As Yunxuan's voice fell, the Hydro Element around her surged as if coming to life. The pale blue light of the water, like entwined ribbons, wove a graceful halo around her body.
The others nodded in tacit agreement, leaving the space to the two of them.
Seeing the area cleared, and knowing they could now fight freely, Yunxuan twisted her wrist. The bow swept toward Lydia with a sharp, air-piercing sound, the Hydro Element at the bow's tip even cutting the air until it trembled slightly.
The fighting spirit in Lydia's eyes instantly burned brighter, her snow-white skirt swirling into a flower as she turned.
The moment she charged forward with the Festering Desire in hand, the dark purple runes on the blade suddenly glowed a bit brighter.
Clang! A crisp sound vibrated through the eardrums.
The instant the Wind and Hydro elements collided, sparks flew and landed on the wooden floor, scorching tiny black marks into it.
Under this impact, the two of them actually retreated half a step at the same time. As their soles scraped across the floor, they left two shallow scratches.
"What power!" Lydia couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes shining like they were tempered with starlight.
She flipped her wrist, and the runes on the Festering Desire flashed more urgently.
"Again!"
Before her words even faded, she shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Her sword strikes were both fast and fierce, the sword qi carving smooth arcs that always skillfully avoided Yunxuan's vital points. She wanted a spar, not a slaughter.
Yunxuan was also ignited by this exhilarating feeling, the bow in her hands changing unpredictably. At times, it was used as a long spear to thrust straight at Lydia's heart, only to veer slightly away before touching her clothes; at other times, it was used as a scimitar to sweep horizontally.
Whenever the Festering Desire drew near, she could quickly condense the Hydro Element, weaving a translucent water shield in front of her to steadily block the attack.
The figures of the two women darted back and forth on the balcony of Wangshu Inn. The sizzling sounds of elemental collisions, the soft rustle of fluttering sleeves, and the crisp clangs of sword and bow clashing intertwined, leaving the onlookers dazzled.
Paimon flapped her wings rapidly in the air, nimbly dodging the scattered elemental fragments while shouting at the top of her lungs, "Wow! Their speed is too fast! I can't even see them clearly!"
Lumine also watched without blinking, her knuckles turning slightly white.
She could clearly feel that Yunxuan's sword strikes were becoming more steady and pure, without a hint of malevolent aura.
Meanwhile, Lydia's moves were agile and ever-changing, the Anemo Element acting upon the Festering Desire as if it were naturally one with the blade.
Though this was their first serious spar, they could predict each other's next moves, showing a chemistry like comrades who had fought side by side for years.
Venti leaned against the nearby carved railing, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. "I didn't expect these two girls to be so strong, and..."
He paused, his gaze fixed on the two clashing figures, his tone tinged with curiosity. "They seem to be drawing each other in, like two drops of water from the same source, naturally meant to merge."
Zhongli nodded slightly, his gaze locked on the two on the battlefield, the curiosity in his eyes deepening.
"Deep within their souls, a certain bond of the same origin is hidden."
"Though it's not entirely clear what it is, but..."
Zhongli did not say too much, leaving a lot unsaid.
Xianyun watched Yunxuan's fierce moves, and then recalled Yunqin's appearance back then, a complicated emotion stirring in her eyes.
She was both relieved that Yunxuan could possess such powerful strength, and saddened by the completely different fierce temperament beneath this face that looked exactly like her disciple's, her nose tingling slightly.
Osial and Beisht stood aside, their faces full of pride. Watching their daughter shine on the battlefield, the Hydro Element that had been tense around the couple's bodies gradually became gentle.
Just then, Lydia suddenly spun and leaped into the air, raising the Festering Desire high above her head. Sword Qi frantically condensed at its tip, whistling through the wind as she swung it down toward Yunxuan.
Yunxuan's eyes narrowed, and the Hydro Element around her instantly went wild, condensing into the phantom of a bright, pure moon before her.
The moonlight was cold and clear, yet it possessed immense defensive power, forcibly withstanding this crushing blow!
Boom—
The massive impact caused the wooden floor of the balcony to tremble slightly.
The auras of wind and water intertwined, forming a strange, two-colored halo between the two, staining the surrounding air with soft colors.
As the halo faded, both women breathed heavily, fine beads of sweat breaking out on their foreheads. Yet, they smiled in unison, their eyes filled with the sheer pleasure of having met a worthy opponent.
Lydia gripped the Festering Desire as the runes on its blade gradually faded from their piercing glow to a soft, dark purple. "I guess I wasn't wrong about you. You're truly strong!"
Yunxuan also put away her bowhand, lifting a hand to wipe the sweat from her temple. A fierce smile, utterly different from Yunqin's, touched her lips. "Likewise. Your sword is also much more powerful than I imagined. You didn't go all out in Liyue Harbor, did you?"
Hearing Yunxuan's words, the smile in Lydia's eyes instantly spread, like crushed starlight falling into her gaze.
She gently rotated the hand gripping the Festering Desire. As her fingertips brushed over the runes on the blade, the dark purple patterns suddenly flashed violently, as if a slumbering monster had been awakened.
Three slender yet tough dark purple tentacles slowly extended from both sides of the blade, like living vines obediently coiling around her wrist, pressing tightly against her skin.
Instead of the expected cold and slimy feel, a warmth resonating with her soul spread from her veins to her heart, making her grip on the sword hilt even steadier.
Immediately after, she raised her empty left hand, and a dense surge of Anemo energy abruptly welled up in her palm.
The teal-green airflow swirled and condensed in her palm, gradually transforming into a translucent Anemo sword hilt.
The hilt was wreathed in fine wind patterns, forming a sharp contrast with the dark purple of the Festering Desire.
As the dark and light glows intertwined, her aura instantly strengthened, and the hem of her snow-white dress was gently lifted by the elemental currents.
"In Liyue Harbor before, I did indeed hold back a third of my strength." Lydia lightly shook her wrist, the dark purple tentacles guiding the Festering Desire to carve out an elegant arc.
The Anemo sword hilt glowed with a faint halo, trembling softly as if it shared her very will.
"Now, it's time for you to see my true strength." The battle intent in her eyes burned even brighter, and even her snow-white eyelashes took on a hint of sharpness.
A flash of excitement instantly crossed Yunxuan's eyes, and her hand holding the harp bow slowly relaxed. The harp bow dissolved into specks of pale blue light in her palm, then re-coalesced at her fingertips, gradually forming into an exquisite violin.
The body of the violin glowed with the lustrous sheen unique to the Hydro Element, and when the strings were gently plucked, they would shed fine stardust.
She raised her hand to rest the violin on her shoulder, her elbow lifting slightly. Her posture was as elegant as if she were preparing for a performance, and crisp music then flowed out with the evening breeze, carrying the gentleness of water.
At the same time, the space behind her shimmered with a cold, faint light. The Bright Moon Phantom used for defense before re-emerged, but no longer in the shape of a rounded shield.