What frightened Yunqin even more was that towards this god who had once threatened Liyue Harbor and been sealed by Rex Lapis, she felt no fear at all; instead, a sense of awe originating from her bloodline arose within her.
That awe was even stronger than her faith in Rex Lapis, like an instinct carved into her bones, making her unable to resist wanting to bow her head and submit to that deep sea majesty.
"No... don't!" Yunqin suddenly hugged her head as a severe pain came from within her skull, as if two sets of memories were frantically fighting in her mind.
On one side was her 17 years as "Yunqin": Liyue's sunshine, her Master's teachings, and Mr. Zhongli's gentleness;
On the other side was the unfamiliar deep sea memory: the churning Vortex, the god's majesty, and the summoning in her bloodline.
She wanted to dispel that unfamiliar awe.
But the more she resisted, the clearer Osial's figure became.
Even the unique salty and fishy smell of the deep sea seemed to drill into her nasal cavity, making her unable to help but feel a physiological nausea.
Right at this moment, the black mist in the cave grew dense, completely swallowing the only faint light.
A sound of heavy footsteps came from deep within the cave.
"Clank... clank..."
Every step felt like it was trampling on one's heart, and the sound of armor colliding with the ground echoed in the empty cave.
Yunqin looked up, her pupils dilating slightly in the darkness.
She saw a figure materialize from the black mist, turning from an illusion into reality. The person had a slender figure, yet was entirely covered in pitch-black armor, and the helmet took the shape of a ferocious dragon's head with its horns curving towards the Sky.
The armor appeared heavy, but it did not affect the person's movements in the slightest. Mingled with the clanking sound of their landing was the faint noise of shattering Cryo crystals, as if every step was taken on a surface of ice.
The newcomer slowly walked to a spot not far from Yunqin and stopped.
They maintained a safe arm's-length distance, yet were positioned perfectly to take in every subtle reaction from Yunqin.
A cold voice came from beneath the dragon helmet, carrying a bit of deliberate playfulness: "Should I call you Yunqin, or... the descendant of Osial, Overlord of the Vortex?"
"What nonsense are you saying!"
The phrase "descendant of a god" acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the emotions Yunqin had suppressed for so long.
She abruptly rose from the ground, launching a fast and powerful whip punch at her opponent. But the opponent nonchalantly raised their left arm, with cyan Anemo swirling around the outside of the forearm like an invisible cushion. With a muffled "bang", Yunqin's fist crashed heavily into the opponent's arm. The initially heavy and powerful force was instantly dissipated by the Anemo for the most part, and the opponent's body did not even sway a bit, as if merely touched by a feather. Yunqin's pupils shrank suddenly, and she subconsciously staggered half a step back. She knew the force of her punch all too well; even solid Geo rocks could be smashed to pieces. Yet the opponent actually blocked it easily using only Anemo! By the faintly visible glimmer of the elements in the black mist, she finally saw clearly that the opponent's "armor" was not forged of metal at all, but condensed from pitch-black Cryo icicles. The ice surface was also entwined with a faint Abyssal aura, and the edge of every icicle exuded a chill that could freeze blood, as if a mere touch would cause frostbite. "Who are you?" Yunqin clenched her fists.
Although her Vision was not by her side, the Hydro Element and adeptal energy within her body were stirring, flowing through her blood vessels into her limbs and bones, ready to respond to the next attack at any moment.
Her breathing was somewhat rapid, her chest heaved slightly, and her eyes were filled with vigilance.
"Who I am is not important."
The other party's voice became eerie, as if several people were speaking at the same time, forming a bone-chilling mixed sound.
"What is important is, who are you now? Are you Yunqin, the disciple of Cloud Retainer of Mt. Aocang... or the descendant of a god who was sealed for 17 years and does not even know her own identity?"
Yunqin choked on these words; she opened her mouth, but found she had absolutely no idea how to refute them.
That was right, who exactly was she now?
Was she the disciple of the adepti who liked clay figures of Rex Lapis, or the monster born with the bloodline of Liyue's "enemies"?
This question was like a thorn that she dared not face.
"The Gods and Adepti of Liyue have been deceiving you from the very beginning. They sealed your memories not to protect you, but out of fear that once you awakened your power, you would become a second Osial and destroy the Liyue Harbor they protect."
The other obviously saw through her hesitation and continued speaking.
With a tone of deliberate persuasion, the voice drilled into Yunqin's ears like a viper flicking its tongue: "They teach you adeptal arts not to make you stronger, but to bind you with the identity of a 'disciple of the adepti', forcing you to forever be their 'caged bird'."
"Even Rex Lapis, whom you believe in the most, only treats you as a 'hidden danger' that needs to be constantly watched, and has never truly trusted you."
"What you thought was 'care' is actually entirely a scheme."
"That's not true!" Yunqin fiercely retorted, her voice trembling slightly from agitation, "Master genuinely taught me cultivation! She even sews clothes for me and cooks me Qingxin Congee! Mr. Zhongli wouldn't scheme against me either, he even accompanied me to watch the fireworks at Liyue Harbor!"
But as soon as the words left her mouth, her confidence faltered.
If it wasn't a scheme, why did they hide it for so many years?
Why did Lumine subconsciously step back when she erupted with the Hydro Element?
Could that "sincerity" she believed in really just be a disguise meant to "watch over" her?
"Not calculating?" The other party chuckled softly, the laughter full of undisguised mockery. "Then tell me, was the Traveler's first reaction to rush over and protect you, or to grip her sword and step back?"
"After you ran away from the cave, did they worry about your safety right away, or did they first discuss how to 'control' you?"
Every question was like a fine needle, precisely piercing into the softest part of Yunqin's heart.
She wanted to refute, but her mind constantly flashed with Lumine's tense shoulders as she retreated, and Zhongli's heavy gaze during his silence...
Those scenes replayed over and over like a movie, making her rebuttal pale and weak.
Tears began to well up in her eyes again; she blinked hard, wanting to hold them back, but she could not help it.
Just as Yunqin's conviction was about to be completely shattered, the other party suddenly changed the subject, their voice taking on a hint of alluring magnetism: "But, you don't need to be afraid."
"If you want to escape all this, to no longer be bound by the identity of 'Yunqin', perhaps I can help you."
Yunqin froze, asking subconsciously: "Help how?"
Her voice carried a longing that she did not even notice herself.
The other party did not answer directly, but instead cast their gaze toward Yunqin's waist: the place where her Vision originally hung was now empty, leaving only a red string used to tie the Vision hanging loosely.
"On the condition that you trade this girl's life for your own."