[Switching to Traveler's perspective…]
The Golden House.
The arrival of Childe and Signora instantly made the atmosphere extremely tense.
Lumine's eyes suddenly became sharp. She drew the Sword of Descension and stood in front of the old man and the Golden House.
"Hey, buddy, long time no see. You don't really think you can fight two Fatui Harbingers alone, do you?"
Childe spread his hands, trying to persuade the Traveler to step aside in a peaceful manner and open a path to the Golden House.
"I won't let you get near the immortal ancestor's remains."
Lumine's attitude was very firm.
Childe couldn't help but say with regret: "That's truly a shame. I actually quite admire you."
[To be honest, Childe, I admire you too… and the doujinshi with Xuanjian!]
[You admire us, we're very happy, but if you want to fight us, then we'll fight back.]
[Hurry up and get on with the plot. I want to watch Jun Bai fight the Thunder Yaksha now.]
"If you were in Snezhnaya, you would have the chance to meet Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. You might even receive a reward from Her Majesty. Unfortunately, you chose to become an enemy."
The Polar Star of Winter emerged from the Vision. Childe stepped in front of Signora and said: "I'll leave the Gnosis to you. This guy is mine, okay?"
"Do I look like someone who enjoys violence?" Signora crossed her arms, then turned and walked to the side.
"You're not going anywhere!" Lumine channeled Geo energy, dashed forward, and swung her blade at Signora.
However, a water arrow shot toward her.
Lumine held her sword horizontally in front of her chest and blocked the arrow, but her body was forcefully knocked back.
"This is a fight between you and me. I won't allow any distractions." Water blades appeared in Childe's hands as he launched a close-range assault on Lumine.
With no choice, Lumine could only engage Childe in battle.
"Morax's Gnosis, the Fatui will gladly accept it." Signora smiled as she watched the fierce fight behind her.
But just as she was about to step into the Golden House, she found a hunched figure blocking the doorway.
"Sorry, this road is closed." The old man smiled.
A violent gust of wind instantly gathered. Signora, who was already standing in front of the Golden House doors, was blown away before she could react.
[This view of the skirt flying up… Thank you, old sir!]
[Sniper, where are you!]
[Forget the sniper, the entire cooking squad saw it. It's hollow! (dog head.jpg) (drooling.jpg)]
Signora controlled her body to escape the gale and landed on the ground, breathing heavily.
"Signora, are you going easy on him because he's old? This doesn't seem like your style."
Childe's voice came from afar.
"Childe, shut your mouth!" Signora coldly rebuked him. Her wary gaze turned toward the old man on the steps.
He clearly looked like an old man who was already half-buried in the ground, yet Signora found she couldn't detect any trace of when he had attacked.
Either the opponent's mastery of elemental energy was extremely high, or… the opponent's strength far surpassed her own.
At best, this old man was not an opponent she could take lightly.
Signora waved her hand. Several ice spikes shot rapidly toward the old man. The cold air emanating from the ice spikes proved that Signora had begun to fight seriously.
"Heh."
The old man's smile did not fade. The ice spikes circled around his body and struck the Golden House doors behind him.
Both Signora and Childe's eyebrows twitched. Because of this, Childe was even hit by Lumine's sword and briefly fell into a disadvantage during the fight.
Although it was only a probe, wasn't this method of neutralization a little too relaxed?
[He really is a sweeping monk…]
[Old man: Barbatos, I'll only teach you once. This is how you use Anemo to hit Signora!]
"One who cannot go all out, and one who has just recovered from serious injuries. This old man advises you two to know your limits." The old man stood in front of the Golden House, stroking his beard and smiling calmly.
"With this level of strength and insight, you are clearly no ordinary person." Signora's expression grew grave. "Who are you?"
"Good question."
The old man stroked his beard and reached into his sleeve. "Earlier, those two young ladies asked this old man for his identity, but I couldn't find any token to prove it."
"But now, this old man has found it."
The old man took out a token from his bosom. The shape of the token was exactly the same as the military tally Jun Bai had given to Lumine. The only difference was that the token in the old man's hand was not only cyan but also only half a piece.
"This old man is neither an adeptus nor a god's follower. I am merely a warrior who has retired to the background."
Childe swung his blade to repel Lumine, then glanced at the token in the old man's hand. His pupils suddenly contracted: "The symbolic token of the Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers? But hasn't the selection for this generation even started yet?"
"…So he is not the Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers of this generation, but an ancient [Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers] awakened from the Hall of Heroes." Signora frowned tightly. Fire elemental energy began to gather around her.
[Liyue's new combat power appears — Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers.]
[It looks like it belongs to the Millelith again, meaning it's an organization under Jun Bai's command.]
[Unsolved mystery: How many people does Jun Bai have under him?]
[Wait, there seems to be something wrong with Signora. Fire elemental energy? Isn't she Cryo?]
"Having reached the end of my natural life, I was fortunate to receive the Marshal's help and continue to exist in the world in the form of a heroic soul, allowing this old man to fight for Liyue once more."
"Considering that you are merely following orders, if you retreat now, this old man will not pursue the matter of offending the remains of Rex Lapis."
The old man put away the token and said calmly.
Hearing this, Signora half-closed her eyes and said: "…Childe, I will hold back this living fossil. While I can still hold on, defeat that Traveler as quickly as possible and retrieve the Gnosis inside."
"Don't act on impulse. Her Majesty the Tsaritsa's orders are the highest priority!"
"…Understood." Childe nodded. He then engaged Lumine in battle once again. However, compared to the fierce fighting earlier, Childe now mainly focused on maneuvering.
The Fatui knew far too well about the combat power of the Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers. Those who emerged from the Hall of Heroes could even be called Liyue's foundation.
This was because… the Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers were selected once every hundred years, with only five people chosen each time. The victor who successfully took one of the positions could wear the crown, serve beside the Sky Phoenix Marshal, and become his retainer.
Every Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers was comparable to an adeptus.
The Hall of Heroes was the final resting place of all Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers. Whenever an active Sky Phoenix Wheel Feathers passed away, the retainer mark branded on their body would guide them to the Hall of Heroes, where they would continue to live in the form of a heroic soul.
They were already comparable to adepti. After undergoing the accumulation of time in the Hall of Heroes, their strength would continue to rise.
The older they were, the stronger they became. This applied not only to gods and adepti, but also to the heroic souls in the Hall of Heroes.
So when Signora learned that the opponent was a heroic soul from the Hall of Heroes, she knew she could not break through. She could only sacrifice herself and let Childe be the breakthrough point.
"It seems the two of you intend to continue being enemies of Liyue."
The old man said calmly. Cyan flowing wind began to swirl around his body.
"Quoting an old Liyue saying: One who holds a position must fulfill its duties. I serve Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, so naturally her orders come first."
Signora raised her head. Strands of flame coiled around her body as Cryo energy suddenly erupted. However, the target was not the old man in front of the Golden House doors, nor Lumine who was entangled with Childe.
It was herself.