"Lord Childe, we have lost contact with the personnel arranged at Guyun Stone Forest for three days now."
"Three days without a word?" Tartaglia asked.
"Yes, we've lost all contact. Furthermore, for some reason, the Liyue Qixing has intensified their surveillance on us recently. Even trying to dispatch men to Guyun Stone Forest to investigate has become an issue."
Tartaglia pondered for a moment before speaking. "Since we cannot reach them, let us temporarily abandon the original scheme at Guyun Stone Forest."
"After all, that was originally our last resort..."
"In my initial predictions, the Fatui would have little trouble retreating after releasing the ancient god. However, since my fight with Mr. Su Ming, I no longer think that way."
"If he finds out that the Fatui were the ones to release that god, we won't make it out of Liyue Harbor."
Tartaglia then instructed, "First, recall all the personnel outside who can still be contacted. Have them stationed on the spot. Those near Liyue Harbor should find a way to enter the city."
"The Qixing's high-intensity precautions cannot last forever. Once the Rite of Parting is over, they will bound to relax."
"At that time, we will make our move to Guyun Stone Forest to investigate the situation."
His subordinate nodded in agreement and then asked, "Then, Lord Childe, what should be done about the forged Sigils of Permission we previously set up at Guyun Stone Forest?"
"What else can be done? Just leave them there." Tartaglia sighed, but he soon began to laugh.
"However, the Qixing won't have much energy left to deal with us for a while. Monitoring us and restricting our movements is their limit."
"Don't forget, those Adepti are currently the Qixing's biggest problem."
"Now, you all had better think hard about how to safely infiltrate the Golden House and make contact with the Exuvia."
"Don't forget what our purpose is. Don't put the cart before the horse."
"Every means we employ is for that ultimate goal."
"Everything we do is merely to complete the mission entrusted to us by the Tsaritsa."
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Xiao was half-bent, gasping for breath, the Nuo Mask on his face already mostly missing.
He was nearing the point of total exhaustion.
Yet, his results were quite significant.
The group of Abyss minions that had originally surrounded him had been reduced by a third.
As the absolute main force of the Abyss Order, the Abyss Heralds and Abyss Lectors did not possess weak combat power.
But for Xiao, they were not much of a threat.
It was primarily that Iniquitous Baptist who was the issue. Mastering three different elemental powers, it was Xiao's most troublesome enemy and the only one on the field capable of withstanding his frontal onslaughts.
However, what made Xiao the most wary and anxious was that these Abyss Order minions didn't seem to have a strong killing intent toward him.
Rather than trying to kill him, it seemed more like they wanted to... capture him!
Xiao had tried to break away several times.
After all, he was no reckless brute who only knew how to charge forward.
Thousands of years of combat experience had taught him a profound truth.
If you can't win, run quickly.
But the Abyss Order had clearly made thorough preparations at Guyun Stone Forest.
The surrounding space had been distorted and sealed.
Even with Xiao's unimaginable speed, escape was no longer possible in the face of the spatial blockade and the enemies' obstructions.
Especially now, as he had nearly reached his limit.
"Is this the end... Rex Lapis, I am sorry..."
Xiao sighed, a trace of regret and guilt appearing in his eyes, followed by a faint sense of liberation.
In a trance, he seemed to see his brothers and sisters.
Bosacius, Menogias, Bonanus, Indarias, Pervases...
He remembered the Yakshas who had gone before him. Perhaps, today would be his turn.
He had made up his mind.
No matter what this group from the Abyss Order wanted to do to him, he must never fall into their hands.
Even if it meant death.
"Hah!"
Xiao roared, actively stimulating the Karma within his body to trade for a short burst of powerful combat strength.
Trading his life for theirsthis was the solution Xiao had devised to break the stalemate.
Next, regardless of whether Xiao could kill the remaining Abyss minions, he would eventually die from the erosion of his Karmic Debt.
But without a doubt, after abandoning the suppression of the Karma within him, his combat power reached a new height in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, several more Abyss Heralds surrounding him were cut down.
Although the leading Iniquitous Baptist had no discernible expression, one could guess its lack of calm from its trembling body.
Yet, upon seeing Xiao completely give up on suppressing his internal Karma and intend to take them down with him, the Iniquitous Baptist actually radiated a very human-like joy.
He leapt forward, exerting all his strength to condense three elemental rings to restrain Xiao, who was beginning to lose his sanity.
Then, he shouted, "That's enough... activate the array! Inject the Abyss power!"
"We spent so much effort to lure him to this place. We must not fail now and disappoint the Prince's expectations!"
"Whether Abyss power and a god's grudge can merge, and whether we can use that power to control the gods of the past, all depends on this experiment!"
The remaining Abyss Lectors also hurried to activate the formation they had long since arranged.
In the next moment, a purple-black array emerged from the entirety of Guyun Stone Forest, and an ominous purple light instantly shot into the clouds.
Floating high in the sky, the Jade Chamber was naturally the first place to realize something was wrong.
Because the preparations for the Rite of Parting were complete, Cloud Retainer had rushed back to the Jade Chamber to confront the Qixing. Along with Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper, who had been staying there, the three Adepti arrived on the outer platform of the Jade Chamber the moment they sensed the anomaly.
Then, Madame Ping, who had also come to the Jade Chamber to act as a buffer, walked out alongside Ganyu.
By the docks of Liyue Harbor, Zhongli appeared at an unknown moment.
He watched the purple light rising from Guyun Stone Forest. In his eyes, which were usually as calm as an ancient well, a glimmer of killing intent was revealed.
He frowned, murmuring in a low voice, "The situation seems to have taken a turn... but it is still within controllable limits."
"However... the Abyss Order actually dares to involve themselves in this... their intentions are truly detestable..."
A heaven-shaking killing intent appeared on the Geo Archon once again, for the first time in a thousand years.
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