Junze's hand was covered in frost.
No, more precisely, it was a taotie claw wrapped in freezing energy.
He grabbed that wisp of godly remnant tightly.
"Ahhh—!"
The remnant let out a horrifying scream.
"Shut up."
Junze's eyes flickered coldly. Frost spread from his hand, instantly freezing the remnant solid.
Crack, crack.
He clenched his grip and crushed the frozen remnant into icy fragments.
Black mist surged out and devoured it.
However, it was only a tiny wisp. The boost it gave Junze was negligible.
His growth bar didn't even move.
To actually grow, he would need something like the large clusters beneath the dragon-quelling tree.
This was nothing more than a snack stuck between his teeth.
Junze said seriously,
"Looks like a lot of the remnants that were being transported to Azhdaha have escaped."
For them to reach Liyue Harbor, the number must be significant.
Shenhe nodded.
"My master and the others may have missed some places."
After collapsing the tunnels beneath the tree, Shenhe had already informed Cloud Retainer and the other adepti.
They had begun sealing various ruins.
But it seemed they were still too late.
"Help!"
Another cry came from outside Yuehai Pavilion.
"It's Sister Huixin!"
Junze immediately recognized the voice and rushed out.
Shenhe glanced at the seedlings in the flowerbed and swiftly drew a talisman.
A transparent barrier formed, protecting the plants.
Then she followed after him.
Outside, the streets were already in chaos.
Countless pale, smoke-like remnants were wreaking havoc.
In a sense, these were remnants of remnants, not very powerful individually.
But in such numbers, moving like ghosts, they could cause serious damage.
"Run!"
"Get away!"
People shouted as they fled in panic.
At the same time, the Liyue Qixing's forces were arriving from multiple directions.
The Millelith moved quickly, clearly experienced after the previous vishap incident.
They formed ranks and began attacking the incoming entities.
"Swift as the wind!"
A sharp voice rang out as a purple figure flashed through the air.
A streak of lightning cut through the remnants, instantly dispersing them.
The one who arrived was Keqing.
Holding her sword, she called out,
"These are only weak remnants of a god. Don't panic!"
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Golden jade constructs began to float through the air.
A graceful and imposing woman stepped into the chaotic street.
Her very presence suppressed the remnants.
Ningguang issued orders,
"Protect the civilians. Surround them. Do not let any of these entities escape!"
"Yes!"
With the Yuheng and Tianquan present, the Millelith's morale surged.
"Help!"
A girl's scream suddenly came from above.
Several grayish-white remnants surrounded her in midair.
The girl was Huixin from Yuehai Pavilion.
The remnants let out eerie laughter as they closed in.
"Huixin!"
Tianshu Xing rushed over, shouting in panic upon seeing his daughter captured.
Keqing and Ningguang frowned, looking toward the scene.
They exchanged glances and shook their heads.
Too far.
And the remnants were wrapped tightly around her.
If they attacked recklessly, they might harm her instead.
The surrounding remnants noticed their hesitation and began gathering around Huixin one after another.
"Dad…"
Tears filled Huixin's eyes as she looked at him in fear.
The remnants kept closing in.
She had nowhere left to retreat.
"Sister Huixin!"
At that moment, a childish voice rang out from Yuehai Pavilion.
Everyone turned to look.
A small boy came running out.
It was Junze.
"Junze, don't come over! It's dangerous!"
Huixin shouted anxiously when she saw him.
She was already in danger herself, how could she let him walk into it too?
"It's little Junze?!"
Tianshu Xing panicked and yelled,
"Junze, go back! Don't come any closer!"
"It's dangerous!"
A child that young, if he got entangled by those remnants…
He didn't even dare imagine the outcome.
But Junze acted as if he couldn't hear them at all.
He kept running toward Huixin.
The remnants also noticed him and began drifting toward him.
After all, a child posed even less of a threat.
"How did you let a child run out here?!"
A Millelith captain roared at his soldiers.
The others looked troubled.
They hadn't yet deployed forces near Yuehai Pavilion, there was no way to intercept him in time.
"You go stop that child, I'll cover you!"
Ningguang spoke to Keqing, immediately activating her power.
Star-like constructs formed around her, blasting apart the remnants blocking the path to Junze.
"Got it!"
Keqing threw out a lightning stiletto.
In the next instant, her figure vanished, dashing toward Junze.
The two of them acted decisively.
The moment they realized shouting wouldn't stop him, they moved to intercept.
But just as Keqing was about to reach him a larger remnant suddenly appeared above Junze.
"A child… the tastiest."
Clearly, whatever this remnant once was, it had been a vile being.
It stared down at the boy beneath it with excitement.
Then it opened its gray-white maw, preparing to swallow him whole.
The shadow of that gaping mouth loomed over Junze.
"Not good!"
Everyone's hearts tightened, including Ningguang and Keqing.
A child that small, If struck even once, there would be no chance of survival.
"Junze!"
Huixin, closest to him, was already crying in panic.
Where was Lady Ganyu?!
Just as everyone thought Junze was doomed he smiled gently at Huixin.
"Sister Huixin, don't be afraid."
Though he hadn't used his black aura out of concern for her, it didn't matter.
After all, on the surface, he had long been taught by Ganyu.
These mere scraps of godly remnants had no chance of harming a taotie cub who had learned qilin arts.
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