A half-dragon, half-qilin divine creature filled with divinity crashed onto Yujing Terrace. Its body was covered in countless wounds and showed no signs of life.
Ningguang's expression changed drastically. She quickly walked up to the strange creature and carefully examined every detail on its body.
After confirming that the creature before her had completely lost all traces of life, Ningguang's expression became exceptionally grave. She waved her hand and shouted sternly: "The Geo Archon has been assassinated! Seal off the entire area!"
As soon as her words fell, the Millelith who had been guarding the perimeter of Yujing Terrace instantly went on high alert.
Countless well-trained Millelith began operating in an orderly and methodical manner, like perfectly aligned gears.
In the short time since Ningguang gave the order, Yujing Terrace was completely sealed off by the Millelith.
Entry allowed, exit forbidden.
"Lumine, did you hear that?" Paimon said in a panicked and flustered tone. "Ningguang just said the Geo Archon has been assassinated?"
"Could it be that the Geo Archon has already…"
Paimon did not continue, but Lumine understood what she meant. Following that line of thought, Lumine thought even deeper.
"Paimon, I need to leave this place immediately." Lumine said with a serious expression.
"Now? Are you sure? Yujing Terrace has already been sealed off by the Millelith. There's no way to escape!"
Paimon was shocked by Lumine's idea.
"I know, but I cannot stay here. So I will leave alone. You stay here. Even if I fail to escape, at least you won't be implicated."
Lumine said earnestly.
Jun Bai and Venti—the two gods she knew—were both living pieces of history who had survived the Archon War. Their strength and knowledge were top-tier in all of Teyvat.
However, both Jun Bai and Venti had personally admitted that Liyue's Geo Archon was the oldest among the Seven Archons and had reached the pinnacle of martial arts.
For such an existence, the number of people in the current world capable of successfully assassinating him was extremely limited.
The greatest possibility Lumine could think of was that mysterious god who had separated her from her brother.
Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, Lumine would not choose to remain on Yujing Terrace.
The unknown god was an enemy. This was Lumine's understanding.
Since the enemy might be lurking in the shadows, Lumine had to leave Yujing Terrace and get away from this place where an enemy might be watching.
Paimon was different. Although she was a guide and a traveling companion, she truly had nothing to do with the unknown god.
Therefore, Paimon did not need to leave with her.
"At a time like this, if we're leaving, we leave together! I'm your guide! Don't even think about abandoning me!"
However, Paimon directly rejected Lumine's good intentions.
"Fine, then we'll go together." Lumine nodded and agreed.
Having decided to leave together, Lumine and Paimon hid among the crowd, using the people and scenery to evade the Millelith.
Using the lotus pond as cover, Lumine and Paimon reached the vicinity of Yujing Terrace's entrance, then dashed out of the entrance in one swift movement.
However, not only was Yujing Terrace filled with Millelith searching for suspicious individuals, the entrance itself was also heavily guarded.
The moment the two rushed out of the entrance, they were immediately spotted by a large number of Millelith. Without any words exchanged, the moment suspicious individuals were detected, the Millelith soldiers raised their spears and moved forward to arrest Lumine and Paimon.
"Not good!" Paimon let out a sharp scream.
"Run!" Lumine drew her Dull Blade and quickly ran toward the outside of Yujing Terrace.
The Dull Blade met the spears thrust at her by the Millelith. The blonde outlander traveler fought while retreating, moving outward step by step.
If she had used the Sword of Descension or the Favonius Sword, or if she had used Anemo or Geo elements, Lumine could have carved a path through the Millelith single-handedly, even with Paimon present.
But first, if she injured the Millelith, there would be no room for any future reconciliation.
Second, it was because of Jun Bai, the Marshal of the Millelith.
Jun Bai had treated her with courtesy. Having received his kindness, Lumine naturally did not want to harm the Millelith under his command.
Therefore, Lumine mainly focused on maneuvering and did not use her full strength.
As a result, Lumine and Paimon were quickly cornered by over a hundred Millelith and gradually driven into a desperate situation.
"Do I really have to use my true abilities and injure these Millelith?" Lumine frowned tightly.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her.
"Take this. If the Millelith give you any trouble, just take it out. Someone will come to uphold justice."
Jun Bai's words flashed through her mind.
"It's worth a try!"
Lumine once again dodged a spear thrust by a Millelith soldier, nimbly turned around, and seized the opportunity to take out the token Jun Bai had given her.
With a thought, she channeled elemental energy into it.
The phoenix pattern on the token seemed to come alive the instant elemental energy was infused into it.
A clear cry rang out. Scarlet flames surged from the token and transformed into a phoenix that shielded Lumine and Paimon behind it. The Millelith within a ten-meter radius were instantly blasted away by an invisible force.
The Millelith who were charging forward one after another saw the scarlet phoenix and uniformly stopped in their tracks.
"We greet the Marshal!"
All the Millelith saluted the scarlet phoenix with their spears, their expressions respectful and their eyes burning with fervor.
Seeing this scene, Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance and let out a long sigh of relief.
Steady footsteps sounded from within the Millelith ranks.
The Millelith automatically parted to make way. An old man wearing pitch-black armor and possessing a burly build walked out.
The old man came before Lumine and Paimon. His eagle-like eyes fell on the token in Lumine's hand.
"There is no mistake. This is the Marshal's military tally." The old man's gaze shifted to Lumine. His voice was like a great bell as he asked, "May I ask what relationship you have with the Marshal?"
Although the old man was advanced in age, the aura he exuded showed that he had experienced countless battles, giving Lumine a faint sense of oppression.
Perhaps her strength surpassed his, but in terms of aura, she had already lost.
"Friend." Lumine controlled her emotions and answered truthfully.
"Friend…" The old man pondered for a moment. "Then may I ask why you are leaving Yujing Terrace at such a critical time?"
"I have reasons that compel me to leave, but I am sorry, I cannot disclose them." Lumine gripped the military tally tightly, worried that this reason would not satisfy him.
Fortunately, the worst situation Lumine had anticipated did not occur. Neither the old man nor the Millelith pressed further about why Lumine and Paimon wanted to leave.
"Since you are the Marshal's friend, you naturally cannot be the culprit who assassinated Rex Lapis."
"If you have important matters to attend to, we will not make things difficult for you." The old man waved his large hand. "Soldiers, let them pass!"
At the old man's command, the Millelith who had surrounded Lumine and Paimon began to withdraw, opening up the path leading out of Yujing Terrace.
Lumine and Paimon returned to Liyue Harbor without any obstruction. For a moment, the two had not yet recovered from the shock.
"We… we got out of Yujing Terrace just like that?" Paimon felt it was somewhat unreal.
There had not even been an interrogation. She and Lumine had simply been escorted down from Yujing Terrace by the Millelith.
"That guy Jun Bai said that Liyue Harbor only worships one god—Rex Lapis. But now it seems that's not entirely true. At the very least, the Millelith's faith is in the Marshal himself."
Lumine held the military tally and felt it burning hot in her hand.
She put away the clearly very important military tally and immediately heard a round of applause.