Time flew by, and soon enough, the long-awaited Rite of Descension arrived.
Since getting acquainted with Zhongli, Luo Qing had finally found a kindred spirit in the art of fishing. Every few days, he'd stop by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to drag Zhongli along, casting lines together at Liyue's fishing spots. Over time, the two of them had become quite familiar with each other.
Luo Qing even offered some "constructive" suggestions for Zhongli's dramatic death scene, advocating for a head-first dive from the sky while dramatically shouting, "My life is over!" Unsurprisingly, Zhongli rejected his ideas.
As for the belated arrival of Childe, he remained blissfully ignorant of his role as the unwitting pawn. Luo Qing and Rosalyne had carefully concealed their progress in Liyue, leading Childe to believe they were failing miserably. Determined not to disappoint Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, Childe proudly declared his intent to personally shoulder the task of retrieving the Geo Archon's Gnosis.
Childe had a poor opinion of Luo Qing—perhaps due to the latter's unremarkable combat performance during the Fatui's selection process. Because of this, he didn't bother asking Luo Qing if he had any relevant information about Liyue's situation.
With Childe taking over operations at the Northland Bank and overseeing the replication of the Sigils of Permission at the research site, Luo Qing found himself with little to do. His days passed in idle leisure, often spent fishing with Zhongli.
And now, the long-awaited Rite of Descension had arrived.
Early in the morning, Luo Qing led his three subordinates to Yujing Terrace, eager to secure a prime spot to witness Zhongli's dramatic performance.
As they climbed the steps to Yujing Terrace, a soft and sweet voice reached Luo Qing's ears from behind. He turned to see a blonde girl and her floating companion asking passersby for directions to the best vantage point for viewing the Rite.
"Tsk, tsk, my foolish little sister... Finally, we meet," Luo Qing muttered to himself.
"Lord Luo Qing?" Natalia looked at him quizzically, noticing his odd expression.
"Ah, it's nothing. Just spotted someone... interesting," Luo Qing replied with a smile before continuing his ascent.
Knowing what was about to unfold and given his delicate position, Luo Qing chose not to mingle with the Liyue crowd gathered around Yujing Terrace. Instead, he took a small side path up to Mt. Tianheng, finding a spot on a rocky outcrop halfway up the mountain where he could watch everything unfold below.
Before long, the Millelith began dispersing the crowd, creating a clear space at the center of Yujing Terrace. Ningguang and a group of officials emerged from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, moving to the center to prepare the ceremonial site.
Feeling a sudden unease, Ningguang glanced up towards Mt. Tianheng and caught sight of Luo Qing and his group sitting on the rocks.
He's here too?
She recalled Yelan's report on the events at the research base and Luo Qing's involvement. Though he had let Yelan go twice, Ningguang still couldn't trust him completely.
A flicker of concern crossed her face, and she subtly gestured towards a hidden figure in the crowd. Yelan, blending seamlessly among the spectators, nodded and began to make her way toward Luo Qing's position.
"Oh? Here to watch the ceremony with me?" Luo Qing said suddenly, his gaze fixed on the mountainside. He had easily caught on to Ningguang's subtle signal.
Natalia and the others glanced at him, puzzled by his seemingly random comment. Moments later, a shadow flickered through the trees, and Yelan stepped out to join them.
Natalia and the others recognized her—the woman Luo Qing had released twice before. They didn't understand why their lord had let this spy go, but as his trusted subordinates, they didn't question his decisions.
"Why are you watching the Rite from up here?" Yelan asked, leaning casually against a nearby tree. Her hostility toward Luo Qing had diminished after being spared twice.
"Too many people down there. Besides, the higher up you are, the better the view," Luo Qing replied with a smirk.
"..."
"And you?" He turned to look at Yelan. "Shouldn't you be down there handling security? If anything happens to your precious Archon, wouldn't you be held responsible?"
He chuckled, wondering what expression she'd make when Zhongli's lifeless form plummeted headfirst onto Yujing Terrace later.
"Keeping an eye on you is my assignment," Yelan said coolly, her expression calm.
"Keeping an eye on me? Am I that charming?" Luo Qing teased.
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Yelan]
Yelan said nothing more, settling herself against the tree and watching Luo Qing closely.
Seeing that Yelan had fallen silent, Luo Qing lost interest in teasing her further. He pulled out a cup of homemade bubble tea and sat cross-legged on the rocks, sipping leisurely as he watched the preparations below.
The presence of an extra person made Natalia and the others slightly tense. Every now and then, they'd glance at Yelan to ensure she wouldn't try anything suspicious.
Meanwhile, a certain blonde girl and her floating companion had managed to squeeze through the crowd, taking their place near the ceremony site.
A dragon's roar suddenly echoed from the heavens. The crowd looked up to see a cloud descending, a dragon's silhouette dancing within—the true form of the Geo Archon.
Having ruled Liyue for 3,700 years, Morax was a deeply revered figure among its people. Even Yelan, who was watching from the mountain, unconsciously adopted a respectful posture as the dragon's cry resonated.
At Yujing Terrace below, Ningguang stood before the incense table, awaiting the Archon's arrival to deliver his decree for Liyue's future.
Every year, the Archon's pronouncements would ripple through Liyue's commerce, stirring up excitement and speculation. Thus, most of the spectators gathered for the Rite were businessmen of all ranks and status.
As the cloud dispersed, the crowd held its breath, expecting Morax to descend and bestow his decree. Instead, what landed on the incense table, scattering offerings everywhere, was the lifeless, stone-colored body of the Archon.
Ningguang's pupils dilated, a storm raging behind her composed facade. As the leader of the Qixing, she couldn't afford to panic, no matter the crisis.
Suppressing her shock, Ningguang approached the body, bending slightly to check for any sign of life. After a thorough examination, she furrowed her brow and announced in a low voice:
"The Archon... has been slain! Seal off the area!"
The crowd erupted in chaos, whispers and shouts filling the air. The Millelith moved quickly, sealing off the entrances to Yujing Terrace, allowing no one to leave.
Ningguang steadied herself and cast a sharp glance towards Luo Qing's position. From her vantage point, she saw him sitting there, completely unruffled, sipping his tea as if he were watching an ordinary show.
"Was it you?" Yelan's eyes narrowed, an arrow already nocked in her bow, pointed directly at Luo Qing.
"Please, give me some credit," Luo Qing replied nonchalantly. "If I'd orchestrated this, do you really think I'd be sitting here, waiting to be caught?"
He didn't bother turning to look at Yelan, his gaze fixed instead on the small blonde figure down below, who was trying—rather poorly—to sneak away from the chaos.
A sudden thought struck him, and he pointed towards the blonde girl and her floating companion.
"Hey, look at that person. Blonde hair, sneaking around—clearly not from here. Looks super suspicious, don't you think? Maybe you should investigate."
Yelan followed his gaze and did see a pair of figures stealthily attempting to slip past the Millelith.
But Luo Qing still looked suspicious, and she didn't want to let him off just like that. Torn, she hesitated, unsure of what to do.
"I'll be back. Your innocence isn't proven yet," Yelan said finally, trusting her instincts.
With a swift leap, she vanished into the forest, pursuing the fleeing figures below.
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T/N: FRIG IT WAS SIGILS SIGILS NOT SIGIL SIGILS FUCK