After the appearance of the Overlord of the Vortex, though it had not directly attacked Liyue Harbor, its immense body stirred the sea so violently that it raised massive waves. These waves surged from Guyun Stone Forest toward the harbor, thundering even across a hundred li of ocean. Though somewhat weakened, the momentum remained fierce—each wave higher than the last.
From northwest to southeast, the entirety of Liyue Harbor's twenty-kilometer-long pier was affected. The ships moored in the Sea of Clouds—large and small—swayed uncontrollably in the waves, as if an unseen hand beneath the water was toying with them like playthings.
Larger ships fared better, rolling but not capsizing. But many smaller coastal vessels were not so lucky. The poorly constructed ones were smashed to pieces, and even the sturdier ones were often overturned.
"Lord Morax!"
"Geo Archon!"
From Liyue ships to foreign vessels, everyone cried out for the Geo Archon, hoping the God of War would once more pierce the Eastern Sea with a single spear. But he seemed truly gone—silent and unmoved.
Out of humanitarian concern—and more importantly, for their own safety—captains of the larger ships drew close and clustered together to weather the storm. Their formation shielded the smaller boats behind them, reducing the pressure significantly.
Out at sea, there was nowhere to hide. No one knew how long the calamity would last. If they were unlucky enough to crash into the wreckage of a smaller boat, the chance of damage would skyrocket.
Thus, the thousand ships of the Sea of Clouds became a living breakwater. The giant waves that began at Guyun Stone Forest were weakened by the sea, intercepted by the large ships, and finally arrived at Liyue Harbor with diminished force. The harbor was much calmer as a result.
More than half the Millelith deployed into the sea. In the cold, endless rain, among still-dangerous waves, they dragged their soaked, heavy, ochre-yellow robes through the waters, working together to pull exhausted or drowning civilians from the sea.
This ordeal lasted over ten minutes.
Then, from the direction of Guyun Stone Forest, a blinding explosion was heard. The Overlord of the Vortex's towering heads sank below the surface and never rose again.
Through the sunbeams piercing the dark clouds, a divine deer and two celestial cranes flew in from the east. Riding on their backs were the Yuheng star, the Tianquan Star, and an unfamiliar figure.
"Lady Ningguang!"
"The Adepti and the Qixing! They actually defeated the Overlord of the Vortex!"
"This is Liyue Harbor's victory!"
"Qixing! Adepti! Qixing! Adepti!"
"Qixing!" "Adepti!" "Qixing!" "Adepti!"
The rescued citizens erupted into cheers, their voices echoing across the harbor, welcoming the triumphant return of the Qixing and the Adepti.
"So... is it really over now?" Paimon asked uncertainly after they landed at the harbor.
"That overwhelming, ominous aura… has indeed dissipated," said Moon Carver, also gazing toward Guyun Stone Forest. "The Sigil of Permission was never meant to last forever. But with the Jade Chamber once again sealing it beneath the Stone Forest… even the Overlord of the Vortex likely won't be stirring up trouble again."
"We must thank the Adepti for their immense support. Without your timely presence, the future of Liyue Harbor would have been… difficult to imagine…"
Cloud Retainer scoffed at Ningguang's words. "Hmph. Must you flatter us at every opportunity? We were not here by coincidence—and do you mean to forget our 'purpose' already?"
Their purpose—was it those three unanswerable questions they posed earlier?
Or were they still acting?
Perhaps they genuinely held grievances against the Qixing… Even if brief cooperation was possible, the conflict between mortals and Adepti still lingered...
Without clear communication, Ningguang could only guess at Cloud Retainer's meaning.
Madame Ping interjected gently:
"Cloud Retainer, there's no need for such hostility...
"I've heard that when Ningguang first began learning business, she used her meager earnings to fund the Jade Chamber's construction.
"At first, it was only the size of a single room. After constant expansion, it's become the palace we know today… a reflection of her growth both as a merchant and as the spiritual pillar of the Qixing.
"The Jade Chamber was destroyed for Liyue. To her, that means a great deal. I believe that level of sacrifice and cooperation at least warrants some recognition."
"No, what she should have said was: 'Let it be a bargaining chip for future negotiations.' That would suit me more."
Ningguang gave a formal bow to the hidden Adeptus who had resided in Liyue Harbor for so long. Though she wore finger guards, her gesture was sincere, if not entirely proper.
"Thank you for speaking on my behalf. We're well aware of the Adepti's 'purpose' in coming today… but forgive us—we cannot yield."
"Oh?" Moon Carver looked perplexed. "What purpose are you referring to, Cloud Retainer and Ningguang?"
Placing her right hand over her chest, Ningguang took a deep breath and declared:
"Three thousand seven hundred years… Records show that the Adepti entered a contract with Lord Morax to protect Liyue, and that contract has now lasted over thirty-seven centuries.
To this day, Liyue's mountains and rivers remain as steady as stone, unchanged from a thousand years ago. It is a magnificent feat—but that does not mean Liyue itself is still the same Liyue of thirty-seven hundred years past.
