"It's starting, it's starting! Let me see."
In the crowd, Paimon flitted back and forth, constantly muttering, "Let me see."
This drew the attention of the onlookers, who turned their gazes from Ningguang to her.
"Why don't you just fly up?"
Glancing at Paimon, Kaito couldn't understand why she didn't just fly higher instead of squeezing through the crowd with them.
"Oh, right."
As if struck by a sudden realization, Paimon quickly flew higher. Now, she could finally see what Ningguang was doing.
At that moment, Ningguang was encircled by several gem-like objects. As she moved, those objects shot straight toward a large censer-like vessel in the center.
After circling the large censer a few more times, they flew into it from different directions.
Instantly, the censer flared with a brilliant golden light. Just a moment later, a beam of gold shot straight into the heavens, twisting the sky into a vortex. The surrounding clouds were all drawn in, flowing into the swirl.
"Whoa."
Looking up at the spectacle, Paimon's jaw dropped in amazement.
And it wasn't just Paimon; nearly everyone in the crowd had the same reaction.
Of course, Kaito was not among them.
Although watching it live was very different from seeing it in the game, he had seen it before.
More importantly, what was about to happen next was what he was truly looking forward to.
"It's coming, it's coming."
Also looking up at the sky, Childe appeared full of anticipation, repeatedly muttering, "It's coming."
That thing that was supposed to happen…
It should be soon, right?
Childe's focus was razor-sharp; he could feel that the event was imminent.
And just as he was thinking this, a voice suddenly echoed from the sky.
"Morax."
What the hell?
Who's speaking?
The look of anticipation on Childe's face immediately turned to confusion upon hearing the voice. He had no idea what was going on.
And for some reason, he found that the voice sounded familiar.
But…
Who was it?
"Isn't that Kiana's voice? Is she out now? Why can't I see her?"
Just as Childe was trying to place the owner of the voice, Paimon's words made him understand.
That's right, it's Miss Kiana's voice.
But…
What is she doing?
Appearing together with Mr. Zhongli?
He thought it over and over but still couldn't figure it out.
Left with no choice, he could only wait and see what would happen.
"Kaito, why is Kiana here too? And what about Wendy? What are they doing?"
At that moment, Paimon, equally confused, couldn't help but ask Kaito, who was looking up at the sky.
"I don't know either."
Looking as if he were lost in thought, Kaito slowly shook his head.
Kaito didn't know either…
It felt like there was so much he didn't know…
But what on earth was Kiana doing?
Glancing silently at Kaito, Lumine couldn't help but think back to what happened before.
She wondered if Kiana really was the unknown god.
While Kaito and his group were each lost in their own thoughts, the surrounding crowd erupted into discussion.
"Was that a girl's voice just now? I didn't mishear, did I?"
An older-looking Liyue native asked the people around him.
He couldn't understand why a girl's voice would be heard during the Rite of Descension; it had never been like this before.
"I heard it too. But it's never been like this before. Did they add something new this year?"
"Yeah, yeah, something feels a bit strange this year."
…
That voice…
Miss Kiana?
Staring at the sky in astonishment, Ningguang was also completely bewildered, with no idea what had just happened.
But even so, she wondered if this was how Rex Lapis planned to make his entrance, alongside an invited guest.
After all, Miss Wendy was the Anemo Archon, so Miss Kiana must be someone extraordinary as well.
But why hadn't she heard Miss Wendy's voice?
Huh?!
Just as Ningguang was pondering these questions, she suddenly saw a dragon plummeting straight down from the sky.
BOOM—
This…
How is this possible?!
Slowly lowering the left hand she had subconsciously raised to block the impact, Ningguang witnessed a scene that she found utterly unbelievable.
Rex Lapis actually…
Fell?!
And he's even…
Already dead?!
For a moment, the entire Yujing Terrace fell unusually silent. Not a single person dared to make a sound.
No!
I have to go see!
Reacting quickly, Ningguang hurried over to Rex Lapis, who had crashed onto the large censer, and knelt to check the situation.
Rex Lapis…
is dead!
Slowly rising to her feet, Ningguang recalled the sound of Miss Kiana's voice from just moments before.
Could it be…
That Kia…
"Look! There's a girl up there."
Just as Ningguang was contemplating Kiana's role in all of this, she suddenly heard someone shout this, and she subconsciously looked up toward the sky.
___
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