Xia Zhi returned to his room on the second floor, preparing some contingencies.
He opened the [Shop] and found an item he was looking for.
[Portable Waypoint]
- Quality: Gold
- Type: Single-use item
- Trait: Teleportation
- Effect: Use at a specific location to designate the area as a special spatial anchor point for teleportation.
- Hidden Effect: None
- Price: 100 points
Since Xia Zhi had spent all his points on [Second Meditation Technique] over a month ago, his points had now replenished to over 3,000.
He purchased the item, and a gray orb of light appeared in his inventory.
Taking it out, Xia Zhi looked around his room before deciding on a small empty spot in the middle.
A system prompt sounded in his mind.
"Do you wish to use [Portable Waypoint] to designate this location as a waypoint?"
"Yes."
The gray orb floated from his hand, dispersing into countless particles of light that merged into the designated area and disappeared.
"Waypoint point set."
Opening the system panel, Xia Zhi noticed two options under [Teleportation].
1. [Positioning Ribbon]
2. [Portable Waypoint]
He renamed the options.
"Do you wish to rename [Positioning Ribbon] to [Shenhe]?"
"Yes."
"Do you wish to rename [Portable Waypoint] to [Xia's Shop]?"
"Yes."
After renaming them, Xia Zhi activated the [Hat of Secrecy], entering a hidden state. He selected [Shenhe] and initiated teleportation.
The scenery in his room blurred briefly, and the next moment, Xia Zhi found himself outdoors.
Shenhe and Yelan were traveling quickly nearby, neither noticing his presence.
Unfolding the [Radiant Wings] on his back, Xia Zhi took to the air and followed them.
---
After nearly an hour of travel, they arrived at the Jade Chamber construction site.
During the journey, Xia Zhi noticed that Shenhe hadn't spoken a single word to Yelan. Her demeanor remained as cold and aloof as ever in front of strangers.
At the construction site, they ascended the Jade Chamber, where Ningguang was waiting for them.
"Miss Shenhe, thank you for coming again."
"It's no trouble."
"Apologies for interrupting your work."
"I've taken leave from my boss. Where is the Wonder Core?"
"No rush. You've just arrived—please take a moment to rest."
"The sooner it's done, the sooner I can return."
Ningguang chuckled softly and nodded. "Of course... The control hub is this way. Please follow me."
"Alright."
At some point, Yelan had disappeared.
Xia Zhi followed them, observing the grandeur of the Jade Chamber.
The towering pavilions, the exquisite designs, and the use of premium materials—Ningguang had clearly spared no expense.
At the control hub, several Millelith guards stood on high alert.
"Lady Ningguang!"
"Thank you for your hard work."
The guards straightened up, clearly invigorated by her acknowledgment.
Xia Zhi couldn't help but note how well Ningguang commanded loyalty and respect.
Inside the control hub, there was a massive [Sunset Vermillionite] and a finely crafted Wonder Core, connected by several Adepti Sigils.
Shenhe inspected the setup carefully.
"The Adepti Sigils were crafted based on my master's specifications, but they don't seem to align well with the new [Wonder Core]. I'll create a new batch of sigils."
"Do you need anything from me?"
"No, I have what I need with me."
Shenhe reached up to her hair accessory, triggering a faint spatial ripple, and retrieved her sigil-making materials.
In no time, she had crafted a fresh set of Adepti Sigils.
Shenhe removed the old sigils from the Wonder Core and replaced them with the new ones.
The sigils lit up, and the Wonder Core began emitting a low, steady hum.
After observing for a moment, Shenhe said softly, "You can activate it now. Once the Jade Chamber ascends, I'll check its stability."
"Understood. I'll inform the others."
Ningguang left, leaving Shenhe alone in the control hub.
---
Shenhe stood silently for a while before taking out her jar of fruit candies. She picked a sour plum candy and popped it into her mouth.
As she tasted the familiar flavor, reminiscent of her first kiss, her gaze softened.
Standing invisibly before her, Xia Zhi couldn't help but feel his own gaze soften as he watched her.
He reached out and gently touched her hair.
Startled, Shenhe looked up, confused. "There's no window here… where did that breeze come from?"
Xia Zhi chuckled quietly. Messing with his girlfriend was unexpectedly fun.
When Shenhe finished her candy, Ningguang returned.
"We're ready to begin."
"Alright."
Ningguang stepped to the center of the control hub and placed her hand on the console.
The floating stone above the hub lit up, and the entire Jade Chamber trembled, slowly rising into the air. Thick chains anchored to the ground kept it from ascending further.
Shenhe carefully monitored the interaction between the Wonder Core and the Adepti Sigils.
"No issues," she reported calmly.
Ningguang nodded and turned to the doorway. "Unchain the anchors."
"Yes, Lady Ningguang!"
Moments later, the heavy sound of chains falling to the ground echoed, and the Jade Chamber floated freely into the sky, soaring above the mountains toward Liyue Harbor.
---
Ningguang and Shenhe stepped out to enjoy the expansive view from the Jade Chamber.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Shenhe."
"This was my master's command. There's no need to thank me."
"Miss Shenhe is easy to work with. If it were Cloud Retainer, persuading her to help would have been much harder."
"My master…"
"When the Jade Chamber reaches Liyue Harbor, Miss Shenhe, you can disembark to save some travel time."
"That's fine."
The two women stood at the edge of the chamber, gazing at the scenery below, each lost in thought.
---
As the Jade Chamber approached Liyue Harbor, Xia Zhi noticed the light dimming.
The wind grew stronger, carrying a heavy scent of salt.
What's going on?
Taking out a small mirror he had purchased earlier, Xia Zhi angled it to view the sky. He saw dark clouds rapidly gathering overhead.
It's going to rain...
Lightning crackled through the clouds, followed by a deafening thunderclap.
Both Shenhe and Ningguang turned toward the sudden change in weather, looking in the direction of Guyun Stone Forest.
In the distance, a massive bolt of lightning struck the ocean, creating a gigantic whirlpool. From within the vortex, a large, serpentine sea creature emerged, roaring toward the Jade Chamber.
As if guided by its command, arcs of lightning struck various parts of the Jade Chamber.
"It's here, as expected," Ningguang said coldly, her gaze fixed on the monstrous figure in the sea.
"The Aftermath of the Vortex—Beisht."
Xia Zhi was taken aback, unfamiliar with the name.
Shenhe frowned. "What is that?"
"Osial's wife, the last follower of the Vortex God… We've reached Liyue Harbor. Miss Shenhe, you should disembark."
"And you?"
"I will fight. We've been preparing for this battle for a long time."
"Preparing?"
"Beidou's ability to sense changes in the ocean is exceptional. She warned me months ago. Rebuilding the Jade Chamber at this time was deliberate—to use its presence to draw Beisht out. Liyue relies on maritime trade, and we cannot allow this threat to persist."
Shenhe fell silent.
Her master had long been dedicated to protecting Liyue...
Her boss loved Liyue dearly...
And now, she herself had grown to love this place as well...
"Miss Shenhe…"
"No need to worry. I took the whole day off from the boss."