Outside Liyue Harbor, after walking for quite some time, Qiu Bai turned to look at Lumine and Paimon.
"Alright, this is far enough."
"Hold on to me."
He glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby, before speaking to them.
"Mhm!"
Paimon nodded, while Lumine stepped forward and grabbed Qiu Bai arm.
With a sudden shift, the world around them spun, and in the blink of an eye, Qiu Bai had teleported them to the ruins beneath Mt. Aozang.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a nod with Qiu Bai before stepping inside.
Qiu Bai followed behind them at a steady pace.
The interior was dimly lit, surrounded by stone walls etched with strange ancient symbols.
At the far end stood a mechanized door.
Paimon flew ahead, circling around to inspect the area before returning.
"There are traces of the Treasure Hoarders here!"
"They really did come through!"
She pointed to the ground where a patch of dirt bore footprints.
"There's a door ahead. Let's check it out."
Lumine turned to Qiu Bai and then started walking forward.
"No need to go through all that trouble."
"Lumine, Paimon, step back."
A small smile played at Qiu Bai's lips as he extended his senses, locking onto something ahead.
"What is it, Qiu Bai?"
Lumine and Paimon looked at him in confusion.
Just as they were about to take another step, Qiu Bai firm words stopped them in their tracks.
Although puzzled, they obediently retreated behind him.
Qiu Bai strolled forward, stopping in front of a solid stone wall.
He raised his right hand, where inky-white divine energy began to swirl around his fist.
"Heh, puzzles?"
"I love solving puzzles."
With that thought, Qiu Bai pulled back his fist and punched the wall with full force.
"BANG!"
A deafening crash echoed through the ruins as chunks of stone crumbled to the ground.
Right in front of them, a gaping hole had been punched through the wall, revealing a tunnel bathed in an eerie dark glow.
Qiu Bai turned to Lumine and Paimon.
"Alright, let's go."
Both of them stood frozen, their mouths hanging open.
"Q-Qiu Bai..."
"Last time, when you punched a rock near Jueyun Karst, you said that was your full strength, right?"
Paimon finally snapped out of her shock, hands on her hips, glaring at Qiu Bai.
"And to think we actually believed you back then."
"You're really good at acting, huh?"
Paimon huffed and turned away, still upset about Qiu Bai hiding his true strength.
Lumine also crossed her arms and let out a small hmph before turning her head.
"Hahaha…"
"Alright, don't sulk. Let's move."
Seeing their cute reactions, Qiu Bai couldn't help but chuckle before stepping further into the cave.
Lumine and Paimon followed closely behind him.
After walking for a while, they reached the end of the tunnel.
The moment they stepped out of the hole that Qiu Bai had punched through, they were met with a grotesque sight—a Treasure Hoarder member, kneeling on the ground in an unnatural, twisted position, as if he had been praying.
In front of him stood an inverted Statue of The Seven—the statue of the Anemo Archon, but the orb in its hands was missing.
Dark, eerie energy continuously gathered in the statue's hands, emitting an ominous black glow.
Paimon flew closer to inspect the Treasure Hoarder, observing him carefully for a moment.
Then, all of a sudden, she darted behind Qiu Bai in terror.
"H-He's dead!"
"No breathing… No heartbeat…!"
She pointed at the Treasure Hoarder with a trembling finger.
Even in the face of such a disturbing scene, Qiu Bai expression remained unchanged as he gazed at the inverted Statue of The Seven before him.
"So this is the so-called 'Great Treasure Hoarder'?"
"What exactly did he experience to die in such a twisted state?"
Qiu Bai stroked his chin, murmuring to himself.
"I've never seen anything this eerie before."
"It feels incredibly sinister."
Lumine frowned, her gaze fixed on the inverted statue before them.
Qiu Bai, however, already knew what the Abyss was up to.
They intended to use the remains of Osial to fuel their schemes, and this statue served as the foundation—a base designed to merge with Osial lingering body.
And the orb that should have been in the statue's hands?
That spot was meant to hold the Eye of the First Field Tiller.
This so-called inverted Statue of The Seven had another name—the Defiled Reversed Statue.
"So during that gap when I destroyed Osial, the Abyss and the Fatui had already started collecting the remains?"
"I wonder what Aether is thinking about all this…"
Qiu Bai muttered internally.
"But this plan is honestly kinda dumb. Osial, plus the statue, plus the Eye of the Field Tiller…
"Do they really think this is enough to shake Celestia?"
Qiu Bai rubbed his chin, then suddenly let out a mysterious smirk.
Just then, the ground suddenly split open, and a surge of dark purple energy burst from the cracks.
"The ground is collapsing! We need to run!"
"Let's go find Ganyu and Lan and report this!"
Paimon watched as the ground slowly cracked open, shouting to Qiu Bai and Lumine.
Qiu Bai nodded at them, and the three of them quickly ran out of the collapsing area, escaping into another chamber.
As they entered the new space, the surroundings became brighter and standing in the center was a familiar figure.
"Oh great, isn't that an Abyss Herald?"
Qiu Bai expression twitched slightly as he looked at the towering Abyss Herald before him standing at over two meters tall, its form radiating an overwhelming presence.
"The secrets of the Abyss are not for mortal eyes to behold!"
"You who have trespassed... You who have gazed upon its depths… must bear the consequences!"
"Judgment shall be delivered by the hands of an Apostle!"
The Abyss Herald distinctive voice echoed throughout the chamber as its glowing eyes locked onto the three of them.
"Abyss Herald?"
"I think Dainsleif mentioned something about them before."
Paimon turned to Lumine, her voice filled with uncertainty.
"Dain? Dainsleif!"
"I see now… At first, I assumed you were mere rats scurrying where you do not belong but it seems you are entangled with that wretched man as well."
The Abyss Herald narrowed its eyes, studying the three of them with an eerie expression.
"Did he send you here to die?"
"His resistance against the Abyss has long since reached a stalemate. A mere ripple like this will not change the inevitable."
"The Abyss is unstoppable!"
As soon as those words left its lips, the Abyss Herald lunged forward, both of its arms transforming into sharp, blade-like weapons, striking toward Qiu Bai group.
Lumine immediately drew her Nameless Sword and charged forward to intercept.
Clang!
Sparks erupted as their blades clashed. The impact forced Lumine backward, flipping through the air before regaining her footing.
Meanwhile, Qiu Bai grabbed Paimon with one hand and swiftly retreated.
Just as Lumine was about to counterattack, a sinister wave of purple-black energy suddenly surged toward her!
She instinctively summoned Anemo energy, forming a barrier to block it but the shockwave sent her flying backward.
Her Nameless Sword dragged across the ground, carving a long trench as she struggled to stop herself.
"What is this power…?"
"I've never seen anything like it before..."
Paimon, still held in Qiu Bai grip, watched the battle with a mix of fear and confusion, her voice trembling with curiosity.
"Hahaha… The power of the Abyss!"
"Its secrets are beyond your comprehension!"
The Abyss Herald let out a chilling laugh, the dark energy on its twin blades intensifying and in the next instant, it rushed toward Lumine once more!
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)