"Oh my, oh my～ So that's how it is."
The moment Keqing finished speaking, a cunning girl's voice rang out from outside the Jade Chamber.
Keqing's face instantly turned bright red. She looked toward the door in panic.
Guizhong and Cloud Retainer, who had taken human form, walked in with smiles on their faces.
Guizhong hopped over to Keqing's side, reached out to pat her cat-like head, and smiled: "I knew little Keqing wasn't the type of person who lacks manners. So there was such a reason～"
Cloud Retainer tilted her head, lightly pushed up her glasses, and said: "I thought the people of Liyue Harbor had made no progress at all after all these years. Now it seems that at least some individuals have improved."
"Mhm～ But little Keqing, did you only collect dolls of Morax and Phenex? None of mine? Is it because I have never appeared in my Adeptus beast form?"
"Tell me, should I use my transformation art to create an Adeptus beast incarnation? What do you think, little cat?"
Hearing this, Keqing the cat already realized that these two had heard the entire conversation between her and Ningguang from beginning to end.
Her true face had been exposed in front of outsiders.
The tsundere girl's face flushed with embarrassment, and it seemed as if faint wisps of steam were rising from the top of her head.
"I-I'm going to check on the Millelith's evacuation work!"
Keqing rushed out of the Jade Chamber as if there were a flood of ferocious beasts chasing behind her.
"What an easily embarrassed junior."
Guizhong looked at Keqing's departing back and sighed.
Ningguang said helplessly: "Lady Dust God, please stop teasing Keqing. Although she is exceptionally capable, she is still just a young girl."
Guizhong stuck out her tongue with a smile, looking very happy.
Ningguang turned to Cloud Retainer and asked: "May I ask the esteemed Adeptus, how is the renovation work on the Jade Chamber progressing?"
"It can be considered fully completed, though there are still a few minor details that need improvement." Cloud Retainer nodded slightly. "Fortunately we had half a month. Otherwise, just installing the Guizhong Mechanism would have already been the limit."
Guizhong put her hands on her hips and praised Ningguang: "The craftsmen you found are all very good. Otherwise, with the scale of the Jade Chamber, let alone half a month, even half a year would make it very difficult for me and Cloud Retainer to complete all the work alone."
"Ningguang is not skilled in mechanism arts. This is already everything Ningguang could do." Ningguang said modestly.
"Don't belittle yourself. Everyone has things they cannot do. It's enough to find your own position." Guizhong smiled. "If there is nothing else, Cloud Retainer and I will return to the Guili Assembly."
After working nonstop for half a month, even an Archon and an Adeptus beast would feel exhausted.
With a great battle imminent, the two needed to go back and rest for a while to replenish their energy.
After all, Osial was once a participant in the Archon War during the era of divided powers.
"Safe travels to you both."
Ningguang respectfully saw Guizhong and Cloud Retainer off.
Not long after Guizhong and Cloud Retainer left, a completely drenched Lumine and Paimon hurriedly arrived.
The Jade Chamber really had a lot of guests today.
"This rain is getting heavier by the day." Paimon said while shaking her body. Raindrops slid down her body and dripped onto the floor of the reception room.
"I'm sorry for asking the two of you to come help in such weather." Ningguang said with slight apology.
"It's fine. If it weren't something very important, I don't think you would have asked us to come, Ningguang." Lumine said generously.
Ningguang nodded: "Indeed, there is a very important matter that requires your help."
"Please speak freely."
"Osial's escape from his seal will happen within the next few days. Once he breaks free, it will be time for the decisive battle." Ningguang's expression was grave.
"During the decisive battle, most of Liyue's combat forces will head to the battlefield at sea, leaving Liyue unable to look after itself."
"And the mastermind behind all this — the Fatui — will surely not miss this opportunity."
Lumine's expression shifted: "Are you saying the Fatui might make a move on the Ancestral Dragon's remains?"
Ningguang nodded: "Correct. When most of Liyue's combat forces are rushing to the battlefield, that will be the best time for the Fatui to seize the Gnosis within the Ancestral Dragon's remains."
Paimon frowned: "But the Fatui shouldn't know the location where the Ancestral Dragon's remains are hidden, right?"
Ningguang explained: "Without interference from the Millelith, it won't be difficult for the Fatui to find the Ancestral Dragon's remains during the decisive battle."
At this moment, no one in the Jade Chamber knew that the Fatui had already learned the location of the Ancestral Dragon's remains half a month ago. It was only because the Harbingers responsible for arranging the operation were all bedridden that no action had been taken.
"The Gnosis represents the Geo Archon's divine seat, and the Ancestral Dragon's remains hold great symbolic significance for Liyue. I cannot afford even the slightest mistake. Therefore…"
"I hope that you, Traveler, can protect the Ancestral Dragon's remains on behalf of Liyue." Ningguang said sincerely.
"Is this a commission?" Lumine asked.
"Of course."
"Then you'd better prepare the reward. With us here, we guarantee that not a single Fatui member will get close to the Ancestral Dragon's remains." Paimon put her hands on her hips and then patted her chest as she made the promise.
Lumine nodded in agreement.
Ningguang smiled: "Then I'll leave it to the two of you."
"But now that you mention it, we still don't know where the Ancestral Dragon's remains are." Paimon spread her hands and looked at Ningguang.
Ningguang walked to the window and looked toward the southernmost part of Liyue:
"The Golden House, the place where all the Mora used throughout Teyvat is produced. I have hidden the Ancestral Dragon's remains there. Until the decisive battle ends, please protect the Golden House well."
...
Guili Assembly, Fengdeng Lou.
Inside the third-floor room that had been sealed for nearly half a month, Jun Bai opened his eyes and stretched his body.
"System, has the next plot segment already arrived?"
Jun Bai, whose consciousness had been away from his body for half a month, asked.
Ever since the previous plot segment ended, Jun Bai had learned that the next plot segment would begin after approximately half a month.
Originally, Jun Bai had wanted to help with the war preparations, but Ji Xuanjian had taken care of all related matters single-handedly.
"Marshal, such trivial matters do not require you to handle them personally. Just leave everything to me. Right now, your task along with the Adepti is to conserve your energy and spirit. When the decisive battle comes, we will still have to rely on you and the Adepti."
After saying this, Ji Xuanjian politely escorted Jun Bai to the third floor of Fengdeng Lou.
Jun Bai strongly suspected that this was Ji Xuanjian's way of getting back at him for previously acting as the guest who overstepped his role. Otherwise, even with proper justification, it was quite improper for a Ziwei Star to personally escort the Sky Phoenix Marshal.
However, since Ji Xuanjian had taken the initiative to handle everything, Jun Bai indeed had nothing to do.
So Jun Bai had the system set his body to a cultivation state, and his consciousness went through the system to browse the internet in a parallel world.
Due to the difference in time flow between the parallel world and Teyvat, Jun Bai had only been gone for less than a day before returning.
The system finally got a rare vacation, because it didn't need to act as a camera for the past half month. But now that the plot was about to begin, it had to go back to work again.
Thus, the system left only one sentence before stopping its response.
[Yes, so I pulled you back from over there.]