In the past few days, after experiencing the "Dragon King girl Rampage Incident," the "Jade Chamber Graffiti Contest," and the "Golden House Team Building Tragedy," the Rite of Descension was finally about to begin.
In a corner of the Wanmin Restaurant service area, four Hilichurls were mumbling conspiratorially in Hilichurlian.
"Morax will feign death soon."
Jesse lowered his voice and said, "A shed skin will fall onto the offering table. What should we do?"
Elliot's mask suddenly lit up with a wicked expression: "Of course, we'll ruin all of Zhongli's plans!"
He excitedly slapped the table, making the bowls and chopsticks on the next table clatter.
"Isn't that just a shed skin? We'll make it real!"
"Do you think the Millelith are vegetarians?"
Zane retorted, "Causing trouble right under so many people's noses..."
The three simultaneously fell into contemplation.
Just then, Matt's Electro Lawachurl mask suddenly lit up with a "click" like a lightbulb, and he pulled out a stone with a simple drawing of a mouse from behind his back.
"The rat talisman?!"
The three exclaimed in unison, almost falling off their stools.
This was one of the Twelve Talismans from "Jackie Chan Adventures," possessing the power to bring inanimate objects to life.
"Heheheh—"
The four Hilichurls simultaneously let out villainous laughter, and the surrounding temperature instantly dropped by ten degrees.
The guests at the neighboring tables collectively shivered, and a merchant eating boiled fish was so frightened that a fishbone got stuck in his throat.
"Then, once the shed skin drops..."
Jesse made a gesture to activate the talisman.
"We will..."
Elliot imitated a giant dragon awakening.
"Make Zhongli..."
Zane gestured for social death.
"Completely collapse on the spot!"
Matt concluded with a simple-minded grin.
The four once again let out "kukuku" sinister laughs, and the lanterns in Wanmin Restaurant suddenly swayed without wind, while Guoba, frightened, burrowed under the stove.
Lumine, standing nearby, buried her face deep in her hands: "Paimon, we really don't know them..."
Paimon was desperately stuffing Almond Tofu into her mouth: "Mmm mmm... let me finish this last meal..."
Just then, a deep bell sound echoed from the Jade Chamber in the distance.
The four Hilichurls stood up in unison, the rat talisman flashing with dangerous light in their hands.
"Operation Codename—" Jesse solemnly announced.
"'A Small Shock for a Retired Old Man'!"
The four high-fived and cheered, scaring Xingqiu, who had just entered, into sitting down in the fish tank by the door.
"Hahaha! Xingqiu, how can you be so clumsy!"
Hu Tao laughed, her twin tails trembling, and reached out to pull the soaking wet Xingqiu out of the fish tank.
The young sword master's clothes were still dripping, looking like a drowned rat.
"Who would've thought I'd feel such a bone-chilling cold the moment I walked in."
Xingqiu wrung his sleeves, helplessly glancing at the four Hilichurls in the corner.
"My legs just went weak and then..."
Chongyun, eating an ice pop, leaned over, his ice-blue pupils slightly gleaming: "There's indeed a chill, but it doesn't seem like evil spirits..."
His gaze locked onto the quartet, and his ice pop suddenly snapped in half with a "crack."
"It's truly unheard of that souls from another world can suppress the corrosion of Hilichurl bodies."
Hu Tao pulled out an abacus from who knows where and clattered away: "Based on Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor's experience, an ordinary soul possessing a Hilichurl body would at most last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before..."
"Hey! Hu Tao! Xingqiu! Chongyun!"
Xiangling rushed over like a gust of wind.
"You guys are here too!"
Xingqiu looked at the crowded Wanmin Restaurant, surprised: "Xiangling? Isn't this your busiest time for meals?"
"Thanks to the cooking utensils they gave me!"
Xiangling excitedly pointed to the kitchen—where floating cleavers were automatically chopping vegetables, a flaming wok, and condiment bottles with legs ran around on their own.
The most amazing thing was the steamer, which was actually tap-dancing and steaming.
Hu Tao's eye twitched: "Is—is this really not sorcery?"
"I just have to cook a dish once, and they'll perfectly mimic my cooking experience, tripling the efficiency!"
Xiangling proudly puffed out her chest.
"It's just that Jesse said if that wok cooks too many things, it might explode..."
No sooner had she spoken than a "boom" echoed from the kitchen, and a new hole appeared in the ceiling.
