Cloud Retainer followed Qiu Bai toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Suddenly, Azhdaha and Zhongli approached from ahead.
"Old friend, did you sense it?"
"That aura from the sea..."
Zhongli looked at Qiu Bai before him, speaking slowly.
"Ah... I sensed it."
Qiu Bai nodded upon hearing this, responding.
The sky was now approaching evening, and the lights were beginning to brighten.
"Rex Lapis, Dragon King, is it Osial wife, Beisht?"
"Hmph... what terrible timing."
Cloud Retainer looked at Azhdaha and Zhongli before her, snorting softly.
"Qiu Bai!"
"Oh~ and there's Zhongli and Azhdaha, as well as..."
Lumine and Paimon, along with Shenhe, ran over.
Seeing the group before them, they scratched their heads in confusion.
The person beside Qiu Bai looked very familiar, but they just couldn't remember who it was.
"I am Cloud Retainer."
Cloud Retainer looked at the stammering Paimon, reminding her.
"So it's that immortal crane!"
Paimon looked at Cloud Retainer before her, speaking in shock.
Though she had seen her once on the Jade Chamber, she remembered that Cloud Retainer didn't look like this at that time.
"How increasingly rude."
"To dare call me an immortal crane directly."
Cloud Retainer looked at Paimon before her, snorting softly.
"Master..."
Shenhe looked at Cloud Retainer before her, speaking.
"Shenhe, what experiences have you had descending the mountain this time?"
Cloud Retainer looked at Shenhe before her, asking with a gentle laugh.
"Master, I..."
"I feel that I can use my power for the Traveler sake."
Shenhe placed one hand over her chest, then raised her head to look at Cloud Retainer, speaking.
She remembered her master telling her that when she had the thought of using her power for others sake, that would be when she could truly integrate into human society.
"Hmm..."
Cloud Retainer looked at Shenhe before her, nodding with satisfaction, her lips also carrying a smile.
"By the way, Master, are you and the fool... no, Immortal Lord..."
"Are you on a date?"
Shenhe looked at Cloud Retainer before her, asking with a completely calm expression.
"Uh... um... cough cough."
"Shenhe, where did you learn such vocabulary? How could I possibly be on a date with this guy?"
Cloud Retainer looked at Shenhe before her, her face flushed with embarrassment, speaking tsundere-like.
"Hehe..."
Zhongli crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Cloud Retainer standing together with Qiu Bai.
As if recalling something, he chuckled twice.
"A date?"
"Hmm... Qiu Bai and Cloud Retainer are on a date?"
Lumine looked at the two before her, speaking in shock.
"Calling it a date wouldn't be inappropriate."
"Wouldn't you say so, Cloud Retainer?"
Qiu Bai smiled upon hearing this, then nudged Cloud Retainer with his elbow.
"Uh..."
Cloud Retainer lowered her head upon hearing this, blushing and remaining silent.
"Hahaha, I never expected Cloud Retainer to have such an expression."
"Even I have never seen this before."
Azhdaha looked at the head-lowered Cloud Retainer, speaking with laughter.
"Hmph, you fat lump."
"If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."
Cloud Retainer raised her head, looking at Azhdaha before her, speaking with great conversational skills.
Suddenly, Qiu Bai brow furrowed slightly as he turned his head toward the direction of the sea.
Suddenly, the sky filled with thunder and lightning, dark clouds gathered, and the sea continuously crashed with waves.
"Wh-what's happening?"
Paimon turned around, looking at Liyue Harbor suddenly changing weather, speaking in surprise.
"The Maelstrom lingering power, Beisht."
"Also the wife of Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex."
Qiu Bai looked at Paimon before him, explaining.
"You mean that Archon?!"
"He actually had a wife!"
Paimon stared with wide eyes at Qiu Bai before her, asking in shock.
"We need to quickly go to the Jade Chamber and notify Ningguang."
"Otherwise, it'll be too late!"
Lumine looked at Liyue Harbor's changing weather, and after speaking, hurriedly ran toward Yujing Terrace.
"Master..."
Shenhe looked at Cloud Retainer before her, asking.
"Go, Shenhe."
Cloud Retainer nodded upon hearing this, speaking with a gentle laugh.
After hearing this, Shenhe smiled and hurriedly chased after Lumine.
Paimon stamped her feet and followed as well.
"Hmm..."
"I wonder if Liyue will need us to take action this time."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the Jade Chamber in the sky, murmuring.
"Osial wife?"
"Such a weak creature should be manageable, right?"
Azhdaha spoke with some confusion upon hearing this.
To him, it was at most like an earthworm—the people of Liyue should be able to handle it.
"She has been dormant in the sea for several thousand years."
"Her strength has likely increased considerably."
Zhongli crossed his arms over his chest upon hearing this, looking at the thunderstorm in the sky, speaking slowly.
"Strong?"
Azhdaha, upon hearing this, curiously sensed Beisht at the bottom of the sea.
"She's clearly very weak."
"Can't she still be eliminated with one strike?"
Azhdaha looked at Zhongli beside him, spreading his hands.
Zhongli mouth twitched heavily upon hearing this.
"Azhdaha, what Morax means isn't that she's strong compared to us."
"She's strong compared to the people of Liyue Harbor."
Qiu Bai looked at Azhdaha before him, explaining with a light laugh.
An opponent of this level could be easily handled by the Five Yakshas.
"I see..."
"But is it feasible? Can the people of Liyue really deal with such a creature without relying on adepti or gods?"
Azhdaha crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the storm-changed sky, frowning as he murmured.
"Azhdaha, watch carefully."
"Come see this new era of Liyue."
Qiu Bai smiled upon hearing this, then turned his gaze toward the storm-changed sky.
At this time, the people of Liyue were saying:
"What's happening?!"
"I've seen this scene before—it's the same as when the Overlord of the Vortex was about to appear!"
"Could it be, could there be another Archon in the sea?!"
"This time Immortal Lord isn't here, what should we do..."
"Come home with me quickly, child."
"The Adepti and Rex Lapis will protect us."
The people of Liyue on the streets were already in complete chaos.
But immediately, Millelith soldiers emerged from the surroundings, directing the civilians to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, Qiu Bai, Zhongli, Cloud Retainer, and Azhdaha were no longer on the streets of Liyue Harbor, but standing on a mountain peak, observing the turbulent sea surface.
The Millelith completely blocked off all paths leading to the seaside.
Then they stood in neat formation, holding their weapons, watching the whirlpool on the sea surface.
"Are you afraid, lad?"
A middle-aged Millelith soldier looked at the trembling recruit beside him, asking with a smile.
"N-no, I'm not afraid."
The recruit held his White Tassel Spear, speaking with a trembling voice.
"Being afraid is normal, don't worry."
"When the fighting starts, you won't be afraid anymore."
The middle-aged Millelith soldier patted the recruit's shoulder, speaking with a smile.
Then he raised his White Tassel Spear, staring directly at the sea surface.
"Millelith stands firm, mountains immovable!"
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)