Yunxuan's gaze swept across the surroundings. Although the Millelith had already formed a defensive line to guide the crowd, there were still scattered passersby hiding in street corners or behind stone pillars, peeking through the gaps.
The windows of buildings in the distance were half-open, and one could vaguely see people clinging to the windowsills, clearly eavesdropping on this commotion in secret.
"There are too many eyes and ears here. A few words could leak the news. Let's find a place where we can speak in peace, so that unrelated people won't overhear us," Yunxuan sighed softly.
The group tacitly walked toward Wangshu Inn.
The wooden floorboards creaked softly under their feet. When the group arrived, everyone except Zhongli was stunned.
The inn, which usually wafted the aroma of food and saw waiters bustling about, was completely empty.
Obviously, the proprietress had received the news in advance and deliberately cleared the place.
What surprised Lumine and Paimon even more was that, besides the familiar Xiao, Cloud Retainer, who had already taken human form, was also standing beside him.
Seeing the group arrive in force, a barely noticeable trace of surprise flashed across Xiao's cool face.
His brow twitched slightly, and then he nodded slightly to the group, counting it as a greeting.
Xianyun fixed her gaze on Venti, her eyes filled with genuine respect, and raised her hand in a formal greeting. "I have long heard of the God of Freedom of Mondstadt. I was told that the winds of your nation carry songs across the mountains. I greatly admire this unrestrained freedom."
Osial and Beisht remained by Yunxuan's side, never straying an inch, their bodies enveloped in a thin veil of Hydro Element.
The couple had clearly not fully lowered their guard, fearing their daughter might suffer even the slightest grievance again.
Sensing her parents' tension, Yunxuan gently patted their arms, the warmth of her palms transmitted through their sleeves.
"It's alright, relax, they're all friends," Yunxuan's voice was soft as she reassured them. "Venti and the others won't harm me, nothing will happen."
After speaking, she turned to look at Xianyun.
The girl took a deep breath, her fingers grasping the edge of her hood, and finally removed it. Inky black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and a face identical to Yunqin's was instantly exposed to everyone's view.
At that moment, the world fell into a brief silence.
Everyone's gazes were locked tightly on Yunxuan's face.
Those curved eyebrows, that upturned nose, and even the exact same arc of her lips when she spoke, were all identical to Yunqin's without a single difference!
"Are you... another Yunqin?" Paimon stopped mid-air in shock, her eyes wide and round, her voice filled with disbelief.
She even subconsciously rubbed her eyes, thinking she had seen wrong.
"Just call me Yunxuan." Yunxuan nodded slowly.
Her gaze fell upon Xianyun, carrying a hint of cautious anticipation.
Xianyun looked at this face, identical to her own disciple's, and a trace of irrepressible emotion instantly welled up in her eyes. She subconsciously averted her gaze.
The image of Yunqin falling...
Those blood-stained memories...
They were still an unhealed scar in her heart to this day.
Facing this similar face now, she only felt a sharp pain in her chest, and even her breathing became heavy.
"The Millelith, you sent them by Senior Sister Ganyu, right, Master?" Yunxuan asked softly, her tone carrying a faint, barely perceptible sense of dependence.
Like a child who had suffered grievances outside and finally met an elder she could rely on, even her voice softened a bit.
Hearing this familiar "Master," Xianyun snapped back to her senses, looked at Yunxuan's face again, gently wiped the corner of her eye with her fingertips, and then slowly nodded. "I happened to be at a teahouse in Liyue Harbor tasting new tea when I suddenly felt a powerful elemental clash."
"The wind and water were entwined with hostility. I thought some audacious fool dared to fight within the city. I hurried here only to discover it was all you."
"I worried the situation would spiral out of control and harm bystanders, so I immediately sent a Communication Talisman to Ganyu, asking her to dispatch the Millelith to evacuate the crowd."
Yunxuan nodded gently and turned her gaze to Venti. Her eyes were filled with scrutiny, and her tone grew more serious. "Now you can tell us. What exactly is going on?"
"The Abyssal aura clinging to Lydia, and your true purpose for coming to Liyue. Tell us everything clearly, without keeping any more secrets."
Seeing this, Venti knew he could hide it no longer. He let out a helpless sigh, his expression turning heavy.
"Actually, our journey to Liyue this time was not simply for training." He paused, his tone darkening as even the wind around him seemed to grow solemn. "One of Mondstadt's Statues of The Seven suddenly vanished, as if it had evaporated into thin air. We suspect this is connected to the Abyss..."
Venti deliberately avoided mentioning Dainsleif's presence and related everything in full detail.
Zhongli frowned slightly, his eyes filled with contemplation. He suddenly asked, "I recall you mentioning a person whose hair color is remarkably similar to the Traveler's brother."
Venti's heart tightened, as if a secret had been exposed.
He hurriedly waved his hands and instinctively took half a step back. "No, no! It's just a coincidence that their hair color is similar. It has nothing to do with the Traveler's brother, and it's definitely not connected to the Abyss!"
He deliberately avoided mentioning anything about Dainsleif, not even daring to meet Zhongli's gaze.
He knew all too well Zhongli's perceptiveness.
If Zhongli kept pressing, his deception would likely be exposed.
This unusual evasion caused Zhongli and Yunxuan to both glance sideways.
A glint of scrutiny flashed in Zhongli's eyes, his deep gaze seeming to penetrate Venti's facade. He was exceptionally sharp, naturally sensing the loopholes in Venti's words. The deliberately raised tone, the darting eyes; all of it indicated that he was hiding something.
Yunxuan also frowned, feeling that the "similar hair color" person Venti mentioned was definitely not as simple as he claimed.
Just then, Xianyun broke the silence. "Regardless, if the Abyss causes further unrest, Liyue and Mondstadt are bound to watch over each other and jointly resist the foreign enemy."
"Since Lydia is a fellow traveler fighting the Abyss, let's wipe the slate clean regarding the conflicts caused by the previous misunderstanding."
Xiao also nodded in agreement, his gaze falling upon Lydia. That inexplicable sense of familiarity surged in his heart once more, as if he had seen her in a distant dream, yet he still couldn't recall where they had met.
"If you encounter Abyss monsters, I can step in to help and keep you all safe," Xiao said in a deep voice. "The land of Liyue will not tolerate the Abyss's insolence."
Yunxuan looked at the sincere expressions of everyone, then at the openness in Lydia's eyes. There was no trace of guilt in them, only the anticipation for the truth.
"I will trust you all for now." She finally relaxed, her tone softening slightly. "But I'm saying this up front. If I find out you're colluding with the Abyss or using lies to deceive me, I will absolutely not let it go!"
"Even if I have to fight with everything I have, I will seek justice for myself."
Venti breathed a sigh of relief, his usual smile returning as his tone became cheerful again. "Don't worry, don't worry! We're a steadfast 'Anti-Abyss Alliance.' How could we ever collude with those filth-covered monsters!"