These past few days in Liyue, the clouds were as thick and black as ink, obscuring the sky and turning day into night. It was impossible to distinguish between the two anymore.
A torrential downpour crashed down like a river of stars spilling from the heavens.
Rumble—! The thunder was deafening, accompanied by terrifying bolts of lightning that occasionally split the sky, as if to rend the firmament itself.
The Liyue Qixing urgently issued a storm warning, advising the citizens of Liyue to take precautions to avoid unnecessary harm.
The adepti laid out water and lightning-warding formations to protect the people of Liyue to the greatest extent.
Mountain Shaper was tasked with safeguarding Qingce Village.
Cloud Retainer took responsibility for Wangshu Inn.
On Mount Tianheng, Zhongli personally fortified the formation, ensuring the safety of Liyue Harbor.
Under the protection of the adepti, Liyue Harbor, Qingce Village, and Wangshu Inn, though also swept by storm winds and heavy rains, were largely unharmed.
However, the wilderness beyond Liyue was an entirely different story.
Floods raged. Mountains collapsed. The land was in utter chaos.
Moon Carver and Xiao did their best to address the disrupted ley lines, but their efforts were in vain.
Eventually, the two returned to Mount Tianheng in exhaustion to report to Zhongli.
Moon Carver spoke with a troubled expression, "Lord Rex Lapis, there have been over ten earthquakes in Jueyun Karst over the past few days. The ley line disturbance is far beyond what we anticipated."
Zhongli's brows were tightly furrowed. His deep gaze turned northward. As he maintained the barrier, he said in a grave tone, "I understand."
Though his voice was calm, a faint trace of unease seeped through it—barely perceptible, but there.
This terrifying scene… it far exceeds the Archon War…
Just then, Xiao rushed back and reported urgently, "Lord Rex Lapis! Something's happening in Wuwang Hill! The boundary between life and death is crumbling. In two days, it will completely collapse!"
Zhongli's expression grew even more solemn. He glanced in the direction of Celestia, a sense of worry rising in his chest.
If this continues, will the Heavenly Principles notice Liyue's crisis?
If it awakens... will it…
…interfere with my retirement plan?
…
Another night passed. Moon Carver looked up at the heavy black clouds that had loomed above and noticed a subtle change.
"Lord Rex Lapis! The black clouds—they're dispersing!"
Zhongli blinked in surprise. He raised his head and saw the once-oppressive black clouds now visibly thinning at an astonishing pace.
As the clouds scattered, the storm ceased abruptly. A golden beam of dawn pierced the horizon over the sea, and the sun began to rise slowly.
Xiao noticed the anomaly as well. He disappeared for a minute and returned.
"Lord Rex Lapis! The ley lines across all of Liyue suddenly returned to normal! Has the crisis been resolved?"
Zhongli looked toward the northern entrance of Liyue Harbor and said in a low voice, "So that's what happened. Shao Yun is back. He brought them in."
Seeing this, Moon Carver respectfully asked, "Lord Rex Lapis, what should we do next?"
Zhongli nodded slightly. He sensed a familiar presence—that of Venti's Blessing of the Anemo Archon.
Looking at the rising sun over the sea, he finally set aside his worries and said, "This matter is finished. The affairs of mortals should be handled by mortals."
…
At the northern entrance of Liyue Harbor, Shao Yun tightly gripped his sawed-off shotgun, aiming it at Jianqiu and Huachu walking ahead of him.
The two walked with heavy steps, their eyes vacant and soulless, as if their spirits had been drained—moving like puppets.
From Liyue to Mondstadt, and from Mondstadt back to Liyue—these past two months had felt like a dream for them. Now, it was time to wake up.
The Millelith guarding Liyue Harbor dared not stop Shao Yun. They could only let him pass and immediately notified Yuehai Pavilion for reinforcements.
At Feiyun Slope, squads of Millelith surged in from all directions, armed with white- and black-tasseled spears.
Seeing Shao Yun's group, they immediately surrounded them, sealing off the road entirely.
