"Hey! Who are you people?!"
On the stone bridge not far from the Geo Statue, two Millelith soldiers, who were standing guard, noticed the changes at the statue and the group led by Hiroshi. Exchanging glances, they tightened their grip on their White Tassel spears and approached.
Seeing a girl chasing a small, strange creature, Lin Jiu turned his head towards the rest of the group approaching them. Upon recognizing Xiangling, a well-known chef of Liyue, he let out a sigh of relief.
With a respectful salute, Lin Jiu spoke, "Greetings, travelers. Do you know what caused the recent changes to the Geo Statue?"
"Sorry for the disturbance," Hiroshi, with Klee sitting on his shoulders, pointed towards Lumine, who was trying to shove Paimon into her mouth, "It was my friend experimenting with a new move. We didn't mean to cause any alarm."
Lin Jiu's eyes flicked briefly to the glowing Geo constructs nearby, understanding dawning on him. So the golden light he'd noticed earlier was from this? It certainly aligned with the traces left by Geo abilities. He turned back to Qian Lin, who was shaking his head at him, then nodded. "I see. It seems we were overthinking things."
"By the way, travelers, it's getting late. If you plan to continue your journey, please be careful," Lin Jiu warned. Pointing towards Wangshu Inn, visible in the distance atop a towering tree, he added, "You'd best not linger at night. Wuwang Hill is filled with monsters. Though we Millelith work tirelessly to clear them out, for some reason, monsters keep gathering around the inn, making it difficult to fully eliminate them. It's best if you reach Wangshu Inn before dusk."
"Huh?! Didn't you just say the monsters gather around Wangshu Inn?" Paimon floated around, her face full of worry, as she turned to the Millelith soldiers. "From what you said, isn't it dangerous there? Why would we go then?"
Lin Jiu eyed the odd little creature closely before responding, "Don't worry. While Wuwang Hill has many monsters, we Millelith are no pushovers. The danger is minimal, and the inn is heavily guarded. Besides, the owner, Verr Goldet, often issues missions to clear out remaining threats. You'll be safe."
"Oh, I see," Lumine, still chewing, said as she came over, swallowing down the last bite of Paimon's emergency rations. "In that case, let's hurry. I'm looking forward to seeing Wangshu Inn."
"Let's go!" Klee cheered, raising her hands excitedly while sitting atop Hiroshi's shoulders.
Smiling at the Millelith, the group crossed the stone bridge, setting off once more.
Qian Lin nudged Lin Jiu, curiosity in his voice, "What do you think these folks are doing in Liyue?"
"What else? They're probably here to attend the upcoming Rite of Descension." Lin Jiu straightened, glancing at the group disappearing into the distance. "I wonder when I'll get an invitation myself, to see the great Rex Lapis in person."
"What did you say, Lin Jiu? Speak up!"
"Quiet! Stand firm!" Lin Jiu barked, gripping his spear tightly, his gaze fixed ahead. "We can't afford to slack off while the captain and the others are dealing with monsters!"
In his mind, Lin Jiu envisioned himself practicing the Millelith spear techniques, said to be personally taught by Rex Lapis. He yearned for the day he could master these skills, so that he too could chase after the legend—the one who used pure martial arts to challenge gods, slay demons, and protect Liyue.
The journey continued as Hiroshi and his companions crossed the bridge and walked down a new, spacious path. They passed a bustling teahouse and continued on.
Walking beside Hiroshi, Noelle could sense a faint ripple of Geo energy around them. She glanced curiously towards the forest by the road and tugged on Hiroshi's sleeve. "Master, I think I hear fighting from that direction. Should we check it out?"
Hiroshi looked where Noelle was pointing and nodded. "Alright, let's go see."
"Wait!" Paimon flew over, anxiously waving her hands. "Hiroshi, didn't the Millelith just tell us to get to Wangshu Inn quickly? It's getting late, and if we don't make it, we'll have to camp outside!"
Looking amused, Hiroshi grabbed Paimon and patted her head. "Are you feeling okay? Did you catch a cold and it's making you delirious?"
"Hey!" Paimon struggled, fuming. "I'm being serious here, Hiroshi! Don't do that! Paimon will get mad!"
"I'm serious too." Hiroshi began to hover, smiling at the stunned Paimon. "Did you forget we can fly?"
"Uh..." Paimon quickly changed her tune, pointing at the woods, "Alright, alright! Let's go! Maybe someone's being attacked by monsters!"
Hiroshi flicked her on the forehead, then gently lifted Klee off his shoulders and set her on the ground.
Looking at the excited Klee hopping around, Hiroshi turned towards Xiangling, who seemed lost in thought. "Xiangling, you probably know what's causing the noise, right?"
"Huh? Oh." Snapping out of her thoughts—which were about how best to cook the leftover Cryo Regisvine materials—Xiangling nodded. "Yeah, it's probably the Millelith clearing out monsters."
Seeing Klee heading towards the woods, Xiangling quickly took her hand, smiling. "Let me lead the way."
With Xiangling guiding them, they pushed deeper into the forest, Xiangling cutting through the underbrush with a short knife.
As they moved forward, the air grew more humid. Xiangling turned back to the group, "We're almost there. Be careful."
Parting the branches, the clamor of battle grew deafening. Below them, they saw thirty Millelith soldiers fighting off a large group of hilichurls.
The Millelith moved with precision. Spears thrust in unison. Though their technique lacked the finesse of Xiangling's, they were strong and well-trained. Each soldier fended off multiple hilichurls, keeping them at bay with disciplined strikes. Together, they swiftly dealt with a force many times their size.
At the center of the camp, booming roars echoed. Millelith Captain Lin Qu held his Geo-infused spear, a look of determination on his face.
The massive flaming axe-wielding mitachurl lay behind him, a gaping hole in its throat, red blood soaking into the earth.
Lin Qu tensed as a shield-wielding hilichurl brute charged at him. His calm heart began to ripple. His black-and-white eyes locked onto his target, gripping his Geo spear tightly.
Channeling his willpower, Lin Qu thrust his spear forward. "Geo Strike!"
The charging figure stopped instantly. A hole the size of a bowl appeared in the wooden shield, revealing a clear view of the river beyond.
Breathing out, Lin Qu pulled his spear back and flicked off the blood.
Turning, he faced the last remaining flaming axe hilichurl brute.
"So strong..." Noelle whispered, her eyes wide as she turned to Xiangling, "They don't even have Visions. How are they this strong?"
"Because they're the Millelith," Xiangling replied matter-of-factly. "Since the Archon War, they've followed Rex Lapis into battle, and even after Liyue was established, they've continued to protect it.
"Mortal bodies, tirelessly trained, all to protect our homeland." Xiangling looked up at the clear blue sky and smiled. "That's the oath of the Millelith, a promise passed down across Liyue.
"It's something I was taught from a young age.
"The Millelith are the foundation, holding up the sky."