The four Hilichurls simultaneously gave a thumbs-up: "Normal phenomenon!"
Chongyun silently pulled out a stack of talismans: "I think we need to perform an exorcism ritual..."
"Ah! I still wanted to try Xiangling's new dishes!"
Hu Tao suddenly wailed, then added cautiously.
"Except Slime Condensate! That 'Qingxin Stir-fried Slime' gave me nightmares for three days!"
Xiangling scratched her head sheepishly: "Well... today's special is 'Dvalin Spicy Lion's Head,' made with powder ground from Dvalin's scales..."
The four Hilichurls suddenly spat out their tea in unison.
Jesse's mask cracked open a seam: "Wait! Those scales are what we got from..."
"Rumble!"
A sudden loud noise came from the Jade Chamber in the distance, erupting into a golden pillar of light that shot into the sky, and the Rite of Descension began.
the quartet stood up with a "whoosh," the rat talisman flashing with dangerous light in their hands.
"It's starting!"
Elliot exclaimed excitedly.
Zane looked at Hu Tao and her companions, reminding them: "Friendly reminder..."
He suddenly pulled out an riot shield.
"I suggest you retreat three hundred meters away."
Hu Tao's plum blossom eyes instantly lit up: "Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor's latest model coffins are 20% off! Order now and also receive..."
Before she could finish, Xingqiu and Chongyun grabbed her by each side and ran out.
Xiangling, holding Guoba, stood frozen: "My kitchen..."
"Forget the kitchen!"
Lumine appeared from nowhere, dragging Xiangling out.
"Those four troublemakers are going to mess up the Rex Lapis's plan!"
"Huh?"
Xiangling was full of questions.
——————
"The Rex Lapis has been assassinated! Seal off the entire area!"
Ningguang's voice echoed through the Jade Chamber, but the scene fell into an eerie silence.
Hu Tao's plum blossom eyes were wide, and the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor flyers in her hand scattered all over the ground with a "rustle"; Xingqiu's sword "clanged" to his feet; Chongyun's ice pop slid directly into his collar.
An exclamation mark appeared above Lumine's head: "This isn't the script we agreed on!"
"Morax—!"
Little Azhdaha suddenly let out an earth-shattering wail, her two short legs flailing like windmills, and she crashed headfirst into the giant dragon's "corpse."
She swung her small fists, pounding on the dragon scales: "You can't die—!"
"First aid! Quick, first aid!"
Matt lunged forward, starting CPR on the giant dragon—though his technique was so wild that the scales on the dragon's abdomen creaked and groaned.
"Move aside! Move aside!"
Jesse and Elliot rushed over, carrying a syringe as thick as a utility pole, and plunged it into the dragon's rear with a "plop."
The moment the needle entered, Zane, with quick reflexes, poured an entire bottle of rainbow-colored potion into the dragon's mouth, casually tossing in the rat talisman like a candy pill.
"Gulp."
During the three seconds everyone held their breath, only Little Azhdaha's sobbing echoed.
Suddenly—
The giant dragon's golden eyes lit up with a "whoosh," even more dazzling than searchlights.
"What the hell are you guys doing?!"
The deafening dragon roar blew off half the tiles of the Jade Chamber.
A sweep of its tail sent the four Hilichurls flying like cannonballs, leaving four "big" character-shaped dents in the distant city wall.
The people present stared dumbfounded at the furious giant dragon: a giant syringe was stuck in its rear, rainbow bubbles came out of its mouth, and Little Azhdaha's snot bubble was still stuck to the tip of its tail.
"Ow! Who poured chili powder into my mouth?!"
The giant dragon suddenly covered its stomach with a claw, its dragon face contorted into an emoji.
"And this syringe!"
It quickly extended a claw and pulled out the syringe.
"Slap!"
Zhongli slapped his own forehead.
His meticulously planned retirement drama had turned into an absurd comedy three minutes into the opening.
Even worse, he clearly saw the four of them prying themselves out of the wall cracks, sneaking towards him.
Ganyu's documents scattered all over the ground: "S-so now..."
"The Rex Lapis didn't die?"
A Millelith soldier subconsciously blurted out, immediately having his mouth covered by a colleague.
Little Azhdaha burst into laughter through her tears, pouncing and hanging onto the giant dragon's neck: "Morax is the best!"
Almost choking the "resurrected" old dragon to death a second time.