Shao Yun sneered, looking at the surrounding Millelith.
"Quite the welcoming party. Move aside."
With that, he pulled out a Schofield revolver from his secondary holster.
"Or I'll kill every last one of you and walk over your corpses!"
At that moment, Keqing parted the human wall of Millelith and rushed forward.
Jianqiu and Huachu stood soaked and wretched.
Behind them, Shao Yun's eyes glinted with a fierce light.
Keqing frowned deeply as she looked at him. "Shao Yun, what is this—"
Upon seeing Keqing, a flash of excitement flickered in Shao Yun's eyes.
"Miss Keqing, perfect timing. Please, take us to see Yi Zhu. I want him to personally witness how I dealt with his enemies."
Keqing tensed at his words, swallowing hard.
"Calm down, Shao Yun. First, tell me—are these two the main suspects in Miss Nianhua's murder?"
Shao Yun nodded and shoved Jianqiu and Huachu forward.
"That's right. They're Jianqiu and Huachu! They're the ones who killed Miss Nianhua. I'll never let these two beasts go!"
Keqing sighed and offered her solution.
"Shao Yun, can you let me take them? We, the Liyue Qixing, can ensure justice is done. Let us handle this case, please."
But Shao Yun refused, a hint of madness in his voice.
"No! I'll kill them myself! And how can I be sure none of you will try a bait-and-switch?"
As Keqing and Shao Yun stood at an impasse, a graceful and composed figure strode calmly through the Millelith's human wall.
Ningguang had rushed over after receiving the report, followed by her three disheveled secretaries: Baiwen, Baishi, and Baixiao.
"Shao Yun, I understand your anger. Please, hand them over to us. I promise, after all the proper procedures are followed, you will be the one to carry out their final punishment. You may even choose how they die."
"At the same time, I personally offer you a reward of fifty million Mora. It may delay their deaths by a few days, but believe me—their fate won't change."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a system prompt appeared:
[Refuse: You choose to execute the two immediately. Reward: Legend of the East Set Fragment ×1. Accept: You agree to Ningguang's proposal. Reward: Legend of the East Set Fragment ×1, 50 million Mora.]
Shao Yun weighed the pros and cons. In the end, they would die—and he'd get to choose how. Burned or decapitated—it would be his decision. Plus, he could make some money out of it. Not bad.
Just as he was about to speak, a familiar and panicked voice called out from the crowd.
"Huachu!"
Gentry De'an forced his way through the Millelith, instantly spotting his daughter.
Huachu's survival instinct flared. "Father! Save me!"
Hearing her cry, De'an's heart shattered.
"Don't be afraid, daughter! I'll find a way!"
Frantically scanning the area, he caught sight of Ningguang—and immediately dropped to his knees, kowtowing furiously.
"Lady Tianquan! I beg you! Spare my daughter! I'll give anything! Let that Jianqiu die instead! Whatever the price—I'll pay it!"
Ningguang felt a chill down her spine.
Is this old fool insane?! Saying something like that out loud in public?!
She enjoyed wealth—but this was blood money. Accepting such a deal in front of Shao Yun? She might get a hole in her head the next second.
Even if she dared agree in secret, doing so openly would spell doom for the entire Liyue Qixing.
Abandoning decorum, she shouted, "Who are you?! I don't know you! Someone—get him out of here! And gag him!"
Several Millelith surged forward, clamping De'an's mouth shut and dragging him away.
Throughout the scuffle, De'an thrashed and cried out, but it was all in vain.
Ningguang sighed internally. She had almost convinced Shao Yun—until this old man ruined everything.
No need to send Jianqiu and Huachu to prison now. Just call in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Soon, the streets would be splattered with blood and guts. Cleanup would be needed.
Shao Yun watched De'an's pitiful scene, then turned to Ningguang.
"Hahaha! Miss Ningguang, I never thought you'd try to dodge me to my face!"
Ningguang panicked, fearing he'd blame her.
She waved her hands frantically. "No! I didn't! Calm down! That was all De'an's doing—I'd never agree to that!"
