"But... but the Archon War ended two thousand years ago. With only the Seven Archons existing in the world today, how can you bring back the ancient Archons..."
Paimon hesitated, unsure if they would even answer such a confidential question.
"Of course, I have prepared the means to 'awaken' them." wap.kanshuwu.net
As he spoke, Tartaglia waved his hand, and a golden talisman swirled around him.
"Ah! That's... the Talisman of the Hundred Forbidden!"
Paimon exclaimed, recognizing the golden talisman as identical to the ones Tartaglia had given them before.
Except, the 'Talismans of the Hundred Forbidden' they received didn't glow like this.
"So the Fatui have indeed been researching it!"
Paimon recalled Feng Yi saying that the Fatui had used a complete Talisman of the Hundred Forbidden as a blueprint to try and replicate it.
Moreover, Ningguang had already discovered the Fatui's research workshop in Liyue.
"Indeed. The one we gave you was merely a byproduct of this research. With the power of this 'Talisman of the Hundred Forbidden', combined with the power granted by the Tsaritsa to the 'Harbingers'... temporarily unsealing the Geo Archon's suppression is not impossible."
For Tartaglia, reaching the point of mobilizing the power of ancient Archons was already boring and went against his principles. However, the thought of not just the Geo Archon, but even the Liyue Qixing being thrown into disarray suddenly struck him as quite amusing.
During the time Tartaglia was speaking, the sky above Liyue Harbor instantly turned grim. Rolling dark clouds rapidly engulfed the clear sky.
Torrential rain, fierce winds, and lightning… this oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm instantly silenced the bustling Liyue Harbor.
The air seemed to thicken, making it difficult for everyone to breathe.
RUMBLE!
A startling flash of lightning tore through the churning dark clouds, followed by a thunderclap that boomed in everyone's ears.
This thunderclap seemed to trigger something. Residents and merchants in Liyue City fled in all directions, panic spreading throughout the entire city.
"Quick, this way..."
Teams of Millelith soldiers quickly appeared on the city's main thoroughfares, directing residents to evacuate in an orderly manner.
"Everyone, do not panic. Lady Ningguang has ordered all citizens to return home immediately, close all doors and windows..."
Ningguang had foreseen this and had already deployed the Millelith to standby at key passages, guiding residents in an orderly retreat to prevent stampedes.
Upon hearing that Lady Ningguang had taken action, the panic among the Liyue populace subsided, and the evacuation rate increased significantly.
Meanwhile, a fleet returning to Liyue spotted several colossal waterspouts piercing the sky, causing everyone's expressions to turn grave.
"Big Sister, it seems something has happened in Liyue. What should we do now?"
The first mate lowered his telescope, looking at Captain Beidou with a worried expression.
"Tell the crew to furl the sails and stand by..."
Even from a great distance, the violent winds and waves were affecting their 'The Crux' fleet.
Even the 'Alcor', known for its stability, could not maintain normal navigation in the face of the surging waves.
They would observe the situation first and gather more intelligence before making a final decision.
But as members of Liyue, they would never stand idly by!
"Hahaha, let's wait and see. Will a nation without its Archon be swallowed by ancient malice once more? I wish you all a pleasant time!"
Having accomplished his task, Tartaglia left with a laugh, leaving Lumine and Paimon bewildered.
Lumine, with Paimon, tried to catch up with Tartaglia, but after leaving the Golden House, he had vanished. Instead, they saw the Jade Chamber floating in the sky, heading towards the harbor.
Paimon, with her sharp eyes, noticed Feng Yi and Ningguang standing on the deck of the Jade Chamber, seemingly gazing at something.
"Lumine, I see Feng Yi on the Jade Chamber. What should we do next? Should we go and meet him?"
The situation was extremely chaotic, and Paimon didn't know what to do next.
"Mm, I know a place where we can get onto the Jade Chamber. Paimon, follow me..."
Now that the Jade Chamber had moved, they could no longer use their previous method of using floating stones to board it.
However, while exploring the mountains and forests of Liyue, Lumine remembered a massive updraft. Once activated, they could use their Gliders to soar all the way to the Jade Chamber.
...
On the deck of the Jade Chamber, Feng Yi and Ningguang looked down at the sea below, where several enormous tentacles were rapidly extending towards the docks near the coast.
Double-decker merchant ships were like sesame seeds in comparison, tossed about by the currents generated by their movement, nearly capsizing.
Ship crew members suffering from megalophobia saw the huge dark shapes moving beneath the sea and fainted on the spot.
There were five such colossal tentacles extending towards Liyue Harbor.
As the tentacles approached the Jade Chamber, they suddenly rose high out of the sea with a swoosh, looking down upon the 'small object' blocking their path.
"Wuaaaah~ Quick... Feng Yi, catch me!"
Feng Yi, who was observing the movement of Osial's tentacles on the deck of the Jade Chamber, suddenly heard Paimon's voice from above.
Was it an auditory hallucination?
How could Paimon be flying in the sky?
Feng Yi shook his head, thinking he must not have rested well lately and was hallucinating.
"Feng Yi! Catch me!"
Paimon's voice sounded again, this time clearer and more urgent.
Feng Yi followed the source of the sound and saw Lumine and Paimon falling from the sky towards the Jade Chamber.
The air currents in this area had become wild and unpredictable due to the influence of the Archon's aura.
Lumine, riding her Glider, swayed precariously in the air, buffeted by the capricious currents.
Paimon, without a Glider, was not faring any better. If she hadn't been holding onto Lumine's leg, she would have been blown away by the wind.
Lumine was in danger!
Feng Yi immediately acted, leaping forward and flying through the air. In an instant, he reached Lumine, using his magic to shield her from the violent air currents and bring her safely to the Jade Chamber.
"Phew... We... we're saved!"
Paimon shook her head, nearly missing the sunrise the next day.
"Why are you two here?"
Feng Yi asked with a smile, still using such a dangerous method.
"We came to help. Although there was a small accident, we succeeded in the end..."
Lumine hadn't expected the air currents near the coast to be so violent. If not for Feng Yi, she might have been swept into the sea by the fierce winds.