Zhongli's peaceful observation did not last long.
While ordinary people couldn't sense his presence from the sidelines, that didn't mean Su Ming couldn't. After all, Su Ming had calculated from the very beginning that Zhongli would definitely be watching the battle nearby to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
Sure enough, with just a casual sweep of his gaze, he spotted Zhongli. Although the man had hidden his aura, he hadn't gone out of his way to hide his physical form.
Zhongli naturally noticed Su Ming looking at him and offered a small smile.
Su Ming took the opportunity to send a telepathic message: "Old Man, how about some of that miraculous medicine? You wouldn't want your little Alatus to kick the bucket like this, would you?"
Zhongli replied, "...Your way of speaking is truly... unique. Take this pill; I had already prepared it to send to him anyway."
"Do not worry about the potency. Desperate times call for strong medicine. Right now, Xiao is at the most suitable state to have his Karmic Debt purged."
"As for his body... a Yaksha's physique has always been robust. A little tossing and turning from the medicine's properties won't cause any lasting harm."
As soon as he finished speaking, a dim streak of light flew into Su Ming's hand.
Su Ming didn't stand on ceremony. He pried Xiao's mouth open and unceremoniously stuffed the pill inside. Then, he grabbed him and flew up toward the Jade Chamber.
"Where... am I?"
Xiao, having regained his consciousness and clarity, slowly rose from the sickbed. One hand clutched his head as he tried to recall what had happened. It was clear, however, that he had lost all memory of that recent period.
The last thing he remembered was fighting the minions of the Abyss at Guyun Stone Forest. Finally overwhelmed by the siege, he had detonated his internal Karma for one last stand.
"Wait, that's not right!"
Xiao realized the inconsistency. If he had detonated his Karma, how could he possibly have survived?
He moved to get out of bed, but a pair of large hands pressed down on him, forcing him back onto the mattress.
"Alright, Immortal Xiao, just stay still," Su Ming said helplessly. "Although most of the Karmic Debt has left your body and the power of the Abyss has been purged, it's not that simple."
"Karma has lived in symbiosis with you for a long time; it has practically become a part of your body. Such a sudden extraction has taken quite a toll on you."
"As for where we are, this is the Jade Chamber."
"Just lie down and rest. Don't move around."
Xiao looked at Su Ming. "It's you... what exactly happened just now?"
Su Ming chuckled. "Nothing much. You were just controlled by the power of the Abyss and proceeded to beat up my Master and my Uncles. Eventually, I came over, gave you a good thrashing, and then you ended up lying here."
After that summary, Xiao was even more confused. However, he could guess the general nature of his actions. He looked at Su Ming, asking with a trace of unease and guilt, "Was anyone hurt?"
"No mortals were injured. My Master was scratched by you and lost a few feathers. Uncle Moon Carver had a piece of his horn chipped off by your Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, though it's not very noticeable."
"Uncle Mountain Shaper... he was hurt the worst. You lunged at him with your spear; even though you didn't impale him, you scraped off a huge patch of his feathers. His back is completely bald now."
Xiao: "..."
What had he been doing? Why did Su Ming's description make him sound like a total brat?
Seeing the look in Xiao's eyes, Su Ming sighed. "Alright, that's not all. Streetward Rambler's polearm was snapped in half by you. She said she's coming to find you for compensation."
Xiao: "..."
The two didn't chat for long. Soon, the other Adepti entered the room to check on Xiao's condition.
Su Ming wasn't the type to overstay his welcome. He silently exited the room, leaving the time for the old friends to talk. He walked out onto the deck of the Jade Chamber and looked toward the distant Guyun Stone Forest.
He had an ill omen.
If Aether hadn't appeared earlier, he might have relaxed and enjoyed the view of the turbulent, restless sea. But his "cheap brother-in-law" had indeed shown up.
In that case, the Abyss was a threat that could not be ignored. After all, Guyun Stone Forest hid quite a few "surprises" beneath its depths.
Furthermore, now that the plot had reached this stage, he didn't know if smashing the Jade Chamber down again would still be enough to seal the God back under the waves.
Even though he knew the Old Man was there to back everything up and he could just watch the show, the feeling of leaving life and death in the hands of others wasn't pleasant. Currently, he was both excited and worried. He was excited at the prospect of fighting a God, but worried he might not be strong enough to win.
"Still, a God should finally be enough to make me go all out, right?"
While things were reaching a life-and-death peak at the docks, the atmosphere at the Golden House was far more harmonious.
When Ningguang arrived with Lumine and Shenhe, they happened to run right into a dark-faced Tartaglia. He had already searched the Golden House and realized that it was empty. Realizing he had been played, Tartaglia naturally didn't have a pleasant expression.
"The Liyue Qixing... what a clever move."
Ningguang looked at Tartaglia with a teasing smile. "Heh. Setting that aside, I wonder what a Fatui Harbinger is doing at the Golden House, knocking out and injuring the Millelith guards? Are you intending to desecrate the Imperial Exuvia, or perhaps... destroy the mint of the entire continent?"
Tartaglia replied with a cold huff, "Are you trying to judge me? Or frame me? Do I need to inform the Adepti that the Qixing have hidden the Geo Archon's remains without permission?"
Faced with Tartaglia's verbal threat, Ningguang wasn't flustered in the slightest. She silently revealed a jade-green bracelet on her wrist.
"Mister Childe, you are welcome to try. However, I should remind you that this bracelet was crafted by an Adeptus; it contains a small Sub-space within."
"Would you like to guess where the Qixing have hidden the Exuvia?"
"And while you're at it, why don't you guess if the Adepti know that the Qixing are hiding it?"
Tartaglia took a deep breath. He was reckless and impulsive, but he wasn't completely brainless. How could he not understand what Ningguang was implying?
The idea that the Exuvia was in the Golden House might have been a fake piece of information leaked by the Qixing from the start. It was a bait set specifically to lure out those hiding in the shadows with ulterior motives.
"Since it's come to this, there's nothing more to say."
"If you want to judge me, you'll have to defeat me first."
Boom!
Purple lightning flashed across the sky as Tartaglia instantly activated his Foul Legacy.
However, despite his brave words, Tartaglia hadn't actually planned on a long fight.
Tsk... my injuries still haven't fully healed. I can only maintain Foul Legacy for five minutes at most.
If I can't break through within five minutes, things are going to get messy... I really don't want that La Signora woman to mock me.
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