Battle at Mount Mingyuan: The Liyue-Fontaine Coalition Campaign Against Yuan
The morning mist over Mount Mingyuan had yet to lift when the clank of iron armor echoed from the direction of the Jade Valley. The Traveler Aether stood atop a massive boulder at the mountain's peak, Anemo energy swirling at his fingertips. His gaze cut through the swirling clouds, fixing on the black battle flag emblazoned with the character "Yuan" at the valley entrance—Yuan Tan, son of Yuan Shao, had occupied this land for more than three months, plundering Liyue caravans and blocking Fontaine's shipping lanes. Today marked the day the coalition forces of Liyue, Fontaine, and Natlan would break his formation.
Yun Jin gripped her custom-made cloud-patterned spear, the embroidery on her robes glinting with faint golden light in the morning sun. She turned to Aether, her voice clear and crisp like the opening notes of an opera: "Traveler, those traitorous generals Chen Lan and Lei Bo are fond of hiding behind their lines and firing sneak attacks. I'll charge the formation in a moment; keep a close eye on my flanks for me." Aether nodded in agreement. Behind them, Natlan warriors let out battle cries, their bare arms painted with flame motifs, their scimitars glinting sharply. Meanwhile, Fontaine's naval forces set up defenses downstream in the mountain gorge to prevent the Yuan army from fleeing by water.
At three-quarters past the hour of the Dragon, the coalition's war horns blared suddenly. Natlan warriors charged first, surging toward the Yuan army's vanguard like a wildfire. The crisp clash of scimitars against iron armor and roars of battle instantly tore through the morning mist. A vortex of Anemo formed beneath Aether's feet, and he shot across the battlefield like an arrow, heading straight for the Yuan army's right flank—where Guo Yuan was stationed. Guo Yuan, Yuan Tan's fiercest general, wielded a broad axe against Natlan warriors, and two Natlan soldiers fell to the ground with each sweep of his blade.
"Come then!" Guo Yuan's eyes flashed with malice as he saw Aether approaching, swinging his axe with a howling wind toward Aether's head. Aether dodged sideways, condensing an Anemo slash in his palm and slamming it hard against Guo Yuan's axe handle. A sharp pain shot through Guo Yuan's hands, and he nearly lost his grip. Roaring in rage, he changed his strike to a wide sweep, only to see Aether leap off the ground. Electro energy erupted violently, purple lightning crawling up Guo Yuan's arm and pinning him in place. "You…" Before Guo Yuan could finish, Aether drew his sword, its blade slicing through the air with a cold glint. Guo Yuan's head rolled to the ground, and the Yuan army's right flank descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, Yun Jin was locked in combat with Chen Lan and Lei Bo on the left flank. Chen Lan wielded a pair of halberds with ruthless moves, while Lei Bo brandished a long blade, constantly sneaking attacks from the side. Yun Jin spun her spear in an impenetrable barrier, its tip precisely parrying the halberds before she spun and swept the shaft heavily into Lei Bo's back. Lei Bo grunted and dropped to his knees; before he could rise, Yun Jin reversed her spear, its blade piercing his chest.
"Lei!" Chen Lan's eyes bloodshot with rage, he hacked wildly at Yun Jin with his halberds, his moves losing all discipline. Yun Jin countered calmly, deliberately leaving an opening. As Chen Lan lunged forward, she suddenly crouched low, thrusting her spear upward from below, straight for his throat. Chen Lan's pupils constricted; it was too late to retreat. The moment the spear tip pierced his neck, blood splattered across Yun Jin's robes, merging with the cloud embroidery.
The battle raged until midday. Though the Yuan army's formation was in disarray, remaining troops fought stubbornly. He Mao and Mu Yuanjin retreated to a mountain pass with 300 soldiers, trying to hold the coalition off with terrain. Aether exchanged a glance with a Natlan commander before splitting forces—Natlan warriors launched a frontal assault to draw He Mao's attention, while Aether circled behind the pass, using Geo energy to build stone steps and infiltrate quietly.
He Mao was slashing at charging Natlan warriors when he felt wind behind him. He spun around, only to find Aether's sword inches away. He frantically blocked, and at the clash of blades, Dendro energy burst from Aether. Vines erupted from the ground, coiling around He Mao's legs. "No!" He Mao screamed, but Aether showed no mercy. His sword struck again, and He Mao collapsed.
Mu Yuanjin panicked at He Mao's death and turned to flee. Aether would not let him escape, gathering Anemo into a cyclone that lifted Mu Yuanjin into the air. As he flailed helplessly, Aether leaped up, his sword cutting through the wind. Mu Yuanjin's body crashed heavily to the ground. Seeing this, the remaining soldiers at the pass dropped their weapons and surrendered.
At the valley entrance, Yun Jin was battling Chen Ji and Li Feng. Chen Ji held a shield, Li Feng a spear, their coordinated tactics trapping Yun Jin. After a moment's observation, she noticed a tiny crack on the left side of Chen Ji's shield—left by an earlier clash with Natlan warriors. Taking a deep breath, she accelerated her assault, repeatedly stabbing the shield's right side and forcing Chen Ji to shift his defense.
The moment Chen Ji lost his balance, Yun Jin changed her move, looping her spear around the shield and piercing his waist. Chen Ji cried out, only to be blocked by Li Feng as he tried to retreat; the spear tore through his armor. Li Feng panicked at Chen Ji's death. Yun Jin seized the chance, sweeping her spear to knock his weapon away, then pressed the tip to his throat: "Surrender?"
"I…" Before Li Feng could reply, shouts of battle erupted in the distance—Yuan Tan, seeing his generals fall one by one, charged forward with his personal guards. Yun Jin's eyes turned cold. Before Li Feng could speak, the spear pierced his throat. She turned with her spear and met Aether, and the two rushed toward Yuan Tan.
Yuan Tan's face turned ashen when he saw Chen Lan, Lei Bo, Chen Ji, and Li Feng all dead, with Guo Yuan, He Mao, and Mu Yuanjin nowhere to be found. His longsword trembled in his hand. Facing Aether and Yun Jin and the surging coalition behind them, he suddenly dropped his sword and knelt: "I surrender! I will yield the valley—"
"Too late." Yun Jin's voice was icy, her spear pointed at Yuan Tan's chest. "When you plundered Liyue's caravans and slaughtered Fontaine's fishermen, did you ever think of this day?" With those words, the spear pierced his heart. The son of Yuan Shao finally paid for his crimes.
As the sun set, the battle at Mount Mingyuan ended. Coalition soldiers cheered and raised their weapons. The "Yuan" flag at Jade Valley was cut down, replaced by the banners of Liyue and Fontaine. Yun Jin stood at the peak, watching the celebrating troops below, gently wiping blood from her spear as her robes fluttered in the evening wind. Aether walked beside her and offered a water flask: "We couldn't have done this without you."
Yun Jin took the flask, sipped lightly, and smiled: "I only did what I could. From now on, Mount Mingyuan shall return to its former peace." In the distance, Natlan warriors lit bonfires, and Fontaine's navy anchored ashore. Moonlight climbed the peak of Mount Mingyuan, illuminating the victorious battlefield—and the deepening bond between Liyue, Fontaine, and Natlan, forged by fighting side by side.