Please do not fix your gaze only upon the land. Look at this city. Look at every person living here."
She hadn't uncovered the Adepti's purpose, but she had certainly expressed her dissatisfaction. Moon Carver responded pointedly, "Are you questioning the way we protect Liyue?"
"..." Of the three beast-formed Adepti, Mountain Shaper remained silent. It was unclear whether he was confused or simply agreed with Ningguang.
"I mean no offense—only that I hope you might reconsider… for Liyue's sake." Ningguang met the Adepti's eyes, conveying her sincerity.
"Heh. Still calling us 'elders,' when you Qixing juniors are of no standing before us," Cloud Retainer said with a sharp tongue. To outsiders, she likely came off as a haughty relic.
But Ningguang was unmoved by the words. She closed her eyes, as if reminiscing, and suddenly brought up something unrelated to the current debate: "This morning, I dreamed of the Geo Archon."
"Hm?" The Adepti exchanged glances. Their first thought was: a divine message.
Of course. Of course.
That unbreakable teleportation gate that had appeared on the Jade Chamber—it had to be him. Who else could craft such a portal on a high-speed, location-shifting vessel? Only Lord Morax. He had gone to such lengths for this trial…
Ningguang couldn't read the Adepti's thoughts. She simply continued:
"In the dream, I wanted to tell him, 'Though we Qixing are mortal, we too are bound by contracts. The legacy of every Qixing leaves something worthy of inheritance.'
I also wanted to say that, under his guidance, the generations of Qixing have worked to survive in the human world, weaving a network of contracts known as commerce.
But I said none of that. I simply looked at him… until I awoke."
She glanced at Keqing, guessing that she might have said something similar to the Archon.
Keqing had, in fact. She too had dreamed of him—this very morning. The silent Morax had appeared, and she had said everything she wanted to say before waking up.
It was just a dream… and besides, she hadn't said anything wrong… She muttered in her mind.
"Ningguang…" Paimon sounded almost sympathetic.
Lumine, as an outsider, gave a broader perspective:
"Everyone really shares the same goal. But when protectors clash with what they're meant to protect… the damage can be hard to undo. Before coming to Liyue, I saw something like this in Mondstadt… That was my lesson from the City of Freedom."
"All seven nations have their own difficult paths," she added.
"What you say is simple and true… but…"
Madame Ping cut off her old friend before the 'but' could be spoken. "Enough. Didn't Ningguang just say, 'Look carefully at this city, and at every person in it'? I've tried that… why don't you?"
SPLASH! SPLASH! Just then, someone approached from the sea. Two Millelith soldiers swam in, carrying a merchant who clearly couldn't swim. They had been rescuing people in the sea—and it just so happened that the nearest pier was where the Adepti had landed.
After pushing the merchant onto the pier, the two Millelith climbed up as well, soaked to the bone. They saluted.
"Lady Ningguang, Lady Keqing, esteemed Adepti—we apologize for interrupting your discussions!"
Ningguang waved a hand. "It's no bother. Saving lives comes first."
Moon Carver asked curiously, "And who might you be?"
The two drenched soldiers exchanged hesitant glances. The one on the right gave the other a pat, forcing him to speak first.
"I'm just a regular Millelith. My name is… Ergou."
The one on the right followed a moment later. "I'm a junior instructor with the Millelith. Name's Shiluo."
This Shiluo was the same commander who had previously led the operation to suppress the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
The mood froze for a moment. As expected, Shiluo had anticipated this. Whenever their names were spoken—no matter the context or audience—things always got awkward.
"Ahem! The Adepti showed divine might, and together with Lady Ningguang and Lady Keqing, defeated the Overlord of the Vortex. I only regret that I am too insignificant, able to do no more than rescue efforts on the ground."
"Eh? That's not true at all!" said the merchant they had saved, now wringing out his sleeves. "You and Brother Ergou saved me. Without you, I'd have died out there. You Millelith are impressive!"
He wore clothing in the Sumeru style and had come from Port Ormos. Curious about the Qixing and the Adepti, he spoke without reservation.
Seeing all eyes on him, he continued:
"This was my first time seeing an Archon—so huge! So powerful! It's something I'll brag about for the rest of my life. And to think, even without the Geo Archon, you all still defeated it. That's even more impressive!
"It's just a shame about my cargo… Otherwise, I'd treat Shiluo and Ergou to a good meal."
Ningguang smiled—brightly and genuinely. "Don't worry. Compensation for losses caused by the Overlord of the Vortex will be provided."
"Really? That's wonderful!"
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance. They had a pretty good idea who would be footing the bill…
"We'll return to relief work now!" Shiluo and Ergou respectfully took their leave, then with two splashes, dove back into the sea.
From afar, another Millelith approached—the commanding officer stationed at the pier.
"Esteemed Adepti, forgive me for not offering a full salute while in armor."
"And you are?"
"I am a Millelith instructor named Feng Yan, here to offer the Adepti my thanks."
Behind him… was a little girl…