Ningguang raised her head, gazing at the clear sky. The sunlight was so glaring that she had to shield her eyes with her hand, while an ominous premonition rose in her heart.
After taking a deep breath, Ningguang faced the crowd calmly, her resonant voice silencing the restless gathering.
"The auspicious hour has arrived."
Ningguang began channeling her Geo energy, infusing it into the massive alchemical furnace. Soon, the furnace lit up, shooting a beam of light straight into the sky.
Including Rover, everyone looked up at the sky. The clear blue suddenly darkened with thick clouds, and a colossal dragon of stone began circling above.
"It's the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd, but Ningguang's expression grew increasingly solemn—because the atmosphere of this year's Rite of Descension was far more oppressive than in previous years.
The dragon in the sky slowly gazed down upon the crowd. Then, with a deafening roar, it directed its fury toward Aether and Rover.
Rover felt the immense hatred emanating from the god before him. Struggling against the overwhelming pressure, he raised his head to look at the dragon—only to see it plummeting lifelessly onto the ceremonial grounds.
The sudden turn of events left everyone in shock.
Rover was the first to react. He quickly grabbed Aether's arm and pulled him away.
Ningguang was the second to recover. She approached the fallen dragon, confirmed its death, and recalling the earlier scene, immediately turned to search for the two suspects.
"The Geo Archon has been slain! Seal the area!"
Countless Millelith soldiers stormed into the venue. Rover clicked his tongue in frustration. Some of the onlookers spotted Aether and Rover and immediately called for the Millelith to apprehend them.
"Aether, take advantage of the chaos and escape. I'll cover you."
Rover swiftly assessed the situation, decisively drawing his blade and pushing Aether toward the exit.
Though he didn't understand why Rex Lapis had harbored such hatred toward them in his final moments, the current circumstances were far from favorable.
"Brother Rover, but—"
Aether tried to protest, but a sharp glare from Rover silenced him. He pursed his lips and finally nodded.
Ningguang had already locked onto the two. A small Geo projectile shot from her hand, but Rover instantly tracked its trajectory, firing an arrow that precisely intercepted the incoming stone.
The sudden clash sent the crowd into chaos. Aether gritted his teeth, glancing back at Rover, who was now pinned down, before quickly blending into the panicked masses.
"You dare murder the Geo Archon? You won't leave this place alive today!"
Rover knew any attempt to explain would be futile, so he remained silent. The Millelith had already formed an encirclement, tightening around him step by step.
The next moment, Rover moved. With astonishing speed, he closed the distance to a Millelith soldier, using the man's body as a springboard to leap into the air. Mid-flight, Rover cleared the encirclement—but before he could land, Ningguang's attack followed.
Adjusting his stance mid-air, Rover blocked the Geo projectile with his sword. Just as he prepared for the next move, an icy arrow imbued with Cryo energy shot toward him from above, sending a surge of danger through his instincts.
He swiftly raised his crossbow, infusing the arrow with Spectro energy. The two projectiles collided, erupting into a shower of ice crystals.
But it wasn't over yet.
An Electro sigil silently materialized behind him. Unable to turn in time, Rover reversed his grip on his blade just as a girl teleported to the mark, slashing at him with an Electro-charged strike.
The clash of steel rang out as both combatants were forced back several steps. The girl immediately discarded her sword, now tainted with Havoc energy.
"This killer is strange—he might be connected to the Abyss! Everyone, be careful!"
The purple-haired girl with cat-like ears watched Rover warily, while the blue-haired archer who had just arrived nocked another arrow.
From Zhongli's earlier introductions, Rover recognized them—Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, and Ganyu, the secretary.
With the endless waves of Millelith closing in, Rover's situation was dire.
He had already prepared for the worst. If forced to unleash the same power he had used against Dvalin, no one would be able to stop the devastation.
Suddenly, the earth trembled. Pillars of stone erupted from the ground, throwing everyone off balance. No one had anticipated this new upheaval.
"Young friend, over here."
Zhongli's voice called out at just the right moment. Rover immediately sprinted toward him, using the upheaval of boulders to escape the scene.
Following Zhongli's guidance, he eventually met him in a secluded location.
"It's fortunate you're unharmed."
Zhongli spoke calmly, but Rover remained on guard. After confirming there were no pursuers, he finally turned to Zhongli.
"Thank you for saving me."
"It was only natural. After all, I've been branded a wanted criminal as well."
Zhongli sighed helplessly, and Rover felt a pang of guilt.
After all, Zhongli had only been kind enough to guide them—yet now he was labeled an accomplice to the Geo Archon's assassination.
"Liyue is currently under the Qixing's jurisdiction. We'll need to leave for a while—or perhaps…"
Zhongli analyzed the situation coolly, though his expression betrayed no urgency.
"You mean we should seek out the Adepti?"
Rover began to consider the idea, and Zhongli nodded.
"Indeed. At present, only the Adepti of Liyue can clear our names. However, most of them reside in the wilderness…"
Zhongli spoke thoughtfully, sighing as if lamenting the difficulty of the task.
But at the mention of the Adepti, Rover's eyes lit up. Didn't he already know one—Xiao?
"I have an idea. Let's head to Wangshu Inn."
...
Meanwhile.
"They're over there! Get them!"
The Millelith shouted as Aether and Paimon ran desperately—they couldn't let Rover's sacrifice be in vain.
But before long, they were surrounded.
"Nowhere left to run!"
The leading Millelith pointed his sword at Aether, forcing him to draw his dull blade in preparation for battle.
Yet another unexpected turn of events occurred.
"Sir, don't move!"
Several Hydro-infused arrows suddenly struck the Millelith's wrists, forcing them to drop their weapons in pain. Then, a figure appeared, dual-wielding Hydro blades and swiftly incapacitating every soldier on the scene.
"Come with me."
The man glanced back at Aether, signaling for him to follow.
Aether and Paimon exchanged looks. Though both were filled with distrust for this stranger, they had no other choice but to follow.