.
"Another life meddling with death?"
She shifted that gaze into the Golden House in Liyue.
The latter merely spared a cool glance before looking away.
As the eerie slit appeared, Kiana met it with her own stare.
"The Heavenly Principles…?! No… that's wrong…"
The narrow fissure—rather, Ronova, the God of Death and one of the four shadows of Teyvat's Heavenly Principles—spoke.
Looking at Kiana, she instinctively uttered "Heavenly Principles," then immediately denied it.
As a shadow of those Principles, she could never mistake them; this being merely felt similar.
"Heh-heh…"
Kiana waved at Ronova.
Ignoring her, Ronova turned her attention to Bianca.
This is the one who wielded death's authority—so why is her body now brimming with life?
Was it Naberius—or rather, Rhinedottir—cooking up something unknown again?
No… these two, and the one resembling the Principles… they feel extramundane. Could they be linked to those two mighty forces two days ago?
Ronova turned the possibilities over in her mind.
The apparition of those strange eyes put everyone on edge.
Hu Tao, ever walking the border of life and death, was especially sensitive to Ronova's aura of death.
"…"
His injuries healed, Tartaglia gave Bianca and Lumine a long look, then—ignoring Ronova's projected gaze—flashed out of the Golden House.
He had more pressing business.
The Traveler hadn't taken the Gnosis; only one truth remained.
The Geo Archon Morax was not dead!
He had been played.
He would now use the forged Hundred-No-Taboo Talismans to summon the suppressed God, throw Liyue into chaos, and force Morax to appear.
Kiana knew his plan but did nothing to stop him.
With herself, the now-Emanator of Preservation Zhongli, and Bianca present, Liyue might as well be impregnable.
If even one civilian died during the chaos, she, Kiana, would die beneath a beauty's skirt!
"More intriguing than those two outsiders…"
A cold, proud girl's voice drifted from the rift as its many eyes swiveled toward a trembling Paimon.
Interesting… almost the same origin as ours… a direct line of the Heavenly Principles…?
There was also a faint trace of "her" on the girl—when Liyue suddenly quaked and a mighty aura rose beyond the harbor.
"Hmph, a God?"
Ronova noticed the aura but clearly dismissed it with contempt.
After sweeping her gaze across everyone, she dissolved the rift.
"Phew… you scared me to death…"
Once Ronova vanished, Paimon slumped over Lumine's head in relief.
Lumine drew her into a hug, gently patting her back.
Bianca stowed Black Abyss White Flower, eyeing the spot where Ronova had disappeared in puzzlement.
She couldn't figure out why the woman had come.
"Nana, what's wrong?!"
Hu Tao, seeing Workhorse Na staring blankly toward Liyue Harbor, worriedly shook her shoulder.
"Liyue… in danger… I have to go…"
Gently pushing Hu Tao aside, Workhorse Na shot toward the exit at incredible speed.
"Nana! Wait for me!"
Hu Tao sprinted after her.
"Let's go too—something's off with the other Kiana!"
Paimon pointed toward the exit.
"Right… I sense something unsettling as well…"
Frowning, Lumine voiced her worry.
The remaining four chased after them.
Outside, they saw no sign of Workhorse Na—only Hu Tao racing ahead ringed by spectral butterflies.
"Is she finally awakening?"
"Kiana, do you know something?"
Bianca tilted her head at her sister, eyes full of doubt.
"A little. Let's go—everything will be clear once we reach Liyue."
Kiana casually sliced open an Imaginary Gate, tugging Hu Tao through as well.
The five stepped onto the Qunyu Pavilion floating above Liyue Harbor.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky; seawater spouts stabbed heavenward.
adepti, Liyue Qixing, and the Millelith all stared grimly at the sea.
When Xiao spotted Kiana, he visibly relaxed.
"Head of the Hu Clan…"
Ningguang and Keqing nodded to Hu Tao, then turned to Lumine and Paimon with apology:
"Sorry, Traveler—our Qixing oversight led to your misunderstanding."
Earlier, Ningguang had sent Ganyu to invite the Traveler to the Qunyu Pavilion to clear the air, but she had left Wangsheng again that afternoon.
"It's all right…"
Seeing their sincerity, Lumine forgave them with a gentle nod.
"Hmph, hypocrites,"
Cloud Retainer snorted, lifting his deer head toward the long, deep-blue forms out at sea.
The ancient God roused by the Fatui—Osial, the God of the Vortex.
Ningguang and Keqing, unangered, could only sigh in resignation.
Even after explanations, the adeptus of Jueyun Karst still refused to believe them. "Hmph, we'll settle our affairs later."
Cloud Retainer raised her crane neck toward Osial advancing on the harbor, her tone grave:
"We must set aside grievances and face the common foe."
"Agreed—let all else wait until the enemy is repelled."
Mountain Shaper nodded slowly.
At that moment one of Osial's heads gaped, gathering a deep-blue energy beam that blasted toward the Qunyu Pavilion.
"Hmph!"
The assembled adepti pooled their power, forging a translucent shield before the palace.
The blast shattered the barrier, leaving the adepti panting.
"Osial shouldn't possess such strength…?"
Granny Ping wheezed, staring in shock at the sea.
"Sealed beneath the deep by the Geo Archon for a thousand years—how can he still wield such power?"
The same question haunted every adeptus present.
As they pondered, a formation appeared above the Qunyu Pavilion, and Fatui soldiers began pouring through.
"So the Fatui are behind this…"
Cold light flashed in Ningguang's eyes, her tone no longer mild.
Veteran Millelith on the palace engaged the Fatui at once, while rookies still reeled under the God's pressure.
Lumine raised her weapon and joined the fray.
Osial charged a second water-cannon, firing it at the Qunyu Pavilion.
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