Deep underground beneath Mt. Hulao.
A place so dark it saw no light of day.
Seeing the words suddenly pop up on the light screen before him, the Rahu Dragon King was momentarily stunned.
"Osel?"
Fragments of memory surfaced amid the chaos.
If he remembered correctly, this guy Osel had been pinned to the ocean floor by Morax with a single geo spear, right?
At that thought, the Rahu Dragon King sneered derisively.
[Rahu Dragon King]: @[Osel] What makes you think you're worthy? A mere ant suppressed by Morax with one spear at the sea's depths—how dare you conspire with us true dragons on grand ambitions?!
[Osel]: Just caught off guard for a moment!
Just caught off guard?
You'd better hope so!
Zhongli's gold-flecked eyes turned toward Qingyun Peak as he shook his head with a sigh.
These days, everyone was tougher with their words than the last. Was it because the chat had so many members and no one wanted to lose face?
It was the truth, so why hide it? No need!
[Rahu Dragon King]: Are there any other elemental dragons in the group? I shall raise the banner of rebellion against the despicable Seven Archons of the mortal world and sincerely invite you all to lend your aid!
[Furina]: ??? When did I ever act despicably?!
[Neuvillette]: Lady Furina may be a hysterical Archon, but despicable she is not.
[Apophis]: Indisposed.
[Lumine]: Holy crap, an actual elemental dragon just popped up?!
[Zhongli]: The Grass Dragon Apophis, said to hail from the ancient era—an elemental dragon whose legends are too distant to verify in detail. But the Grass Dragon Apophis is immensely powerful; it's even said that the God-King of the Great Red Sand Sea once forged a pact with him.
[Venti]: How do you know all this so well? Do you have some shady secret identity? (silly)
Hiss!
Could Zhongli's true identity be exposed today?
[Keqing]: I've heard the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant Zhongli is a walking encyclopedia. With his knowledge, he must have gleaned this from some ancient texts.
[Zhongli]: Indeed!
Speaking up at the key moment—Jade Chamber Star, you're alright!
[Apophis]: Signing off.
[Rahu Dragon King]: What a pity.
[Venti]: @[Dvalin] Don't listen to the Rahu Dragon King!
[Dvalin]: ?
[Dvalin]: What about it?
[Dvalin]: You just told me to be free. Don't try to sway my thoughts—right now, I want to join the Rahu Dragon King and overthrow you! (silly)
Seeing Dvalin's winking emoji, Venti breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it was just a joke.
At once.
[Venti]: Haha, let's all just watch the video. Look, we're back in Mondstadt City now. Huh, wait!
"Acting Grand Master Jean, I don't know why the Temples of the Four Winds were abandoned, but in my view, it's still necessary to remind the people of Mondstadt of the sacrifices once made by Barbatos and the Four Winds Guardians. People should have gratitude in their hearts. If the Mondstadters themselves forget the heroes who protected them, then if one day those heroes fall and turn to slaughtering Mondstadt in return... well, they'd deserve it." Gu Chen said calmly.
Jean's expression sharpened at his words. "I understand. I'll make this a priority going forward!"
"Then let's talk more about that later. As for the Skyward Harp, I'll leave it to Lumine and Venti to return it." Gu Chen nodded.
"Leave it to me." Lumine nodded in agreement.
[Dvalin]: I knew this young man was no ordinary soul. See? He glows when he gets down to business!
[Venti]: What a hypocrite!
[Kaeya]: That's true free will—speaking his mind and hitting Mondstadt's sore spots right on the head. Without the Stormterror incident, how many Mondstadters would even remember the East Wind Dragon, one of the Four Winds Guardians?
[Dvalin]: Truth be told, when I was lost in agony and madness, hunted by the Fatui and manipulated by the Abyss Order... I could endure all that pain. But being forgotten by Mondstadt? That cut deep!
[Diluc]: Not all Mondstadters are ungrateful. Rest assured on that front. Still, Gu Chen's suggestion in the video is spot on and very much needed!
[Dvalin]: On this point, we've got to learn from our neighbors in Liyue!
[Zhongli]: You flatter us.
[Keqing]: The sacrifices of our forebears should always be remembered!
[Ningguang]: Rex Lapis and the adepti, the Millelith and every generation of the Qixing—they live forever in the hearts of Liyue's people.
[Cloud Retainer]: This one's impressed by the current Qixing.
[Mountain Shaper]: All in the line of duty. But let's not dwell—have you all noticed? This is the first time the plot shifts away from Gu Chen's perspective to Miss Lumine's!
Everyone took a look. Sure enough.
Lumine, Paimon, and Venti headed together to Mondstadt Cathedral to return the Skyward Harp.
The prayer overseer Barbara was puzzled by their arrival at first, but upon hearing it was about returning the Skyward Harp, she suddenly understood. "No wonder the Skyward Harp went missing! So it was you guys?!"
"Don't get worked up, don't get worked up!"
Venti waved his hands frantically, then quickly added, "We used the Skyward Harp to awaken the East Wind Dragon!"
"Huh?"
Barbara froze.
After some explanation, she finally got it and said with a hint of regret, "Awakening the East Wind Guardian is great and all, but the Skyward Harp's broken now... Oh well, whatever. Just get out of here quick—the Skyward Harp still needs to go back on display!"
[Barbara]: The Skyward Harp in the cathedral right now is perfectly fine.
[Paimon]: Huh? Didn't Venti say it was an illusion?
[Venti]: Ehe, just kidding!
[Lumine]: I've got a bad feeling about this.
[Kaeya]: Spill!
[Lumine]: See for yourself.
In the video, the trio stepped out of the cathedral when two Fatui Skirmishers burst from the ground, lunging at Venti.
Luckily, Lumine reacted fast and dispatched them in a flash. But just as she took two steps toward them, a haughty woman strode in from the side.
[Tartaglia]: Signora? Damn, she was lying in wait?
With a flick of her hand, Signora unleashed a storm of cryo elemental power.
Paimon in midair instantly froze into a block of ice and was hurled away, crashing in the distance.
[Paimon]: ...
At the same time, frost crept up Venti's legs, encasing them in ice.
Caught off guard, Lumine was pinned down by the two Skirmishers and couldn't move.
"Oh dear, looks like we finally found the pet hamster that escaped its cage."
"Chewing on logs, nibbling at rice sacks."
Signora stepped forward, pinching Venti's chin to force his head up, her expression dripping with disdain. "Causing so much trouble for Mondstadt..."
Before she could finish, Venti frowned and shot back, "What you're thinking of isn't a hamster—it's a rat—"
Slap!
Signora backhanded him across the face.
[Zhongli]: ?
[Furina]: ?
[Raiden Ei]: ?
[Nahida]: (shocked)
[Tartaglia]: ?
[Dvalin]: I kinda want to say good hit, but bullying Mondstadt's Archon on Mondstadt soil? You're way out of line!
[Zhongli]: Obviously fake. After all, he's an Archon—how could he lose to a Harbinger?
[Raiden Ei]: Is this Harbinger always this bold? (curious)
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