"Baiwen, Baixiao, go summon Ganyu and Miss Shenhe," Ningguang instructed the two figures standing behind her.
They would need the help of both to face the Archon.
What surprised her, however, was how the Vortex Archon's seal had suddenly been broken. Could something have gone wrong on Keqing's side?
While Ningguang pondered this, she suddenly looked up and noticed something flying towards the Jade Chamber from the distant sky.
It was a massive deer, galloping across the sky as though the air itself were solid ground.
The deer's eyes were golden, exuding an aura of seriousness and authority. This was none other than Mountain Shaper, one of the "Adepti of Three Eyes and Five Manifestations."
On either side of the deer flew two different-colored celestial birds. One had predominantly white feathers with touches of pale blue, while the other had a black body with a white neck and long feathers on its wings that resembled the colors of sunset.
They were Cloud Retainer and Moon Carver, two other powerful Adepti.
At first glance, the Adepti seemed distant, but in the blink of an eye, they had descended before Ningguang, standing gracefully on the platform of the Jade Chamber.
"Esteemed Adepti, it has been a long time," Ningguang said, stepping forward in her high heels and offering a polite greeting.
"Hmph, Ningguang, first the Geo Archon was murdered, and now the seal of an Archon has been broken. Perhaps Liyue no longer needs the Qixing," Mountain Shaper said sternly, his voice filled with authority. It was the kind of voice that could make ordinary people tremble and struggle to stand.
"What the Adeptus says has merit.
"However, the system of the 'Liyue Qixing' was established by the Geo Archon himself.
"With his cause of death still unknown, it's best not to say things that won't help us find the culprit. Wouldn't you agree?" Ningguang responded calmly.
The Qixing were not subordinates of the Adepti, nor did they need to follow anyone's orders except for the Geo Archon. Ningguang maintained her dignity, though she still showed the necessary respect.
"You! Hmph, I've heard many rumors along the way regarding the Archon's death.
"One of those rumors is that the Qixing wanted sole control over Liyue and conspired to kill the Archon during the Rite of Descension. Is there any truth to this?" Mountain Shaper asked, his tone sharp and accusatory.
"Adeptus, with the Archon's divine strength, no mortal could possibly assassinate him. Without power on the level of a god, it simply isn't possible.
"There's no need to test me with these baseless rumors," Ningguang replied, crossing her arms, unfazed by the Adepti's imposing presence.
"Enough, Mountain Shaper. We came here to investigate the Geo Archon's death. Starting an internal conflict before we have clear answers would only harm our standing. What would outsiders think of us?"
Cloud Retainer intervened, spreading her wing to stop Mountain Shaper from further pressing Ningguang.
"So, Ningguang, it's been quite some time since the Geo Archon's death. Have you uncovered anything in your investigation?" Cloud Retainer asked, turning her gaze toward Ningguang.
"It's unfortunate, but that's exactly what's puzzling us.
"After investigating, we haven't found anyone responsible for assassinating the Geo Archon. Even the Fatui, who are the most likely suspects, haven't left any conclusive evidence."
Ningguang shook her head before continuing,
"Right now, either the Geo Archon's death has deeper layers of mystery, or the culprit's power far surpasses ours, making it impossible to find any effective clues for the time being."
"Is that so..." Cloud Retainer said, somewhat surprised.
She knew the capabilities of the Liyue Qixing well. Without them, Liyue wouldn't be as prosperous as it is today.
If they couldn't uncover any leads, could it really mean that another god was involved?
"Let's put the Geo Archon's matter aside for now. The Vortex Archon is not yet fully released from the seal. Let's focus on preparing to face him instead," Moon Carver said, seeing that the situation was still unclear. Rather than waste time arguing, it was better to prepare for the looming crisis.
Mountain Shaper snorted, clearly still upset.
After all, the Geo Archon had been their friend and his master.
For him to be murdered right here in Liyue, their own territory, without any warning, was something anyone would find hard to accept.
Cloud Retainer glanced at Mountain Shaper, sighing inwardly.
In truth, the Adepti and the Geo Archon had always played a guiding role for humanity. Now that something like this had happened, they too bore some responsibility.
As Adepti, they should have been more aware of the Geo Archon's fate.
At that moment, Ganyu, who had been busy with paperwork, and Shenhe, temporarily residing in the Jade Chamber, emerged after being notified by Ningguang's secretaries.
"Adepti, are you arguing with Miss Ningguang?" Ganyu asked curiously, noticing the tense atmosphere.
"It's just a small disagreement, nothing serious," Cloud Retainer replied with a shake of her head.
"Ganyu, the Vortex Archon is about to appear, and Keqing has yet to return.
"I need you to organize the Millelith to maintain order in the city, reassure the people, and prepare for a direct confrontation with the Archon," Ningguang instructed.
With Ganyu being the most suitable person for the task, Ningguang entrusted it to her.
Ganyu nodded in understanding and quickly set off to take action.
"Now, Ningguang, how do you plan to handle the Vortex Archon?" Moon Carver asked after Ganyu left.
Osial, the Vortex Archon, was incredibly powerful in his prime.
Even if he was still weakened after breaking free from the seal, the Adepti alone might not be able to deal with him.
"To prevent Liyue Harbor from being endangered, I plan to stop him out at sea," Ningguang explained.
She had carefully considered this option. Although she wasn't weak, the power gap between her and an Archon-level entity was simply too vast.
Re-sealing Osial wasn't an option. The best they could hope for was to drive him away through a collective effort.
"Don't worry, the Conqueror of Demons and Madam Ping should be on their way. With all of us together, Liyue will be safe," Cloud Retainer assured.
Half an hour later…
Ningguang and her team prepared many measures to repel the Vortex Archon at sea.
They activated control arrays to retract the anchors that kept the Jade Chamber stationary in the sky, and with Ganyu leading part of the Millelith, they began to fly the Jade Chamber out toward the sea.
Meanwhile, after "Childe" used the "Sigils of Permission" in the Golden House to break the seal on the Archon, he fled quickly.
When Nolan and the others chased after him from the Golden House, they couldn't find any trace of him.
With no other options, they decided to find Paimon and notify Ningguang that the Archon's seal had been broken. Just then, they saw the Jade Chamber flying overhead.
"It seems Ningguang is already prepared. Let's follow," Keqing said after glancing up at the Jade Chamber, addressing Nolan and the others.
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Osial, also called That Which Lies in the Deep
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(End of Chapter)
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