Shenhe stood on the edge of the Jade Chamber, her cold eyes gazing into the distance at Guyun Stone Forest, a glimmer of light flickering within them.
Through her adeptal technique, she spotted the figure of her Senior Sister, Ganyu, holding a bow on the shoreline.
This was the true reason she had chosen to stay behind.
Ningguang glanced at Shenhe with mild surprise but didn't object. Having the help of a disciple of the Adepti in this battle was undoubtedly a boon.
The Jade Chamber's speed increased, and Ningguang's forces gathered on the open deck. A group of Millelith soldiers busily loaded massive ballista-like weapons.
Before long, the Jade Chamber closed in on Beisht, the sea monster below.
Ningguang raised her hands, forming a hand seal. Behind her, a massive jade screen materialized, studded with countless gemstones.
"[Starshatter]."
With her command, a barrage of gem-like projectiles rained down on Beisht.
Simultaneously, the Millelith soldiers operated the enormous ballistae, unleashing a hail of bolts at the sea creature.
---
Meanwhile, at the edge of Guyun Stone Forest.
Keqing, wielding the Lion's Roar sword, stood alongside Ganyu, directing the Millelith stationed there.
Here, too, large ballistae were aimed at Beisht, firing in coordination with the Jade Chamber.
---
Out at sea.
Beidou led The Crux fleet through the waves, heading straight for Beisht.
The fleet was also equipped with ballistae, which the sailors fired under Beidou's orders.
---
From his vantage point aboard the Jade Chamber, Xia Zhi turned his small mirror toward the sea. He watched as the coordinated assault from land, sea, and air struck Beisht.
The creature seemed caught off guard by the overwhelming strength of Liyue's forces. It let out a pained roar, clearly disoriented.
---
Something's off...
Xia Zhi frowned slightly.
The enemy seemed... weak.
This didn't feel like the calamity he had foreseen.
Beisht was Osial's wife. When Osial was unsealed and defeated by the Jade Chamber, it should have harbored a deep hatred for Ningguang. Logically, it would have sought revenge on the people of Liyue.
Yet, during all this time, there had been no reports of sea monsters attacking Liyue's merchant ships.
Beisht's behavior was suspiciously quiet...
Ningguang had mentioned that Beidou had warned her months ago of changes in the ocean.
So Beisht had been here for months already. What had it been doing all this time?
If it wasn't attacking merchant ships, was it occupied with something else? Perhaps trying to hide its activities?
There was only one plausible reason Beisht would set aside its hatred: its husband, Osial.
---
As Xia Zhi pondered this, he leaped off the Jade Chamber, unfurling his [Radiant Wings] and flying toward Beisht.
When he got within 20 meters of the creature, his omniscient perspective revealed a platinum progress bar hovering over Beisht.
Progress: [0%].
---
Xia Zhi was currently a Tier 4 light-based demigod.
In the system's hierarchy, Tier 1 was Iron, Tier 2 was Silver, Tier 3 was Gold, Tier 4 was Platinum, and Tier 5 was Diamond.
While his demigod powers were formidable, they weren't yet sufficient to easily manipulate the weather.
Beisht, at the same Platinum level, shouldn't have been able to create the sudden thunderstorm either.
The unnatural storm...
Xia Zhi's expression grew serious.
He recalled seeing Osial in Ningguang's dream. When Osial appeared, its divine aura alone had altered the weather effortlessly.
It had to be Osial.
---
Xia Zhi connected the dots. The unusual rainfall in Liyue over the past two months was likely caused by the gradual leakage of Osial's power as its seal weakened.
"So Beisht has been working in secret to break Osial's seal? And now that the seal is reaching a critical point, its power is spilling over, causing these phenomena..."
Looking down at the swirling sea below, Xia Zhi realized the truth.
"Beisht's appearance isn't due to hatred for the Jade Chamber. It's here to draw attention away from Osial's unsealing. Only a god like Osial, sealed for a millennium and harboring immense hatred for Liyue, could truly qualify as a calamity."
Now that the real threat was clear, Xia Zhi began strategizing.
In theory, only a god could defeat a god.
Unfortunately, Xia Zhi was still over 10,000 mana points short of ascending to godhood. If he had just one more week, it would have been perfect.
But it wasn't an unsolvable problem. With his current stockpile of points, he could purchase transcendent items to force his ascension.
Fortunately, Osial had just been unsealed and hadn't yet regained its full strength.
Still, its massive size presented a challenge. As a giant sea creature, its tough hide and durability made it difficult to deal damage, especially since light-based Tier 5 spells were few in number.
He could use Rex Lapis' [Heavenly Star] ability to strike Osial, but that might be mistaken for Rex Lapis himself intervening. After all, Rex Lapis had carefully staged his death, and Xia Zhi didn't want to disrupt his plans.
Another option was to use the [Transformation Badge] to become the [Giant of Light] and engage Osial head-on.
Alternatively, he could use a nine-element reaction chain or craft divine poison as a [Poison Master] to harm Osial.
The possibilities were numerous.
---
Xia Zhi decided to prepare all contingencies.
He opened the [Shop] and purchased a new item.
[Tears of the Goddess]
- Quality: Platinum
- Type: Special Equipment
- Trait: Growth, Focus
- Effect: +5 permanent mana limit for every skill cast; casting speed +50%.
- Hidden Effect: Mana limit +10,000; mana recovery +30%.
- Price: 1,500 points
---
After purchasing it, a sapphire-like gem appeared in his inventory. He equipped it, and his mana limit neared completion.
Suddenly, Beisht roared, unleashing massive waves that surged toward the Millelith stationed at Guyun Stone Forest.
Keqing hesitated briefly before ordering the soldiers to retreat.
Ganyu nocked an arrow, firing it into the oncoming wave. Ice beads burst forth, forming countless icicles that fell onto the tide, but the wave was too massive for her attack to halt.
Just as the wave was about to crash down, Shenhe leapt from the Jade Chamber, talisman in hand. A burst of extreme cold spread outward, freezing the wave into shards of ice.
Standing on the frozen sea, Shenhe's face was pale, her breathing labored. That move had drained nearly all her spiritual energy.
Xia Zhi immediately [Teleported] to Shenhe's side, casting a series of light-based buffs on her.
[Light Shield], [Clarity], [Levity], [Warmth], [Healing], [Dispel], [Revitalize], [Divine Blessing], [Angelic Hymn]...
Thanks to the effects of [Tears of the Goddess], each cast increased his mana limit by 5 points. Soon, he reached the threshold for godhood.
---
A row of previously grayed-out Tier 5 skills on his panel turned green, now available.
System notifications flooded his mind.
- [Light Body] unlocked.
- [Light Heart] unlocked.
- [Light Rules] unlocked.
---
Shenhe felt a familiar warmth envelop her, just like in her dream.
"Boss...?"
She looked up but saw no one. Instead, the oppressive storm clouds above parted, revealing rays of golden light cascading gently onto the sea.
It was as if a divine miracle had descended.