Shao Yun didn't care about her excuses.
"Agree or deny—it's the same. Jianqiu and Huachu... must die!"
He strode to Jianqiu, turned his body to face him.
Jianqiu's eyes were filled with despair and defiance.
He had always known this moment would come—but now that it had, terror gripped his heart.
Shao Yun felt nothing. He raised his sawed-off shotgun, aiming at Jianqiu's forehead.
"Miss Nianhua says hello."
BOOM!
Jianqiu's head exploded into pulp, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere.
His body convulsed, then collapsed.
Huachu, watching this, collapsed as well.
She knelt on the ground, clutching her head, eyes wide with horror.
"Ah! Qiu-ge! Qiu-ge!"
Shao Yun walked slowly toward her, shotgun aimed at her forehead.
Huachu, now like an abandoned kitten, knelt helplessly.
But just before the trigger was pulled, she suddenly screamed, her eyes blazing.
"You won't die peacefully! I heard from Mondstadt—you have a lover! I curse her to die a horrible death! Hahaha!"
There was no outburst like silent fury—and no fury more terrifying than that.
Shao Yun holstered his gun and grabbed her by the hair.
"Oh really?" His voice turned ice cold. "You cursed me? You've got guts. Even demons wouldn't dare that."
He pulled a sharp dagger from his waist.
"I'll cut you up!"
With that, he plunged the blade into her heart.
Huachu convulsed violently before being thrown aside.
Then Shao Yun subjected her to the torment of the Eighteen Hells—cutting her tongue, severing her fingers...
Finally, he knelt on her twitching body and pounded her face with his fists.
"You cursed me?! Come on then! Curse again!!"
Her face turned into a bloody pulp, her skull cracking under the blows.
He stopped—not from exhaustion, but because shards of her skull pierced his hand.
Panting, he pulled his shotgun again and fired at her corpse.
BOOM!
Her head was obliterated.
Still unsatisfied, Shao Yun stomped her remains like a sandbag.
A young Millelith soldier vomited and fainted on the spot.
Feiyun Slope's road turned into a grotesque canvas—rain and blood mingling into a reddish smear.
The stench of blood mixed with human flesh filled the air.
Shao Yun stood up, his face expressionless. Blood dripped from his hands—whose blood, he no longer knew.
He inhaled the damp air deeply and howled toward the sky.
"IT'S ALL FUCKING OVER!"
[Legend of the East Challenge II complete. You chose to execute Jianqiu immediately and torture Huachu to death. Your actions have been forgiven.]
[System prompt: [Reward: Legend of the East Set Fragment ×1]]
But as he thought it was over, a new task appeared.
[New Mission: Speak with Yi Zhu.]
Shao Yun looked up and spotted Yi Zhu behind the Millelith, fearlessly watching everything unfold.
He took a step forward.
Immediately, the Millelith formed a wall before him.
Shao Yun took a deep breath, trying to sound calm.
"Gentlemen, I only want to speak with the child. I mean no harm."
But they eyed him warily, afraid he might kill the boy too.
Shao Yun sighed, understanding his situation.
So, he shouted over the wall, "Kid, did you hear that? Your mother's killers are dead. Just remember—revenge is a foolish game. Don't let hatred become your reason for living. I took care of it so you wouldn't have to."
Yi Zhu's young voice responded, "Big brother, why did you help me?"
Shao Yun chuckled bitterly.
"Because I'm a hopeless idiot who jumps into traps even when I know they're traps."
"Thank you, big brother. I'll take good care of my sister."
Hearing that, a warmth filled Shao Yun's chest.
"Now leave this place. Become a man who stands tall."
With that, he turned and headed toward Wangshu Inn, his bloodied figure vanishing into the rain.
Just then, Hu Tao arrived with her funeral crew. She looked at the scattered human remains and sighed.
"Ugh… another mortician scared away."
Keqing patted her shoulder.
"Hang in there, Master Hu. The payment will be wired to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor within three business days."
"Can't we ever get some normal customers..."