"No way, bro, you're not actually planning to assassinate the Geo Archon, are you?"
Stelle let out a sharp screech while watching Jun Bai's dialogue: "Don't make Jun Bai a villain!"
[Emitting a sharp screech, proving impurity.]
[Is this the time to popularize chemistry trivia? Isn't the main point right now whether what Jun Bai is secretly going to do is assassinate the Geo Archon?]
[Earlier plot mentioned that Jun Bai has a very good relationship with the Geo Archon. If MiHoYo really writes it this way, wouldn't Jun Bai's character collapse?]
[I want to think that too, but the directional hints in the conversation between Jun Bai and Zhongli make it really hard not to think this way.]
"Brothers, let's just pretend we didn't see this plot segment. We also didn't hear the conversation between Jun Bai and Zhongli."
Stelle chose to escape reality.
As long as I don't know, then there's no possibility that Jun Bai has become a villain.
— Teyvat
"I see." Lumine looked at Jun Bai. "Is it something very important?"
"It's not that important. I just need to go handle something." Jun Bai waved his hand.
Lumine nodded: "I understand. Then Paimon and I will go to today's Rite of Descension by ourselves. Afterward, you must remember to introduce me to the Geo Archon."
"Don't worry. Liyue is a nation that values contracts the most."
"The thing the Geo Archon says most often is: 'The contract has been made. Those who break their word shall be punished by the rocks.'" Jun Bai promised.
The two went downstairs together, enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast, and then returned to their respective rooms.
Time reached nine in the morning. The three of them gathered at the inn entrance, then under Jun Bai's lead arrived at Yujing Terrace where the Rite of Descension would be held.
Yujing Terrace.
"I will be back soon." Jun Bai said. "Have fun at the Rite of Descension. You can go light some incense and pray to the Geo Archon. Who knows, the Geo Archon might bless your wishes to come true."
"I'll take your auspicious words." Lumine said.
"Oh, and take this. If the Millelith give you any trouble, just take it out. Someone will come to uphold justice."
A vermilion token was placed in Lumine's palm by Jun Bai. The bright golden phoenix pattern on it glittered and clearly looked like no ordinary object.
Lumine wanted to ask, but she saw that Jun Bai had already turned and walked down Yujing Terrace. She could only put the token away for future use.
Paimon waved her hand: "Be careful on the road."
The figure walking down Yujing Terrace raised a hand in response.
"He's gone. Now you have to be the guide again…" Lumine said.
"Are you that dissatisfied with me being your guide?" Paimon crossed her arms, her tone displeased.
"You just don't explain things as well as Bonanus or Jun Bai."
"This…" Paimon was rendered speechless.
Lumine took a step forward: "Let's not stay here any longer. Just like Jun Bai said, let's go light some incense for Rex Lapis and pray that He blesses our wishes to come true."
"Mm… I guess that works. Wait for me."
Paimon hurried to catch up with Lumine.
The two followed the Liyue citizens who had come to attend the Rite of Descension to a large incense burner. They copied the others, picked up three sticks of incense, and bowed reverently.
Lumine: Geo Archon, please bless me so I can obtain clues about my brother and that mysterious god as soon as possible.
This was Lumine's wish. Paimon beside her was also making a wish. Lumine reasonably guessed that her wish was related to food.
Afterward, Lumine and Paimon stayed within the crowd, listening to the Liyue citizens' views on Rex Lapis, quietly waiting for the Rite of Descension to begin.
Noon.
Lumine and Paimon, standing at the very front of the crowd, saw a lady in a cheongsam walk up to the incense burner dedicated to Rex Lapis.
The lady had white hair and red eyes, wore a hair ornament, and her platinum-colored cheongsam was covered in intricate patterns. Her long, straight legs were visible from the slit of the skirt, and she wore a pair of black high heels.
A pair of upturned phoenix eyes exuded sharpness, and her entire being radiated the aura unique to those in high positions.
"So that's the Tianquan Ningguang that Jun Bai mentioned earlier, one of the Liyue Qixing? What a strong presence!"
Paimon whispered in Lumine's ear.
Lumine's gaze fell on Ningguang, deep in thought.
When they arrived in Liyue Harbor yesterday, Jun Bai had already introduced her to them.
Although Rex Lapis would descend every year during the Rite of Descension to bestow divine oracles guiding Liyue Harbor's development direction, the ones responsible for executing those oracles and formulating Liyue Harbor's laws were the Liyue Qixing, who rotated once every century.
They were the seven highest-ranking merchants in Liyue Harbor, holding great power and authority. They were responsible for maintaining order in Liyue Harbor, formulating its laws, and could even, to a certain extent, mobilize the Millelith within Liyue Harbor without military orders.
The Liyue Qixing could be said to be the highest-ranking people in Liyue when the three gods and the adepti were absent.
During the introduction, Jun Bai had even used two of the Qixing as examples so Lumine and Paimon could understand the Liyue Qixing more deeply.
Tianquan Ningguang was one of the Qixing Jun Bai had cited as an example.
"Ningguang rose from humble beginnings step by step to become one of the current Liyue Qixing. She can be called a commercial genius. She is skilled at calculation and handles matters with great prudence."
"In terms of wealth, few in Liyue can compare to her. In terms of methods, there are already signs that the current Qixing are faintly headed by her."
"Both the Geo Archon and I share the same view: Liyue Harbor will become even more prosperous under her leadership."
"I originally thought Jun Bai might have exaggerated, but now it seems this Miss Ningguang truly possesses considerable ability." Lumine murmured to herself.
Immediately afterward, Lumine saw Ningguang stretch out her hand toward the blazing sun.
Ningguang observed the sun and confirmed that it was indeed time for the Rite of Descension to begin.
She said softly: "The auspicious hour has arrived."
As soon as her words fell, Ningguang's willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly. She raised her hand and formed a hand seal. Golden light glowed around her body as a vast Geo elemental energy rose.
The position of the Liyue Qixing was not something one could hold steadily with just wealth and power. One's own strength could not be weak either.
Ningguang was not only a Vision holder, but also highly proficient in spellcraft, standing among the top even among Vision holders.
Golden, shining jade stones formed and were driven into the incense burner in front of Ningguang.
The incense burner blazed with light. A pillar of light shot straight into the sky.
Ningguang lowered her hand, took a step back, and quietly waited for Rex Lapis to appear.
The pillar of light pierced into the clouds. The sky gradually darkened. In an instant, fierce winds swept across Yujing Terrace.
Dark clouds covered the sky above Yujing Terrace. An oppressive feeling fell upon every citizen attending the Rite of Descension, making it hard to breathe.
Silver-white lightning roamed between the black clouds, pushing the atmosphere even heavier.
Lumine and Paimon faintly felt that something was wrong.
Would the Rex Lapis whom the Liyue citizens and Jun Bai described as loving the people like his own children really create such a heavy and oppressive atmosphere when making his entrance?
Meanwhile, Ningguang and the citizens who had attended the Rite of Descension multiple times already felt that things were developing in an abnormal direction.
In previous Rites of Descension, this kind of situation had never occurred.
At this moment, a thunderclap rang out in the sky. A massive shadow emerged from within the clouds.
"Lumine, look! There's something in the clouds!" Paimon cried out in alarm. "It… it looks like it's about to fall!"
A strange creature that was half-dragon and half-qilin fell from the clouds and collapsed silently onto Yujing Terrace…