Before arriving, Luo Li had not been certain about the condition of the sealing technique that Asase Hibiki had created.
Five hundred years was a very long time. Too many things could have happened during that period.
Moreover, the sealing technique she had mastered back then had not yet reached perfection. If the ley lines had become chaotic during that time and broken the seal, the shrine maiden trapped within would likely have been torn apart by the violent energy.
Fortunately, while speaking with Neko, Luo Li had quietly investigated the situation.
The pulse of the ley lines beneath the ground was extremely stable, with no signs of damage or disruption.
That meant that, unless something unexpected had happened, the young shrine maiden from long ago was still safely sleeping beneath the shrine.
Neko had been waiting for this day for countless years.
"What can I do?" it asked eagerly.
"You just need to wait here," Luo Li replied.
After speaking, he ignored Neko's further questions. He focused on sensing the flow of the ley lines and adjusted himself to a matching frequency.
The next moment, his figure vanished from the spot.
Neko jumped in surprise.
Beneath Asase Shrine
What appeared to be solid earth to others looked entirely different to Luo Li.
To him, it was a vast and beautiful underground ocean world.
The power of the ley lines maintained a barrier that pushed away the surrounding seawater, forming a bubble-like space nearly a thousand meters wide.
The dark environment was illuminated by glowing plants.
Outside the barrier drifted luminous jellyfish, while small fish carrying faint lantern-like lights swam slowly through the water.
The entire underground sea looked like a dream.
At the center of this dreamlike scenery lay a young shrine maiden in deep sleep.
She had long black hair styled in the traditional shrine maiden fashion and wore a miko robe.
Her eyes were closed, her beautiful face calm and peaceful. Her hands rested gently on her abdomen as if she were merely sleeping.
A massive amount of ley line energy surrounded her.
Seven chains formed from ley line power extended from the void and bound her in place, sealing her within the barrier.
Luo Li walked toward the seal.
As he watched, the light of the seven chains dimmed noticeably.
"So… the branch of ley line energy created from the Thunderbird's lingering resentment can no longer sustain itself?"
He examined the surroundings carefully.
The sealing runes flowing along the barrier walls had begun fading, and many had already worn away.
Ley lines were not constant. Across Teyvat, their energy could change with time.
Sometimes, if the flow in a region became unstable, it would gradually dry up.
Clearly, Asase Hibiki had not possessed the ability to maintain an eternal ley line cycle within this small area.
If things continued like this, the underground space she created would collapse within a year.
At that point, the uncontrolled ley line energy would destroy the barrier—and Hibiki would be in great danger.
Fortunately, Luo Li had arrived in time.
Without hesitation, he severed the seven ley line chains, completely isolating this place from the ley line branch.
Seirai Island — Surface
The moment he did this, the entire island suddenly shook violently.
It felt like a powerful earthquake.
At the same time, the Thunderbird's lingering resentment connected to the sky erupted into chaos.
Countless lightning bolts struck the island continuously.
Amakumo Peak instantly became a sea of lightning.
On Seirai Island, the Resistance Army members transporting ore were stunned.
One of their leaders—a man with animal ears and a tail—shouted loudly:
"Stop moving the ore! Everyone take cover! We need to find out what's happening!"
This island was always struck by lightning, but something on this scale had only happened once before—hundreds of years ago during the terrifying thunderstorm.
Just as he finished speaking, one of his subordinates shouted from afar.
"General Gorou! Look over there!"
The leader named Gorou turned toward the direction.
In the distance, near the small island beyond Seiraimaru, enormous streams of ley line energy burst from the ground like a rising dragon of dust.
"What exactly is happening over there…?" Gorou muttered in shock.
"I… I don't know. Should we send people to investigate?"
"Not yet," Gorou said immediately.
"We'll check after everything calms down."
At a time like this, wandering around recklessly would be suicidal.
Perhaps ten minutes passed. Perhaps half an hour.
Eventually, the violent phenomenon subsided.
Only then did the resistance soldiers cautiously emerge from their hiding places.
"Check whether anyone is injured or missing!" Gorou ordered.
The disciplined soldiers quickly counted their members.
Soon a report came in:
3 seriously injured
20 lightly injured
10 missing
Gorou quickly issued orders.
"One-third of you search for the missing comrades. One-third stay here to guard the supplies. The rest—come with me to investigate that place."
He had to discover the cause of the earthquake and lightning storm.
After all, Watatsumi Island relied on the resources of Seirai Island.
If such disasters continued, it would be disastrous for their operations.
Soon, Gorou led several dozen uninjured soldiers toward the distant island.
Back Underground
Luo Li ignored everything happening above.
He had already limited the disturbance to a controlled range. Otherwise, the chaos would have been far worse.
Looking at the seven fading ley line chains and the weakening seal, he nodded in satisfaction.
Now that the ley line branch had been cut off, the Thunderbird's residual power would return to the sky.
All that remained was to wait for Asase Hibiki to awaken naturally.
"Judging by how quickly the sealing power is fading… she should wake up in about three days."
Luo Li chose not to awaken her forcibly.
She needed time to adjust to the changes after being frozen in time for five hundred years.
Remaining asleep would allow her body to adapt gradually.
Already, visible changes were appearing.
The shrine maiden's chest slowly began to rise and fall.
A faint blush returned to her pale cheeks.
Time within the barrier resumed flowing.
Her long hair spread out and gently floated in the moving air.
Looking at Hibiki—still appearing around twenty years old—Luo Li felt relieved.
If she had not frozen time with her sealing technique five hundred years ago, she would have already merged into the cycle of the ley lines.
Even he would not have been able to bring her back.
Unless he someday gained the power to freely manipulate the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta themselves.
At that level, life and death would become mere details.
Just like Guizhong, the Dust Goddess who still remained preserved until today.