"An adeptus!? Did I hear that right?"
Paimon's eyes widened as she stared at the young man in disbelief, while Abby twitched the corner of his mouth.
"You could say it louder—preferably loud enough for the entire inn to hear."
Paimon scratched her head sheepishly, then covered her mouth, signaling that she wouldn't utter another word.
"We'll have to wait for this young man to wake up before we can ask what happened," Aether said helplessly.
After a few hours, the young man slowly opened his eyes. He frowned, instinctively trying to leave, but when he realized the mask at his waist was missing, his expression changed drastically. He immediately turned to Rover, who was keeping watch.
"Did you see a mask?" the young man asked urgently. Rover snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him before handing over the demonic mask.
The young man quickly took it, exhaling deeply as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart. He then turned to leave but was stopped by Rover's voice.
"At least tell me your name?"
The young man paused for a moment before speaking.
"Xiao. Thank you for saving me."
Before the words had fully faded, Xiao vanished from Rover's sight.
...
The next morning.
"He just said thanks and left?"
Paimon puffed up her cheeks indignantly after hearing Rover's account of the previous night. At the very least, he could've given them some kind of reward.
As if answering Paimon's thoughts, a knock came at the door.
Aether opened it curiously, only for servants to enter, carrying breakfast and arranging an assortment of drinks and snacks on the table.
"Hello, I'm Verr Goldet, the proprietor of Wangshu Inn."
After the servants withdrew, the mature woman gently closed the door and gestured for them to sit.
"I don't remember ordering this much food…?"
Abby stared at the lavish spread in front of him, his heart pounding—this would likely cost a hefty sum of Mora.
"No, these are all complimentary. Last night, you helped an adeptus escape danger, so this is our way of thanking you."
Verr Goldet personally handed a heavy pouch of Mora to Rover.
"So he really was an adeptus!?"
When Verr Goldet nodded, everyone was stunned. Rover was the first to recover.
"That means you're Xiao's point of contact, right?"
"Yes. If there's anything you need, you can relay it through me."
Rover fell silent for a moment before looking at the proprietress.
"My power can temporarily suppress the malevolence within him. If needed, you can call on me anytime—consider it a gesture of goodwill."
Verr Goldet froze. Despite her vast experience, this news still shocked her. After all, what plagued Xiao wasn't mere evil spirits—it was karmic debt, the lingering resentment and remnants of fallen gods. Such things couldn't be so easily dispelled.
"Understood. On behalf of Adeptus Xiao, I thank you all. Please enjoy your meal—I'll take my leave now."
With that, Verr Goldet bowed to the group who had saved Liyue's adeptus and quietly withdrew.
"Rover, you're really amazing! It feels like there's nothing you can't do."
Aether's eyes shone with admiration, but Rover shook his head, sighing as he looked at the terrifying power of Havoc in his hand.
Great power always came at a great cost—Havoc was no exception. If not for the Jinzhou Midnight Rangers and their unwavering resolve to send him and Jiyan into the heart of the enemy, how could he have reclaimed this power?
After breakfast, the group resumed their journey. Aether recalled his experiences in Mondstadt, so when he saw the Statue of The Seven in Liyue, he eagerly reached out to touch it.
Rover looked up at the statue of the god seated upon a throne, feeling an inexplicable sense of awe. Perhaps the deity they were about to meet would be quite imposing?
Sure enough, Geo energy surged into Aether's body, and suddenly, he could hear the resonance of the earth.
"Seems like another new power," Paimon mused, circling Aether with her arms crossed.
Aether nodded, clenching his fist forward. A massive Geo construct plummeted from the sky, kicking up dust.
"The rocks tell me this is called Starfell Sword."
Curious, Abby leaned in to sniff the construct, finding it hard to believe.
"It really does smell like stone…"
This was just a small interlude on their journey. When they finally arrived at Liyue Harbor, they realized just how different it was from Mondstadt.
Liyue Harbor stood amidst the steep peaks of Mt. Tianheng, with the vast Sea of Clouds stretching to the east. For the sake of commerce and travel, maritime trade became the heart of Liyue Harbor, forging a unique blend of elegance and openness.
Entering Liyue, they could immediately feel the atmosphere of the Rite of Descension. Tourists like Rover and his group had increased significantly—all hoping to catch a glimpse of Rex Lapis' true form and make their wishes to Him.
Countless vendors called out along the streets. Aether, curious about everything in Liyue, wandered around with Paimon, while Rover's thoughts drifted far away as he gazed at the incense burners symbolizing wishes.
In the quiet of the night, a young girl released a sky lantern. Clasping her hands together, she walked forward as cherry blossom petals fluttered down, a faint smile on her lips.
"I just made a wish—for Jinzhou and you to be safe and sound."
As Rover took in the scene before him, about to speak, a voice suddenly cut in.
"Rover? Rover!"
Paimon poked him, only to be met with Rover's resentful glare—the same look he'd given Abby when the latter ate all the fish he'd saved. A chill ran down Paimon's spine, and she quickly hid behind Aether, muttering sheepishly.
"Oops… seems like I interrupted something good again…"
"Paimon!!!"
Rover had been lost in the fantasy of spending a beautiful moment with Jinhsi, and Paimon's interruption made him so angry that he grabbed her and pinched her cheeks until his frustration subsided.
Aether shrugged, ignoring the plea for help in Paimon's eyes—he was powerless to intervene. In fact, he joined in on the cheek-pinching.
"Aaaah, I'm so mad! I'm giving both of you awful nicknames!"
Rover finally let go, and Paimon rubbed her reddened cheeks before stomping her feet midair, her furious expression filling the air with lively amusement.